Whether you are a morning person or not, the way that you spend your first moments each day can have a profound effect on how the rest of your days goes. We subconsciously make decisions when we first awaken that sets the tone for our work day, how we will interact with our families and coworkers, and how we will perceive things all day long. When we wake in the morning in a grouchy mood and decide that “today is going to be a bad day,” our minds believe us and we then go through the day feeling victimized by coincidences and accidents, just looking for all of the signs of the “bad day” that we predicted; a self fulfilling prophecy. The same goes for when we wake feeling rested and joyful; we decide “today must be a good day” and proceed to interpret all actions and incidences as lucky and good for the rest of the day. Our mornings affect decisions we make at lunch time, words we say in the afternoon, and our actions after dinner. Especially as winter closes in on us and the stress of the holidays can cause us to feel anxious or depressed, having a morning ritual that brings balance and positivity to your day can have a profound effect.
Step 1 - Make the time. I find that the hours before my family wakes up have become precious to me. The house is quiet and clean, there are no demands on me yet, and I have time to be conscious and deliberate in all of my actions. Even if I am a bit tired, or my body is reluctant to leave the warm bed, the fact that I have enjoyed my solitary morning time so much before motivates me to rise. Find the time of morning that serves you best and make a deal with yourself to give yourself that gift. Set your alarm at the same time every day, no matter what, and leave little room for exceptions. You will find that after a while, your body and mind will appreciate the routine. Most days now, I am awake before my alarm goes off, my body and mind having been conditioned.
Step 2 - Look out the window. Do NOT look at your cell phone! Studies show that 80% of the population looks at their smartphone within the first 15 minutes of waking up each morning. Think about what you look at first - Twitter for the news, Facebook for gossip, your email, your text messages or missed calls… Do any of these things make you feel joyful or peaceful? I know that, for me, reading about war, crime, pandemics, and politics is a hard no first thing in the morning. Facebook is full of advertisements and political rants, and my email is mostly just a to-do list. Talk about welcoming negative vibes first thing in the morning! Instead, check out your yard, observe the weather, look for birds or wildlife, notice the position of the sun or moon, and let your first sights be of something beautiful and natural. The window right behind my bed looks out over my backyard, and even now, when it is cold and gray outside, and the garden is empty, the very first thing I do every morning is look out the window.
Step 3 - Stretch! Reach your arms up to the sky, arch your back, stretch out your legs, roll your ankles around, and do some neck rolls and shoulder shrugs. Give yourself a hug. Get out of bed and squat a few times, circle your arms and do a standing forward fold. Awaken your body with physical movement and increased blood flow. This doesn’t have to be a full-on yoga sequence or even include any yoga poses; just move intuitively. I don’t have the time or the will to perform feats of balance or twist myself into a pretzel first thing in the morning, but I do know that I often wake up stiff and sore. I’m getting older, I suppose, and I am a physically active person, so muscle aches and stiffness are the norm for me. Starting the day with movement, however small, makes a huge difference in my day.
Step 4 - Breakfast. Three links of organic turkey sausage, two slices of gluten free toast, an over easy egg and orange juice. A hot licorice root tea in my new favorite mug, the purple witchy one that was a gift from a friend, with just a speck of raw sugar. We all remember the saying about breakfast being “the most important meal of the day.” Scientific studies show that eating a good breakfast each morning boosts your ability to focus and concentrate, improves your memory, and increases your energy. Whatever food and drink make you feel nourished and healthful, allow yourself enough time in the morning to have those. You deserve nourishing food, warm drinks, a cloth napkin, a real fork, and enough time to eat your meal sitting down.
Step 5 - Self Care. The Buddhist practice of Ahimsa applies not only to how you treat others, but to how you treat yourself, as well. The practice of loving kindness always starts from within. A warm shower, moisturizer, clothing that makes me feel beautiful and comfortable, cosmetics and hair care are all a part of my mindful practice each morning, and are how I practice self love. This is not about how others will see you but how you will see yourself. I realize that time is not always of the essence, so manicures and pedicures usually have to wait for another time, but I am worth putting at least a minimal effort into my hygiene in the morning, rolling on an essential oil and putting a braid in my hair. I almost always supplement my self care ritual with high vibrational music. Sing, dance, and make yourself feel beautiful and loved. Here are a couple of my favorite wake-up tracks that feature positive affirmations to start your day:
Step 6 - Get mindful. Once I’m dressed and ready for my day, I take my tea into the office, but before I start my work I set aside a few minutes to be mindful. I sit up straight, and take a few deep breaths. I bring my focus to the present moment and my body. I use a journal to write down an affirmation, record how I am feeling in a few words, I pull a tarot card and a rune stone, set my intentions for the day and repeat my morning mantra, “I trust that the universe has a plan for me, my inner wisdom will guide me, and I am on the path to enlightenment.” I keep my spiritual planner separate from my regular calendar and to-do list, and use it to record only my personal thoughts, moon cycles, yoga classes, and affirmations. This is my space for self reflection, goal-setting, and gathering my inner strength for the day. I encourage you to find affirmations that work for you and repeat them to yourself each morning. There are lots of apps for your phone that will deliver you daily positive affirmations, or you can buy a deck of cards that do the same job. And if you are feeling creative, you can make up your own that are tailored for your own needs and wishes. My journal and the tarot cards, which I stand on the windowsill each day, act as visual reminders of those intentions and I return to them frequently throughout the work day.
No matter what your own, personal morning ritual looks like, make it intentional. Think about how your mornings go as they are right now, and what adjustments you could make to help you get off on the right foot each day. Perhaps you need to wake up 15 minutes earlier, you need to build a playlist, or plan ahead for breakfast. The most important thing is to remember that you are worth feeling loved, beautiful, nourished, and powerful each morning. Every day that you get to open your eyes is another precious gift from the universe and should not be squandered. If, like most of us, you cannot carry your yoga practice with you 24 hours a day, consider at the least gifting yourself with a mindful morning, and then enjoy the repercussions of that choice.
“Give every day the chance to be the most beautiful day of your life.” - Mark Twain
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