How you begin your day ⏰ can have a HUGE impact on how the rest of your day goes. So why not start it smoothly with these tips to soothe and nourish 🧖🏽♀️ your nervous system at daybreak?
Five things you can do each morning 🌅 to ensure a calm start to your day include:
~🔔 Wake up one hour early
~🫁 Engage in mindful breathing
~🥰 Spend a moment in gratitude
~🚴♀️ Find movement
~🫖 Enjoy a ritual
1. Wake Up One Hour Early
If you don’t give yourself enough time to perform these 5 (or more if you choose!) steps every morning, you will end up feeling rushed 🥴 and frustrated.
This is the opposite of how we want to feel!
So, be sure to set your alarm ⏰ for AT LEAST an hour before any obligations begin, whether that’s childcare 👧🏻👦🏾, work, school 🏫 , a meeting, an appointment 💇, errands, etc. This will ensure enough time to fit in all these steps without feeling rushed.
Take your time and enjoy your new morning routine.
Practice it consistently and mindfully and note any changes you experience as a result.
2. Engage in Mindful Breathing
Upon waking, be sure to spend a few minutes engaging in mindful breathing 🌬️. Lie on your back and place one hand ✋ on your belly and the other one over your heart ❤️ . Pay attention to your natural breathing and allow it to slow down. Once relaxed, take a deep belly breath in through the nose 👃🏼 feeling the hand over your belly rise, then the one over your heart. Pause at the top of the inhalation for a moment before exhaling again through the nose. Allow the belly and lungs 🫁 to completely deflate. Feel the breath hit the back of your throat in an audible sigh before it exits through the nose. Pause at the bottom of the exhalation. Repeat 🔄 at least 10 times.
These deep breaths, with the short pauses in between, will simultaneously wake 😃 you up by filling your body with lots of oxygen and relax you as the slow breathing moves you into your parasympathetic nervous system. A perfect morning duo!
3. Spend a Moment in Gratitude
Once you establish a routine with the breath, relax and think about at least 3 things that you are grateful 🥹 for in your life. It can be anything: your house 🏡 , job, kids, friends 👩❤️👨, the weather…anything!
As you inhale, breathe that gratitude 💝inward and as you exhale, let go of any negative things you don’t need in your life. Inhale peace and as you exhale imagine your worries, stress 😵💫, fears, etc. leaving your body. Visualizations like these can be powerfully effective.
Some people find that keeping a gratitude journal 📝 is helpful in reinforcing the positive ➕things in life. If that sounds like something you would enjoy, keep a journal* along with a writing utensil by your bed 🛌 .
4. Find Movement
No matter how you move, make morning movement a daily must! Whether you choose to do some light stretching, an intensive yoga 🧘🏽♂️ flow, take a walk 🚶🏻♀️or hop on your bike 🚴 , morning movement is essential to turn on your happy hormones and get your blood flowing! And don’t worry if you can’t fit in a long workout. Just 10 minutes every morning can provide a health boost!
Some morning movement ideas:
~take a walk 🚶🏽♂️
~do yoga 🧘
~ride your bike 🚴
~take a swim 🏊🏻♀️
~go for a run 🏃🏻♀️
What are YOUR favorite ways to move?! Let us know in the comments!
5. Engage in a Ritual
Each morning, spend a few minutes enjoying a ritual. Whether you choose savoring a mug 🍵 of tea, curling up with a wonderful book 📕 or taking a bubble bath 🛀 , what you choose is completely up to you! Be sure to set the scene 🕯️🪷 as you wish and spend a few, blissful moments in your own curated morning ritual.
*Need a gratitude journal? Check out cute options like this one at the link below:
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