Something I discovered during the first covid lockdown in 2020 was 5am!
Up until then, I had always believed there was only one 5 o'clock, unless we were getting up to go on holiday or still up from the night before! (It's been a while since that happened!) So when a good friend told me she had started getting up early after reading an article about how the very successful, wealthy people around the world all get up at 5am, I thought 'well if that's all it takes to be successful then I'll give it a try!'
What I hadn't expected was how much difference it made to me and my mindset and how my day panned out. Don't get me wrong, it took a few attempts and a bit of practice, but after a while it got easier and easier. To be honest, these days if I get up much after 6am I feel like I've slept in and wasted valuable 'me-time'.
That's what that first hour of my day became - time just for me to do things that only I benefitted from. No-one asking me for stuff, or needing anything from me. Self-care you could call it.
So what do I do with myself during these early mornings?
I created a morning ritual for myself. Starting with the best cup of tea of the day, the only one I got to drink hot!
Although the ritual actually starts before getting out of bed. As soon as the alarm goes off, switch it off! No snoozing! Ask yourself, why do I want to snooze away my life? What am I avoiding waking up to? You should be looking forward to your day and excited about what the day will bring.
Being mindful about your first thoughts of the day can have a huge influence on your emotional well-being for the rest of the day. Just think of those days when you wake up late and in a panic. You can guarantee that everything else for the rest of the day is going to go wrong and you'll feel stressed out all day.
When your alarm goes off, switch it off and tell yourself some positive affirmations to put you in a positive frame of mind. Think about 3 things you are grateful for. They could be obvious things like 'a roof over my head' or 'food on the table', or the less obvious, like 'I am grateful for a sunny day.'
Making a gratitude list is also a great thing to do at the end of day. 'I am grateful for the dinner that my husband made for me today.' The more grateful you are for what you already have, the more you will attract and gain.
The rest of my morning ritual is made up of meditation, some form of exercise such as yoga or going for a walk, or if the conditions are right I would go for a cold water swim in the sea. Believe me, it's fantastic and so therapeutic.
One of the most important elements of a morning routine is journalling and planning your day. Write down what you want to achieve throughout the day, starting with 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs). Don't stress yourself out if you don't achieve them though, tomorrow is another day! Having a plan for the day is the first step to success and when something is written down you are much more likely to achieve it.
Sometimes, just sitting with your cup of tea or coffee and enjoying the sunrise, or reading your favourite book for 10 minutes is enough. Imagine, sitting outside in the early morning sun, listening to the birds and nothing else. No noise from the rest of the world as they are all still snoozing! So peaceful and calm.
What makes your morning routine even better, is starting the evening before! Coming down to a clean, tidy kitchen really starts the day off well. Having to face last night's washing up, or clutter everywhere is not going to make you smile! Try to get as much done the night before as possible, you will thank yourself for it.
Starting your day off well, will have such a positive influence on your mood and well-being and will improve your chances of having a wonderful day.
The easiest way to start getting up earlier is to set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual. Then after a few days do it for another 15 minutes earlier. Repeat until you are happy that you are getting up early enough. Remember, the first 2 hours of the day are the the most productive and will pave the way for the rest of your day.
So, what morning routine could you create to give you a positive, purposeful start to the day with clarity and calm? You can do it! I believe in you.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@brucemars
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