9 Morning Rituals That Will Turn Your Day Around
In the morning, when the sun begins to peek out from behind the clouds and stretches its rays across the world, a ritual begins – waking and preparing for the day. For me, and hopefully soon for you, these rituals are soothing, spiritual, and motivating. If you are looking to make the most out of your morning ritual, there are nine actions to add that will give life to your mornings.
Why rituals rock
The bed is comfortable, and so many of us – myself included – sometimes need that spur in our sides to get us up and moving. That is why humans need rituals. Creatures of habit through and through, humans rely on a normal routine to help mentally prepare them for stressful tasks. Such as living.
A ritual that does the job is one of silence and sound, where the mind wakes up alongside the body. The ritual helps put us into the motions so we can get through them. That is why you need a ritual that suits your personality, as well as your lifestyle.
The rituals to get stuff done
The following are some of the most powerful rituals that will not only turn your whole day around, but your entire life as well.
1. Make a game plan in the evening
Okay, I know, this is not done in the morning; but it does help with setting up the next day and can put you at rest before you go to sleep. If you are the typical over-sleeper who gets frantic when nothing is done in the morning, having everything laid out the night before can bring you peace of mind. This includes laying out your school or work outfit, writing a short to-do list, and having the dry ingredients for your breakfast on the kitchen counter.
2. Get up early
Every single day. Even over the weekends. I have been getting up at 5:30 AM for several years now to immediately jump into the day. Many successful people also get up between the hours of 4-6:00 AM so that they can read the newspaper, go running, hit the gym, or do yoga before the hectic day hits them.
Honestly, it is amazing how much you can get done just by giving yourself an extra hour of wakefulness in the morning. Do not worry if you consider yourself a night owl. Eventually, your body gets used to the rhythm, making the process easier.
3. Move
Speaking of exercise, do it in the morning when you wake up. The body benefits from a morning session just as much as the mind. The session does not have to be long nor intense. Think along the lines of 45 minutes of yoga, 30 minutes of interval training, or a 20 minute Tabata workout. Dance like no one is watching. Simply put: move in the morning.
Read also – 5 Incredible Ways Exercise Boosts Your Confidence
4. Do those creative projects, or work on the side hustle
In the morning, our brains are refreshed and slightly more creative. Aside from that, think about how unambitious you are in the evening. It is easy to forget about those projects and side jobs when you have no motivation to do anything but lounge on the couch, right? So write those journal articles, tackle emails, and accomplish small tasks in the morning.
5. Write things down
Between you and me, sometimes I forego the workout and decide to journal at 5:00 am instead, depending on where my mind is. It does not have to be anything serious, although a lot of people who journal in the morning soon realize how detrimental other habits are in their life.
But they also have time throughout the day to work on correcting those bad habits, rather than going to sleep on it. So, either grab a notebook or some kind of checklist application on your device and try starting the day by listing thoughts, concerns, hopes, dreams, and whatever else comes to mind.
6. Breath work
Or as the yogis and yoginis call it, pranayama. Sometimes it pays to just breathe in the morning for several minutes. Breathing exercises are as beneficial as meditation while warming the body, strengthening the chest and diaphragm muscles, and boosting oxygen to the brain. In turn, this wakes you up faster than a shot of caffeine.
7. Prepare and eat breakfast at the same time every day
For me, this is promptly 6:45 am to 7:05 am. I fill the coffee pot, pour the cereal, slice up the banana, and spoon out the yogurt. Like clockwork, the water boils at 6:50 am; and I am sitting down to eat around 6:55 am. After I finish, I wash the cereal bowl, spoon, and coffee cup.
Then, it is back into the home office to start working. Now, you do not have to be as regimented as me, but consider that an example. Select a time that works for you and just get used to making yourself something. As you eat breakfast, practice mindfulness.
8. Read or listen and learn
Catch up on news articles, read a chapter of a textbook, flip through some comic books, or listen to music, TED talks, and other stimulating channels. Nothing is more fulfilling in the morning than feeding your head with something educational or enriching. You will feel a heightened sense of open-mindedness throughout the day.
Read also – Bring Back the Art of Letter Writing
9. Recite affirmations
This can take as little as 3 minutes, but the added positivity will leave you better off throughout the day. A positive affirmation is you looking at yourself in the mirror and telling yourself that you are good enough.
In the morning, you do not have to focus on what cannot be done but what will be done. So build-up your self-esteem. Note the accomplishments you have made. If you need help getting started, two phrases that work are: “I am enough,” and “I can do whatever I set my mind to.”
Morning rituals. Who knew they could be so simple? Of course, you can interweave some of these nine actions to make the best morning ritual for your lifestyle. It may take some getting used to, but in the end, remember how much you are achieving just by doing something for yourself in the morning.
