Whats the best part of your morning? Do you enjoy mornings? Morning routines look vastly different for everyone. I think we should all make an effort to find small ways to enjoy the start of our day, no matter how sleepy we may be. When your body is waking up, its still in its very important stages of its sleep-wake cycle. Which means its still regulating hormones, mood and energy production for the rest of your day to come.
My morning routine consists of things I love in order to be the most productive for not only that time of day, but for the rest of my day. A typical morning routine for myself might look like this:
1. Wake up between 5-6am daily (sometimes 4am). Drink 1 glass of lemon water first thing, followed by my 1 tall glass of fresh celery juice.
2. Get in a good exercise session, or move my body in some form. If I don't have time for this, then I usually put on a good playlist and get excited getting ready!
3. Home time! Shower, coffee and depending on my day, either a fasted breakfast or I will take the time to make one of my favourite meals and enjoy that slowly.
4. Catch up on client emails, texts, client check ins for the day and create their programs if any to do for the week. If its a weekend, I will always listen to one podcast each morning.
5. Make my To-Do List for the week, with attainable goals I look forward to working on (Learn something new, create a blog post, engage with my clients, take a course, try a new fitness class). Then its off to work for the day.
My mornings have become my favourite part of my day because I know how great I am going to feel upon waking and after I have completed my routine. It puts me in a great mood mentally, and even physically this routine helps me feel good too.
I think autumn is a super cozy, comfortable time of year! The changing of natures colors, fall comfort foods, big sweaters and friends around a fire. It does however also become darker earlier in the day, and thus darker mornings come with this transitional time of year. Do you notice a change in your energy? A change in your sleep cycle maybe? Perhaps, I think it might be, the rising and setting of the sun. Our bodies love to be in harmonious rhythms. It tells us when to eat, when to move and also when to sleep, but so does the earth. By nature, we are generally supposed to rise with the sun and fall asleep with its setting each day and night. No wonder its so difficult to crawl out of our cozy beds each morning when the sun hasn't even decided it wants to be awake yet.
What we do, how we think, sets the tone for each and everyday, as soon as we wake up. If we think "Oh my god, its Monday, I HATE Mondays!" then chances are what you put out as energy that day will only come back to you as that same negative energy, and thus you may have a less than pleasurable Monday.
I personally love mornings, no matter what day. Of course we all have plans, appointments, work to attend and other items to check off our to-do lists. Sometimes making your mornings all about you just isn't in the cards for that day. On the days we can make these small morning changes to our routine, I think its helpful to find things, ways of which you love to get the best energy back form the universe that day and to start making your mornings something you look forward to! Here is a list of a few morning essentials to try to incorporate and get you looking forward to starting each day:
1. Try waking up 10min earlier to avoid rushing in the mornings.
2. Change your alarm to a song you love or something pleasant.
3. Avoid your phone first thing (if its your alarm however, make a point of just turning off the alarm, keeping it on do not disturb mode and walk away for a few min)
4. State one thing you are grateful for! Write it down, on a sticky note, on the fridge, anywhere!
5. Include movement or exercise. This doesn't have to be in the mornings all the time, but it sure helps to wake up your body and put you in a great mood fro the rest of the day.
6. Don't skip breakfast! Make this the best (and healthiest) meal of your day so its something you can look forward to in the mornings. (However, if you have no appetite in the mornings, I am a firm believer in allowing yourself time to fast if thats what your body wants, and eating as soon as you feel hungry)
7. Choose a podcast or relaxing music on your commute or while you are getting ready to listen to.
8. Make your To-Do List before checking emails. Write down something fun too!
9. Take deep breathes before you start your workday.
Routines, whether in the mornings or during the day, can boost our mental health and physical health in a big way. The morning however is when you set the tone for the rest of your day. I think its important to develop a really string morning routine that sets you on the right path. You'll be more likely to make healthy choices throughout the day if you start your mornings with a workout, meditation, or other positive self-care behaviour. The morning is a great time for some "you" time.
How can you make your morning routine less of a rush and more of a you time ritual? Is there something you always want to do but never actually do? Challenge yourself to answer these questions and create a morning routine that works for you. Try these tips and tricks, or create your own and own your mornings!
All the love,
Chanelle