Morning Routines and Rituals - Time Rich Version
The best morning routine is the one that makes you feel good, period.
What works for one person might feel overwhelming and restrictive to another. One lesson we've learned in creating ours is that you must give yourself permission to evolve or change your routine based upon the circumstances of the day; otherwise, a morning routine can feel more like a burden than a delight.
Many celebrities and career professionals give insight to their morning routines and how it sets them up for success. We believe that if you are going through the motions, it is a routine, but what can make your actions unique is when you do each one with intention, creating morning rituals.
With many of us slowing down and taking time off over the holidays, we share with you our time rich version of morning rituals.
Brooke's Morning Rituals (time rich version)
Plan the day (five minutes)
A year ago, I discovered The Desire Map, a Guide to Creating Goals with Soul by Danielle LaPorte. The exercises in the book gave me the tools to uncover my core desired feelings, creating a roadmap of intentional focus areas to create my best life. To continue this practice, I utilize The Desire Map Planner to write down the day I want to create for myself.
Each Monday, I spend a half-hour reflecting on the past week and setting myself up for the coming week. Then each morning, I spend five minutes writing down three things I want to give my full attention to that day while highlighting areas of accomplishment from the previous day.
Yoga Morning Routine with Tara Stiles (seven minutes)
I am religious to one specific yoga routine for my morning ritual and have used this video every day for years. I enjoy the consistency, and because I've been doing it so long, it gives me a chance to go deeper into specific poses without having to learn something new each morning.
Morning Meditation with Gabrielle Bernstein (six minutes)
Similar to my yoga routine, I found Gabrielle Bernstein a decade ago and always use her morning meditations to begin my day. I find that having a dedicated guided meditation helps me reinforce my intentions for the day, and the prompts allow me to release ideas in my mind or stories I'm telling myself in a way I can count on daily.
Run/walk/jog (thirty minutes)
There was a time that I was more competitive with my running (hello, medals), but now I find that just moving helps clear my head for the day. I use this time to daydream. Taking my mind to an alpha brain state gives me the ability to think and feel how solving a problem or presenting an idea will feel good. Once I get into that good feeling place, it is easier to figure out what needs to happen to solve the problem.
To help me get into this brain state, I start my run watching Netflix or listening to Spotify playlist that evokes the feelings I want to have for the day - sometimes it is rap (let's tackle this world), and sometimes it is sappy love songs that just feel good. Whatever motivates you is exactly where you want to be for the day.
Shower (fifteen minutes)
I make a conscious effort to shower and get ready before anyone else in the house. It gives me a bit more alone time, and I can take those daydreams from running to see what I can make from it for the day. Bonus is not having to rush myself while I get everyone else up for the day.
Getting Everyone Ready (thirty minutes)
As a mom, one of the hardest morning moments is getting everyone else up and out for the day. It used to be a massive part of my frustration on my way to work, and I created a lot of stories about it in my mind. I found that by taking a half-hour and setting everyone up for success to leave for the day makes me feel so much more peaceful. Sure, I still check on them every five minutes, and there is still some strong motivational tones to get out to the bus in the morning, but having the space to keep on top of everything has made all the difference.
Journal or Read (one hour)
To decompress and return to a healthy state of mind, I usually take out one specific notebook I have that I use as my journal. A few years back, I took a course with Jess Lively called Flow with Intention and have practiced tapping into my intuition as a guide for the big things I want in my life. A bit woo-woo and a bit science-based, if this is something you have wanted to explore, I encourage you to do so!
I also spend this quiet time writing down things I'm grateful for, big ideas I have for creating the well-designed corporate life I desire and reading. Check out our list of recommended books for additional guidance if you are looking for new inspiration.
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