Meaningful mornings are an act of self care. Your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day. Is your morning ritual setting you up for success? Is it fueling you to reach your full potential? Is it giving you what you need so that you can show up for yourself and others for the rest of the day?
There is no doubt that a good morning routine can help you achieve your goals and set you up for long term success. In fact, many of the world’s most successful people have set morning routines that they follow everyday. Morning routines of successful people often have several things in common, but ultimately developing a morning routine that works for you and that you can stick with consistently is the best way to ensure success.
More than just helping you achieve your best and accomplish your goals, the best morning routines are a form of self care, allowing you to set aside important time for yourself each day. Treat yourself to a small dose of positivity and calm to set your day off on the right path. Taking time in the mornings, before the rest of your family is awake, before the demands of life start pulling in all directions, allows you to focus on what is important, to recharge yourselves up for the day ahead.
Step 1: Finding Your Motivation
Before you can establish (and stick to) a healthy morning routine, it is important to find your motivation, to know what inspires you.
I have to admit, several years ago if you asked me if I ever thought I would find myself giving advice about how a good morning routine is the key to a productive day, I would have thought you were nuts. For most of my life, I was decidedly NOT a morning person. I was quite the opposite. I was one of those people who would need to set 3 or 4 alarms just to get up in the morning. I would hit snooze over and over, negotiating with myself on what parts of my morning routine I could skip in order to stay in bed just a few minutes longer, and waiting until the last possible minute to finally pull myself out of bed before rushing around in a crazy fury, trying to get ready and out the door in time. Without realizing it, my morning ritual was one of procrastination and dread, followed by hectic panic – needless to say, this was not setting me up for success and it was not the tone I wanted to be setting for myself each day.
What changed it all for me, probably at least initially, was getting an energetic and playful puppy, Basil, who couldn’t wait to get up in the mornings and start her day. No matter how late we stayed up the night before, she would wake up a ball of energy bright and early each morning. Pouncing on my pillow and licking me on the nose until I got up to take her out, feed her, and of course sit down for some morning playtime. Her unrelenting spirit and zest for life was the fuel that started my meaningful mornings.
Today, Basil still acts as my alarm clock, sometimes waking me up even earlier than I would like, but my motivation that truly gets me out of bed is my commitment to my morning ritual and how good it makes me feel to start my mornings in an intentional and meaningful way.
While I am not saying that everyone needs to go out and adopt a puppy to help them get up earlier in the mornings (although, I won’t ever tell you not to), I do think that finding your motivation is important. What has inspired or guided you to want to develop your best morning routine? Do you want to set the tone for your day so you can choose to be a more mindful, happy, and loving person throughout the day? Do you want to spend some time alone, taking care of yourself and your wellness before family and work obligations pull you in different directions and distract you from your goals? Or do you simply want to fill your cup, so you can show up as your best self for others all day long?
Focus on this motivation, this internal inspiration and power, and let this be what gets you out of bed every morning so you can develop the best possible morning routine.
So What is the Recipe for the Best Morning Routine?
Movement
I believe that the perfect morning ritual starts with movement and exercise. Getting up and moving first thing in the morning is a good way to shake off the morning sleepiness and get your mind and body ready for the day. Movement energizes you, gets your blood pumping, and helps prepare your body for the day.
Plus fitting your exercise in first thing in the morning is the best way to keep other obligations, responsibilities, and commitments from getting in the way. It is easy to put off exercising after a long day at work or taking care of the kids. It is easy to say you ran out of time and skip that workout at lunch or after work. But in the mornings, the day is fresh and these excuses are far less likely to get in the way.
There are so many different kinds of movement you can incorporate, so find what works for you. From strength training, HIIT, or running to yoga, pilates, or even just walking. Incorporating at least 15 – 20 minutes of exercise into your day can be an important part of your morning ritual.
For me, I am committed to a morning yoga practice. One of the things I love about yoga is that there are many different styles from invigorating vinyasa flows to restorative yin yoga, so it is easy to incorporate into my daily routine no matter how I feel. Even if it is just a quick 10 minutes, getting my body moving always leaves me feeling better and more refreshed, ready to take on the day ahead.
Mind
It is also important to take time to still your mind, organize your thoughts, or find inspiration for your day ahead. This may take the form of quiet meditation, journaling, reading from scripture or an inspirational book, prayer, or even listening to a couple of your favorite inspirational songs – anything you do to center your mind and bring awareness to the present moment before your day begins. I usually find stillness in a quick meditation most mornings, but I also enjoy journaling as well.
It doesn’t have to be a long commitment, but for just 10 – 15 minutes, allow yourself stillness in the quiet of the morning. Take time to reflect on where your day will take you and how you want to show up for yourself and others throughout your day. Be still and sit with your thoughts and feelings – practice simply noticing how you feel without judgement.
Quiet meditation or another similar mindfulness practice can help you to set the tone for your day – Do you want to feel rushed, moving hectically from one thing to another? Or do you want to be mindfully aware of each moment, intentionally choosing your words and thoughts? Taking time to find stillness and reflection in the mornings allows you to emphasize what is really important.
(Balanced) Meal
Finally, make sure you take time to fuel your body for the day ahead with a nutritious breakfast. A healthy breakfast should emphasize fiber and protein – two key nutrients people often miss at breakfast. These help to reduce cravings, keep you feeling full throughout the day, reduce blood sugar spikes, and ensure the nutrition your body needs to thrive. Some benefits include:
- Protein and fiber improve satiety, helping keep you feeling fuller throughout the day, potentially leading to less snacking.
- Protein and fiber can stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes, and help keep you feeling your best.
- Protein is crucial for repairing muscle fiber and promoting muscle growth, making it perfect after your morning workout.
- Fiber improves digestive health, helping you feel your best and potentially preventing a wide range of chronic diseases.
Read more about why you need fiber and protein for breakfast.
Some of my favorite quick nutritionally balanced, healthy breakfast recipes include things like smoothies packed with fresh fruit, veggies, and nuts/seeds, protein packed oatmeal, and greek yogurt topped with berries, nuts, and seeds.
Consider adding these simple and delicious breakfast recipes to your healthy morning routine:
- Vanilla Bean Pistachio Smoothie
- High Protein Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
- Cherry Pistachio Antioxidant Smoothie
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oatmeal
- Healthy Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie
- High Protein Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread Bars
- Healthy Apple Pie Smoothie
- Taco Breakfast Casserole
Book Recommendation: Read More About Creating Your Perfect Morning Ritual
If you are interested in diving deeper into developing the best morning routine to set your day up for success, I recommend checking out the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. This book outlines a transformational 6-step morning routine, using the acronym S.A.V.E.R.S. (Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing), that is designed to help you wake up with energy and intention to transform your life. The book emphasizes the importance of prioritizing personal development in the early hours of the day, through the Miracle Morning routine to create a positive mindset and achieve your desired outcomes throughout the day.
What is Your Favorite Morning Ritual?
Do you have a specific part of your daily routine that you love? Or is there something you are working on adding to your early morning routine? I would love to hear about it! Let me know what drives you to success or fills your cup each day. Share your favorite morning ritual in the comments down below or feel free to reach out with any questions about my recommendations.