Creating a Powerful Morning Ritual
Think of your decisions first thing in the morning as setting the tone for the rest of your day. It’s tempting to go right to the external world after exiting dreamland. But try to hang on to that clean slate for just a little while, intentionally building a strong foundation for your day. This will improve your productivity and energy more than rushing to your phone or the first thing on your list ever will.
The only way to make this work is to create a habit. You don’t want to have to re-invent the wheel every morning, rather, get right to your morning ritual without having to think too much, and you’ll be done and moving on to your day with a clear head before you know it.
If your morning involves caring for kids, you might not get to all you’d like, but choose something that helps to claim even a few moments for yourself.
Pick and choose from the ideas below to craft your own morning ritual!
- Wake early. Getting up early presents fewer distractions, and waking when the day is fresh makes us feel like we are already ahead of the game. Of course, this involves going to bed early too.
- Consider an alarm clock that uses light to wake you, like Hatch. This will cue your cortisol to kick in, helping you to feel more awake naturally, without the jarring noise of your phone’s alarm.
- Meditate with conscious breathing through your nose immediately upon waking. Maybe you just sit up while you’re still in bed, and maybe it’s only for 5 minutes – that’s ok! Use an app like Insight Timer to guide you if you’d like. They have lots of short morning meditations.
- Write down one intention for the day. Just one thing. It can be a goal, like finishing something you started, or a feeling, like gratitude.
- Make your bed. This is a tip that Tim Ferris says lays a strong foundation for handling the day’s curveballs.
- Drink a glass of (warm or room temperature) filtered water with a pinch of Himalayan sea salt and half a lemon squeezed. Choosing this before coffee will start you off hydrated and getting your trace minerals, and the lemon will create an alkaline environment when it digests.
- Journal. When we’re in the hazy space between sleep and waking, it is sometimes easier to access how we feel. Journaling can be incredibly therapeutic. It can also help us get clear on our goals and reflect on and re-commit to our life choices.
- Take in natural light. Step outside with some skin exposed. Feel the sun, the ground on your bare feet and the air through your nose. Remember nature. Turn toward the sky and let the light wake you up and help regulate your circadian rhythm for the day.
- Move. Going right from bed to sitting does not serve the body structurally, biochemically or emotionally. Morning stretches, yoga, a HIIT workout or a walk gives your tissues and hormones what they need to stay healthy.
- Take a cold shower. This will energize you, for sure, but over time it also tunes your nervous system to be less reactive to life’s inevitable obstacles and boosts your immune system.
- Eat nourishing food. Unless you are intermittent fasting, eat a breakfast that includes healthy fat, protein and superfoods, going light on the higher glycemic choices. This is most important at breakfast, as it sets the stage for healthy blood sugar throughout the day.
Remember, you don’t have to do everything every day. Just find the right combination for you, then do it at least 5 days/week. If you are short on time, combine things! Do some squats or drink your lemon water outside, do your breath work during your stretches, meditate on your intention, etc.. This practice feels so good and can literally be life changing, done day after day.