Day TWENTY-THREE: Morning Practice

HEALTHY HABITS DAY 23: MORNING ROUTINE

Of all the healthy habits we've discussed so far: Hydration, Nutrition, Breath, Movement, Sleep, Gratitude, Conscious tech use/Unplug, this one today not only incorporates multiple healthy habits but sets you up for success in many ways. This entails cultivating the healthy habit of: a morning routine. 

"What you do each morning is an indicator of how you approach your entire day. It’s the choices that we repeatedly make that determine the life we live, the health we enjoy, and the work we create." James Clear Atomic Habits.

Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day and allows you to take better control of your schedule (and life). Research shows that this healthy habit helps increase happiness, reduces stress & procrastination, and boosts confidence. A morning routine has both psychological and physical benefits that contribute to a successful life. 

Here are a few strategies that I’ve found to be most effective for getting the most out of my morning ritual: 

1. Decide What you Want to Achieve Beforehand: I.e Set your Intention. This is your why. Get clear on the benefit of developing a morning routine: increased energy & focus, more mental clarity, feeling more grounded and connected, more satisfaction & success, committing to yourself and your daily self care. Spend time thinking about this. 

2. Don’t Go Overboard. Overcommitting can lead to overwhelm and impact follow through. Start with a few things and build upon the routine. 

3. Prepare the Night Before. Get your materials organized. If you plan to wake up and exercise, have your clothes ready. If you want to wake up, drink water and read, have your materials nearby. Spend a few minutes the night before getting mentally and physically prepared. 

4. Try to Stick with Your Routine. Select a time to wake up each day and do your best to honor that commitment to yourself. Developing this routine & ritual gets your body and mind into a positive, healthy rhythm. 

5. Reconsider Your New Habits and Adjust as Needed. As you cultivate your morning routine, be mindful of your energy and enjoyment in the process. Experiment. Be curious. Try out a few different habits and see what renders the most benefits. 

My morning routine has evolved over time but I wanted to share what a typical morning looks like for me with estimated time frames. 

- Wake up. While still laying down, take 5 deep breaths and practice gratitude, listing 3-5 things. (2 minutes)

- Morning meditation & visualization (10 minutes)

- Drink 2 glasses of water +/- 2 Cup method for manifestation. (2 minutes)

- Morning movement/yoga (15 minutes)

- Reading/learning (10-15 minutes)

- Healy analysis & vibration (10 minutes)

I dedicate about 45 minutes each morning to my routine. You could easily start with 5-10 minutes: breath/gratitude, water, meditation. Commit to trying this for a period of time, say 2 weeks. 

Most unproductive or unhealthy behaviors are the result of slow, gradual choices that add up to bad habits. Wake up, check phone, roll out of bed and move towards the coffee maker. When we become more intentional about our habits, behaviours, and actions and choose to develop small, positive, empowering healthy habits massive changes can happen in our life, to our energy levels and our physical, mental and emotional well-being.