Research has shown there are many benefits to having routines. Whether it’s getting up at the same time every day, incorporating exercise into your day, or flossing your teeth every night, routines can alleviate anxiety, promote healthy habits, and even combat burnout.
The morning routine, for me, is something different. The morning routine is a magical, sacred time that gets my day started on the right foot. The quietness of the morning with the sun coming up is a perfect environment that generates inspiring and innovative thoughts and ideas. It’s a routine I look forward to and I rarely miss a day.
Because I get up early, it’s often still dark outside as I take my cup of hot coffee and head upstairs to my office where it’s quiet and cozy. In addition to giving me time to wake up (I am not a talkative morning person), it gives me time to get my heart and head in the right place. For me, it’s the perfect beginning of a new day.
My Daily Morning Routine
I have a journal that I use every morning, along with a favorite pen. The first thing I do is review my goals and affirmations. Each one is written on a seperate index card. Reviewing my goals helps me remember what I am striving for, evaluate where I am, and get new ideas on how to get there. I write any ideas, questions, wonderings, and action steps that come to mind in my journal.
After reading and reflecting on my goals, I read some type of devotional. It is often a passage that seems to ironically connect to something I need to learn or remember in the moment. It reminds me that I am a small piece in the much bigger puzzle of life.
I then focus on gratitude. Gratitude is a superpower as it always puts me on a positive frequency. First, I write down all the things that I am currently grateful for. My family, my home - Gracie (my dog), etc. Then I write down things that I am grateful for that have not yet come into my life - but I know they will. This develops and strengthens my belief which will help to persist, even when things are not happening as quickly as I may want.
I spend 15 minutes reading something that inspires or motivates me - whether it’s a book or an article from a magazine. I always seem to find something that gives me inspiration or a new idea. Those ideas go into my journal as well.
If I have time, I take advantage of the quiet and close my eyes for a 10 minute meditation. It helps me to remember and connect with the part of me that is often ignored and neglected in the busyness of life.
I end my morning routine with my Full Focus Planner. A Full Focus Planner is a new tool I recently found and have started using. It is a great way to keep my daily and quarterly goals in front of me and provides organization and clarity throughout my day.
--
Now it’s your turn! Do you have a morning routine? Would you like to incorporate any of my ideas? I hope you do! And while you’re at it, add this to your morning reading list: “5 Steps to Clarity During Life Transitions.”