The best morning routines are, of course, the ones you will do regularly. My brother, whose life work is in sustainable agriculture, has a favorite saying,
“What’s the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago.
What’s the second best time? Today.”
The same could be said for all kinds of practices that are healthy and helpful. Sure it would be great if you had started doing them twenty years ago, but since (if) you didn’t, it’s best to start them today. This is absolutely true with how you start your morning.
Why have a morning routine?
How you spend the precious moments when you first wake up can have a profound effect on how the rest of your day goes. You have the ability to have a huge impact on the tone of your day and your mindset. Many of my clients haven’t thought about how they start their day, or they don’t think of how they start their day until they get out of bed.
Most of us sleep with our phones on the bedside table. It’s so tempting to reach over and grab the phone as soon we open our eyes and begin scrolling social media. The problem is, starting our day by inputting what everyone else is “selling” doesn’t give our still-sleepy brains a chance to make any choices about how we’re feeling. So if you are someone who reaches for the phone as soon as you open your eyes, take this as an invitation to switch things up and see if it makes a difference for you.
The best morning routines
There is no question that the best morning routine is the one you will actually do. That said, many of my clients aren’t really sure where to start. Here are some ideas for how to start your day in a way that sets you up for creating more joy, more light, and more inspiration in all the moments that make up your day.
- As soon as you are aware of being awake, keep your eyes closed and think of 3 things you are grateful for. Don’t worry about being too grand here, be grateful of the small details of your life as much as you are for the big ones.
- Gently reset your body: rock your legs from side to side, stretch yourself long, do some gentle movements that feel good as a way to say good morning to your body. Notice where you feel space in your body, and also where you might feel tension.
- Take a few deep intentional breaths into your belly. Feel your belly rise and your lower back expand as you inhale, and gently squeeze your belly button to your spine as you exhale. Beginning your day with a simple breath practice brings oxygen and awareness to your entire being.
- Think of a word or a phrase that you want to carry with you in this day. You might choose “peace” or “kindness”, or you might feel more inspired by a phrase: “share light” or “move gracefully.” Set your intention for the tone of your day. That doesn’t mean you won’t veer off course, but it gives you something to come back to during the day.
- Let your body smile. As you lay in bed, let the corners of your lips lift slightly. Feel that smile travel up into your eyes and soften your jaw. See if you can expand that smile into heart and into your belly, then play with allowing your entire body to smile. It might feel as if you have tiny bubbles throughout your body, or may feel smooth and light. Be curious as you explore how your body smile feels.
- Keep a glass of water by your bed, and as soon as you sit up, take a large sip. Feel the water travel into your body, hydrating your tissues. Finish your glass of water before you put anything else in your body. You could add lemon, and you could have warm water, but making sure you hydrate, however you prefer, is what matters most.
- Queue up your favorite song, and dance yourself out of bed in the morning, shaking and shimmying your way into the day is always a good idea!
Create your own best morning routine
You get to choose how you start your day, so start with a practice that feels doable and like something that would make you feel good. Use the suggestions above as a starting point and make your morning routine as beautifully unique as you.
