Morning Rituals: “Don’t Stress Out, Breath”

Rooted In the Moment…

When life is happening too fast. When it ‘feels’ like a million things are happening and you have to keep up the pace. You often don’t realize that you are allowing the storm to suck you in. It’s when we’re the most ‘busy,’ that we forget about what keeps us grounded and rooted inthe moment.

For me, this means making sure that I begin my day right. Some of my favorite rituals include meditation, burning incense, and creating a positive mindset. Morning rituals can become an important part of your morning because they provide mental clarity and opportunities for goal setting throughout the day.

Implementing these rituals is not always an easy task. I’ve personally have had to train myself to be intentional about the way I start my day. One of the things that have helped me includes not checking my phone or email when I wake up. For me, it’s crucial to not let the external world come into my internal space at the beginning of my day. I’ve found that when I do it can subconsciously create turmoil at the start of my day.

Last week I was on point. I managed to wake up every morning and meditate for 10-15 minutes. I was dodging obstacles in my day left and right. This week was different, I had a tough week managing my emotions, mental clarity, and juggling responsibilities. I felt like there was a massive cloud floating around me that I could not get rid of. When I finally had some time to reflect, I realized that I had not been meditating in the morning during the week and that it may have affected me throughout the day. I share this because it’s important to acknowledge that we all fall off your daily routine. But what makes a difference is when you prioritize those extra 10-15 minutes each day and continue to re-attempt implementing these healthy rituals.

I recommend that you start with something small. Do it every day, regardless of how ‘busy’ you are and if you forget, start over! Consistency is key, but if you fall off your routine, don’t fret, just try again. It won’t be long before you start consciously & intentionally creating small habits. These small habits will help build your confidence and as a result, will also help you develop intentional routines in your life.

The following are some steps I use to help me (remember to make adjustments to fit your own style):

Step 1: Identifyhow much time you have every morning (It can be 5 min up to an hour). Make it adaptable to your schedule. 

Step 2: Choose an activity that makes you feel calmer, energetic, or provides clarity. 

Step 3: Start it and do it every morning. Even if you stop one day. Get back on it the next day. Remember to be compassionate and kind to yourself if you miss a day.

Optional: Journal or jot down how you feel. The only way to know if your morning ritual is working is if you make a note of what worked or what did not. I suggest you try it for a few days before you decide if it’s working. Sometimes when we try new things it can take some time to adjust. 

Examples of Activities You Can Try:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Brewing Coffee or Tea 
• Starting your day with intentional silence
• Creating a morning mantra (click here for examples)
• Walking your dog or playing with your pet
• Reading from a book that inspires you
• Going to the gym
• Creating a Morning Dance

Choose the activity that allows you to feel grounded and rooted in a world that is always in motion.

If you have any other forms of practices that are not listed feel free to share them in thecomment section! Remember these practices don’t always have to be unconventional. Keep them simple.

Resources:

Free Meditations

https://www.uclahealth.org/marc/mindful-meditations

Meditation Apps You Can Use

Smiling Mind
Calm
Headspace  

Yoga

Yoga with Adriene (Youtube) 

Brenda Medina (Youtube, Spanish)

Photo by Emily Bauman on Unsplash