Before becoming an entrepreneur, I worked a regular eight to five job. Most of my mornings were spent quickly taking a shower, rushing to put on clothes, scarfing down breakfast, and heading out the door. After doing the same routine time and time again, I started to notice a pattern happening in the way I felt during my day. As result of this hasty start to my morning, I felt stress and anxiety which carried into the rest of my day. On most days I felt depleted of energy before work had even started. I always relied on my coffee to give me a boost of energy. It was only until I started to do research on the traits of successful people did I realise they all had something in common. Most successful people have a well thought out and organised morning routine that feeds them with positivity, clarity and energy for their mind, body and soul.
Over the past year of implementing my morning routine, I have come to understand and cherish the importance of waking up early. My mornings have become such a special and sacred time for me to connect to myself and my purpose. When I don’t wake up early and complete my morning routine I feel out of sync, unmotivated, sluggish, and groggy. Making a conscious effort to feed and nourish my mind, body and soul each day, brings me feelings of productivity, peace and happiness. I also feel a sense of excitement for what the day will bring.
Are you ready to have an amazing day? Below are 4 things you need to add to your morning routine to make your day more peaceful and joyful.
Set Intentions For Your Day
The famous Benjamin Franklin had an inspiring morning routine that started with a question. Every day he would ask himself: What good will I do today? This powerful and positive intention led his day into productivity and greatness. When we set out with a question in the morning, the subconscious mind looks to fulfil that intention. If your intention is to be the greatest version of yourself — your subconscious mind will find ways to achieve this. Below are some examples of intentions you can use when trying to start your morning.
How can I be the kindest, happy, energetic, confident and clear version of myself for the benefit of others and myself?
How can I enjoy life more today?
How can I help more today?
Feed Your Mind Positivity
Every morning, taking a moment to feed your mind with positivity that will change the course of your day. For myself, I’ll often have an inspiring book waiting for me on the coffee table. I will make an effort to read one page of this book. The act of reading something inspirational feeds my mind with something positive right as I get up. I can’t tell you what a difference this has made in regards to my day, and it takes less than three minutes. When you read something positive first thing in the morning your day takes a turn for the better.
When researching the famous motivational speaker Tony Robbin’s morning routine, I found out that he writes down three things he’s grateful for every morning. Big or small he does this every morning to feel joyful. He says: “The reason I picked gratitude is because when you’re grateful you can’t be angry,” he said. “And when you’re grateful you can’t be fearful.” Feeding his mind with positivity first thing in the morning helps him to feel more joyful which lasts for the rest of the day.
Give Your Body Nourishment
A big part of my morning routine is feeding my body something healthy in the morning. When I was a teacher and didn’t have much time, I would always make an effort to at least make a green smoothie in the morning. Now that I have more time, I’ll have the smoothie and go for a run. Former President Barack Obama runs every morning, and this is what helps him to feel energetic and clear for his day. The act of doing something healthy and nourishing for your body will last you throughout the day. You will also find that you are drawn to healthy foods during the day if you give yourself a nutritious breakfast.
Provide Presence For Your Soul
Your soul needs presence. When you’re present, you feel more happy and peaceful. Being mindful is key. So whether you’re taking a shower, brushing your teeth, or doing a meditation. The act of being conscious and present with your senses can change the course of your day. When we meditate we are able to observe our thoughts and feel more clarity for the day ahead.
Below is a quote from Steve Jobs about meditation:
“If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes things worse, but over time it does calm, and when it does, there’s room to hear more subtle things — that’s when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more. Your mind just slows down, and you see a tremendous expanse in the moment. You see so much more than you could see before. It’s a discipline; you have to practice it.”
Your mind, body and soul need time to become clear, aligned and connected. It’s so important to prioritise ourselves first thing in the morning, so we have more energy to give to others.
Building a morning routine is one of the simple things you can do for yourself that will result in a major payoff. Even if you try one of the examples listed in the morning, you’ll notice a change in your day. You will feel more peace and calm which will lead to you to have a more productive and positive day. By giving your mind, body and soul some love, you’ll be more happy and energetic throughout your day.
Originally published at medium.com