Dear Miracle Morning Routine,
Thank you for the serenity you bring to my morning
I don’t know the point at which I had agreed to become a walking zombie. Where I had given up the desire to live life at its peak. Where I had started the escape route in my own life instead of embracing and loving each day. When I began to let the depression and anxiety win.
This is my second round with you, Miracle Morning. I allowed you to be a part of my journey in the summer of 2020. As I began to wonder what I could do to wake myself the hell up, you were where I started to search.
Could I have found you online at an earlier point than I did? Absolutely. Did I put off finding you again for reading the ebook that has a waiting list of at least 6 months on my library’s service? Eh… yes.
From the point that I began to read about you again, I knew you were what I needed to try. My competitive and addictive nature screamed at me “try this thing too!” “This thing was helpful to you in the past, try it” about a few other ideas. However, I knew I needed slow and steady. I needed to try one thing at a time and I chose you.
I know that you are not a magic bullet. You help me a lot in finding center and peace in my mornings. The other stuff: the walking zombie, the mental health- it takes time to work through and process. It’s not an overnight thing. However, I know that you are the right choice of starting place.
Here are the reasons I’m grateful for each part of your process:
Silence
How often do we as a society choose to spend more than a moment in silence? To reflect, to meditate or pray, or to just clear out what’s in the mental cabinet of thought.
I enjoy meditation, the ability to get still and clear myself at the beginning of the day. However, I had let this practice go to the backburner.
When I committed to Miracle Morning, it came off the backburner. It’s the first thing I do in the morning, after grabbing a drink or coffee.
There’s refreshment and encouragement in the process. It’s a tool that I can take into my day and use during my most tense moments.
Affirmations
Does just saying something make it true?
It can if that is what the person honestly believes and puts in work that backs up their statement.
The last journey I took with you, I decided to work on personal affirmations. This time, I’m working mostly with creative affirmations. I’m finding that I’m happier, I’m stretching myself as I create and I can envision myself as a great artist.
You encourage me to believe the best about myself and then leave space for me to put in the work. Work that backs up the belief that ideas come to me freely, that my work is self-healing and that as I am willing to create, I am led.
You are a powerful force. You begin to break down blocks for the fear and unuseful beliefs I’ve carried for too long. I am grateful.
Visualization
If able to see it in the mind’s eye, I can make it happen.
I haven’t written a lot over the past few months. I would want to. I’d come up with deadlines and projects. However, I’d ultimately fail to “get my act together”.
For me, it changed when I started visualizing completing a challenge. When I saw in my mind’s eye me sitting down to write and create with sheer joy that it began to break me out of my funk.
Visualization, you are the one that I struggle the most to understand. I’m working on comprehending. However, for now, you are helping me to get back in the game. Thank you.
Exercise
Thank you for the energy you give me in the morning. Thank you for the built-in discipline to keep working at everything I learned in physical therapy. You help me to feel more energetic, knocking down the level of caffeine I need. Thank you for helping me practice discipline.
Reading
I could go on about reading forever. It’s one of the places where I am most competitive. I love readathons and dedicating time to escape in the pages of a book.
However, this type of reading is different for me. I choose to read 20 pages of a self-development book and then I stop. I process what I read and think about what I can carry into my day.
I take notes at the end of each book for future reference. A few quotes or ideas that I can carry with me. Some of the books I’ll read, I know I’ll return to. Others are a one-time deal and that’s okay. If I learn the lessons I need, I’m grateful.
Reading, thank you for being my best friend (and sometimes worst enemy). You take me on journeys, teach me lessons, and help me.
Scribing
I’m grateful for the ability to take five minutes to type my thoughts. It helps me to reflect on what is helpful or not so much so. I’m grateful for the three types of writing that are emerging from this practice: personal journaling, idea generation, and small poems.
I’m grateful for the ability to test the process. Does it work better when I’m typing or do I still prefer hand to paper? What about when I change topics? I’m grateful to finally learn about myself what works best.
The Journey is Beginning
I’m grateful for you, Miracle Morning. Thank you for beginning to help me get back on the right track. I know that we’re not very far into Round 2, but if I can judge from past experience, I know how helpful you are to get me energized while being the anchor I need.
About Miracle Morning
Miracle Morning was created by author and speaker Hal Elrod. He describes in detail each part of the process in his book The Miracle Morning. I first learned about the routine in 2017 on Pinterest, thanks to bullet journal pages of SAVERS. This is my second round and I’ve challenged myself this year to work with the routine for 90 days, at least.
