My Mindful Morning Routine

With week two of summer break wrapping up, I have settled into my official summer morning routine, even though it has not changed much since last year- or the year before. In this post, I will be sharing the habits that I have adopted into my daily routine that help me to slice away some time for myself in the morning, and to set the rest of my day on a high-vibe note. I try to prioritize nurturing my mind, body, and spirit in the morning because the first hour of your day reflects how smoothly the rest will pass over.

1. Wake up, then smile :)

The day starts as soon as you wake up, so I like to start it with a smile before I even get out of bed. It might seem silly to smile to yourself while laying in bed, but you could smile at the birds singing outside your window, smile at how grateful you are for being alive, smile for the restful sleep you just received. There are infinite things to smile for and you start to realize that when it becomes a habit as soon as your eyes open every day.

2. Stay optimistic regarding what today could bring you

Optimism can be hard if you happen to be awoken by the neighbor mowing their lawn, other people in your house making noise, the sound of your alarm clock or even just the dread of something that you know is on your to-do list later in the day. It is pretty hard to rid yourself of any unplanned, protruding factors of life that may stick out and into your path, but your reaction to them is always controllable. Step one (smiling) always helps a bit towards staying optimistic, but in case you need something a little stronger, listening/repeating affirmations will build up your confidence in yourself and get you excited for your day.

3. Go outside!!!

There is not a day that I do not start my day by grabbing a book and a cup of coffee while on my way to sit outside, weather permitting of course, for the next 1-5 hours, depending on my plans for that day. Fortunately, I have a nice outdoor space at home and can lounge around in my pajamas and listen to the music of my choice while charging up, but if you maybe live in an apartment or more urban setting, try going on a walk or opening the windows. Fresh air and being in nature is important, and I have noticed a major change in mood from the time I spend inside vs. outside so this time is so important to me.

4. Read a book, meditate, journal

Now to what I do while soaking up the sun whilst sitting outside every morning...

It kind of depends on the day, but reading a book is the most consistent for sure, especially as I have four summer reading books for school and even more on my list for personal pleasure. I started, and finished, Paper Towns by John Green last week for a fun read to start the summer off, started Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte with my friend who I am reading it with (and so far I am in love with it even though deciphering classic literature is not the easiest task), began to read Demian by Herman Hesse (who is an author I happen to love despite being assigned by school), and sometimes I resort back to The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson because as a poet myself, how could I not. Although I have made myself seem like quite the book nerd, I can assure you that is not always the case and I often choose other methods of mindfulness like meditating or journaling, both of which are equally effective and favorable activities like reading.

5. Ground yourself- mind, body, spirit

Grounding oneself is very important and a large reason why I like to spend this time outdoors as I can be in touch with the earth's energy. Sometimes I will put my bare feet into the grass or meditate on the feelings of the sun touching my skin in order to aid my mind, body, and spirit. My morning routine can be broken down into those three categories: smiling and optimism for the mind, going outside and meditating for the spirit, and grounding my body in tune with the earth.

Thank you for tuning in today, and let me know if we share any of the same morning routine habits or if there are any that you discovered that you too would like to try.

-Emma Claire