Busting Myths About Morning Routines - 3 easy ways to start your day with Mindful Morning Moments, that don’t include getting up at 5am!

Hello Everyone, 

I hope this blog post finds you well and thriving in this season of new routines. The back to school and work schedules are becoming established, as the long easy days of summer begin to fade into the background for this year, at least. It has become time to embrace those early mornings once again! My alarm clock is ringing almost before the first light of day now, and in one of those quiet moments last week, before the house began to stir, I started thinking about my mornings. How I begin the day, how I want my day to proceed and if morning routines are indeed as life changing as is sometimes portrayed? 

In the past few years “morning routine” has become a bit of a buzz word: an idea that has taken hold within the health and wellness arena as almost essential to productivity and well being. So as my new routine of work and kids back to school evolves for the season, I wanted to challenge the “morning routine” of getting up an hour earlier (or more) and juggling all manner of self care practices hurriedly into this time, (while still half asleep), to perhaps a kinder, more practical idea of starting the day with mindfulness, balance and ease. So here are 3 very simple ways to start your day with mindfulness. You can call it a morning routine if you wish, or simply some mindful morning moments. Either way, I think the day starts and continues more smoothly when we adopt self compassion. I also think that there is power in setting the intention for our mornings to serve us and prepare a great foundation for the day ahead. It might not have to include a host of lengthy practices. But with kindness to ourselves at the centre of it, I honestly believe that a morning self care practice, one that doesn’t require a great deal of willpower and much needed energy just to feel overwhelmed before 7am, can be achieved. 

1). Mindful Morning Moments don’t have to happen before 7am.

My first idea for incorporating some mindful morning moments, is that it actually doesn’t have to be a specific time. Depending on the season of your life, you may have the ability to wake early and spend half an hour or even an hour with yourself. But if this is not how your life looks right now, if you have a baby or young children to nurture at this time, then how about being gentle with your expectations of how the morning should look and go for some mindful morning moments at a time when you can realistically have a few minutes to yourself? It might happen when the kids have gone to school, or when your baby takes the first nap of the day. It might be in a short window when your toddler is playing after breakfast, which gives you a little bit of time, and then dedicate the second half of your morning moments to when he or she is napping later. If you are working outside of the home, then maybe waking a little earlier is beneficial in order to establish the habit starting the day with some mindful moments of self care and kindness. However you choose to schedule it, making some time for centring and grounding yourself into the day is always going to be more beneficial if you actually have the time and space to do it. 

Find the time and space that suits you!

2). Mind, Body, Spirit - A framework for your morning.

When you have found a window of time that actually does work for your lifestyle, focus your mindful morning moments around mind, body and spirit. What can you do for your mind? What does your body need today? And what inspires you and lights up your spirit? Take a little bit of time to consider this, within the parameters of time that you have. Having a loose framework to structure your precious time and optimize your morning self care, will customize your mindful morning moments so they are just right for you. Morning routines are not one size fits all, and you will be rewarded with productivity and peace in your day if the time you set aside truly works for you. 

Here are some ideas to get you started on customizing your mindful morning moments. 

• Mind

Working with your mind each morning can be centred around your thoughts, values, goals, belief system, dreams for the future and plans. Setting aside a short space of time to create a positive mental space in the morning can therefore include: 

~ Goal setting for the day - this could be a list on paper or your phone.

~ Making a to do list - getting things down on paper for the day ahead. 

~ Reading something that feeds your mind - something interesting, uplifting or just a way to complete that novel, which has been collecting dust for the past year! Check out my previous blog post for some reading inspiration! https://www.sacrednorthyoga.com/bewell-the-blog/what-im-reading-five-books-i-have-enjoyed-this-summernbsp

• Body

Nurturing your physical body is always a must for general well-being. So moving your body in a way that feels good to you, or nourishing yourself with healthy food or drink, is a great way to start your day. Some mindful morning moments of being kind to yourself in a physical way include: 

~ Move your body - this could be a few yoga poses, some simple stretching, moving your body to some music while you prepare breakfast, or a short morning walk. Any movement that feels good to you is a perfect way to spend some self care time. Check out my YouTube channel for many short yoga practices to inspire some mindful morning movement! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_dMQQ_4dPD5BJ-J0RZDYrw

~ Nourish your body - A good but simple breakfast, drinking a healthy beverage, starting your day with a large glass of water to hydrate your body after a nights sleep, taking supplements or vitamins, a simple cup of herbal tea in peaceful solitude. Any of these suggestions are a great way to create some mindful morning self care moments. 

A peaceful morning moment.

~ Create a clean, spacious environment - if we feel cluttered in our physical space, we often feel cluttered in our minds. Taking a few minutes to make your bed or clean off a workspace sets a spacious intention for the day and can really shift your perspective both physically and mentally. 

• Spirit

The category of spirit is completely related to you, it’s what lights you up  and deeply inspires you. It doesn’t have to convey religion, but it might do you for. Whatever gives you a feeling of connection to something larger than yourself: to a higher power and, most importantly, what makes you feel most connected to yourself. Here are some ideas for connecting to your spirit for the day ahead: 

~ Meditation - this could be the traditional seated meditation, a walking meditation, some breath work or listening to relaxing music or a guided meditation. Just five minutes of guided meditation: mindfully observing the inhale and exhale, or lighting a candle and sitting quietly watching the flame can have profound affects of peace and quietening the mind. Try my “Journey Inwards with Savasana” practice on YouTube for a simple guided meditation. https://youtu.be/Qvj8Y2sGlIo

~ Grounding - this is a practice of connecting to the earth to feel more centred, peaceful and connected to ourselves. It can be as simple as placing bare feet on the ground and breathing for a few minutes, imagining the roots of a tree moving from our body to deep inside the earth. Or placing one hand on at the heart space and one at the solar plexus (stomach area) and repeating the mantra “I am breathing in, I am breathing out” for a few minutes. 

~ Getting out in nature - Find a place to sit or walk outside. Have the intention to just be with nature. Bring your attention to the sky, the sound of the birds or the trees swaying in the breeze. How does the air smell this morning? Is the morning light making shadows through the branches of the trees? Feel the earth beneath your feet, the crisp morning air on your face and the dewy moisture around your whole being. 

Connecting to spirit in a mindful morning moment in nature.

3). Now make it a habit - Commit to making some mindful morning moments for yourself and stick to it!

My third easy way to make your mornings less stressful and bring kindness to yourself each day, is to commit to ideas 1 and 2. Find a time that works realistically for you, then use a simple framework that is perfectly constructed for you, as the unique and special person you are. Then finally, make it a habit. Habits are formed when we commit to something for at least 21 days. So taking the time to establish ideas 1 and 2 and then committing for at least 21 days will reward you with everything you hoped to achieve from a morning routine and more! You will have a personalized practice that not only fits with your lifestyle, but one which will serve you and you alone. It won’t be a standard “morning routine” or something you feel you have to do, even if it’s exhausting you. It will become a self care habit, a short, flexible practice that brings you joy and peace. 

If you feel called to give this personalized practice of Mindful Morning Moments a try, I would love to know how it goes for you. Chat with me in the comments below, or send me a message on the Connect with Me page of this website. I am available to answer any questions about these ideas and can help you personalize your practice if you wish. As a Holistic Health Coach and Women’s Health Expert, I would just love to chat about health and wellness with you. You can also find me on Instagram and on YouTube. Come on over and connect with me there, I would love to see you! 

And as always if this inspired you today, please share it with a friend; it might inspire them too! 

Until next time... Be Well!