“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.” ― Lemony Snicket

With so many things in the world feeling uncertain right now, having mindful morning rituals can bring a sense of peace to your day.

Starting off your day with a mindful morning ritual that nourishes your body + mind + spirit is essential to how you will respond to the new day you’ve been given. (I’ve been blessed with the mentality that each day is a gift to be grateful for after my mom suffered a paralyzing stroke that she almost didn’t wake up from.)

I’ve learned to live each day at a time by being open to accepting whatever the day has in store. I can’t predict the future, but I have learned to live in the present with gratitude for each moment we have to enjoy our life.

You might not even notice what kind of habits you’ve created for yourself each morning or maybe you wake up and do a fly-by through the house and rush to work.

The benefit of having a morning routine is creating a system that positively sets you up for the day without having to make any early morning decisions.

When I changed my hours working in the salon, it really brought to my attention how I was spending my morning time.

At first, I was totally lost….not really sure what to do next without my “normal” morning schedule.

My “normal routine” aka bad habits no longer fit into the schedule I had set for myself so I began to craft a new morning ritual that nourished MY needs!

Remember: How can you serve others fully when you’re not taking responsibility for filling your own cup? 

I asked myself, “If I could do anything for ME right now, what would I do in this moment?”

It took some time to really cultivate the perfect morning ritual, but by daily dedication to creating my “perfect morning” by adding or subtracting different activities that nourished my soul, I was able to craft a mindful morning ritual that starts me off feeling FULL and ready to take on what the day has in store.

The morning not only offers you a new beginning, a chance to take what you learned yesterday and apply your wisdom today, but you typically experience more motivation in the morning.

Use the quiet space the morning offers to connect with your intentions + inner guidance.

Have you ever noticed how each day is completely different? Have you EVER lived the same day twice? Probably not. This PROVES that each day allows us an opportunity to try something new for ourselves.

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every person’s morning routine is going to look COMPLETELY different based on what suits your schedule and your soul’s desires.

Your morning routine should leave you feeling balanced, productive, and ready to take on a new day.

Whether you dedicate 10 minutes or 2 hours to your morning ritual, just make sure your morning involves something that fills YOU up!

5 things to try before the morning arrives…

1. Get organized the night before by tidying up the house and getting your lunch ready for the next day.

2. Get enough restful sleep Around 7-8 hours is considered a healthy amount to renew and restore.

3. Relax before bed Try to stop watching TV, using the computer/phone to reduce blue light, exercising, or eating about two hours before you go to sleep. Instead, try reading a book or having a meaningful convo with your partner. (I set an alarm for 9 pm to let me know it’s time to wind down, relax, and sip some hot caffeine-free tea.

4. Set your intentions before getting out of bed to begin the day on a positive note.

5. Avoid checking your phone/email until you’ve taken care of YOU! When you check your phone, you automatically set yourself up to REACT instead of RESPOND to others needs from you. Give yourself time in the morning to do what YOU need to nourish your mind + body + soul so that you can fully serve others later in the day.

My mindful morning ritual looks something like this…

Wake up – Usually around 8:00 am (I’m currently working on bumping it up to 7 am to begin my yoga/meditation practice. Taking baby steps to increase to the earlier time.)

Thank the day – Honoring the gift of a new day and I always ask “What good can I do today?”

Spend time in silence – Shhhhh…..quiet time allows space for your soul to speak.

Pee + tongue scrape + brush teeth – This allows me to eliminate toxins after my body has spent time healing during sleep and remove bacteria buildup that has collected in my mouth

Laugh – It just makes you feel damn good. Try it. Wake up and start laughing. It might feel funny at first but my goodness does it get contagious!

Body Scan – Mentally scan my body from head to toe to see what I’m feeling and if there is any pain arising that needs attention.

Stretch/Yoga – Move your body! It’s been lying still for hours (hopefully!). I acknowledge my body and thank it for it’s health + vitality and ability to provide transportation by simple stretching and a 10-15 minute yoga flow of sun salutations.

Meditation/Breathwork – Meditation has played a huge role in my morning routine as I receive intuitive guidance for what my next steps to take are. The quiet space created during meditation allows me to connect with the core of my soul and create healing or awareness around inner experiences. Breathing is kind of important..it’s what’s keeping you alive. You can practice mindfulness by noticing + watching your breath.

Visualization/Affirmations – A MUST for you dreamers! Visualization is simple. It’s all about connecting with your desires and SEEING + FEELING yourself BE that which you are trying to achieve. Begin to FEEL it in the core of your being and IMAGINE your goal/desire in your mind’s eye. You can create more magic by adding an affirmation that states your intent of what you wish to bring forth.

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Join my 5 Day Self-Care Kickstart Challenge to learn how to create better boundaries for more self-love!

My daily morning mantra: Thank you for this precious human life and I am open to receive my highest good that is already on it’s way to me now.

