Morning Routine

I want to start by saying that this topic can get me a little fired up. If I am honest, many topics can get me fired up. Let’s jump into this discussion of morning routine. A morning routine can be a lot of things, am I right? Of course, I’m right. It can look like the following: The alarm goes off at a time that is probably later than it needs to be set anyway, so you can try to squeeze in all the beauty sleep you can possibly get because you definitely need it. Then, you hit snooze a few times to gain a little more. You finally get out of bed and decide immediately that you hate today already. God forbid anyone try to speak to you before you get your coffee fix. You realize as you’re getting ready that it’s later than you realize, and now you have to hurry. No one is ready. You have to drop the kids off and get to work. Traffic is nuts, as usual, and it pisses you off even more. Everyone else in the car is also grumpy and pissed because their day started as late as yours. You are finally headed to work, all the while screaming at all the traffic, keeping you from getting there on time because it’s everyone else’s fault you will be late. This sets the tone for the rest of your day….

You can add and subtract a few things here and there to fit your particular life. This creates a very typical morning for many people in America. Maybe you’re like me and don’t have children. Perhaps you work from home, but you ran out of coffee. The dog threw up in the middle of the floor for you to step in as you were already running late, etc.

Here is another example of a morning routine: You get ready the night before by setting out your workout clothes for the morning and filling up a water bottle that is ready to drink first thing. You don’t drink alcohol the evening before, and you get in bed early enough to get plenty of sleep for the next day instead of staying up late watching *fill in the blank for some meaningless TV show*. Your alarm goes off, and you do not hit snooze; instead, you get up immediately. You jump into your workout clothes that are already sitting out and brush those pearly whites with a smile, all the while deciding it will be a great day. You grab your cold water, mix a pre-workout drink and down that on the way to the gym. You get a great workout while giving high fives to all the other happy, energetic, loving life people in the gym. You then proceed back home, where you have plenty of time to make a morning protein shake and ensure everyone else is up and getting ready. Since you have already decided you will have a great day, others in the house pick up on your great attitude and follow suit. You get ready for work, drive the kids to school with plenty of time so that no one is stressed about being late, then make your way to work. A few people make an attempt to ruin your morning by cutting you off in traffic, but you don’t notice because you're happy to let them in the lane. You arrive at work a little early with a smile, ready to conquer the day. This sets the tone for the rest of your day….

Which one of these sounds better? It’s a rhetorical question! I know which one sounds better. There are also things you can change about the second to fit your life. My point should be clear, but just in case you are a little…., special, I’ll explain further. When you actually have a healthy morning routine it can change your life. I will tell you a secret that most don’t want you to know: you do not have to be grumpy in the mornings. You can actually make the decision to be in a good mood as soon as you get out of bed. I know, all this time, you thought it was a rule. Crazy right? Here’s something else to ponder: if you let people piss you off all the time, you are actually making the decision to give people control over your emotions. I bet that pisses you off! LOL. Think about this: if you hit snooze, you are actively making the decision to begin your day by being a procrastinator. That literally becomes the very first thing you decide to do: procrastinate. That sucks!

I’m not saying it is easy to completely change everything you do every morning on the first day you try, but you can change one thing at a time. Maybe start by not hitting snooze and getting up instead. Go to bed 10 minutes earlier and get up 10 minutes earlier next. Add 10 minutes a day or week until you gain enough time to do something like working out, meditating, reading, or journalling to kickstart the day. As you begin to make these changes toward a healthy morning routine and you figure out exactly what works for you, it will become a healthy habit. Next thing you know, you're a likable person in the morning, coffee or not. Holy shit, don’t say that too loud. LOL. It is ok, in spite of what the world tells everyone, to be happy in the morning. All of a sudden, you may not even be pissed off that it’s a Monday morning. 🤯 Mind blown!!!

Look, it will not be easy if you are not already in a morning routine, but you got this! If you need help figuring out what that looks like, I’m here to help you navigate it. Give me a shout, and let’s work on it.