I wasn’t born a morning person, I became one.
I used to struggle to open my eyes. The pleasure of sinning was delectable… mostly because I was just a lazy ass kid.
And as I grew up (mentally… I’m 5'2") I realized that there’s more shit to do and time becomes a thing… an important one.
Since I saw my mother waking up early and getting shit done, I thought to myself “why not”?
I obviously relapsed and sucked but I quickly learned to enjoy the quiet moment to myself.
When most ask my about my morning, they gasp and say “OMG, why do you torture yourself like that? Don’t you love sleeping?”
There’s something gratifying about being up before the world is awake, seeing how the sun changes the colors of the city through my window
This sets the tone for being able to start with a clear and peaceful mind so that I can start the day well.
… and as for sleeping, I’m still learning how to love it again.
What do I do?
I don’t follow it religiously in this order (things do come up and I need to adjust) but I do get most of the folllowing done:
Make my bed
This was a hard one to develop, but I just got tired of how it looked. The more clutter I can avoid, the clearer I can think.
Work out and/or stretch
This gets my blood pumping, even if I don’t feel like it. Going to the gym really gets my mind working even if I just woke up 20 minutes ago.
If I’m on a “rest day” that doesn’t mean I can’t play around with my flexibility. Apart from the relief of tension, having a positive mind-body connection helps me feel more capable of getting things done and feeling good in my own skin.
Drink hot water (preferably with a slice of lemon)
I. Love. Hot. Water.
Another weird habit of mine. I’m sure lemon in hot water won’t have the same benefits as it does in cold or room temperature water but I like how the smell awakens me and how good it feels when I sip it in the morning… or any time during the day to be honest.
Write
Whether it’s writing about the things I’m grateful for, ideas or thoughts that have been fidgeting around in my mind or a blog post, it’s there.
Personally, I like the act of writing with a pencil and seeing how my thoughts become words, it’s very relaxing.
However, if it’s about to be a rant, I will murder my laptop’s keyboard until the angst subsides.
This, to me, is like cleaning my room; little clarity equals chaos and confusion.
Scheduling & visualization
I recently started this habit because even if I did wake up early, I just had no time! It was frustrating to have to get up early and suddenly realize that time just escaped. What was I spending it on? Did I get the important tasks done?
That’s why I paired it with visualization. Just the act of imagining the process for each task prepared my body to understand what it was about to go to and not get side-tracked.
Breakfast
This is probably the most important meal of the day for me, and the heaviest one.
I learned from a friend that it’s never a good idea to leave my place without having breakfast, and I’m glad because it’s also healthy for my pocket.
I’m sure these habits are not new at all, but the reasons why they work for me help me make them easier to become a habit… even if I neglect them for a bit, I end up going back to them.
If you’re not sure what to start with, start with just one (there’s a buttload of posts with different routines you can invetigate). I’ve learned that adopting a habit is best when you focus on one consistently.
Once you start feeling good because the results have manifested themselves, it’ll be easier to stick to what works for you.
What about you? What makes YOU feel good in the morning?
