It is often said that the first moments of your morning set the mood for the rest of your day. I’m usually extra cautious with what I do in the morning, what I focus on, and how I prepare to face the day. If I wake up and the first thing my eyes see is a text that triggers me, it can bring down my mood for the whole day. If we have the power, why not make every day a terrific day? Here are a few suggestions for starting off your day on your terms.
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Airplane mode. Put your phone on airplane mode before you go to bed. So sorry, but it’s a must, you’ll thank me later. In the morning, turn your alarm off and keep it in that mode until you’re ready to go. We’re vulnerable when we just wake up. Text messages, social media notifications, and emails will create a web of information in your head and you will feel charged with stress, before you even interact with anyone. How silly is that?
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Be thankful. About a year ago I met a lady who told me her “secret” to having good days no matter what. I was a little skeptical at how cliché it sounded but gave it a try and now feel qualified to share it. Every morning, after your alarm goes off, while you lay in bed noticing surrounding sounds, think of five things you’re thankful for. You’ll feel strange at first but after building the habit it will have such positive long term results in your quality of life. I promise.
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Breakfast. Be conscious of how you decide to start off your day food wise. I treat breakfast almost like a ritual. Carefully prepare your food, put your heart and thought into it. Take the time you need to eat it without rushing. This will start setting the mood, give you power, and may even motivate you to be thoughtful when it comes to the rest of the meals.
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Get your energy flowing. It’s hard to find motivation to get out of bed once you’ve had your warm cup of coffee in between your sheets, I know. By this point you will be so cozy in your own company, without having come into contact with the outside world, that you wish it could last forever. But it can’t, so you gotta start energizing! I usually start by stretching softly on my rug. If you’re a yogi you can do the sun salutation or a few poses to start moving. Once you’re fully awake and there’s no risk of falling asleep, you can meditate if you’re comfortable with it. I like to meditate to get in touch with how I’m feeling and see what I need in order to be at my 100%.
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Use your ears. You can get creative here. Put on music that makes your heart race and makes you want to dance to begin getting ready for your day. I personally don’t like music when I wake up because it disturbs the peace that I can only have in the morning, and if I put on something soft it’ll just push me back into bed. But whatever works best for you. I stick to Podcasts. They’re are an awesome mood setter. While you get dressed, put makeup on, or finish submitting your work for the day, listen to a podcast that will inform you, lift you up even more, or entertain you for a while.
After these simple 5 steps you will be heading out the door owning your day. Turn your data or WIFI on now. You will feel cheerful, motivated, and fully awake. When we rush through breakfast, or run out the door without having even washed our face, or simply stay in bed on our phones until it’s time to go, we’re not making an effort to have a fulfilling day. We all deserve to have them. Start owning your days!