7 tips to make it a GREAT Morning

One of the hardest part of the day for a lot of people is the morning. Getting the day started can feel overwhelming the second the alarm goes off. Why is it already morning? Why is the alarm so loud? Why is it Monday? Why is it Tuesday!?

Do you find yourself asking these questions the first few seconds of being awake? I know I have many times. It wasn't until I learned a morning routine for a healthy start to my day, that I was able to change the way I was approaching my mornings.

Our mornings set the tone for our entire day. We can always restart our day at any time, but it is much easier to get off to a good start and keep it that way if possible. Once you are able to solidify your morning routine, you won't ever want to go without it.

Here are 7 tips for creating a great morning:

1. It starts the night before. One of the discomforts of getting out of bed is knowing there is a huge lists of tasks to accomplish before rushing out the door. We set ourselves up for an anxious first hour of the day, when we have this "task driven" focus. Start the night before. We can prepare any items we need for the day the night before, bag them, and have them by the door so we don't have to "remember" to grab them. It helps to prepare our wardrobe the night before. Even if you change your mind about wearing something in the morning, at least having the basic staples of an outfit laid out can help ease the process, especially for women! Prepare any snacks and waterbottles the night before. One thing that always seemed to get lost each morning were my keys. Every night, I make sure to place them on a bookshelf before getting in bed. This way they are ready to go when I am, no matter what.

2. Hydate, Hydrate, hydrate. Our bodies stay on sleep mode until we wake them up. This includes our organs vital in getting us to optimal peak performance each morning. Many of us rush to the coffee pot the moment we roll out of bed. This is fine, but we need to take a minute to drink water first. Our body needs the oxygen to revitalize all of our systems. Start drinking a half cup of water each day before having anything else. You can increase to larger amounts as you grow more comfortable with the routine, but never let your body be thirsty in the morning. Once you hydrate, by all means - bring on the coffee!

3. Stretch it out. Most people know that stretching will inevitably jump start our energy, but most people refuse to do it. It's all about getting into the routine people. Start with simple stretches as your roll out of bed. A left and right straddle, a couple of lunges, and a forward fold will make a world of difference. While we sleep our muscles and tendons sleep too. When we push our bodies to get started without helping our circulation and nervuos system to awaken, we feel lazy and lethargic. Skip the dragged-down feelings with a 90 second stretching routine.

4. Gratitiude. There are many ways to rewire your mind and change your daily perspectives. The most powerful changes come from a place of gratitude. Our mind seems to automatically dread the day and everything it brings. We need to exercise our gratitude muscles into changing those thoughts and feelings. Some people like to use a journal or small notebook to scribble five things they are grateful for each morning. Other people, might enjoy sayiing them out loud while they do a stretching routine. Find something that works for you and reminds you to do it. Try thinking of 5 things you are grateful for each morning while brushing your teeth, or preparing your morning cup of coffee. Pairing your thoughts with routine actions will help you remember to do them more easily.

5. Fuel your body. I can't tell you how frustrating it is when people say they don't eat in the morning. Granted, many people are just not used to it- BUT, it is, and has always been, the most important meal of the day! I dont have time, I am just not hungry, I rather eat a big lunch. These are all good excuses but not good for your morning happiness levels. Just like hydration, nourishment will change the caloric energy of your body each morning. If you force your self to have a few bites of fruit, or a handful of nuts, or a bite of toast, your body will awaken on a better level and set up your metabolism for the day. Many studies show countless benefits to eating breakfast, this is nothing new. Its not necessary to start with a full on meal, but do yourself a favor and start with something!

6. Set a Daily Focus. There are always times where it feels like the day will not be long enough to do everything we need to do. This is not only anxiety provoking, but can also make you feel depressed about starting the day and set you up for failure from the get-go. Lets say there are three things that must get done on a given day. Don't set your focus on how you can possibly get all three things done. Set your focus on how you can eliminate obstacles to getting them done. Focus on efficiency, and execution can follow. Preparing for obstacles allows us to handle any hindrances much more effectively.

7. Connect. Humans require connection. Although social media makes it fast and easy to get plugged in each morning, it can often feel impersonal and inauthentic. Send out a couple of text messages to your nearest and dearest. Send a silly picture or meme. get on a quick call to let someone know you thought of them. Wish someone a good day. Say Hi to someone you encounter on your way to start the day. Make yourself available for good energy to enter your morning, and it will help carry your into a great day. As much as we often "don't feel like it" we must reach out and cultivate meaningful connections each and every day.

​Challenge yourself to practicing these 7 tips for the next thirty days. You will begin to see a shift in your morning energy and also a shift in your perspective as you start your day. If there is anything we can practice to improve our life, why would we not? The older we get, the more necessary it becomes to do anything within our power to feel our best each day. Please give yourself ​the chance to experience change, and let me know how it goes!