December 29, 2020
Not everyone is a morning person. I never was. I had to train myself to be one of those people……someone who gets up at 6:00 AM with a smile on their face, ready to face the day. Getting out of my cozy bed each morning at 6:00 am still isn’t easy, but I find little moments of enjoyment where I can. I love my morning cup of coffee, I love the view from my balcony when the sun is coming up; I also like that the creases on my face from my pillow are gone by the time I get out the door, it’s the little things!
Here’s how I created a morning ritual by making a few changes to my daily habits.
How to Create a Morning Ritual
Don’t Hit the Snooze Button
I was always guilty of this, I’d hit the snooze button 3 or 4 times before actually getting out of bed. Resist the urge! When you hear that alarm go off, don’t even think about it, throw the blankets off and put your feet on the floor.
Start Your Day with a Walk
Now I realize doing this all year round may not be possible depending on where you live. I live in Toronto, and I find that even if it’s winter, I can still get a couple of morning walks in throughout the week. If it’s raining I opt for walking the stairs in my building (cardio bonus!) or I open my windows to let the fresh air in and hit my yoga mat for a few rounds of Sun Salutations to wake up my body. I like fresh air in the morning, it’s a great way to start the day, I clear my head and enjoy a few minutes of peace and solitude before my day gets crazy.
Breath
To get off on the right foot each morning, I take a few minutes and do some deep breathing. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy and you don’t have to be a yogi to do it properly. Simply slowing your breath and counting to 5 on the inhale and to 5 on the exhale is good enough. When I first started doing this, I would do 10 repetitions. There is no right or wrong, the point is to try and clear your mind, relax your body and just focus on your breath.
Don’t Check Your Emails or Social Media
Try to avoid checking your work email or social media as soon as you open your eyes. Take time for yourself. Work, friends and to-do lists will always be there, no need to rush into the day.
Set a Daily Intention
Before I leave the house I like to set the tone for my day. Every day isn’t going to be rainbows and unicorns, but starting out with a positive affirmation or taking a moment to express gratitude is a good way to start and throughout the day when your stress levels are high you can come back to this as a reminder, and hopefully, it will bring a bit of positivity back into your day.
