One of my most cherished secrets for a great day involves my morning ritual. This single thing has had so much influence on the quality of my day. Especially when done regularly.
Keep in mind, the details of morning ritual can look different from person to person.
To give you an example, here is a version of what I do many days:
Wake early and hydrate my body with plenty of fresh water.
Enjoy ayuvedic self-care like skin brushing and tongue scraping.
Sit and meditate or read or journal for a bit.
Get to necessary emails for the day.
Eat a nourishing breakfast and plan some form of movement in.
Then off to work I go.
I do this for myself so I can show up at my best for those I connect with throughout the day.
It took some time to find a rhythm. I honestly just started with eating breakfast. You can start anywhere, too.
Your Ideal Day
Because I believe that the time we take to nourish ourselves sends a powerful message to the universe, consider the time we make to take care of ourselves as a symbolic act. We have an opportunity to “be the change” by modeling self-love and self-care through our own personal practices.
If you are drawn to having a consistent morning ritual, I’d love to share the essentials I’d like to see every woman integrating daily. Even when I don’t have a lot of time I never ever miss these 3 things:
Hydrate:
Ensure you are sufficiently hydrated with pure water first thing in the morning. Hydration is key for an optimally functioning body and helps to flush waste out of the body that could be hindering efficient digestion. Always drink the majority of your water on an empty stomach, not with or after eating. Adding lemon to your morning water is especially beneficial.
Create space for The Sacred:
Infuse your morning with The Sacred. It is Thomas Moore who said, “The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.” We can bring depth and meaning to ordinary days with the rituals we create for ourselves. In Hinduism this is know as “daily puja,” showing an act of reverence to a god, spirit, or any other aspect of the Divine through specific ritual.
These need not be long. Consider making tea and reading a passage in a favorite book. Practicing a short, guided meditation. Writing intentions for the day or gratitude can go a long way. The main thing is to find something that resonates with you. Dance, run, play music while you get ready, draw, write – anything that helps you create a positive shift within yourself.
Eat breakfast:
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? Eat breakfast within 60-90 minutes of waking. The body thrives on rhythm, including rhythmic eating throughout the day. Plan time for a nourishing breakfast along with easy back-ups so skipping breakfast isn’t an option. If you have the time, enjoy eggs with pan-fried asparagus and avocado or steel cut oats with coconut oil and cinnamon. Less time? Try fruit or toast with nut butter, flaxseed and cinnamon. Heading straight out the door? Have a homemade mix of nuts, seed, and cacao nibs ready to grab along with an apple. Eat something! (Confession: I totally have been enjoying chocolate pudding for breakfast some mornings. Chocolate for breakfast! Check it out)
Each morning, we begin our day by broadcasting to the universe what kind of energy we are resonating with. In most cases, we will attract people and circumstances that match these.
So again, here are the upgrades:
Hydrate
Create space for The Sacred
Eat Breakfast
Life-affirming habits take practice. And when it comes to habits, I will tell you this: motivation blossoming from self-love is both sustaining and forgiving.
Now it’s time to TAKE ACTION…you’ve got this!
Share what do you want to commit to or re-commit to in the comments below. What are you going to do for yourself in the morning to set the tone for your day? Let the universe know that you are willing to meet halfway. I’d love to hear from you.
With lots of love,
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