Looking to up-level your life? Implementing a morning routine is key. I have chose 5 steps that create the Ultimate Morning Routine so you can start your day off on a positive note!
1. Meditate
After getting out of bed and brushing your teeth, the first thing on the list is to meditate. It may sound intimidating if you’ve never done it before but it is easier than you think. Meditation is important because you’re taking time to sit with your thoughts, calming the mind. Over time, this practice can help reduce stress and increase focus.
- Sit comfortably either on the floor, on a cushion or on a chair
- Make sure your back is upright with shoulders back
- Place your palms on your lap
- Close your eyes
- Intentionally begin to breathe deeply in and out
I use a timer on a free iPhone app called Insight Timer. You can select the duration of your meditation as well as the sound of the starting and ending bell, which I love (I use the “Basu” sound). You can use your phone’s timer too, whatever works.
Start with 3 minutes if you’re new to this and work your way up to 15, 20 or even 30 minutes if you have (or make) the time. After a few weeks you’ll start to feel a difference and won’t want to begin your day without it! You can get all the info you need to start your meditation practice here.
2. Gratitude
The next step is to get into a state of gratitude. Studies show that gratitude can improve your health and wellness in so many ways. When you’re in a grateful state, you welcome positive thoughts, which can continue heading you down a path of happy thoughts and emotions.
My favorite way to get into a state of gratitude is by making a list. Write down 3-10 things you are grateful for and the reason why. There are SO many things to be grateful for!! If you really think about it, simply waking up is a miracle. Breathing is a miracle. I can go on and on.
Some categories of things you can be grateful for are:
- Health & body
- Work life
- Finances/money
- Material things
- Love & relationships
I suggest keeping a separate journal for this practice. It can be your gratitude journal 😊. An example of something on your list can be: “I am grateful for my bed because it is super comfortable and I’m able to fall asleep quickly.” Another is: “I am grateful for my hands because I am able to be independent by doing things on my own such as eating or driving.”
After finishing your list, if time allows, I suggest you go back and read your list out loud with your hands on your heart so you can welcome the feeling of gratitude in your being. When I do this, I physically feel chills in my arms and upper body.
3. Journal
This isn’t a Siempre Evolving post without mentioning journaling 😄. The next step in the ultimate morning routine is to write. There are many ways to journal so pick the one that resonates with you the most. You can simply “free write” any thoughts that come to mind. This can help you release anything heavy on your mind, helping you feel lighter and start your day in the right state of mind.
If you don’t know what to write, you can ask yourself a question and write down the answer that comes to mind. This is essentially using prompts. You can always look up journal prompts online when you feel stuck.
Some journal prompts you can start with are the following:
- What brings me joy?
- Who inspires me the most and why?
- What are my top 5 favorite things about myself?
- What’s my proudest moment?
You can also write about what’s going on in your life. I do this all the time. Especially after something significant has happened in my life such as travels or highlights. I enjoy looking back at journals and reading about things I did that I may have forgotten about.
4. Exercise
The next step is one I’ve had to push myself to do but once I implemented it, I look forward to it now. It is to move your body! It doesn’t really matter how you do it, the point is to get your heart pumping, maybe even sweat a bit. The health benefits are endless. Exercise not only helps manage your weight, which leads to more confidence in your skin, but it also helps improve your mood. Another benefit is that it can help you sleep better at night.
Some forms of exercise you can do at home for free are the following:
- Cardio (running or walking outside)
- Yoga
- HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout
- Zumba
You can find videos of yoga/HIIT/Zumba workouts on youtube for free. If you’re in the mood, you can even play music and dance. Just move your body and it will thank you later.
5. Read
Last but not least, is to read. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter what you read but I suggest reaching for a self-development book. Set your phone’s timer for 10, 15 or 20 minutes and read. When I first started implementing this step in my morning routine, I felt like it wasn’t worth it because it felt like I was only reading a few pages each day.
It wasn’t until I read the book Atomic Habits that changed my mind. In that book, author James Clear mentions how starting small still matters because overtime you’ll get results as opposed to never starting at all. So even if I felt I wasn’t reading enough, I was still able to finish more books that year than if I would’ve never implemented reading in the mornings in the first place.
Some books you can start with are the ones mentioned in my first blog post. Aside from those, you can also read the following books:
- We Should All Be Millionaires: A Women’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers
- Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
- Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty
- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Reading in the mornings is important because you’ll learn new things! The whole point in all this is to evolve and reading self-development books will give you new ideas and perspectives to implement in your life. Reading can also increase your concentration and improve your memory. So make sure to not skip this important step.
Final thoughts
So there you have it. This 5 step morning routine will help you start your day in the best possible way. Over time hopefully you’ll feel a difference in your overall being. Obviously tweak each step however you desire to make sure you fit all 5 steps in your morning. I also want to mention that fueling your body is vital. Always remember to drink lots of water throughout your day to stay hydrated. I hope you start your ultimate morning routine tomorrow!
Let’s work together!
- If you’re really ready to create the life you want
- If you want to increase your happiness and feel more confident in who you are
- If you want to trust yourself more and live on purpose
I can help you! Schedule your clarity call to work with me HERE.
Additional resources:
- Insight Timer phone app
- Harvard gratitude study
- More journal prompts
- My go-to YouTube workout channels: yoga & HIIT
- We Should All Be Millionaires book, Year of Yes book, Think Like a Monk book, and Atomic Habits book
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