If you Google “Morning Rituals,” you will eventually discover that some of our most successful favs swear by them. Simply put, they’re just routines you commit to in order to get your day started on the right foot. Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey both make space in their days for intentional mornings, so why not us right?! It turns out that having a morning ritual has a lot of benefits. Not only does it set the tone for your day, but it allows you to take your time and be proactive. This is a much better feeling than the reactive approach of rushing. But let’s be honest, learning Oprah’s routine is a bit intimidating and probably not the best way to go if you are just getting started.
Whether you are a busy mom, student, professional or some combination of any of the latter, imagine how great it would feel to get your day started before anything is actually expected of you. I realize this might make those who aren’t early risers cringe initially, but that’s the perfect reason to change your relationship with mornings. Continue reading for tips and suggestions for curating your next morning.
When getting started, don’t forget to:
- Acknowledge your schedule. You don’t need a lot of time to start your morning ritual—maybe you start by waking up just 15 minutes earlier.
- Start simple. If you have never tried meditation, it might not be the best thing to incorporate for 20 minutes when you’re trying to establish your new routine. Maybe try 5-minutes instead.
- Make it enjoyable. Your morning ritual should be tailored to your needs. It’s nice to look to Oprah and Obama for inspiration, but trying to keep up with someone else’s dream morning may leave you even more unfulfilled if it’s not a good match for you.
Choose a few of the following & add your own to the list:
- Make your bed
- Drink a cup of coffee or tea, mindfully
- Listen to music or a podcast
- Journal
- Practice gratitude
- Exercise
- Meditate
- Pray
- Practice yoga
- Take a walk
- Recite affirmations
- Be still
Committing to a morning ritual is a great way to carve out time in the day just for you. It will take practice to be consistent with it, but it is something you can always come back to. Personally, I have noticed that when my morning gets off on the right start, the day just seems to follow. Even though I don’t always get to practice my ritual flawlessly (life happens), it is so helpful to have it in my toolbox whenever I need it. And I always make sure to give myself the grace needed to try again the next morning.
SLFSHLY 