If you are not a morning person, you could possibly relate to this… Setting the perfect alarm has been a process of trial and error for the past few months and you rely on multiple alarms as opposed to using the snooze button. Some mornings a refreshing shower simply won’t get you to the office before 8am, and take away coffee is the closest thing to a prayer when managing a half-hearted smile as your boss enters the room. Sounds familiar?
Then the question arises, could I possibly risk adding a “morning ritual” into the rush of the morning? Of course you can!
What if I challenged you to take a few extra moments in bed, before you jump out and head to the loo. Instead of taking these few moments as ‘staying in bed’, rather experience it as ‘being in bed’. Take 5 minutes to settle into the day, mentally. Your routine does not have to be an hour, you could start off with 20 minutes. Here are a few easy starting points:
Breathe into wakefulness
Before even opening your eyes, bring your awareness to your breath. For one minute try to notice each breath individually, as it enters your body, invite gratitude. Do a few more deep breaths like this to help cleanse yourself of yesterday’s worrisome thoughts and will help set the tone for the day ahead.
Energize your body
I prefer to start with bringing my hands together (Anjali mudra) and rub the palms together, to stimulate warmth followed by a few spinal twists, but choose your movement, even if it’s just a few stretches, before you sit at your desk for most of the day. Stretch your legs, your wrist, before they start crawling like two spiders on your keyboard.
Make your bed
It may sem like such a small thing, but I feel that I have accomplished teh first task of the day. It helps me to make a mindshift that encourages me to make a “to do list” for the day ahead and to see it through.
Start your day feeling refreshed
Jump-start your day with a cold shower preferably. Cold showers wake you up, and bring you back to the present. To many of us, the shower might be where we make most our life choices. How often do you get out of the shower and wonder if you washed your hair, I’m definitely guilty! Be mindful, cleanse yourself, massage your scalp, enjoy it.
Nourish your body
You’ve heard it before; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Drink lemon water, every single day, let it be a habit, when heading to the kitchen, your first instinct should be a soothing cup of warm lemon water, cayenne pepper, fresh ginger and honey, instead of the coffee machine. Make a nourishing breakfast. Sit down, chew your food, really chew your food and keep your thoughts for the journal.
Pen and paper
Set an intention for the day, this might be a goal, an affirmation, or a quote. Keep coming back to this intention during the day, when it feels like the “I don’t even have time to think” moment is entering your day, be still, repeat your intention. Remember those thoughts that were screaming for your attention during mediation? Now is the perfect time to invite them back and put them on paper, unclutter your mind, plan your day. (Take some time to sit down and enjoy your coffee, instead of buying a take away)
Maybe this could be your go to guide to beat the Monday blues? Anyways, these are only a few things I try to commit to daily as a morning ritual and making the most of the time I have with myself for the next hour. Maybe today is the day, you look your boss in the face and genuinely smile at him, or just smile, because you’ve spent the morning being the best version of yourself.
