For the past couple of months, I have to admit that I have not entirely been the best version of myself. I've been highly pessimistic about the outcomes of my life, and I inadvertently became a victim of my own inner turmoil.
Recently, my thought process and overall mindset has begun to alter, and I don't give my pessimistic thoughts life anymore. All of this really catalyzed for me when I changed how I started my mornings. Although I've heard many times that how you start your morning sets the tone for your entire day, I never truly gave this ideology any thought.
It was only when I rolled out the bed in the morning, upset about events that could occur in my day that hadn't even happened yet, that I realized: I was anticipating bad things because my days before had all been so terrible. Consequently, I had terrible days full of worry, sulking and just being sad and ungrateful of the life that I was clearly taking advantage of.
Now, instead of making myself miserable by worrying about things that are out of my control, I do this routine that sets a positive tone for my day and helps me actually look forward for the next.
1. Thank God for the Day
I'm guilty. When I go through tough situations, sometimes I forget who blew the breath into my lungs in the first place. When I wake up in the morning, I stretch and thank God for even letting me open eyes, and I stretch every limb and thank him for my healthy, able body from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. I start my day off being grateful because knowing that I have something while there are others who have nothing is all the more reason to glorify him.
2. Brew Green Tea
I'm a coffee drinker, but myths tell me that it's the reason why I'm so short and that it's not good for athletes to consume, so to get my energy and cleanse my body, I drink green tea. I don't get the jitters like I do when I drink caffeinated beverages, and I'm simply just more energized and less groggy.
3. Read the Bible
This is probably the most important part of my day. Praying and reading God's word early in the morning before the pressures and stresses of the world fills me with peace. His words and promises filter my thoughts, and this alone is the driving force behind my optimism.
4. Yoga
I've been on and off with yoga for the past couple of years, but I'm glad I picked it back up. Yoga is relaxing for obvious reasons, but it also helps clear your mind and release tension. Since yoga is associated as a spiritual practice, I like to repeat mantras to myself while I inhale and exhale in certain poses. Sometimes I'll say entire prayers, other times I'll just continuously thank God for various things or start a dialogue with him, just establishing his domain and presence in my life.
This is a rather short routine, but I've never been more at peace with myself in its simplicity.
