Have you ever listened to the Skinny Confidential podcast? Lauren Everts Bostick is the queen of digging into her guest’s morning routines, and once you establish a great one, you’ll understand why. How you start your day has the power to control the outcome of the rest of it. A good morning can lead to a good day, which leads to a good week. You see where I’m going with this. A positive morning routine truly has the power to transform your life. And honestly, building your perfect morning is a lot of fun. It’s fun to cultivate new habits, to find what works for you, to prioritize self-care, and to experience the impacts of your efforts.
So, what makes for a morning bound to leave you feeling energized, happy, and ready to take on the world? Everyone’s favorite answer: it depends. But there are a few key components that I truly believe need to be part of everyone’s morning. Let’s dive in!
Gratitude: Living a life that you love means you likely have a lot to be thankful for. But rather than focusing solely on how to attract goodness into your life, I would argue it’s even more important to flip your perspective and give thanks to the many miracles that already exist. So, what are some tips for incorporating gratitude into your morning routine? It’s actually quite simple and can be done from the comfort of your own bed! A few ideas include:
- Start each morning with this simple phrase: “Today is going to be a great day.” Try repeating this to yourself, with confidence, as many times as you need to hear it. The more you do this, the more you will believe it. And suddenly the first few moments of your day will be spent focusing on the good that is coming your way.
- Think of 3 things that you are grateful for. This might not be your initial gut reaction after waking up on a Monday morning. But I promise there are always things to be grateful for, even when you are tired and can only open one eye to find the “off” button on your alarm.
- Similarly, think of 3 things that you are looking forward to that day. Some days these things will be a little less exciting than others. Your morning matcha. A new episode of Real Housewives coming out that night. The taco feast you are going to prepare for dinner. Finding excitement for the little things in life makes life a whole lot more exciting.
Make time for your health: Whether it be your physical health, your mental health, or both, taking care of you is a key aspect of a successful morning routine. Personally, I like to focus on both. Usually, a 5-minute guided mediation followed by a quick 20-minute exercise. But if you can’t find the time for both, pick whichever one has a greater impact on your mood and your energy levels. After all, the goal of your morning routine is to leave you feelings positive, energized and ready to make the most of the day that lies ahead. You can also switch back and forth. Just as you might focus on strength training one day and cardio the next, treat your brain like another muscle group that requires conditioning. Meditation, breathwork and journaling I find to be the most beneficial for mental health first thing in the morning. More on each of these in future post!
Hydrate: After a long night of sleep, hydrating first thing in the morning its helpful to flush out toxins or acidity that may have built up in your system over night. Proper hydration is key to the proper functioning of our bodies. Therefore, after 8 hours in bed without liquids, you might need a little extra hydration in the mornings to kick-start your system and leave you feeling your best. So, instead of immediately reaching for a cup of coffee as soon as you roll out of bed, consider a glass of water instead. Warm it up and add a squeeze of lemon and I promise you will feel fancy AF. Personally, I like to take a few sips of water then have a glass of celery juice. If a big glass of green juice first thing in the morning doesn’t make you feel like the picture of health, I don’t know what will!
Consistency: Once you find a routine that transforms your mornings, its important to be consistent about following through with it. Hopefully this part will come easy! Once you have built a morning that you love, it should be something you look forward to every day. Personally, my weekend routine is a little less regimented than my weekday routine. I find that certain aspects are not as necessary for balancing stress and finding gratitude on the weekends. However, I also like to extend my mediation or workout as I have a little more time to kill on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. Find what works for you! There is bound to be some trial and error, but that’s half the fun.
I could go on and on with more ideas but do not want to overwhelm anyone who is just getting started building out their perfect morning. Also, time is of the essence here! Nobody has 3 hours to spare every morning. Or if you do, please tell me your secrets.
If I missed something that is part of your routine that you love, please share it in the comments below! Together we can help each other build better build mornings which will lead to better days.
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