Hi, I'm Ciara. I'm a morning person and I love routines.
They say what you do in your first waking minutes every day ends up dictating how the rest of your day will go. Why not set yourself up for success each and every day?
I know for me personally, I try super hard to avoid checking my emails and jumping into work-related tasks first thing in the morning. Establishing and keeping to an honest morning routine has been one of the most mindful habits I keep to help me stay focused at least throughout the greater part of the morning.
Whether or not you have already established morning routine for yourself, here are some things to help you start your day on a peaceful note.
Make your bed. This little act, done first thing after your feet hit the floor, is so simple yet so effective. If you can't accomplish anything throughout your entire day, at least your bed is made. And nothing is greater, in my honest opinion, than peeling back the covers to climb back in at bedtime.
Stretch or perform a sun salutation. Fitting in some brief light movement is great to get your muscles warmed up after a long night's rest. Reset your posture and avoid walking around like you just came out of a cave.
Hydrate. Intermittent fasters will be used to this, lots of fluids in the AM. I, myself, like to eat soon after waking, but not until after I've at least had a glass of water.
Set an intention for the day. I love this one and admittedly don't do it enough. Focus your thoughts and use a positive affirmation that you can return to throughout the day whenever you feel like you're going off track and need to return to center.
Eat a healthy breakfast. Fuel your body with a light but fully nourishing meal that will keep you satiated through your morning activities. I like oatmeal with cinnamon and some chopped apple.
Read something - not on a phone or computer. Keep a book handy. I try to avoid the news or anything quite negative or dramatic - remember that what you do or consume at this point in the day is how it will turn out.
Finally, as my day starts to get going, I like to clean up or clear out anything remaining or hanging over my head from the day before so I can give my full attention to today's activities. If that's not possible and I need to attend immediately to the day's schedule, then I release it and "let it go" like Elsa.
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