Good Morning world!

 

The things we do in the first few hours of waking can literally make or break our day, so starting the day with positive habits by creating morning rituals can be a game changer.

 

I honestly used to hate mornings; I would put off going to bed because the thought of getting up filled me with dread. Then I would wake tired because I went to bed so late, so I would get up as late as possible, then I would rush around, snapping at my family, blaming everyone and everything for my bad mood. It would create a knock-on effect for the whole day, and by the evening I was so exhausted I would crash Infront of the TV. A never-ending cycle of wanting things to be different but never knowing how or where to start. My attempts to be healthier and happier were full of good intentions but short lived, they never stuck. I often thought that there was something wrong with me, maybe I was depressed or just shit at getting up and that’s the way it would always be.

 

Now mornings are my favourite time of day, I love to be up early before everyone else, when it is quiet and still. And my days are so full of life, I have energy to last until bedtime. I’m happy and healthy. When the tough days or bad moods come, I can handle it.

 

One of the ways I made this transformation was by creating morning rituals, a set of habits that I do every day. A way of starting my day with that leads to me making better choices and feeling more positive and grateful.

 

 

Ritual 1

Wake early - The first step is going to bed early, so instead of watching TV get into bed. Then set your alarm but get one where you can have music as your tone, and have it fade in so your being gently woken. I always choose a chant or song with a mantra or soft sounds. Its much nicer on the nervous system. When the alarm goes off get straight up, I used to love the snooze button but after pressing it 2 or 3 times its was 30/40 minutes later and I was getting up feeling tired, irritated and not as early as I wanted. It sounds simple but just get straight up, don’t think about it just do it, crawl if need be into the bathroom and get in the shower.

 

Ritual 2

At the end of my shower, I take step 2- turning the shower to cold. Not only does this wake you up but it is invigorating, refreshing and gets you to focus on your breath. Get every body part under the cold flow of water, focus on your breath. I promise you that after you will feel alive. This practice has given me a love of water, I can now tolerate cold swims in the sea and lakes and dips in ice baths that I couldn’t before. The main thing here is to step out of the shower feeling awake and ready to start the day. Know that this is revitalising your skin, hair, circulation and energy.

 

Ritual 3

After I’ve chucked on some clothes and brushed my teeth, I go downstairs to make a cup of green tea. Ritual 3 takes place while I’m waiting for the kettle to boil; I pour a big glass of water. As I drink it, I imagine the fresh pure clean water nourishing every cell in my body, rehydrating and refreshing me. I take a moment of gratitude here for my body, for the amazing way it works, it is really quite incredible when you think about it! This sounds overly simple, but dehydration can make you feel tired, sluggish, lacking in strength and stamina, and is so easy to fix!

 

Ritual 4

I then make my way into the garden, tea in hand for step 4. I sit outside in silence and enjoy my tea. Just as simple as that really. I listen to the sounds of the birds, I look at the sky, I breath and I notice how I feel, what’s going on in my body and my mind. I try to do this whatever the weather, I just add a coat or blanket if I need to, but if you can’t get outside sit by an open door or window. I’m probably only there for 5 minutes but it could be the only 5 minutes of complete quiet and solitude I get all day, so its so important to me to take this time as it sets up my whole day.

 

Ritual 5

I make my way on to my mat for my yoga practice. When I say this, I mean this in the traditional sense of yoga, as in postures, breathwork, meditation, mantra and philosophy. But the important point is that you do something for your mind, body and soul. This will be different on each day, but I try to include all 5 elements. Some days I feel called to move my body more, others I need to go within and sit for longer or read a few pages of an inspiring book. If I’m tired or anxious I will use an appropriate pranayama (breath) to bring me back in to balance. Some days I have only 10 minutes, others I have 2 hours. The important part is not how long I spend here, it’s about showing up and giving my body what it needs to start my day in the best possible way. I see this as nourishing my body on every level, physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically and spiritually.

 

One important part to mention is that I do ALL of this before I look at my phone, turn on a radio, tv or any source of external noise or information. This is important because as soon as my phone comes out I’m distracted and that carries through the rest of my day, making me less focused and motivated.

 

However, it doesn’t matter how long I’ve been doing this for, there are lots of days I don’t feel motivated, even with my rituals. You won’t feel motivated every day, I don’t, no one does. That’s why creating a routine is so important. You don’t have to think about it, you just move through the steps. No decision making needed, no time for excuses. Just move through step by step.

 

Cultivate the discipline to follow your morning routine so that you don’t need to find the motivation to do it. It will quickly become a habit, like cleaning your teeth, you don’t think about it, you know its good for your health and wellbeing, so you do it.

 

We often think of discipline as being rigid and strict, but it actually creates so much freedom. It leaves you feeling happier, healthier, with more energy and time to spend on the things you love.

 

This is the Morning rituals that work for me. I have tried many different ways of doing things until I found what suited my life, my body, my soul. I adapt it depending on what’s happening in my life, which season we are in and the cycles of nature and my body (especially important for us women) You can play about with it, add bits in, take stuff out. But commit to 5 steps you can follow every day and do it for a full 30 days, to see how you feel. Maybe you’ll start with one and then after a week add in a second, working up to 5. Move at your own pace, make the steps as small as you need but keep trying, keep showing up, if you miss a day don’t beat yourself up just continue the next day. With consistency you’ll start to see and feel the difference, and that will start to ripple out into every area of your life.

 

Let me know how you get on or if you have any of your own morning rituals to share in the comments below.

 

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