The way I start each morning is very important to me because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I often have people ask me how I start my day so I wanted to share 4 steps of my morning routine with you.
1. Affirmations and Morning Prayer
The very first thing I do in the morning when I wake up is say an affirmation followed by, “Thank you for this beautiful day.” I say these words out loud and then get out of bed to say a morning prayer, followed by 15 minutes of guided meditation. I feel that this starts my day off right and puts me in the right mindset. I am also a firm believer in starting the day off with gratitude because each day is truly a blessing. I use different affirmations depending on what is happening in my life but right now the one that I am saying daily is “I believe I am worthy of what I desire. I am ready to receive.” I will also repeat this throughout my day to give myself encouragement. Affirmations are good for the mind.
2. Morning Journal
I have a little book that I write in every morning and I write down everything I’m thankful for. I do this religiously every day and when I don’t do it, it throws my whole day off. It helps to remind me how blessed I am, especially on days when I wake up in a funk. Sometimes I go several days feeling down but writing down what I’m thankful for helps me feel better and fill my tank with gratitude. When I remember to have gratitude and appreciation, life is sweeter.
3. Exercise
I work out a few times a week with a trainer and it is very good for my mental health. I have never been a workout girl and it was very difficult for me to try to get into this routine, but very worth it once it became a habit. I am at a point where I need to work out because it truly does help me get my day going. When I get out of this routine of working out, it throws off my balance. I now understand when people say they need to work out because it gets their endorphins going and it’s almost like a high. Working out is part of my meditation and I do some of my best thinking at the gym. I will make sure to share my morning workouts with you in another post and share some easy tips on how you can even do them at home. Not everyone has time to go to a gym to work out or the money to hire a personal trainer. Stay tuned for another post all about my workouts.
4. Writing Music and Playing the Piano/Guitar
I have been trying to set aside two hours a day for writing music. It puts me in a positive space of feeling like I am being productive doing what I love. Music is my passion and in order to be the best I can be, I have to work on it daily. I must write daily to grow as a songwriter and artist. I must also play the piano every day to keep up that skill and same goes for the guitar.
These four things are crucial to my morning routine. I only workout 2 to 3 days a week and that is about as much as I can do with my schedule, but I still go crazy if I go a week without working out. Starting your day out with gratitude and positivity can really make a difference in the rest of your day. It may be hard to start a new routine but it is definitely worth it in the long run when it sticks and becomes a habit. When I skip any portion of my morning routine, I feel incomplete all day. I know that I need daily meditation and I encourage you to try it out as well!