A good morning, can make it more likely you’ll have a happy and productive day. Fortunately, you can set yourself up for success each morning and some form of a somewhat consistent ritual or thing you do, that you enjoy and can look forward to. This can make all the difference in putting yourself on a positive course for the day ahead.
These 8 morning routine ideas are a mix of movement, mindfulness, reflection, and others. Experiment with a few until you find one from this list (or perhaps another not listed), that you’d be excited to practice each day. If you begin to notice even slight improvements in your energy levels, productivity, and overall happiness, from any one of these ideas, stick with it, so it becomes second nature and a healthy habit.
Here are 8 morning routines to to be happier and successful. Treat yourself to start each day!
1. Yoga
Movement after a night’s sleep can wake everything up. Yoga designed for a morning practice, give your body and mind an opportunity to begin the day in a healthy and optimal way. It doesn’t take much either. Even 15 minutes of deep breathing and yogic movement, will have you sharper, clearer, happier, and more productive for the tasks and goals throughout the rest of your day.
If you struggle to exercise in the morning, experiment with different styles or teachers in yoga until you find the ones that resonate the most and feel best in your body, early each day.
2. Meditation
For many, the the easiest and most important time to meditate is the morning. Whether you wake up slow, or get up ready to roar, taking some minutes to tune into yourself, go inwards, and calibrate your mind for optimal success, health, and happiness for the day ahead. This can be the difference maker between a day you feel like you’re thriving, and ones where you barely scrape by. If you're brand new to meditation, even 5 minutes each morning, can be effective and a good place to start.
3. Gratitude
You can do this from your bed, upon opening your eyes (or even with them still closed). Take a few moments each morning and mentally (or write down), list 5-10 things you are grateful for. It doesn’t matter if they are big things (like your family), or seemingly small (like a nice cup of coffee), what’s important is focusing and feeling the energy of gratitude . The more you focus on what you’re grateful for, the more likely you are to stay in a state of gratitude, which most would agree is much nicer than feeling emotions like dissatisfaction, frustration, anger, etc.
4. Journal
Writing is the purest soul medicine for some. If putting a pen to paper (or typing) freely, gives your mind an opportunity to unwind and process life, give yourself dedicated time to do this each morning. The form that works best for you, will be different for everyone, but the simple act of writing is what matters and is beneficial.
Enjoy writing each morning. Make it something you delight in to begin each day. Mix it up, and on days you’re uninspired, utilize some of the other writing techniques like gratitude or to-do lists, to keep the habit of writing alive and well. There are also guided morning journals, that keep the ritual interesting and unique each day, and provide more structure and vision for those that benefit from that.
5. Intention Setting & Creating a List
Having a vision for your day, can be powerful and impactful in how much direction, focus, and ease, you experience each day. If you find yourself scattered, take time each morning to meditate or write an intention. It can be a simple word (such as “love”), emotion (confidence) or phrase (Like, “Today I flourish in my workplace”). If you benefit from taking it a step further, creating a list of the things you’d like to accomplish the day ahead can be just what you need to stay on track. Think of each goal listed as a mini intention for the day.
6. Walk
Get your body moving, and go for a walk. Whether you have a destination, or just go with the flow, walking is the perfect opportunity for some to get the mind feeling fantastic and energized. Furthermore, it’s healthy to walk. Especially as we age, walking, while not often thought of as exercise, has tremendous physical benefits. Stagnation and lack of movement are what slow us down. Walking can also have emotional and mental health benefits, and have you feeling happier.
7. Honor the Sun
Nature can wake you up, and if you’re fortunate enough to live somewhere with warm weather, many sunny days, or good windows and skylights, you can be lucky enough to greet the sun most mornings. Sun salutations in yoga are a beautiful way to charge up on your favorite solar energy. However, simply facing the sun, taking 2-5 deep breaths and imagining and feeling it’s energy light up the cells of your entire body and being, can benefit you for the rest of your day. Have fun with connecting with nature.
You have the power to feel a connection to the entire universe around you, through the magnificence of nature.
8. Coffee (or tea) Ritual
For some, the morning equals their favourite indulgence of the day; coffee! Guilt-free coffee drinking is sacred, and each sip is to be cherished. Make time for your favorite hot drink, instead of merely rushing to gulp it down on the go. Even 5 minutes, dedicated, to being present as you enjoy a beverage to start your day, will give you a moment to center yourself before you go out and thrive in the world. It doesn’t have to be coffee or a caffeinated drink. The presence and enjoyment of some sort of treat, is the important part of this morning ritual idea and can bring you more joy each morning and day.
By Leif Harum
When I was 16 I ran away from home. Over the past 14 years I've continued to travel the world, exploring more than 80 countries, and immersing myself in different ways of life and faiths. I've come to see all people as siblings, connected beings. And I've dedicated my life to sharing my experiences with the hope of helping others.
Enjoy Leif's Everyday Enlightenment: 21 Day Self Guided Morning Meditation Journal now!
If yoga is your ideal morning routine, start practicing these specially designed morning yoga classes, now!
Morning Yoga Ritual with Elise Fabricant
Morning Yoga Fix with Jackie Casal Mahrou