Make the bed – It’s funny, I always resisted my mom’s guidance of making my bed each morning because I thought I’d just be sleeping in it later so what’s the point? The point is that when you make your bed, not only are creating a discipline of tidiness, but you make your room look + feel feng shui-like.

Drink Tea – Such a yummy way to practice mindfulness and stimulate your mind +body. Tea takes time. Be present in each step of making your tea from the moment you decide what flavor you will have to the cooling time to each sip you take. Be present. Be thankful.

Gratitude – Each morning I make a list in my journal of things I’m most grateful for in that moment, as well as, unique experiences I had the previous day.

Journaling – If you haven’t played around with the art of journaling, it’s one of my favorite tools to really get in touch with what’s going on inside of my mind + heart. I can reflect on previous days in my journal to see what kind of progress I’m making in my life. It allows me to write down my thoughts, feelings, and questions. There’s something very magnetic + powerful about writing things down. Especially when they have intention + power + purpose behind them. Write it down and make it happen!

Read – I realized that every intelligent person I admire accredits their knowledge to incessant reading. I challenge myself to read 10 pages each day to stay on top of my laundry list of must-read books.

Morning Walk – Walking in nature is another peaceful way to practice mindfulness. I spend 20+ minutes walking with my husband and dog around the park observing nature and being present to the moment. Our walks are sometimes silent and sometimes we’re so passionate about communicating a new idea or adventure for the day. Each moment calls for something different. Stay in tune with what you need most. Nature is the best teacher in my opinion. Time in nature teaches you infinite wisdom if you just slow down and notice.

Intimacy with my hubby – Need I say more? 😉

Playtime with pets – They are my most favorite little beings! I show them love + affection and it fills my heart!!

Eat a healthy breakfast + green juice – Just as your body needs sound sleep to restore, you need to be proactive in nourishing your body with fresh, whole foods. I stick to a plant-based diet for optimum nutrition and avoid the processed, sugary stuff. (Although sometimes I miss those cute little marshmallows.) 😉

My breakfast includes:  plant-based organic protein shake, organic apple + almond butter, and a green juice that consists of cucumbers, carrots, celery, lemon, lime, spinach/kale, ginger, and a beet. Juicing boosts your immune system and starts your day off with a zing!

Workout – Working out creates a sense of confidence. When you can commit to taking control of your body and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone to sweat a little, you empower not only your body but also your mind + soul.

Listen to uplifting music/Dance – Doesn’t dancing just feel good? Move your body to uplifting music to create an active mediation and get lost in the moment.

Decide your top 3 things that you MUST do today to move you forward – I use The Desire Map from Danielle LaPorte that prompts you each week/day to decide how you want to FEEL and 3 things you must get done for the week. By deciding and writing what 3 things will most benefit me moving forward on the path of living my dream life helps me to stay on track with making it happen.

This may seem like a TON of stuff to do in the morning. I’m not saying I follow ALL of these to a T every day, but in a perfect 24-hour scenario, this is what my “perfect morning routine” looks like.

Even if you spend only a few minutes doing a few of the ideas, that’s enough to build a morning ritual that will fill you up before the day begins!

Begin to build a morning ritual that supports and fulfills you by creating a list of ALL of the things that fill YOU up.

Maybe you only have time for a few self-care rituals in the morning, and by making the list of things that light you up, it’s much easier to choose what fits your time frame each morning.  

Ideas to Get Going for People who aren’t a “Morning Person”

If mornings aren’t your thing, consider trying this:

+ Open up your blinds to let the light in at sunrise. It’s harder to get up when it’s dark and chilly so ditch the blackout curtains and opt for something more see-through.

+ Splash cold or warm water on your face upon awakening to refresh + energize.

+ Take a deep inhalation with peppermint oil under your nose to energize your senses

+ Take a shower to wake up the mind + body and start your day off feeling FRESH.

+ Get your endorphins pumping by moving your body around + stretching first thing when you wake up.

+ If kids are your reason for not having any morning “me-time”, try involving them in your morning routine by showing them how to create a peaceful morning moment for themselves. You can both practice a peaceful morning together. Remember: Be the example. You are the teacher.

+ Turn off the TV an hour earlier in the evening to get in some stretching, meditation, journaling, or tea time. Use this hour to honor + reflect + nurture yourself before heading to bed.

+ Take baby steps when upping your morning wake up time. Try increasing your wake up time to be 30 minutes earlier than your usual wake up time and adjust from there. Take time to slowly build a new habit and get your body into a new rhythm.

Each of us is given the same 24 hour period to live. How will you design YOUR life?

I want to hear from you! What does your morning routine look like? What are your TOP 3 MUST DO FOR YOU’s in the morning? Comment below and share this with a gal-pal who you think would LOVE this stuff! xo

Need help kickstarting your self-care routine? Join my 5 Day Self-Care Kickstart Challenge