Mindful Mornings That Can Work For You
I don’t know about you, but jumping out of bed in a hurry tends to create a day that feels rushed and unfulfilled. It wasn’t until I became intentional about how my day started that I was able to create great days despite the things going on around me. That is why I am a HUGE proponent of being intentional about how you start your day while ensuring mindfulness is at the forefront.
BRAIN DUMP: I like to keep a journal near my bed so that I can dump out all of my thoughts that may still be simmering from the night before. You never know when your next BIG IDEA may be lingering from a dream you may have had. It also helps me to release the weight of the night before and start fresh.
Making Your Bed Is a MUST: No matter the circumstance, I always make my bed. This allows you to start your day feeling accomplished and subsequently enables you to end your day in a space free from chaos and clutter. This is a little added confidence boost because I am setting the tone of my day by creating an environment that exudes peace and order. I would even encourage you to tidy up the area as well.
Make Gratitude a PRIORITY: Since we do not know what the day will bring, express gratitude for all of the things we are expecting to happen as soon as the day even starts. This helps us start our days on a positive note, gratitude leads to greater overall health and puts an emphasis on strengthening our mental health by training our mind to focus on the positive. This can help us in the outside world as well because part of the foundation of building stronger relationships is strengthening the way we view ourselves and our current reality.
Take a Look at Your To-Do List/Goals: As a starting point, I would focus on the goals for the day, but as you advance in this practice, it may be even more important to add your weekly, monthly and yearly goals to the conversation as well. This helps to create a certain level of alignment. It will also allow you to check if your short-term goals bring you closer to your long-term goals. I mean, we definitely want to make sure we are working smarter versus harder, right?!
Move a Little: For some, doing a full workout first thing in the morning really gets the adrenaline pumping, but that isn’t always the case for others. I dedicate my morning movement to intentional deep stretching and or a private dance party. I blast my theme song each morning, and dance like no one is watching. This is not only how I affirm myself but also get a little movement in during the process. It is essential to pick a resonant song to where you are in life at that moment. My current song is Fighter, by Christina Agulera, but it switches with my mood.
Focus on Those Who Bring You Peace: It is so easy to get going with our day and come home ready to detach and unplug, which is why in the morning, I set the intention to connect with one important person in my world at some point during the day. This doesn’t have to be a full-on phone conversation either, so no pressure. Sending a song to let them know you are thinking of them, a short text exchange, a dedicated prayer or a phone call if you have space for that. Making space for people you love can help keep you grounded during a busy day.
Remember, these are just suggestions, and you should tailor your mindful morning to the things that bring you joy. The main idea is to start with intention versus technology. I aim to do all of these things before getting connected with the news or social media. Give it at least 30 days and see how your days change. You can CREATE the day you desire by focusing on what you can control.
Brittany Giles
NeoraFit™ Ambassador Brittany Giles began her mission to share her fitness journey with the world three years ago. That journey drastically changed the way she viewed fitness. Fun workouts, her favorite fitness events, and nutrition tips are the foundation of FitXBrit, while she also focuses on the mind viewing “fitness” from a mental and spiritual aspect as well. Brittany believes “our bodies are easy to train and it just takes focus and commitment; however, our mindset can be a bit more challenging when we are looking at overall health.” Ultimately, Brittany’s goal is to share all of herself: the educator, fitness and nutrition enthusiast, the mom, and the woman on a journey to achieve peace.
Yes starting my day in Gratitude, Meditation, prayer and then exercise helps me win the day!!
The only way!!!
Amen! Thankfulness, Prayer and Meditation on God’s Word sets my day too! Thank you Brittany!!
I love this, Thank You!
I really appreciate you sharing this! I have also found that making the time in the morning to start my day right, really impacts the rest of the hours in my day. I didn’t learn this lesson until just around the time I turned 50, but glad that I realized it eventually!
Wow these are great suggestions!! Having them all in one place makes them easier to implement. Thank you!