Morning Routine

One of the things I’ve come to love and look forward to every day is my morning routine. It’s become a non-negotiable for me. No matter how tired I am, or how much I have on my plate, kicking off my morning right sets me up for a good day. I feel better, I perform better, and I’m it puts me in a better state of mind. And I can assure you that no matter how difficult it is to pull your ass out of bed in the morning, you’ll be grateful you did. 

Creating a morning routine that works for you will set you up for a successful day. The key is that it has to fit into your life for you to be consistent and actually enjoy it. Don’t try to get up 2 hours earlier so that you can have 4 hours to meditate, ground, and journal – it’s not gonna happen and it sure as hell won’t last. You need to start small and can build up your routine over time. 

I started creating my morning routine 13 years ago when I started going to the gym before work. I was living in Walnut Creek and had an hour and a half commute each way on BART (for those of you who don’t know, it’s the public transportation system in the Bay Area – basically an underground train). The commute was draining and exhausting and working out after work wasn’t an option because of how late I would get home. So I started getting up early (one of the best things I ever did for myself) and would get a 30 – 40 minute workout in at a local gym or I’d do an early pilates class. I started to notice that it gave me a lot more energy and really kick-started my day. So I stuck with it and learned to love it. Fast forward 12 years later and I still work out every weekday morning for between 30 – 60 minutes (whatever I can fit in). If I ever skip, I don’t feel as energized and it just kind of throws off my day. Right now, I’m doing this in my garage because I have a sleeping 2-year-old in the house. It’s by no means glamorous but it’s what works for me and it’s what I can commit to 5x a week. 

Immediately after my workout, I do a quick 5-10 minute meditation. It’s a great way to cool down, decompress, and prepare me mentally for my day. Once I’m done, I’ll make hot water with lemon and collagen. I sit for just a couple of minutes and write down 5 things I’m grateful for, and 3 things I’m looking forward to or manifesting. This is new for me and to be honest, most days I do this on my phone in notepad because that’s all that’s available. This part I’ve only added to my routine about a year ago. Taking even just 2 minutes to write down what I’m grateful for has changed my mindset and is a really powerful tool.        

You don’t need to start all at once, and if you try to, likely, you won’t stick with it. DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. And make sure it’s enjoyable. A lot of days I’ll do a rebounding workout because it’s fun to jump on a trampoline! You’ve got to find something where you’re not trying to give yourself excuses as to why you “can’t” or that you don’t have time. So start out with a 20-minute workout if that’s new to you, or if that seems like too much, commit to 5 minutes of alone time where you can journal or write down a few things you’re grateful for and what you’re excited about that day. Or, make it really easy and after your alarm goes off, just sit up in bed and throw on a quick meditation. Do this for 30 days and it’ll start to become a habit. No matter how small you start, you’ll notice that over time it will make a positive and powerful impact on your life.