Five Steps to an Invigorating Morning Routine & What My Routine Looks Like
When I reflect on my life in the past 10 years, It is hard for me to even remember what I did every morning. Some days I spent aimlessly scrolling, while others I rolled out of bed with little purpose or motivation. It was not until I began setting intentions for my day, taking the time to build out a beautiful morning ritual that I began to both remember- and more importantly LOVE my morning routine.
1 —
Setting Intentions
Deciding what you want to include in your morning routine can be daunting. There are so many tasks and wellness tricks that it can quickly become overwhelming. In my experience, whenever I start a new morning routine, I always take time to journal first.
I like to consider what are my top priorities when it comes to wellness, work goals, & personal goals. Once I have created that list and intention, I try and write a top-down list so I can put what is most important up top and filter downwards. This allows me to create a streamlined list that I can narrow down to exactly what I want to get done depending on how much time I have.
Once you have created your list of goals and rituals, it is important to make sure these goals align with your purpose. For me, my purpose in life is to simply live in LOVE. It may sound silly, but if something on my list is not aligned with that purpose, I cross it off.
2 —
Create a Timeline
Now that you have made your list, it is quite easy to have written down 100 items and simply not have enough time to complete all these steps. Pairing down your list to 3-10 steps is critical for persistence. If you want to stay on track, it is important to not make too many commitments, or else you will fall off easily and feel overwhelmed.
Thinking about a timeline is critical. I like to create a time stamp for each goal on my list. Once you understand how much time you need for each activity, you will have a better grasp on how much you can accomplish.
3 —
Habit Stacking
Habit stacking is a great tool to use. For instance, I always prioritize meditation in the morning, but I love to do so in the sauna or steam room. The dark space, heat, and moody atmosphere ground me in my practice, and I get a nice sweat on while doing so. As a bonus it always me to integrate hot-cold therapy, which is another goal in my personal morning routine.
If you are interested in trying hot-cold therapy out, check out my blog post on all the health benefits of hot-cold therapy!
4 —
Sticking to Your Routine
Once you have landed on your key goals, set a timeline, and decided how you will habit stack, it is important to integrate this routine into your day on a consistent basis. Try out your planned routine for a few days to figure out of the goals you set are achievable. Pair down or habit stack further so you can create a routine that is attainable and consistent. The best gift you can give yourself is keeping the promises you make to yourself. These small wins at the beginning of every day are a great way to build trust and accountability in yourself. This is a great step in your journey to fully trusting and loving yourself.
5 —
Enjoy the Process, and be Flexible.
Now that you have integrated this practice, don’t be too rigid. It is okay to take days off, try new habits, change your routine, or remove items that are no longer serving you! It may take some time to get a routine that really works with your schedule. Do not be too strict with yourself, this is supposed to be a fun and invigorating experience to help you start your day in a positive way. Make it enjoyable!! Laugh, smile, and be grateful!
My Routine —
For my morning routine, the first thing I integrate is my daily countdown. 5,4,3,2,1.
Every morning when my alarm goes off I count down from 5.
5 deep breaths
4-minute meditation
3 things I am grateful for
2 intentions for the day
1 more deep breath - and then I get up!
This mini countdown is a great way to start my morning first thing off on a positive note. Sometimes when I wake up first thing my mind will do is begin to race to think about work and everything I have to accomplish for the day. By doing this countdown I can come back into my body, motivate me to get up and start my day, and do so in a positive way!
1 —
Movement & Sun Exposure.
I find that incorporating movement first thing works really well for me. I like to get up and either go for a long walk, run, bike ride, or go to the gym. By making this the first step in my routine I make sure it is the number one thing that I accomplish every day and never miss! This makes it an automatic and easy check mark to get me going. I love to get my body moving and this also forces me to step outside first thing in the morning to kick-start my circadian rhythm and get that morning sun. Even if I am going to the gym, I like to spend a few moments basking in the sunlight on days that are not cloudy or dark. And here we are Habit Stacking!
2 —
Meditation & hot Cold therapy
After I have completed my movement, I like to take some time to meditate and do hot-cold therapy. As I mentioned above, I like to do my meditation in the sauna or steam room, but sometimes I also do it at home or in the park after a long run. Either way, I find that doing my meditation after I have put my body in a fight or flight from exercise grounds me back down. Further, the movement has allowed me to step into my body and feel at home. After my meditation, I always do a hot & cold shower to integrate heat therapy. All you have to do is turn your shower to the coldest setting for one minute and take deep breaths.
3 —
Journaling
I love to incorporate Journaling into my routine to stay on track with my goals each day. Sometimes my journaling is a quick to-do list, other days it’s a poem, and sometimes it’s a brain dump. No matter what I write I always include a gratitude list and daily intentions. I also love to include self-affirmations and a morning “metta” practice. Either way taking pen to paper to start my workday is a great way to get into the grove, set intentions and goals, and stay on track.
4 —
Supplements & Water
Another important aspect of my morning routine is my supplements and water. I always like to have a large glass of water with lemon. This ritual is great for digestion and alkalizing your body first thing. I also make sure to take my supplements to get my nutrients in for the day!
5 —
Getting Dressed & Ready
The Last step in my routine is to get dressed and ready for the day. Making sure that I am taking care of my body from the inside out is critical. When I present myself to the world in an aesthetic that I am proud of, I feel more motivated and aligned with my higher being.
