MORNING RITUAL.
My morning intentions - to connect to my breath, to slow down the chatter before it even starts, connect to my heart space. This ritual has slowly been evolving, prior to making these a habit I was like 90% of the population. Wake up. Check my phone. {checking our phone first thing puts us in a reactive state + gets the mind going...dictating how the rest of our day unfolds + the next nights sleep}. Rush like a mad woman to get ready. Not fun, these rituals contribute to a peaceful, calm morning.
Find some practices that speak to you. That slow you down + guide you to move through the day more peaceful + calm. Heres mine.
Journal - I literally wake up, grab my journal + write 3 pages. The dreams I remember, what I am grateful for the day before, whatever flows from my consciousness. 9 times out of 10, the writing isn't legible + thats ok. When we first wake up the ego hasn't come into play, the writing comes from our true nature + some pretty interesting stuff can come up.
Movement - I roll out of bed + do some gentle movements. Cat/cow, downward dog, 5ish half sun salutations {no plank, upward dog, dwd...I stay standing}, rag doll. Movements that connect me to my breath + get the deep expansive breath running through my body. Instant calm. I go slow, like real slow...the body is tight + achy first thing in the morning. So go easy on it. A gentle moving meditation.
Make the Bed - There are loads of theories on why you should make your bed first thing every morning. I believe them. All of them. It's become an obsession, I don't think I could leave the house if my bed wasn't made + it takes literally 5 seconds.
Wash face. Brush teeth. Brush hair.
Apple Cider Vinegar - Every morning I down the lovely stuff. I choose to get the nastiness over with as quickly as possible, so I down 2 tbsp's straight up. You can add water, lemon juice, a little maple syrup. There are heaps of benefits from drinking apple cider vinegar, click here for a few of them. It really is the bomb.
Breakfast - It is ideal to eat breakfast within half an hour of waking up. I make my breakfast the night before, 'Maple Chia Pots' by Deliciously Ella are amazing + ready when you wake up. Eating breakfast within half an hour of waking up steadies your metabolism, decreases anxiety, decreases binge eating, contributes to weight loss + maintaining a healthy weight. When we get to a starving point {if you don't eat all morning till lunch} you will most likely eat anything you can get your hands on. Healthy or not. So, eat breakfast. Every day.
After breakfast I can check my phone, most times...I don't want to. Get dressed, a little mascara + I'm off. A few extra steps that make my mornings enjoyable + calm...which ripples out to the rest of my day.
For the love of mornings.
