peaceful morning tips & tricks
My first 30 minutes of my morning usually sets the tone for how my day is going to be. My mindset can completely change based on what I see, what I do & what I decide to take in. I don't know if it was a quarantine epiphany, or if I just got tired of feeling unfulfilled in my day, but my morning routine needed some serious rearranging.
It was always the same:
Wake up, check my phone, scroll thru social media, check dms, answer texts, reply to emails, check my to-do list, get a post ready, jot down some notes, the list goes on & on...
all before my feet even hit the floor. I'd then make my way to the kitchen to make coffee, scroll some more, then occasionally do my devotional & say a quick prayer. Before I knew it, I had been up for an hour & felt drained of joy & full of "UGH" for lack of better word. Instead of feeling full of positivity, Christ & a plan for the day, I was overwhelmed with comparison, a jumbled mess of a to-do list & major anxiety.
My morning mindset needed a MAJOR reset.
After I made some adjustments, I have been looking forward to waking up each & everyday to carry on my daily routine. Though they seem simple, these little bitty steps helped tremendously. I listed them in order to give y'all a better picture of time as well!I have now added new things that make me feel good, fill me with joy, bring me peace & start my day off on a HAPPY foot. Yes, I still have those days where I scroll while waiting for coffee to fill up my mug, or I stay in bed for a few extra minutes, but knowing I have a new routine that makes me feel whole afterward is the perfect addition to it all!
1. BUY A CLOCK Yes, so random & does not seem like anything special at all, but this helped so much. Instead of checking my phone for the time, I wake up, see it on the dresser & get up... if it’s time haha! Not seeing notifications first thing in the morning helps with the anxiety of who needs me, what may have been said on social media, or any other message that may be popping up on my screen. The lack of temptation to grab the phone makes it easier to leave it on the counter while I start my day in the other room.
2. FIND A FAVORITE morning drink I started playing around with coffee & tea in the mornings. I get asked about this a lot from my stories now too! My personal tea favorites are Ginger & Tumeric, Green Tea with honey & lemon, as well as Sweet Wild Orange. You can get any of these at your local grocery store & mix in different herbs, fruit or syrups to add flavor. I suggest buying small packs of different ones & testing them to see what you ENJOY! Coffee is still my go to & discovering the new ways to make it has been a fun & creative part of my mornings! I share different recipes & drinks on my instagram story highlights for y'all to try as well! Just go to my page & look for the "Coffee Fun" highlight!
3. DEVOTIONAL TIME
Hands down, this is the best part of my morning! Even as simple as 5, 10, or 20 minute sit-downs in the morning brings so much JOY & challenges me each day. Having a Bible inspired story/lesson with questions to make you think about faith, followed by a daily prayer, can set an incredible tone for your day & make you feel so full of Christ by sitting down & taking His Word in.
4. SKINCARE Something about doing my skincare as soon as I get up & going makes me feel refreshed & ready for the day. Whether I am wearing makeup that day or not, having a clean start to my skin makes me feel like I have a fresh start to my day.
5. TIDY UP Seeing a clean house can totally change your mood! I try to clean up at night time so I can enjoy my morning. However, sometimes dishes are sitting on the counter drying (as they are in this moment as I write this at 7:48 am...) or shoes are out by the door that need put in the closet (also relevant) or maybe I just need to wipe down the countertops. Just tidying up real quick to get clutter out of the way can make you feel more at peace throughout your day!
6. BE ACTIVE I know you may not have time to do this every morning, but this doesn't mean an intense 45 minute workout. This could be a quick walk outside or a 5 minute meditation/yoga session. Doing a little something for your body is also going to help your mind. During this time you can think of your goals for the day, make a mental gratitude list of what you are thankful for, or you can think about nothing at all & just be present in the moment. I have been watching some really great meditation & yoga YouTube videos that are quick & simple to follow. I also use OpenFit for their quick workout/yoga videos too!
I completely understand that not everyone has time in the morning to do all of this! This is just what has helped me with to start my days in a positive light recently. Adding one or two of these into your morning can bring so much joy as your day goes on. Not each day looks like this of course, some days I sleep in, grab some coffee & do my devotional & have to run out the door. But I am so thankful for this lineup that I have learned & love to do when I have the time. I truly believe quarantine has helped me to realize to value each morning & take it all in a little bit slower & more peacefully.
I love hearing other people's daily routine.
FUN FACT: when I was little I would ask my babysitter to tell me her daily routine.. she was in high school & I was six so anything she did was SO COOL to me haha! I am always so interested in what new thing I could add in to make my morning a little more JOYFUL!!
What is your favorite part of your daily agenda? Let me know in the comments down below!!
