Whether you are a morning person or not, establishing a morning routine that just centers on you should be the most important thing you ever do for yourself. This is a time to practice self-care and self-love and ground yourself for the day. Without my morning routine, I feel a little lost and unorganized, so it is very important for me to try and stick with it! Pre-COVID, I used to get up at 5:30am to go for an hour long workout, take the dog for a walk, eat breakfast and scramble to get to the office in time. Now that I am working from home, things are a little more relaxed. Sometimes too relaxed! For me getting a good nights sleep and waking up refreshed is not always the easiest thing, but I do my best to get up around the same time and stick with my routine. Here's what my morning routine now looks like:
1) Drink a big glass of water before I head out the door to walk the dog. Hydrating is so important and great for your body and brain and something I have to constantly work at. I find if it is something I do first thing, I will continue to do it throughout the day.
2) Walk the dog. We go for about an hour each morning and it's a great time for some doggo bonding, plus it clears my head, exercises my body and wakes me up!
3) Put on the coffee! Enough said!
4) Drink a large glass of freshly squeezed lemon, ACV (apple cider vinegar) and honey mixed with water. SO good for your liver, your skin and it helps make your body more alkaline.
5) Meditate. Meditation has become my savior. While the coffee brews, I'll either do a guided meditation or sit in silence. Sitting in silence is something that takes a ton of practice and I have to work hard at it every single time. It's called "monkey mind" with the constant chatter that gets produced in your mind. Just acknowledge it and let it go. The noises that will undoubtedly temporarily interrupt your silence? Acknowledge them and let them go. The realization that you forgot to bake cookies for that bake sale? Acknowledge and let it go. This is a good time for visualization and practicing gratitude and self affirmations as well. You will come up with your own meditation practice and go with what feels good for you.
6) Make a beautiful and nutritious breakfast. Breakfast is probably one of my favorite meals of the day. Fresh fruit, eggs and perfectly toasted homemade bread are my go to, but I make a point of creating a beautiful plate and eating mindfully.
Now I get that you may not be able to dedicate a lot of time for yourself, but it is so important that you try. And don't rush through it! Be mindful and be present. This is your time, the time for you before anyone else needs your time and energy. If you feel grounded and loving of yourself, you will reflect that in your day and to the people around you. It truly is a win-win situation and something you should definitely start prioritizing for yourself as soon as possible.
In gratitude.
