My Morning Routine
Here’s a little morning routine inspiration for ya!
A daily morning routine is a must for cultivating wellness in your life. Through the repetition, you’ll begin to feel less stressed, more at peace, and more prepared for handling life’s challenges. Keeping up with my morning routine has always given me a sense of steadiness and comfort, even in the midst of the chaos and transitions of my life - kids, the pandemic, business ownership, moving four times in four years, etc. It’s also a huge comfort when I am away from home and is often some of the only time everyday that I devote 100% to myself and my personal growth. The reality is that setting priorities and having a solid routine before starting your day sets you up for success and is a big part of feeling like you are in control of your life and not the other way around.
Below is my morning routine minute by minute. Bear in mind that I created this formula over many years from reading books, listening to podcasts, working with practitioners, and through trial and error. These are the practices that give me life. We’re all different so I encourage you to try many things to see what leaves you feeling most inspired and ready to conquer the day. Your morning routine should not feel like a chore but more like a gift you give yourself everyday.
“Your morning routine should not feel like a chore but more like a gift you give to yourself everyday.”
It’s also worth noting that my routine gets disrupted on a regular basis by my kids and life in general. So, have some grace for yourself when things don’t go as beautifully planned.
6:00 AM
Tongue scrape, mineral water, A.M. supplements, set an intention for the day
6:05 AM
1 minute breathing, 3 min cold shower, 2 min warm rinse, and/or sunlight exposure, skincare
6:20 AM
Pick 3 (10 min/ea): Meditation/visualization, breath work, stretch, devotional/prayer
6:40 AM
Process thoughts/feelings with one sentence in journal, review big picture goals and calendar for the day
6:50 AM
Make my “top three” to-do list and prioritize my day. Review my intention
7:00 AM
Coffee, get kids ready for school
THE DEETS
6:00 AM: Tongue scrape, mineral water, A.M. supplements, set an intention for the day
You’re up! Time to get that nasty film out of your mouth. There are lots of benefits to tongue scraping. - removes bacteria, improves breath, activates organs, improved sense of taste, and more. Next, drink 16-20 oz of clean, filtered water (no contaminated tap water) as soon as possible. Bonus: add a big pinch of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt and/or the juice of half a lemon to wake up your system, kickstart metabolism, and to rehydrate and remineralize after fasting all night. I take a few supplements (more on this in a future post) and while drinking and I think of an intention for the day. Ex: I want to be more present, I want to feel peace, I intend to be more grateful, I intend to bring joy to someone else, I want to be a better listener, etc.
6:05 AM: 1 minute breathing, 3 min cold shower, 2 min warm rinse, and/or sunlight exposure, skincare
Time for contrast therapy. Contrast therapy is simply using contrasting temperatures to treat ailments and to increase stamina, vigor, and health. It’s been around since ancient times and has gained a lot of popularity as of late. A quick cold shower is the best way to wake up the body. If you start your day this way, you will notice improved mental focus, better moods, increased fat burning, better immunity, and willpower like you’ve never known.
This is not easy and you can start slowly with 30 seconds at a time. or do a quick warm rinse followed by all cold so that the water is not so freezing. No matter how you start, doing 30 Wim Hof style breaths will help you feel more prepared for the cold. It’s here that I will incorporate my A.M. skincare routine.
If it’s not still dark outside, I may instead opt to do a little sun gazing (looking at the sun at an off peak time) and do my cold shower later in the day or do a full on cold plunge at Alive and Well with a friend. Exposing your eyes to the sun early in the day helps restore biological rhythms and wake you up. Personally, it helps me focus, feel more happy, and also cultivates gratitude.
6:20 AM: Pick 3 (10 min/ea): Meditation/visualization, breath work, stretch, devotional/prayer
There are many meditation apps out there for guided meditations: I like Superhuman and Headspace. For spiritual meditations: Hallow and Abide.
Meditation: For years, I could not sit still to meditate but once I worked my way into it, the benefits were undeniable. To name a few: increased ability to focus on the present, better self-awareness, fewer negative emotions, increased creativity and patience. The list really does go on, but in short, it’s well worth your time to cultivate a meditation practice.
