Five Morning Routines for a Happy Spirit
#lovemornings
Mornings are a sacred time, where we get a clean slate, a whole day ahead of possibilities. However, the truth is mornings can be hectic & crazy filled with rushing around getting everyone fed, dressed & out the door. That's why it is so essential to establish a simple, but powerful morning routine that is deeply nourishing to prep the body & the mind for the day ahead and to streamline the process and keep everyone sane in the meantime. It's important to begin the day with gratitude & love, which means no emails, text or Facebook first thing in the morning. Here are my five essential morning routines to maintain a happy spirit throughout the day. You can try a few that resonate with you most or all of them and notice how it makes you feel for the rest of the day:
- Sit still for 5 minutes (aka Meditation) - I know it sounds counter-intuitive to do NOTHING when you have so much to do, but this simple step is VERY essential in setting yourself up for a peaceful day. This will be THE practice to set you up for the rest of the day, tune in to your body & your mind. It's nice to have a designated spot in your home where you feel safe, grounded & uninterrupted, sit on a meditation cushion to elevate your hips for comfort, surround yourself with favorite & spiritual objects like a Himalayan salt lamp (works as an air purifier and is BEAUTIFUL), Tibetan singing bowl, favorite healing crystals, mala beads, light a candle etc., but it's more important to just sit still and close your eyes. So, if you don't want to get fancy with meditation gadgets, STOP, DROP & MEDITATE can be a great option for you. Start with 5 minutes and increase it to 10, 15 or 20 as you get comfortable. If first thing in the morning doesn't seem to fit into your routine, make it happen after the kids have gone to school or before heading out the door or even in the car before going in to work. Your mind will be relaxed and ready to deal with life's challenges in a more composed way. And now meditation is more accessible than ever before via our phone apps we can take with us anywhere. Just press the play button, sit back & be guided into a state of relaxation, available at your fingertips. Read more about my personal experience of all the amazing healing benefits of meditation
- Have a cup of warm tea with honey & lemon. My favorite right now is the Kombucha Green Tea. If weather permits, sip your tea in nature, out on your patio or just prop open a window to let it some fresh air. There is something sacred about sipping soothing tea while gazing out into the early morning light, listening for sounds of the world waking up: birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind, the sun rise. This routine can be combined with your meditation and your intention setting (see below)
- Intention - Mornings are also a great time to set an intention or repeat a mantra for the day. Whether you would like to be more mindful throughout the day in your actions and your words with yourself and others or you have a tangible intention of some sort, state it during your meditation. (see my list of mantras). You can also write out your intention & place a crystal of choice to elevate the vibration of that intention on top of the paper, lay it in front of you while you meditate or you can hold it in your hand during your meditation
- Read an inspirational quote or a quick article. I subscribe to many inspirational authors & life coaches whose words of wisdom guide me into a positive & confident state of mind. There are also great apps that remind you every morning. The two apps that I use & love are: Be Here Now & Yoga Quotes.
- Use mala beads to amplify your intention/message/question you've put out to the universe to answer/deliver. For example: had a rough morning, kids screaming, I use my 108 mala beads to repeat "I feel joy in the present moment". Or unsure about a certain decision, repeat "I feel confident & trust that all is happening as it should. BONUS: Mala beads are beautiful as jewelry, either bracelet or necklace.
As you can see, it doesn't take a long time to nourish your body & your mind in the mornings. You can combine a lot of these tools to save time and to raise the vibrations of your day.
What's your favorite way to start the day?
