My Mindful Morning Routine

MORNING ROUTINES. ROUTINES IN GENERAL. I'm obsessed! Let's chat.

"Why have a morning routine?" you may be asking yourself... Totally understandable! As a freshman in college, I am surrounded by students with completely different routines, ways of living, and lifestyles. Everyone functions in different conditions and therefore every routine looks a little different.

What I have learned being around so many different people and communicating with them as newbie freshman, everyone feels a little off-balance and feel they cannot fully develop a "routine" they are used to here like they had at home. This makes total sense, as change disrupts the fluidity of one's life and makes things much harder to get back into pattern. Adjusting what is most important to you and MAKING THE TIME EVERYDAY is the best way to start building something slowly that makes you happy.

"The morning routine helps us set the tone for the day, better allowing us to control our schedules rather than our schedule controlling us. As we start each day fresh, we can better focus on what is in front of us, where to prioritize our time, and, ultimately, increase our productivity." Jodi Clarke

A few years ago while struggling with depression and anxiety, I found myself finally in a place motivated enough to create change. One of the quickest ways I found motivation was in looking forward to something everyday: to have a reason to get out of the bed in the morning. I realized that in order for me to make that initially leap, it would have to be for something that was adding to my recovery and something that would ultimately aid in productivity and motivation throughout my day. I knew I could look forward to waking up to something and then knew I could spend the rest of my day looking forward to my night routine.

Mindful Activities

In order to create something personal to what I needed, I talked to holistic doctors and spent lots of time self-reflecting on the type of person I am & the things that would be the most valuable in my routine everyday. I started with the basics: What time would I wake up at? What breakfast could I make? What time would I eat breakfast? What would be my first activity? Could I actually stay off my phone first thing?

I started adjusting and playing around to find out what worked the best for me & for my health and ultimately curated a routine that I love & look forward to. So what is it?

I am a morning person! I love the mornings and after studying myself and my mental illnesses, I found that the reason I discovered my love for mornings was because I was the most depressed and anxious in the evenings. I found that I loved the stillness in the mornings. I found that my inner-peace was when the sun was rising, in early-morning beach walks when there was still a light crisp in the air, I loved getting back home knowing that I still had the rest of my day and most people wouldn't be up for a few more hours. I loved the way I felt when I woke up before the noise and got to be at peace for a few hours with myself. I found myself in my most mindful state first thing. So I prioritized that.

6:00AM - Wake up

6:10AM - Water & Light snack

6:20AM - Walk

7:30 AM - Journal

7:45 AM - Meditate

This was the routine I built when I was living at home. Here in Hawaii, it isn't much different:

6:00AM - Wake up

6:05AM - Tea

6:15AM - Water & Light Snack

6:45AM - Gym

8:00AM - Journal

8:15AM - Meditate

OR

6:00AM - Wake up

6:05AM - Tea

6:15AM - Journal

7:15AM - Water & Light Snack

8:15AM - Yoga

I like to take everything extremely slow, which is why I give myself the time and fluidity to change up what needs to be changed depending on how I'm feeling. I like to stick with the basics of making sure I am exercising, writing out a to-do list, figuring out what I want to accomplish in that day, journaling and manifesting, as well as slowing down and practicing some mindfulness. I adjust my eating schedule based on how I am feeling and listen intuitively to my body and what it is craving.

Not everyone can wake up and feel well-rested at 6AM, which is why it is so important to adjust the routine to your needs and what works FOR YOU. I also enjoy getting to sleep early and find that in order for me to feel my best and happiest, I need to prioritize my rest.

Prioritizing these little moments of self-care, as well as the little moments I get to spend with myself in order to re-charge and set myself up for the day are the things I look forward to. I go to sleep excited to wake up to better myself and start my next day.

Investing in yourself will never do you wrong. Investing in your self-care is not selfish, it is so important in order for you to be the best version of yourself.

Ideas for how to invest in you + your morning:

• Meditate

• Read

• Exercise

• Hydrate

• Be creative

• Fresh air

• Touch the Earth

• Journal

• Practice gratitude

• Affirmations

• Consistent sleep pattern

• Listen to music

• Limit caffeine

• Stay off electronics for first 30 minutes

• Be present

• Organize your space

• Create your to-do list

• Make your bed

• Take care of your skin

• Stretch

• Pray

• Take vitamins

Taking care of yourself is so important. Please prioritize your peace and your wellness before anything else. You know yourself better than anyone, so it is important to make sure you are keeping up with what your body&mind are asking. Practice being present with yourself and practice asking what you need from yourself. I promise your soul will speak to you.