Once we master our morning, our day will soon follow.
Are you tired of waking up to that alarm clock, rushing to get ready and sprinting out the door? Are you tired of a groggy morning, stuck in constant fight to wake up and somehow shove something in to eat before you go to work? So was I!
I made it my personal mission to master my morning, to enjoy the finer qualities of non-rushed breakfast, a nice shower and a morning cup of delicious french pressed coffee. After honestly years (yes I am only 23 years old), I think I have really nailed five incredibly helpful way that we can make our mornings shine bright once again!
1. Quiet time
Yes, I know that most of us have heard this so many times. How many blogs have we read that preach meditation, time with no distractions, a quiet oasis? Well, after reading tons of blogs, research articles and books, I decided to take this seriously, and boy does it work! Before bed each night, dedicate 10 minutes to a time of quiet relaxation before you lay down. Here is what I do: After setting the alarm on my phone, I light a nice candle and sit on the floor. I start thinking of three things that I am grateful for that occurred throughout my day. Then I meditate, using an app on my phone (There are many apps, but I currently use Headspace). After ten minutes of meditation, I stretch, and cuddle up for a good night's rest!
2. Eat something you Love every morning.
I started this ritual when I was having trouble waking for my new job (I had to be there at 5:00 a.m.)! At that time, I bought the little 6oz cans of Mt. Dew and allowed myself one of those each morning! Since Mt. Dew is my guilty pleasure, I would be so excited to wake-up, hit the fridge, and enjoy one of those delicious cans of sugar! I don't recommend drinking soda right upon wake, but find a small snack or food that you really enjoy and make it a point to go to the kitchen to enjoy it! Now I start my morning with a half of a fresh AVOCADO! I Love the taste, and I feel like I get a super healthy start to my day.
3. Make a small ritual.
A good morning is something that you enjoy, something that will make your whole day fall into bliss. My morning ritual consists of sending a fun and goofy good morning text to my girlfriend and usually a funny Snapchat, followed by making a delicious french pressed coffee. I enjoy coming up with fun ways to spark a good morning for her, and I Love the process of a French Press in the morning, not to mention I Love a delicious cup of COFFEE! You can make your ritual anything from singing songs in the shower to spending five minutes with your puppy!
4. Give yourself plenty of time.
Yes, sleeping till the last possible minute can feel like the best. We all know the beauty of feeling our eyelids close over and over until we are forced to get ready, but I believe there is a much more beautiful gift available to our conscious experience. Try waking up with at least ten minutes of extra time in the morning. Allow yourself the time to be fully present in your morning ritual and to truly enjoy that delicious AVOCADO!
5. Quit being mean to the morning!
As someone who studies Psychology, I truly believe that we make our morning so much worse simply because we think it so. So many of us complain about getting up early, crave to sleep-in and see little good about the morning. Sure, we don't have to worship the sun as it greets us, but we don't have to curse it either. Try changing the way you talk about getting up in the morning. Instead of saying, "ugh I had to get up so early," try something like, "I was able to get an early start to my day today!" If we give the morning some Love, I bet that it will Love us back.
6. A-V-O-C-A-D-O!!!
Seriously, they are amazing!
