Most successful people worship it. So many health experts recommend doing it. I personally feel half a human without it: a daily morning routine. Yes, you probably know that implementing healthy habits into the day as well as taking some space for yourself may support your well-being and productivity.
But:
- What’s the overall importance of creating a morning routine in particular?
- Why does it make such a difference to take time first thing in the morning and care for yourself?
I’ll share with you everything I’ve been learning about having a morning routine and how I moved on along my own journey so far. It all starts already within the very moment of waking up in the morning …
“If you want to make your dreams come true,
the first thing you have to do is wake up.”
(J.M. Power)
~ Waking up: The importance of sleep quality ~
Waking up in the morning means you’re tuning into the material world of existence. You’re metaphorically balancing between the spiritual and the physical state of your being. That means: Stabilizing these frequencies and not falling into a surprising state of total unawareness is the key to staying aligned as much as possible.
“Always remember to fall into sleep with a dream
and to wake up with a purpose.”
How do you feel after waking up? – Ready for the day, energized and vital, like your batteries are fully charged? Or rather heavy, drained, grumpy and sluggish? To be honest, during my teenage years I definitely used to fit into the latter. However, I realized that getting into a habit or rhythm of sleep is key to get the most out of its quality. That means: Going to bed and waking up at the (more or less) same time. The power of good sleep – which is the rejuvenation time for your holistic system – cannot be underestimated. Your body will naturally tune into this habit if you allow it to set your inner biological clock.
In the beginning, you will need an alarm for waking up as the process hasn’t been habituated yet. But be careful: The very last thing you want to start your day with is an extremely loud alarm, brutally shocking you out of your slumber and spiking up your cortisol levels. So rather try to choose a calm, soothing sound or even a sun clock which wakes you up with light. Once your rhythm has been set, you will wake up with about a 30 minute window without an alarm, completely naturally.
Ayurveda recommends to wake up with or before sunrise. Of course, that’s not always possible for everyone, if we live in the northern or southern hemisphere and go through seasonal cycles. If so, the best time to wake up would be before 6 a.m. (Vata time), which happens to feels best for me personally. But whatever time you feel comfortable with: Try to stick to that routine!
~ Get into daily habits ~
Our brain is lazy. It already requires a lot of energy making so many decisions and going through a lot of thinking processes during the day. Especially in our busy western world where we have far too many stimuli and influences from the outside. We are already mentally overwhelmed. Taking the process of decision-making out of your morning makes a lot easier. Once your habits have become manifested within your sub-consciousness, a routine is built. You don’t even have to think about it as it naturally flows throughout the morning time.
What I’ve learned and experienced myself is that we should equally take time for body as well as mind. Not only will a healthy breakfast make the best out of your day. No doubt, it is perfectly good for you. But practicing physical as well as mental “hygiene” will bring you so much more into a state of balance, into alignment, and enhance your awareness for the upcoming tasks.
Of course, every morning is different. If you have kids or shift-working hours, it is even more challenging. However, I truly believe it’s better to take 10 minutes each morning than doing nothing at all.
I’ve previously suggested to create your sleeping habit, however, I can also highly recommend you to build one, two or even more practices which nourish you holistically. Everyone is different, when it comes to bio-individuality.
So, I encourage you to ask yourself the following question:
- What nourishes YOUR body, mind and soul mostly?
- Write it down. Whatever comes into your mind.
- Start to make these things your non-negotiable one step at a time after waking up. Then feel inside. What’s different…?
~ My personal routines ~
Before I write down an endless list of examples “What to implement in your morning routine”, I’d love to share my personal one with you. To be honest, it has been a game-changer in my life and I already started with some kind of morning routines around 10 years ago. Intuitively. Without receiving any advice or inspiration. Simply because my body craved this “holy” time in the morning and yearned to start it in a peaceful way. Simply because I chose to respect this sign from my body and allowed myself to take this time out of the day. Just for myself.
Well, my routines have slightly been changing over the years. As I dove deeper into yoga and also into Ayurveda, I’ve been practicing this kind of routine almost over the last year. I can’t tell you verbally how amazing it makes me feel. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.”
(Mike Murdock)
- After waking up, I take a few deep breaths and usually put a smile onto my face. Saying “Thank you” for being alive and being able to experience one further awesome day on this beautiful planet. I sit up in a crossed-leg position, eyes still closed, and focus on my breath. This is the perfect time for Dharana (focusing) and Dyhana (meditation). The mind is mostly still, the door to your sub-consciousness pretty wide opened.
- This peaceful practice is followed by mentally going through things and people I’m grateful for in my life as well as my affirmations. These include my goals, visions and plans. Sometimes I journal and write down everything that comes into my mind.
- After this mental practice, I go to the bathroom and go through all the practices I’ve already mentioned in my holistic routines-article:
- Oil-pulling
- Face washing
- Tongue scraping
- Teeth brushing
- Now and then I use the Neti pot for cleansing the nostrils.
- I love tidying up my bed, putting everything into the right order and preparing myself a pot of warm water. Sometimes I add some lime or lemon juice or even fresh ginger to it. This drink does not only hydrate me well, it also boosts my metabolism and digestion.
- I put on my gym gear and stretch my body a little bit in order to wake it up gently, while or before or after I enjoyed my morning water.
- Usually, I head to the gym for a nice workout and/or practice Ashtanga Yoga, which usually goes for 1 to 2 hrs, depending on how much time I have (or rather how much time I take for myself).
- Once back home, I instantly hop under the shower and get dressed for the day; which is usually just some comfy clothing, because I work from home.
- Preparing a nice herbal tea in autumn/winter or just a refreshing glass of water in summer is the next thing I do.
- Writing down my tasks for the day as a to-do list gives me a great overview and makes things a lot easier for my brain.
- Lastly, a nourishing and delicious breakfast concludes my morning routine.
After these practices I feel fresh, energized, clean, nourished, focused and simply balanced on all levels.
~ Conclusion: How to prime yourself for the day ~
To sum it all up, I just want to give you some inspiration how you can change your entire day as well by implementing a self-caring morning routine:
- Sleep quality: Make sure to get enough sleep. Each body is different. Listen to your own individual needs and allow your body and mind to rest.
- Mental hygiene: Take some time of awareness in bed by practicing gratitude, meditating, visualizing or journaling.
- Physical hygiene: Next, your body wants to become tuned into this new day. I personally can recommend some cleansing techniques (tongue scraping, oil pulling, teeth brushing, etc.), drinking warm water, doing some kind of physical exercise, taking a nice shower and preparing yourself an energizing, hydrating and delicious brekki. 🙂
Do you already implement some kind of practice within the first part of your day? Let me know what you’re up to and feel free to share your experience with us in the comments down below.
As for now, I’m wishing you a wonderful start into your day.
Sending you lots of love & a big hug.
Namasté,
yours Isabel!
Pictures
Unsplash (www.unsplash.com)
