Our five senses (hearing, sight, taste, smell and touch) are hard at work all day long deciphering the multitude of stimuli our bodies and minds are exposed to. Many mornings we rush all five senses into action by waking up right before we have to leave, instead of gradually preparing each sense for the day ahead. We move so quickly through our morning routines that we may not even remember the first few moments of our day. I know I am guilty of using the two minutes at a red light to gulp down my coffee, say a prayer and attempt to stretch my tired muscles, only to show up to class with toothpaste on my chin.
When you bring purpose and intention into your morning, you will be in control of your day, rather than victim to its overwhelming tasks and stress . Follow a few of these morning rituals to calmly awaken your five senses and ease your mind, body and spirit into the day.
1. Hearing
Due to our reliance on alarms, the hearing sense is the first sense activated most mornings. So why not wake up to something you enjoy listening to instead of an annoying siren? I wake up in a much better mood to “Sweet Talk” by Saint Motel than to “Old Car Horn,” and I’m less likely to press snooze.
Another way to awaken this sense is listening to a podcast while you’re getting ready or driving to school. I’ve just recently started adding a podcast to my morning routine, and I am LOVING it! Podcasts can round out your opinions on current events and give you fresh ideas for how to level up in your personal life or career. Check out podcasts that HerCampus has recommended in the past here.
2. Sight
People say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and if that’s the case, we should flood our sight with positivity early in the morning and block out negative influences. I have recently tried replacing mindless social media scrolling with reading and reflecting on poetry in the mornings. This change has made my mornings more purposeful and helped to rid my self-perception of outside influences. While I will undoubtedly be exposed to celebrity drama and airbrushed bikini bods throughout the rest of my day, it is important to start off with something meaningful and encouraging.
Other positive ways to awaken this sense include reading a morning devotional, your daily horoscope, or the latest HerCampus article!
3. Taste
Breakfast tastes better when it isn’t rushed. When we shove a granola bar down and chase it with cold coffee, we aren’t giving our taste buds time to enjoy any flavor. Spend a little extra time making the perfect fruit smoothie or a rich cup of tea or coffee to sip while getting ready. Also, if you have trouble reaching your water intake goal like me, try drinking a glass of water early in the morning. Not only will this help meet your goal but this will hydrate your organs and replenish your fluids as well.
This is my go-to morning tea for energy and focus!
4. Smell
We encounter a lot of smells throughout our day, some pleasant and some not so much. To get this sense started off right, light your favorite candle or diffuse some essential oils while you get ready.
Also, don’t forget to spritz on some perfume before heading out the door. My roommate always doused herself in body spray before posing for photos because in her words, “When you smell good, you feel good; and when you feel good, you look good.”
5. Touch/Feel
The best way to awaken this sense is to MOVE! Doing simple stretches in the mornings will help release tightness and ease your body into the day ahead. Touch your toes. Feel your muscles lengthen and meditate on what you want to accomplish that day. Check out this blogilates video for “10 Perfect Morning Stretches to Increase Energy” here.
The first step to calmly awaken your senses is to set aside enough time to do a few of these morning rituals. So do your best to get to bed early, set your alarm with your favorite song, and start treating those five senses of yours like the hardworking queens they are!
–HCXO