So…morning routines are all the rage right now. You see it on the news. You see it on IG posts. And now you are seeing it from me. But for good reason!
Now…before you get all panicked about adding ANOTHER thing to your list of things…know that I get it. I was there too. I was told by MY coach (yes…I have a coach…she helps me with all things business) to start incorporating a non-negotiable morning routine into my day and I kinda panicked. I was already busy. I woke up early enough as it is. Why would I add more???
So I held off.
And then January came, and I opted into a 30 day yoga challenge. I found the only way I could consistently get my daily dose of yoga in was to do it first thing. And so the start of my morning routine began.
Once the 30 day challenge was done…I played around with my routine a little…always incorporating some form of movement but it wasn’t until I listened to a podcast by Balance 365 that I really started to refine it. Their guest was Makenzie Chilton of “Love Your Mondays” and she laid out a morning routine that had 5 manageable steps and is focused on positivity.
The 5 steps of my current morning routine include:
A – Journal 3 things for which I am grateful.
I’ve written about gratitude before, but it’s just that important. Studies show that showing gratitude for 21 days retrains your brain to scan your day for the positive! The key is to be as specific as possible…because you are looking for three new things each and every single day. Instead of saying “I’m thankful for my family” say something along the lines of “I’m thankful my daughter unexpectedly grabbed my hand as we were sitting watching TV together yesterday”.
This takes about 3 minutes…the more consistent you are with this, the less time it takes because you will find yourself looking for the positive throughout your entire day.
B – Journal 1 positive experience from the last 24 hours.
Positive experiences make us happy. Studies show that the act of journalling a positive experience allows your brain to re-live it…your brain can’t actually distinguish between a memory and real life experience. This means you are starting the day off as though something happy has already happened.
Depending on your detail and the extravagance of your experience, this will take anywhere between 3-5 minutes.
C- Movement
Movement here can mean a full workout, but in my case, because I generally see clients first thing in my day, it means 10 minutes. 10 minutes of a flow based yoga, cardio, mat based pilates or mobility activites. Even a small amount of movement first thing in the morning gets your blood flowing, nourishes your brain, makes you more aware and increases your mindfulness.
D- Meditation
Consistent meditation has so many benefits! Done in your morning routine, it sets the tone of your day. If you start your day with calmness, it carries through into the rest of your day. It helps bring about a sense of connectedness and it also improves brain function so that you are ready to tackle whatever life throws at you.
You can meditate for as long as you would like. In all honesty, I struggle with meditation though with practice I am getting better. It truly isn’t about “emptying your mind of thoughts”. It’s about acknowledging your thoughts as they pop in your head, letting those thoughts go and focusing on your breath. For my practice, my meditation lasts 5 minutes.
E – An act of kindness
This isn’t always a part of my morning routine, but I do try to make it a part of my everyday. Sometimes it is as simple as sending a positive text to a friend who needs a little extra encouragement or to someone I haven’t talked to for awhile in which case this can occur as part of my daily routine. Other times I take the intention with me as I go about my day. I’m not talking anything extravagant here. It can be holding the door for someone. It can be allowing someone with fewer items to go ahead of me at the till of the grocery store. It can be dropping a random surprise off for a friend. But you can’t deny that an act of kindness makes your heart feel amazing.
Done in my morning routine? Well, this takes 2 minutes.
There you have it. My morning routine.
Generally speaking, this routine takes me anywhere between 20 and 25 minutes.
But why does this matter?
This routine is all about positivity. Studies show that the brain performs significantly better in a positive space as opposed to when you are feeling negative, neutral or stressed. When you focus on positive experiences, dopamine floods your system not only making you happier but it also turns on all the learning centres in your brain. According to Shawn Achor, a “positive” brain is 31% more productive. So this routine will help you get ready to crush your day!
I’ve been following this routine for several weeks now. The verdict??
I look forward to my mornings. I really do. I’ve STOPPED reaching for my phone first thing in the morning. I get up, make my coffee, do my yoga or mobility exercises and then sit down with my coffee and my journal. I LOVE how I feel at the end. I’m reminded that I have so much to be thankful for and that feeling of gratitude follows me throughout my day. I find that I feel inspired to go about my day, excited even.
I’m loving the benefits. What do you think? Is this something you would be willing to try? Remember that it doesn’t need to be an all or nothing thing. Pick one element and give it a good honest try! When you do…let me know what you think!