Belated Happy New Year. I hope 2022 is off to a great start for you.
When it comes to establishing the tone for the day, in my opinion, having a morning ritual is crucial. It gives us more control over our lives and health rather than allowing our schedules to rule us. We can better focus on what is in front of us, where to spend our time, and, ultimately, boost our productivity, if we start each day by investing first in ourselves.
I recently kicked off a new YouTube channel to share things I’ve learned. My first video is the reason that this channel is up, this being building up a routine, something I learned from a dear friend and brother (shout out to Dane).
My morning miracle is *roughly* 42 minutes (hint: 42 is my favourite number) and changes (in fact, by the time I published this, I had already refined it … and I will continue to). But here’s where I’m at, at this writing, when my alarm goes off at 5am (and I will NOT hit my snooze button).
1. Making my bed (30 seconds)
It is pretty obvious. Making your bed helps you start your day off on the right foot. If you’re already being productive before you’ve even had breakfast, you’re more likely to complete the rest of your responsibilities. You’ll be satisfied with this first chore and gain a sense of accomplishment. And hey, it’s nice to crawl into a bed that isn’t a mess at the end of the day.
2. Roughly seven minutes of movement
This routine involves push-ups, sit-ups, some planking and a variety of stretching. I also try to get lots of leg work from the gym. I love to walk so really this is most of my morning movement.
3. Roughly three minutes of breath work
Breath work for me is by the use of the box breathing method. So that’s sitting on the floor closing my eyes, breathing in for four seconds holding it for four seconds, breathing out for four seconds and then holding it again or holding that breath out for four seconds. The cycle goes on until I’m feeling at ease.
4. Roughly three minutes of gratitude
It’s already been proven that taking time to express gratitude, regularly, helps immensely with personal happiness. I carve out time every day to think about all the things I’m grateful for. I always feel better after this and it usually involves a cuddle with my dogs to start the day.
5. Roughly three minutes of “asking for help”
I’m a big believer in the power of manifestation. I won’t share what I’m currently working on (as ego is the enemy of manifestation) but I take time every day to picture where I want to be and what I want around me.
6. Roughly Two minutes of blessings
I can’t prove that this works, but I believe it is worth 2 minutes of my time every day anyways – gotta try. I practice the art of Ho’opnopono and sending positive vibes to those I think might need them.
7. Read aloud my personally designed prayer and affirmations
Committing to stating aloud my purpose and goals every morning along with checking in on my vision and integrity boards gives us an opportunity to cement who and how we want to be.
8. Then I clear out any negative energy
Some of the folks in my circle will think I’ve gone too ‘woo-woo’ and that’s cool. But I’ve come to respect and try the idea of ‘smudging’ and I do this before I move into the final and most important piece…
8. Meditation (roughly 25 minutes)
My favourite part … Now/finally. There is a reason they call it a ‘Meditation Practice’, because it takes time and practice to get good at it. To slow down the mind, to get inside yourself. I use a number of resources for this (and often do it several times throughout the day) including:
- Joe Dispenza – amazing!
- The Synctuition App – fantastic!
For more, please check out the video and subscribe.