Visualization: I do this more when I have a new project or something important/difficult I am preparing for. For example, speaking or presenting in public, firing an employee, starting a new blog, meeting someone important, etc. I picture the outcome (or process) in as much detail as possible and then I simply guide my imagination to visualize myself flawlessly achieving my desired outcome. The power of conditioning your mind to feel, see, and hear the success cannot be overstated. It also makes you feel more prepared, calms your nerves, and boosts your confidence.
Breathwork: I currently use Othership. Breathwork is somewhat of a new tool to me. Like cold plunging and cold showers, breathwork is trending right now but it’s by no means a modern practice. It’s been around forever! It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I added this to my arsenal and it’s now a critical component of my life. At the most basic level, breathwork brings nourishing oxygen into the body and creates an environment where cells, organs, and tissues can thrive. Breathing out releases toxins, stuck energies, and reduces inflammation. It’s also incredible training for your nervous system and a huge mood lift.
Stretching: I use the StretchIt app but you can google a million videos if you need some guidance. As a former gymnast and dancer, I am quite flexible. Yet, as I’ve gotten older, I find that I’m less flexible than ever and I get very tight if I go a few days without stretching. About 2 years ago, I added this to my morning routine because I loved how it opened me up physically each morning, got my blood pumping, and tuned me into my body. I now also notice that my physical openness translates to my mental and emotional openness as well - crazy! Another major benefit is increased mobility, circulation, and reduced tension - all incredible for your longevity and mental health.
Devotional/Prayer: This is at the bottom of this list but is the most important to me. I am currently walking through Everyday Prayers for Peace but have done so many other amazing devotionals over the years. This time is so special to me because it grounds me in my values and reminds what is really important in life. The stillness. The gratitude. All of it is so humbling. I use this time to pray for my friends, my community, and the world. Sometimes, I just meditate on a worship song and think about how God is working all things in my life for good. Feeling connected to the source of all life is so grounding and empowering.
6:40 AM: Process thoughts/feelings with one sentence in journal, review big picture goals and calendar for the day
By no means have I ever been into journaling. Yet, I find that there is always some takeaway from the last 30 minutes of the routine that I can use to grow. So, I take any feelings and thoughts that came up and write a one or two sentence takeaway. Sometimes it’s a restatement of my intention or a positive affirmation I want to take into the rest of my day. Most recently, I noted some constructive criticism about a few ways that I was spending my time that did not align with the goals I created for myself. Noticing that, I was able to make some adjustments to better myself. It’s awkward to add this in at first but well worth getting a little notebook to jot down these musings. You’ll get to look back at your growth and see how far you’ve come!
This is the block where I also take a look at my calendar and make sure that I’m mentally prepared for what’s ahead. I like this to come after my processing time because I can truly ask myself if I am spending my time in a way that supports my dreams. Do I need to say no to more things? How can I create more margin in my life?
6:50 AM: Make my “top three” to-do list and prioritize my day. Review my intention
Every “get things done” book out there will tell you to make a top three list. I’m here to tell you that it works. Write down the top three things you need to get done for the day to feel like a success and then do them first thing when you have the focus and before the distractions come. No matter what, if you get those done, you’ll keep you head above water, feel good about the day, and increase your productivity and momentum. Once your list is complete, review your intention and think about how you can incorporate it into your day.
7:00 AM: Coffee + Get my kids ready for school
There are a lot of benefits of waiting an hour or more before drinking coffee that I will go into on another post. At any rate, I make my coffee my reward for making it through my morning routine and then I’m totally ready to take on anything my family throws my way. Plus, I can be fully focused and present with them. It’s such a gift for all of us.
As you can see, there is so much power in taking an hour everyday to check in with you mind, body, spirit, and goals. I hope there are a few tidbits from my morning that you can take with you on your journey. I also love learning about what other people do in the morning so share any routine ideas you have in the comments.
