Years ago, like ten years ago, my morning routine looked like a marathon race. I would wake up, hit snooze, then race to get ready and out the door for work. I’d be more concerned about getting to my job early (or at least on time — hey, I’m a believer in punctuality) than taking care of my mind, body, and soul. I barely paid attention to what I ate, let alone taking the time to taste it.
Sound familiar?
You know what I mean — rush eat a bowl of oatmeal while standing in the kitchen thinking about all the things you have to do that day or hop in the car, grab drive-through Starbucks and try to eat while driving in rush hour traffic. You’ll never enjoy breakfast this way.
I was rushing through life with no focus or enjoyment.
Thankfully, that all changed 2 years ago. Why? I was tired of the same old drudgery — I craved change.
Now, I’m in love with my morning routine. It gets me going, focused on the day, and the most important part of it all — I’m in a positive, confident mindset to face the day.
MY SIMPLE MORNING ROUTINE
1. WAKE UP
The first step is always the hardest. Why? Because it’s the decision to take that first step. It can be a serious struggle getting out of bed in the morning when you dread your job, lack purpose, and are unmotivated.
It’s so much simpler to think, “just 5 more minutes”, hit snooze, and roll back over into your comfy cozy bed. I have soooo been there.
But it is possible to train yourself to wake up when you want to and without feeling gawd awful for the day:
Set your wake up time in your mind. The night before, I’ll tell myself what time I need to get up the following morning. Surprisingly, when I do this, my body will usually wake me up just before or exactly on time. It’s strange, but it works. I generally wake up at 6:00 AM.
2. OPEN THE BLINDS + MAKE THE BED
There’s something to be said about accomplishing a task as soon as you wake up. Even if you have a completely crap day, when you get home and see your bed made, you know you’ve at least accomplished that simple something. I do this every morning like clockwork.
3. 20 MINUTES OF CARDIO
This gets me going and keeps my energy levels up for the day. When I get a small amount of exercise in first thing in the morning, I’m in a better mood and have more energy for the rest of the day. Most days, I’ll do another more intense cardio session later in the day to really get my heart pumping – interval training on the treadmill, or spinning.
4. SHOWER + GET DRESSED
Again, another well, duh that’s obvious moment, but an important one nonetheless.
I’m sure you’ve had days where you’ve lounged around in your pajamas or sweats all day. How productive a day was that for you? Yea, I thought so. You probably didn’t get much done, did you? Change into outfits that will give you vibe for the whole day, even if you’re not doing anything or going to work.
5. MORNING PAGES
Now that I’m awake, energized, refreshed and dressed, it’s time to get all the crap out of my brain. I take 5 – 10 minutes to write what’s on my mind, what may be bothering me, what I’m grateful for, and a few affirmations.
6. READ A CHAPTER OR WATCH AN INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO
This solidifies your journaling and sets your mind in a positive, productive space, and ready to face whatever challenge comes your way.
I’ll either pick up a self-improvement book to read a chapter or watch an inspirational YouTube video.
7. BREAKFAST
The final part of my morning routine is breakfast.
To keep things simple, I generally have one of two breakfasts each morning. I’ll either have pancake and Scrambled Eggs. My body craves a lot of protein in the morning and this is what works best for me and keeps me full until about noon.
To keep my oatmeal unboring (and high protein), I’ll usually add chia seeds, cacao nibs, coconut, a small amount of coconut milk and maple syrup for sweetness.
I make sure to take my time eating my breakfast, paying attention to each bite. I also make a point of enjoying my cup of tea with breakfast and I’ll sometimes drink my tea while watching the inspirational video
Start slowly and focus on only one to two things and do them every morning for a month. Then add another the next month and so on. If you want to create a lasting morning routine, don’t jump in and try to do it all at once. Take your time!
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