Essentials in Creating a Morning Routine of Your Own

  rit·u·al

/ˈriCH(o͞o)əl/

noun

1. a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.

   "the role of ritual in religion"

adjective

1. relating to or done as a religious or solemn rite.

   "ritual burial"

    Think of the word, "ritual", as something you can create, refine, & practice every single day at a certain time. Something, (albeit, generally considered unreligious), that you will practice as if it were required 

in the religion of your well-being.

    I felt that it was important to note the above definition, as the word, "ritual", means a lot to me in my own life. My morning routine, (or ritual, if you will), is something that I strive to practice each & every morning; fine-tuning the regimen to upkeep the sanctity & well-being of something of high importance-- which in this case is my mind, body, & soul.

// my ideal morning:

    On an exemplary morning where I'm prioritizing myself, (as one should), I wake up at around the same time, (anywhere between 5am-6:30am. I carve out time to meditate by listening to soft music and/or journaling my thoughts, stretch, & I really try my best to squeeze in a short, high-intensity workout to get the oxygen flowing through my blood.

    Afterward, I love to go and sit out on the porch with my cup of coffee & take some deep breaths, (often practicing my meditation/journaling here, if I was unable to earlier in my routine), and I listen to nature-- breathing in that fresh air & taking-in the sun coming up over the water. Ahh... ☺

    *INSERT RECORD SCRATCH*

  // Please note that all of this is in an ideal circumstance. It's by no means my "every single day" routine. I wish I were perfect & was capable of forcing myself to do absolutely everything on this ideal "morning ritual" list, but alas, I live a normal life of a girl who struggles with rough days, motherhood, & general self-discipline.

    However, like I said, "rituals" are meant to be the practice of upkeeping the sanctity & overall well-being of something of high importance: you, yourself, & you! 

    Is it easy to do? No! If it were easy, I don't think we'd be as stressed out of a society as we are if we all paused to focus inwardly to take care of our bodies, minds, & spirits.

    With all of this being said, I think it's important that we strive to create, assess, & maintain routines for ourselves; easy, self-appreciating ways to put ourselves first so that we may pour from a cup that runneth over with love, gratitude, & most importantly: daily intention.

    Here are some tips on how you can begin working on your own "morning ritual":

 // 1 Wake up an hour earlier than normal

    

     Yep. I know. Some of you may be rolling your eyes at that one, but trust me. Waking up that extra hour earlier really is worth it; YOU are worth it, my friend.

    

    

   (Side note: if you're still feeling too tired after a couple of days of implementing your morning routine, reevaluate what time you go to bed-- it'll make a difference!)

// 2 Meditation and/or Journaling

    Self-reflection is the beginning of maintaining the well-being of your mind. 

    You can find a bunch of great meditation/breathing exercises from apps like Calm or Headspace, (those two are my favorite-- I've been using both of them periodically for about three years at the time of this blog post).

    Of course, there's nothing like a good old-fashioned blank notebook & a pencil/pen, but what if you don't like the idea of writing in what feels like an empty void? Here is a link to some prompted self-reflection journals on Amazon.

// 3 Exercise

    Find a way to get that body moving.

    Doesn't matter what it is. For you, it could be a walk, a run, or it could even be jump rope. 

    My advice to you: don't try & make yourself stick to any boring or incredibly difficult routine out of the blue. I'm a huge advocate for finding exercise programs and/or workout plans that excite you! If you're wanting to go for a challenging exercise regimen, start simple & work your way up.

    Find an exercise for your morning ritual that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning. This may take a few tries to find the right workout that works for you.

    When your body feels good, your mind feels good, too!

// 4 Good food, good drink

    Here's your push to jump onto that Pinterest board for fun drinks & easy, healthy breakfast foods that you've been meaning to try for two years, now-- go and find that perfect mixture of a homemade iced oat milk latte, protein pancakes, a dirty chai tea, oatmeal with stir-in flavored collagen & peanut butter, or even run-up to the store and grab that box of Hibiscus tea that you've been eying for a few weeks, now.

    If you aren't starting off your morning with a good drink, then simply: why? Nothing, when it comes to the topic of routines, (I've found), is better than starting off your day with a drink that you've custom-tailored to your own liking.

    Experiment a bit with different at-home recipes & see what drink suits you! (Maybe you'll get lucky & find a couple of recipes that you'll get to choose from every morning.)

    I hope this list of ideas helps someone out there looking to take care of themselves. Don't forget, this is your morning routine to fill up your cup, no one elses'. So, make sure it's exactly what you need to recharge yourself. Make mistakes-- every day is a new day to start over. Do whatever you need to do to make your morning routine your very own!

    You are so important, you are an asset to this world, & you have people who need you, love you, & really want you here. Take care of yourself-- you're worth that extra hour in the morning. ☺

kati