Hello Beautiful Reader!
I’ve been wanting to write today’s post for a while now. I often times will share bits and pieces of my morning routine with you over on Instagram Stories and figured it was time to bring the conversation to the blog! I took a poll recently asking if you have a morning routine that you love and was surprised that many people answered no!
I am pretty darn thankful for my morning routine and the way it helps to set me up for the day. I am someone that notices a HUGE difference in the way I feel based on the way I begin my day and have learned that cultivating a morning routine that helps me to feel my best is really so important. To be honest, it’s beyond important!!
Are you someone who wakes up and looks at the phone or computer right away? No judgement because I used to be that way!! When I was working in digital marketing, the very first thing I would do in the morning was open up slack (like messenger for businesses) on my phone and read through all the messages of tasks to accomplish for the day. I would literally start working from the very minute my eyes opened, which was basically like an electric shock of cortisol (the stress management hormone) for my body. Writing that out makes me SHUDDER because it’s the exact opposite of the way I choose to begin my day now. Something about letting stressful thoughts enter into your mind first thing in the AM just isn’t good for you. The “to-do list” thoughts combined with screens right upon waking are just not my fave. There are so many MUCH better ways to begin the day, ways to really start it off on the right foot. The purpose of today’s blog post is to help you find the right morning routine for YOU.
In the hopes that this post might help you cultivate a morning routine that you love, I’m going to share mine with you too! This doesn’t mean that your future morning routine has to be anything like mine. I hope mine can be more of a starting point for you to listen to your body and find what works for you!
SO, here’s what my current morning routine looks like:
I’ve been waking up pretty early as of recently & have been retraining my body to be a “morning person.” More on that later because it’s been amazing (WTF, but seriously it’s been a real game changer)! So, I wake up around 6 and walk right to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. Then, I head to the kitchen to turn the coffee pot on, grab my ice roller, slap on my under eye pads, and park my booty on the couch to start my morning routine.
I have a notebook and my Jesus Calling that I grab out of our side-table that sits by the couch. By the time I’ve used my ice roller for a bit, the coffee is ready (PRAISE) so I head over and pour myself a big cup and fill it will collagen coffee creamer. After I’ve got my coffee, I come back to the couch ready to begin the most important part of my morning routine: prayer/ intention setting. Depending on how I’m feeling that morning, I’ll start journaling about the day ahead, what characteristics I hope to bring to the day, goals for the day, etc. Some days, the first thing I do is read Jesus Calling for the day and then use the message as a prompt to journal and pray. This quiet time spent in prayer can be interpreted to be whatever you need it to be. It can be your time to set intentions with the Universe, to visualize yourself moving through the day with ease, or to meditate on a mantra you feel called towards.
For me, the time is a mix of prayer/ meditation/ journaling. I basically take the quiet time in the morning to connect with God, myself, my goals, God’s plans for me, etc. I give over my control and ask that I am guided and reminded of His presence from moment to moment during the day. Sometimes, I will sit on the couch for a full hour setting myself up for the day in this quiet way. It’s honestly become my favorite part of the day because I get to watch the sun rise in such a peaceful way, really taking the time to feel gratitude. My morning routine is kind of like a gift I give myself. I want to point out that I barely look at my phone until I’m done with this AM routine. Of course there are days where I wake up late/ give in to looking at my phone but for the most part I have this routine and stick to it because it makes me feel good. I honestly notice such a difference in the way I feel during the day when I begin this way. This routine helps me to stay centered, clear, and on-track. When things get stressful in work or life, I can always come back to the feelings and intentions that I cultivated during my morning quiet time. Sometimes, I’ll also use one of my favorite meditation apps or read my bible. You can do what works for you here!! I just highly recommend spending the first bit of the morning in an intentional way rather than jumping right into STRESS.
Ok so now you might be curious about where to start on your own morning routine. My answer here is to start with what feels right to YOU. Maybe it’s waking up a half hour earlier than normal to go on a walk with your dog! Maybe it’s making it to the gym before work or trying out a mediation app on your phone. It can be reading, drinking coffee with a loved one or alone, practicing yoga in your living room, sitting quietly, really anything that you enjoy and feel is beneficial! I strongly believe that the way we start the day has an effect on our mood as well as the quality of day we will have, so choose wisely here!! I’ve tried out many different forms of a “morning routine” but seem to always come back to some form of the above one.
If you’ve made it this far– you are a rockstar. I so appreciate you!! I would seriously love to hear about your morning routine. Does it include any special journals or books? Essential oils? TELL ME!
As always, thanks for reading! You are the reason I love blogging and sharing my passions via this platform.
