There’s power in morning rituals
I’m not always a morning person. Truth be told, I need quiet, consistency and to not talk to anyone until I have had time to ground myself.
It’s not that I’m grumpy…I just like to have my brain all to myself in those wee hours of the morning.
For about 10 years now periodically, I’ve been waking up early to train clients at their 5 or 6am slot so getting my sleep AND morning routine down to a science has been an absolute must. Mainly because I want to be the best possible me I can be as my clients actually WANT to see me at that crazy hour of the day.
I know this…because they greet me with a smile and a hug me as soon as they see me.
Plus, they invest money in me to be there at those ungodly hours. 😉
I’m always fascinated by people who are cranky, pissy, and mad at the world first thing in the morning. It’s honestly no wonder! These are the very same people who feel life is out to get them and that people always take advantage of them.
The same people who have not developed the discipline of standing up for themselves by keeping that first 90 minutes of the day as the highest and best sacred time of the entire day.
Instead…
They roll over to turn off their alarm after the 12th snooze. Reach for their phone and/or tv fix. Fill their heads with everyone else’s crap. Get pissed about the politics and drama out in the world. Then reach for a cup o’ joe to try and jolt themselves into waking up for a job they hate and traffic they dread.
This is in NO way starting the day in a positive manner!
People ask me all the time…
How do you stay so happy?!?!
I heard Aubrey Marcus, CEO of Onnit, refer to a term in his recent book Own the Day, Own Your Life. He called it: energetic tidiness.
This is my secret sauce and has been for years.
I like to take that first 60–90 minutes each day just for me. No email. No social media. No music. Just me and my morning rituals to set myself up for success.
This assures I fill MY cup first before I begin feeding others my attention and energy!
I don’t always get it perfect. Sometimes it’s sloppy and I push the snooze button because I stayed up too late working. Other times I may get involved in a conversation with someone here at the house before I leave which throws my routine off.
However, I know that when I wake up if I…
1- make my bed
2- drink 24–36oz of himalayan pink salt infused water
3- pray/meditate
4- review my goals and vision board
5- review my commitments/schedule for the day
6- determine my top 3–5 task focuses for the day
7- and if I’m not at the gym, I go straight for a walk outside by 5:30am…
I’m good to go for an epic day.
When I don’t get these things done, things don’t always go haywire…but they aren’t always the smoothest.
See, I learned that if I allow the emotional roller coasters of everyone else to dictate how my morning feels, I will be dehydrated, cranky, eat based on emotions, and feel overwhelmed by useless data and distractions for a good portion of the day. I need that time first thing to get clear on my beingness so what I present to others is tidy.
What’s great about this: the more I do this, the more I get done during the day.
Start with success, be success, end with success.
It’s a win-win-win!
There’s another added benefit…the more I am consistent with my morning rituals, the greater chance I have at completing a full spectrum of evening rituals as well.
When I’m working with a client who’s goal is to lose weight, I have them work out first thing in the morning always.
Why?
Because once you have started your day with a win, you are more apt to make choices in alignment WITH that win.
Less chance for sabotage means faster results!
This is another reason I recommend making the bed first thing in the morning to clients who struggle with creating and sustaining new habits. Starting with a small win is better than rolling out of bed into the same patterns and routines that will keep one stuck.
Dr. Joe Dispenza discussed this on a recent interview with London Real. It’s an interesting study of the human mind that states: we are BOUND to repeat our yesterdays simply because the environment we live and work in stimulates us into the memory of out past. People, situations, habits, things, all remind us of who we were yesterday from the second we open our eyes to the second we close them.
If we want to change our lives, we not only have to change our environment, we have to create changes in how we relate to the external world. In order for that to happen, we have to change our relationship to it and to ourselves.
Starting with tiny achievements can be a great way of creating that shift and beginning to stack habits.
Trust me. Make your bed for two weeks. You’ll feel a shift. Soon, you’ll want to add on another habit.
And all this being said, becoming happier and more energetic in the morning it really a matter of habit…aka your programming.
If you wake up and are reminded of how pissy you are in the mornings, jump on FB to complain about the stupid things people are doing, then grab your coffee before you nourish with water…you best believe, nothing with change.
However…
If you wake up tomorrow, declare yourself changed, chug some water, and count your blessings, you WILL feel different.
And no, it won’t be easy.
You won’t go from zero to hero.
In fact, it may take a few days to break into the new YOU. But don’t just give up after three days because it’s too tough! Stick with it.
Be curious. Be adventurous. Make your own vision board to remind of you where you are heading in life.
Your life can and WILL change if you give yourself permission to start the morning off on a positive note.
About the author:
Alida is an Intuitive Life Strategist, student of comparative religions, and co-owner of Mind Soul Fit OC in Newport Beach, CA. Her coaching company, Ambassador for Goodness, hosts various workshops on mindfulness, spiritual entrepreneurship, intuitive eating, art therapy, and relationship success. This blog is also a podcast called Wisdom Nuggets and can be found on iTunes, Anchor, Google Play Music, Overcast, Pocketcasts and almost anywhere podcasts can be found!
