How to start your day motivated

How do you start your day?

If you’re trying to adopt a new habit, or get rid of an old one, how you start your day can actually make a huge difference to your success.

What I’m talking about is a morning routine.

But by routine, I don’t mean brushing your teeth, showering, and eating breakfast.

What I mean is a routine that you can do first thing in the morning, that gets you on track for what you WANT to get done in your day.

But I really don’t like the word routine.

It sounds so boring and automatic.

And this “routine” should be anything but routine.

It should make you feel alive.

So I call it my Morning Motivational.

It’s a little more uplifting.

But of course, you can call it what you want and make it yours.

Then you can begin owning your mornings.

When my oldest daughter was very little, and she was just getting used to her big-girl bed, she used to get up around 5am.

She wouldn’t make a sound.

Instead, she’d walk into my room, stand beside my bed, and stare at me while I was sleeping until I’d wake up.

Seeing her face so close to mine, as I was half-asleep, made me jump out of bed, heart racing, and I’d inevitably start my day like I was on fire – literally.

One day, after she’d woken me up like this a couple of times, I decided I didn’t want to start my day like that anymore.

So, I began to wake up earlier than her, and start my day on my terms.

And by my terms, I mean starting my day doing things just for me.

Things that would allow me to peacefully and consciously go forward into my day, and realize the things I really wanted.

Like running a marathon, running my own business, and being a good, mostly unfrazzled, mom.

This is about the time I discovered meditation.

I bought a book called “Getting In the Gap” by Wayne Dyer.

It had a CD with it that guided me into the space between my thoughts.

Ok, at first I found it a little woo-woo.

And it was hard to get my mind to focus at all.

But after several mornings, when I was able to get my mind out of my thoughts for brief moments, I found that I felt calmer afterwards.

Then I actually began to look forward to my early morning meditations.

And then I started to notice I was feeling a little better all day long.

There was definitely something to this.

And now, after years of reading and learning about meditation and yoga and all the healthy things, I know there is something here.

Recently I read “The 5am Club” by Robin Sharma, which, although a little corny (I preferred “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”), it’s about the importance of morning routines to a healthy, successful life.

The main point, I believe, is that to really live, you need to start your day with conscious intention.

By preparing your body and mind for the day ahead, you can get so much more out of your 24-hours.

However, if you start your day with no idea of what you really want from your day, nothing significant happens, and “I was too busy” becomes a normal excuse.

And you, like me, know how busy can easily take over your life.

Job-related work, laundry, dishes, meal prep, shopping, vacuuming, taxiing kids, more laundry,…

These things can easily erase any memory you had of your goal.

That’s why starting each day off with conscious intention is crucial.

No conscious intention, no positive results.

Makes sense, right?

In order have what you really want – lose weight, start a business, learn a new language, be a better parent… – you’ve got to be aware and prepare your whole being to face the challenge each day.

And when you’re conscious and clear about what you WANT to get done daily, you’ll:

• Have a lot less decisions to make during the day
• Waste a whole lot less energy worrying about what you should do
• Give yourself a much greater chance of successfully accomplishing your goal

How long should your morning motivational be?

Well, I believe that 30 to 60 minutes is ideal.

If it must be shorter, then do just two or three of the elements (below) that most resonate with you.

And ideally, do this motivational first thing, even before eating.

Are you ready to get started?

Here are the five elements of the morning motivational that I find most effective to successfully achieving what you want in life:

1. Meditate

I mentioned meditation earlier, and as much as I resisted it for years before learning about it, it’s now number one on my list.

Like nothing else, 5 to 10 minutes of sitting and breathing gets me out of my head, and very aware of my body, my thoughts, and my surroundings.

It’s like literally slowing myself down to take a breath of fresh air.

And, just to be clear, I don’t believe meditation is an escape from reality.

I believe that it is reality.

You aren’t all the crazy thoughts you’ve got spinning in your brain.

You’re the consciousness behind that chaos.

And meditation helps you get to that consciousness, to the heart of who you are.

It doesn’t take you to a surreal place, it just gets you in touch with what’s real in the moment.

And it can help you get really clear about what’s truly important.

2. Journal

Journaling, the act of writing, births your thoughts into the physical world.

And it can be cathartic.

But if you’re going to journal as a morning exercise, I’d use it to set your intentions on the positive things you want out of your day.

What are the 3 most important things you want out of today?

Ask yourself this simple question, and see what comes up.

Check to make sure these things are actually in line with your bigger goal of weight loss, or getting fit, or opening a business, or being an amazing parent.

Also check in with yourself to identify what things could get in your way, and when you can actually get these things done

The idea is to get clear about your 3 things, plan them, and move forward.

Ideally, take about 10 or 15 minutes to do this exercise.

3. Move your body

When you prime your body for the day, your whole being is primed.

Your body and mind are 100% connected to each other.

So, take a few minutes to move your body in all its directions.

Twist, bend, jump, stretch, do yoga, dance, and just have fun with it.

This doesn’t have to be what you’d classify as a workout.

It can just be best just to take 5 or 10 minutes and just follow how your body wants to move.

Notice your muscles, feel your heart beat, appreciate what your body can do.

Or, if this is a good time for your, do a 20-minute workout, yoga session, walk, run, or bike.

This time is about celebrating the amazing body you have.

And, yes, it is amazing.

4. Drink water

Water after a night of sleep helps refresh, clean, and energize your body.

More important than food, good hydration is needed daily to keep you feeling and looking your best.

I usually start with a glass of water, and then after my morning motivation, as I fast until 10am, I make myself a chai tea.

Most of us have a hard time getting enough water, so starting the day with it puts you ahead of the game.

And taking the time to consciously drink and savor it is awesome.

5. Read something inspiring

Words can be very powerful.

They can teach, motivate, and inspire you into action.

Reading a chapter from a book written by an amazing teacher, savoring a poem, or contemplating a quote can all be exactly what you need.

Personally, I love to read the words of Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Jack Kornfield, Don Migeul Ruiz, Marianne Williamson, and others.

Their words and wisdom widen my greater perspective on my life.

And pull me out of my little worries and concerns.

In order to do hard things, like changing habits or shifting from one way of being to another, it empowers me to hear from people who have also done hard things.

And thrived.

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Do you have a morning routine that works for you?

For me, I’ve noticed that I get way more of the important stuff (stuff that’s important to me) when I start my day with intention.

This time helps me to remind myself where I’m going and what steps I can take today.

And it energizes me to get those steps done.

It brings purpose to my day.

And when I feel that what I’m doing is purposeful, I’m aligned with my higher self.

Keep moving forward, my friend.

Debbie

P.S. Need a morning routine that works for you and your goals? Let me help. Just book a free 30-minute session with me and we can start putting that together for you.