My morning routine is something that ends up setting my whole day in motion, either positively or negatively. Over the years, my routine has changed numerous times, depending on what was going on in my life. When my kids were babies the routine was chaotic at best as every day started off a bit different. But even as my kids have grown and we have a pretty solid routine, it changes from season to season. What I know about my routine now is that there are a few small things I do just about EVERY SINGLE morning to help me set my day in a positive direction. I find that if I decide to skip these small but positive acts, I have a hard time getting into my groove the rest of the day. Some days it requires a little bit of finagling to get it all in, but I know that if I can squeeze these things in, my day seems to be more on track. When I set my intention for the day and really ground myself at the very start, it seems like most things throughout the day end up bringing me joy. I attribute this to the fact that I have my long term goals in mind. I also have in the back of my mind any challenge is merely a season and I will grow and learn from it in the end. Below are some of the habits I’ve formed for my morning routine that help me throughout my entire day. SKIP SOCIAL MEDIA & EMAILOne of the best choices I’ve made is to charge my phone in my Master Bathroom and NOT on my nightstand. I have not only slept better, but I’ve also gotten out of the habit of scrolling through social media accounts FIRST thing in the morning. To be honest, this practice brought me absolutely no joy. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Not only was I starting my day completely not present in my own life, I was beginning my day comparing myself to others’ highlight reels. As an entrepreneur I use social media for connecting with others quite a bit, but there is a time and place for this, and first thing in the morning wasn’t for me. I also made it a habit to not even look at my email until after I had my day started. If someone emailed me over night, it could wait until “business hours.” I don’t need to start my day responding to other people, right? I can start my day how I want and by doing what’s best for my and my family. GET MOVING
GET READY FOR THE DAYI know this might sound like a no-brainer, but when you have kids at home, it makes a HUGE difference in how the day goes. I know for me if I showered, took time to put on at least a little makeup and fix my hair, it made a world of difference in how I felt the rest of the day. Sometimes I just threw my hair in a bun and other days I had time to dry my hair. It’s all about being flexible with your routine, but at least doing what makes you feel good. In the summer my makeup routine seems to be a lot less than in the winter, but I always take care to nourish my skin with healthy products. When I take care of myself I feel like I’m ready to take care of the rest of my family. And feeling put together and ready for the day, makes me feel like I’m ready to do anything and go anywhere. While puting on my makeup and doing my hair doesn’t necessarily give me incredible joy, it does help me feel confident, which helps me the rest of the day. DEVOTIONEvery morning I set time aside for me and for God. I make sure I have a quiet space without distractions and I focus my mind on Him. Sometimes my devotion has been reading a chapter of an uplifting book and sometimes it’s been a Bible Study I’m working on with friends. Either way, I make sure that I have time that is fully devoted to Him. I take this time and pray, asking God to please help me and guide me throughout the day. I ask Him to show me where He wants me this day and I ask him to open my mind and my heart. I have found that this truly helps me set the intention for the whole day. With this practice I help myself by keeping in mind all day long that He is with me and He has my best interest at heart. It reminds me I don’t need to sweat the small stuff and I can 100% rely on Him throughout my day. When I start the day by asking Him to guide me, I feel like my mind is more open and more receptive to His voice. Whether you read a self-help book in the morning, pray or read a devotion, I highly recommend it to set your intention for the day. WRITE OUT THOSE GOALS
GRATITUDE
UPLIFTING OILSAnother thing I do in the morning, is I start my day with essential oils that provide emotional support. I started using oils about two years ago and I honestly cannot imagine my life without them at this point.
I started using them to promote health in our constantly sick home, and over time I’ve continued using them for emotional support. I love the uplifting feeling they provide and I love the support they offer my kids (who have the biggest emotions of all of us). These oils have really enhanced my devotion time and my journaling time to keep me grounded and present. I use them throughout the day to lift my mood and provide peace and joy at the same time. One of my favorite blends to diffuse is Abundance while I’m journaling. And sometimes, I need a big pick me up when I go to En-R-Gee with Peppermint. Below are some of my favorite blends for my morning routine:
22 Comments
Janell
4/3/2019 10:47:32 am
Great tips for taking care of yourself first to set the tone for the remainder of the day. I know I could benefit from a few of these ideas.
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4/3/2019 12:11:29 pm
Thank you for sharing these suggestions. I love to start the day off with mediation and sometimes I get to squeeze in some exercise. Mostly, I try to have quiet before my day starts but that rarely happens with little ones running around. :)
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4/11/2019 08:05:29 am
I know! It can really be hard to have quiet moments with kiddos :) I love your tip for meditation in the morning. I'd love to add that to my morning routine.
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Great tips for an easier morning! I want to work on waking a bit earlier so I can get a few things done, including a workout, before my boys wake and we have to start the morning school routine. I also love that Wake Up! blend for the diffuser, I have all the oils so I'll have to try it tomorrow morning.
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4/11/2019 08:06:25 am
Thanks, Stephanie! The wake up blend is an absolute favorite of mine too!
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4/11/2019 08:07:29 am
Thanks, Jessie! Grapefruit has become one of my favorite oils for the morning. You'll love it!
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Patricia Chamberlain
4/4/2019 06:14:11 am
Thank you for sharing these great suggestions. My mornings are pretty hectic since my toddler likes to start her day around 5AM. I am definitely going to try these things to start the day off better.
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4/11/2019 08:08:28 am
It can be so hard with littles around, Patricia! Just give yourself that extra grace and do whatever works for you :)
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Neely Moldovan
4/4/2019 08:25:19 am
Doing some sort o physical activity is huge for me and for me being happy!
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4/11/2019 08:08:59 am
Neely, I agree completely! It's a must for my mornings :)
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4/4/2019 09:55:36 am
Love those ideas, definitely need to increase my morning activity but I have the habit of wake up to door in 45 mins which is not great
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4/11/2019 08:10:23 am
Thanks, Adam! It definitely gets easier with more sunlight in the spring and summer to get up a little earlier.
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Christa
4/4/2019 02:53:14 pm
There are so many amazing suggestions here! I love the whole premise of having a joy filled morning. It really can set up your day. I actually have a similar routine. It was hard to learn how to not reach for the phone first thing, but it’s been a game changer.
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4/11/2019 08:11:52 am
Yes - you're so right, Christa! Total game changer to have your mind free from social media and your inbox first thing. :)
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4/11/2019 08:12:31 am
That's so great, Hooda! I think it makes a big difference for me too.
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Melanie williams
4/5/2019 11:29:38 am
These are really great tips. However, I do find skipping social media is a real tough one for me xx
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4/11/2019 08:13:23 am
Thank you, Melanie!! That one took me a while to give up too. It was hard when the notifications are right there staring at me when I turn off my alarm. But over time it became a habit. :)
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4/11/2019 08:15:26 am
That is awesome!! I usually check in after an hour of my own routine, but sometimes it feels like I'm then handing the rest of my day over to my inbox and social media.
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Amanda KleckerSeeking a balanced life through healthy living and a healthy environment Archives
June 2019
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