Before I start talking about some tips for morning rituals, let's talk about WHY is it important to have these rituals in the first place.
Having a morning routine is exceptionally useful to set ourselves up for a successful day and you also send the universe, your family and everyone who knows you a message that you value yourself and you put yourself first. When you do this, you fill your cup up, and then you are ready to serve others from the overflow.The time spent alone gives you energy for the day, helps you be creative and able to manifest what you want in your life.
It is said that every successful person all around the world starts their day in a disciplined way, by having a morning routine they follow vigorously. The first and foremost thing you can do for a successful morning is to wake up at the same time every day, and as early as possible for your schedule. If you have children, try to wake up before them so that you can accomplish your routine. If you only have 5 minutes, good, half an hour, an hour or two, that is good too, you decide what works best for you. There are no set rules here to follow.
As soon as you start implementing a routine, you will begin feeling the benefits and you will be hooked.
Now, let's dive in.
Meditation. Take a few minutes even before you open your eyes to do a short meditation, say a prayer of gratitude or visualize how your day will unfold, what your goals are for that day or for the future, see yourself achieving your goals, and living an abundant life.
Meditation has bee scientifically proven to have long term health benefits when practiced regularly. While meditating, you can incorporate visualization to see yourself healthier, more abundant, more patient, successful or however else you would like to feel. Taking time to include affirmations of gratitude can have a very powerful effect on your life. It has been shown that people who practice gratitude , experience greater levels of happiness and well-being. You can be grateful for small or for big things, only you decide what works best for you.
Drink a full glass of warm lemon water first thing when you wake up. Not plain water, not coffee, not tea, just warm lemon water. Lemon contains compounds known as flavonoids, which have an array of health benefits that are antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabitic, anticancer and antiviral. Wow! Only that would be a big reason to add the juice of a half of fresh lemon to your water every morning. I have been practicing this for many years now and it became a simple yet powerful habit in my life. A full glass of warm lemon water first thing in the morning is a very simple way to improve our overall health and well being, because besides the fact that it hydrates our body after a long night's rest without hydration, it also wakes up our digestive system, stimulating detoxification and it creates an alkaline state in our body which boosts the immune system and therefore it can help the body prevent disease.
Move your body. Starting your day with a few gentle movements, like stretching or a simple sun salutation for 5-10 minutes will improve your mood and boost your energy. Our bodies become more stiff during the night, so adding some movement to your body after getting up from your bed will not only help you with aches and pains, it will also help you improve your posture and lift up your mood.
Take a few , long deep breaths. Deep breathing has been proven to calm the mind and the body and oxygenate the cells. Practicing deep breathing will calm the nervous system by moving the body from the sympathetic nervous system ( so called fight-or-flight mode, aka stressful state of mind) to parasympathetic nervous system ( calm state of mind), which will slow down the heart rate, improve the digestive system and help you feel more relaxed. While you can practice deep breathing any time of the day, starting your day like this will set you up for a more mindful, relaxed day, giving you the ability to handle stressful situations better.
A nourishing breakfast. Regardless of what type of diet you are following, your breakfast should include healthy fats, protein and fiber. Starting your day with quality fat, protein and fiber, will help you balance your blood sugar levels, this way avoiding cravings or "energy slumps" later in the day.
Here are some examples:
Quality protein can come from eggs, hemp seeds, chia seeds, tempeh, grass-fed animal protein, nuts, or plant based protein powders.
Good sources of fat are avocados, olive oil, coconut oil or grass-fed butter.
High fiber food sources are vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds or whole grains.
Cold shower. Taking a shower in the morning will energize your body by stimulating the blood-flow, but including about 30 seconds of cold running water on your body have been found to support the body's innate ability to heal itself by activating the immune, lymphatic, digestive and circulatory systems. This practice is a very simple, yet a very profound way to activate your disease fighting white immune cells. You can do it for 30 seconds or a few minutes, however long you can last, as long as you do it. You do you.
We all have busy mornings, even if we have a career, we stay at home, we have one child, 5 children or no children at all, but try changing your perspective in your mind, because that is where it all starts. If you have time to check your phone for 10 minutes after you open your eyes, you have time to include at least one morning routine in your schedule and it will benefit you tremendously. Unless you have an emergency early in the morning, try not to touch your phone for the first short part of the morning. I can assure you that having a routine, will set you up for a better, more successful day. You deserve this, so do your best to make time for YOU.
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