How To Empower Yourself With A Morning Ritual
My definition of a Morning Ritual…
Morning Ritual (noun, verb): A set of intentional actions in the morning done every day. Serving a purpose.
A morning ritual gives you consistency, order, and flow that enhances your day. Setting the time aside in your morning devoted just to YOU is a great form of self-care and self-respect. Waking up in a state of passivity with no sense of direction is not exactly ideal. Staying in bed, checking social media, and hitting the snooze button a bunch of times are all self-defeating.
By Do-ING a daily morning ritual you have an intentional morning. A ritual grounds you and helps you to become more effective, efficient, and positive in your life.
Having a plan for the morning saves you time & helps you become more efficient with your time.
Start the day on your terms. Take a proactive approach with your life by creating your own daily ritual.
Here’s the morning ritual I follow which has greatly improved my life…
Gratitude:
Think of all the things and reasons why you’re thankful in life, say them.
Expressing gratitude first thing in the morning sets a bright tone for the day. Gratitude puts into context what is important. Gratitude gives you a frame of reference. Gratitude gives you reality, a picture of your life, in comparison to what it could be. With gratitude, one realizes all of what and who they have. By practicing gratitude you are recognizing life’s gifts. Thank life for what is has given you: relationships, health, resources, family, purpose, struggle, passion, and more.
Repeat “Thank You”
Never take life’s gifts for granted, give thanks.
Body:
Hydrate
Water is essential in the morning to flush away waste byproducts from the previous day.
Nutrients
Nourish your body with quality food that gives you energy, not takes energy. Whole foods. Nutrient dense. Nutrition varies and depends on many factors.
Find out which foods work with your body. Eat to live.
Breathe Deeply
Inhale deeply, exhale deeply.
Stretch
Become a supple leopard. Stretch your upper & lower body, release any built up tension. A foam roller and lacrosse ball are great tools for stretching!
Physical Activity:
Move
Get the body moving and remove yourself from where you first woke up.
Strength Training
Iron Therapy is a powerful way to start the day. Breaking through a hard & heavy strength training session helps you conquer and own the day. Build muscle, burn fat.
Cardiovascular Activity
Get your heart pumping. Blood flow helps circulate oxygen into your brain and body. Move.
When in doubt…sweat it out.
Mind:
Music
Set the tone for the day. Make a playlist of music that speaks to you, and makes you feel good. Let music energize you.
Positive Affirmations
Shower yourself with words of love and praise. Look in the mirror, say them aloud.
“I love myself”
“I trust & believe in myself”
“I can do anything I put my mind & heart into”
“My words are powerful”
“I step into greatness”
“I will give to others”
Visualization
Visualize in your mind’s eye the day’s events & what you want to happen. Think ACTION STEPS.
Intentions
State your intentions out loud. Declare what you’ll do & the type of impact you want to have. You’ll be surprised at how your life will change.
Energy:
Become Mindful & Present
Awareness. Observe. Sense. Become more aware of your mind & body.
Five senses — See. Taste. Touch. Hear. Smell.
“How do you feel?” Same, different, energetic, tired, slow…
“What kind of thoughts am I having?” Scenario thoughts, positive thoughts, negative thoughts, self-defeating thoughts, anxious thoughts…
Change your body language
Deep breathing, posing in powerful stances, occupying space, owning your space, releasing your energy.
Try Power Poses
Change your body language
Plan:
Use planning tools to organize your day/week
Calendar. Agenda. Phone alerts. Timers. Watches. White board. Even some marker on your hand…
Daily Journal:
Write down your goals
Writing actualizes your thoughts, ideas, and intentions. Writing puts them into existence. Make them happen.
Write your goals down daily.
Read
Feed your mind with quality content. Give your mind something it can use for the day. News. Articles. Blog posts. Books.Quotes.
Feed your mind.
Your Morning Ritual is helpful if it is…
- Productive
- Focuses on Health/Wellness
- Rejuvenating
- Helping others
- Giving you energy
- Serving you towards your goals and purpose.
- Making you feel better than when you started. Positive state.
Your Morning Ritual is hurtful if it…
- Drains your energy
- Makes you feel worse than when you started. Negative state.
- Is not sustainable. A morning ritual is daily, think long term.
- Doesn’t help you towards your goals.
- Costs lots of money.
- Scattered & Disorganized
- Hurts others
My Morning Ritual (in order):
5:00am (Wake up)
- Gratitude & Affirmations
- Hydrate
- Play music
- Eat pre-workout meal (Oats & Honey, Vitamins)
- Write down goals
- Visualize, Breathe, Stretch
- Become mindful
5:38am Leave for gym & visualize.
6:00am Strength Training | Cardio
7:15am Leave Gym
7:25am Shower & Plan
When life’s currents pull you away, you can reel yourself back in with your morning ritual. Rituals help ground you and give you structure, amidst the chaos of life. As I have practiced and changed my morning ritual over the years it has increased the my quality of life.
Find and create your own unique morning ritual that WORKS FOR YOU!
Individuals Aspiring Mastery & Medium.com/@IAspireMastery.
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