I remember times during my freshman year of college where I would wait until 9:00 or 10:00 pm to start my homework, which meant going to bed around 2:00 am and waking up with barely enough time to make it to class. As soon as my last class was over I would take a "nap" until dinner time. I put nap in quotation marks because usually, they were 3-4 hours long, and I woke up feeling more tired than before. After dinner, I would hang out with friends or watch Netflix instead of getting my homework done, and therefore repeat the cycle.
I had read multiple blog posts and articles about how successful people tend to be morning people. Ya know, those crazies who get up at the butt-crack of dawn and work out, eat a good breakfast and write down their goals. I always thought it was ridiculous, I was a proud night owl.
Then I got married, and somehow within 6 months our sleeping habits aged 50 years. We are the people who are in bed before 10:00 and up by 6:00. How did this happen? I don't know, but I'm glad it did.
Skyler has been up at 5:30 for the past month sticking to a workout plan and I couldn't be more proud. Not only does it inspire me to do the same, but he has a lot more energy, motivation, and positivity. He also has time to sit down and enjoy his morning oatmeal and do some reading before work.
My mornings vary quite a bit depending on my work schedule, and while I have definitely developed a positive morning attitude, I am guilty of dreaming about change and not following through. There are a few things I do consistently such as make time for a good breakfast, put away dishes from the night before, read a short devotional, and take the time to pick an outfit that makes me feel good. Some things I'd like to change about my mornings include the time I spend scrolling through Instagram, and pressing snooze instead of doing yoga. I can no longer ignore the power of writing things down, so I am counting on this blog post to hold me accountable to my new morning routine.
Here are 7 things I will be doing every morning:
1. Wake up 2 hours before I am required to be somewhere. This gives me a set time every morning to get done what I need to.
2. Put my phone in my book bag and forbid myself to touch it. I get 5 minutes to post something if I need to, and then the phone gets put away. I can waste time scrolling through when my three daily goals have been met.
3. Drink one liter of water and start the day with a good book. I've decided to read the book "Kisses from Katie." For 15 minutes every morning.
4. Write. Each morning I'm going to write three things I want to accomplish. I still have a ton of bad procrastination habits that I need to get rid of, and hopefully writing down attainable goals will help me leave them behind. I'll also include any thoughts I have from the reading I do.
5. Include at least 30 minutes of exercise. This might mean going on a run outside, going to lift with Skyler, or looking up a Yoga video on YouTube. It doesn't have to be intense, I don't have to be sore the next day, but I need to do something to inspire motivation in the rest of my day.
6. Take my vitamins. After a lot of research, I've decided to add a few supplements to my diet. Modern farming techniques make it difficult for vegans and non-vegans alike to get the nutrients needed from food alone. I have always Had low iron levels, which causes leg pains, tiredness, and the inability to give blood so I'm supplementing iron along with magnesium, and vitamins D3 and B12. Each morning I mix them together and dissolve them in a little bit of juice I made from oranges, carrots, and pears.
7. Eat a delicious breakfast, and BE ON TIME :)
I am so excited to stick to this routine and see what changes! The important thing I need to remember is that if I sleep through my alarm, or don't follow through for some reason, it's just one day and I get another chance tomorrow. It doesn't mean I get to scrap the whole idea and go back to old habits.
My hope is that this inspires you to change some aspect of your daily routine. It doesn't have to be in the morning, and it doesn't have to look anything like what I listed. We all have different goals, and therefore have to reach them in different ways. The point is to set an intention and refocus your mind on what matters while subduing the negative energies and emotions that weigh you down. Let me know what you do in the morning to prepare for the day ahead in the comments below!
