9 Ways to Improve Your Morning Routine
Posted on April 30, 2016 by Tanya Ince, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Morning routine is extremely important, because it sets the mood for the entire day. In this article, I share morning practices that helped me.
“Let today be the day you give up who you’ve been for who you can become. Every day, think as you wake up, “Today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”” ~ Dalai Lama
Morning routine is extremely important. It sets the stage for the entire day and can make a difference between a mediocre and productive day. If you currently don’t have a morning routine that supports your success and try rush to work as fast as you can in the morning, try following a consistent morning ritual for a month. You will be amazed with the results. Hal Elrod, the author of The Miracle Morning, writes “How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) dramatically affects your levels of success in every single area of your life. Focused, productive, successful mornings generate focused, productive, successful days—which inevitably create a successful life—in the same way that unfocused, unproductive, and mediocre mornings generate unfocused, unproductive, and mediocre days, and ultimately a mediocre quality of life. By simply changing the way you wake up in the morning, you can transform any area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible.”
I’m not a morning person, and it usually takes me longer to wake up and feel energized. Once I’ve introduced a few simple morning rituals, it literally changed my life. Instead of feeling rushed and overwhelmed, I feel in control of my schedule, inspired, and effective throughout the day. It is definitely worth the effort of getting up a little earlier. I will share with you the practices I found most helpful to include in my morning routine. Each of them will take only a few minutes. You can adopt a few of them and see how your day changes as a result.
1. Drink a glass of room temperature water with lemon. Your body needs plenty of water to stay hydrated. A glass of water with lemon will not only rehydrate your body after the night sleep, but also flush away toxins and activate the digestive system.
2. Meditate for 5-15 minutes. If you don’t have time, 5 minutes is all you need. Believe me, it can really make a difference. Just sitting a few minutes in silence and observing your breathe and thoughts will have an enormous effect in couple of days, if not immediately. Meditation reduces the stress level and creates space in your mind to focus on your goals and intentions throughout the day.
3. Spend a few minutes to set a positive intention for the day. How do you want to feel today? Write it down in a few words. You can choose your favorite inspirational quote, affirmation, or a daily lesson from “A Course in Miracles” to set the tone for your day. I have being doing the lessons from “A Course in Miracles” for five years, and it brought so much more peace, clarity, and joy into my life.
4. Take a shower and brush your skin. Dry skin brushing improves elasticity of your skin and stimulates your lymphatic system, which helps to remove toxins from your body and supports your immune system. I always feel better and have more energy after dry skin brushing.
5. Do a few light exercises, yoga poses, or go for a walk. It will improve your blood circulation, give you more energy, and improve mental clarity.
6. Have a nutritious breakfast to support you until lunch. I like to start my day with a bowl of fruits, oatmeal or quinoa with dried fruits and walnuts, or a protein bar. Here are a few healthy breakfast recipes you might like.
7. Drink your favorite tea. Being originally from Ukraine, I grew up drinking a lot of tea. I have recently found The Tea Spot and have been very happy with their customer service and tea selection. If you like tea, try their Meditative Mind tea.
8. Take a few minutes to review your personal mission and prioritize your daily activities. Take into account their urgency and importance, your values and goals. If you don’t have a personal mission statement, it’s time to create one!
9. Say a prayer. I have a few favorite prayers. One of them is from Marianne Williamson’s book Illiminata: A Return to Prayer:
Dear God,
As I rise up, I thank You for the opportunity to be on this earth.
I thank You for my mind and body,
I thank you for my life.
Please bless my body and use it for Your purposes.
May I rise up strong today,
And may my body and soul radiate Your love.
May all impurities be cast out of my mind, my heart, my body.
May every cell of my being be filled with Your light.
May my body and mind both be illuminated for
Your sake and for the sake of all the world.
Amen.
What are your favorite morning activities?
