Establishing A Morning Routine

Hello Friends!  Are you a morning person?  I admit that I have always been a night owl.  Even when I was a child, often I would wake up surrounded by my beloved books because I had fallen asleep reading far into the night.  Over and over again, I have heard how productive people wake up very early.  I have tried to be an early riser (by which I mean waking up at 5 am or earlier) and have failed miserably.  Living with someone who has a laundry list of health issues, more often than not, I am up and down quite a few times during the night.  By morning, I am a zombie.  However, I have found that, no matter if I have an early or late start, I have a morning routine that helps me start the day in a calm frame of mind.  When I refer to a morning routine, I don't mean one where you are scrambling to get the kids' lunches together or madly doing the dishes from the night before.  I mean one where you take a few moments just for yourself.

For me, my morning routine starts with a cup of green tea.  Even at the height of summer, I must have a cup of green tea.  There is a calming ritual to putting the kettle on, waiting for the water to boil and then waiting for the tea to steep.  I use full leaf tea, not tea bags as usually, tea bags are filled with the fannings, essentially tea dust, from tea production which is the lowest grade of tea.  Besides, I love taking the time to wait for the leaves to slowly unfurl.  It is such a lovely sight.  If you have some favourite china or a pretty mug or cup, use it!  Don't save it "for best", but savour using it every day.

Breakfast is usually light, a piece of fruit and yoghurt.  Sometimes I'll have oatmeal if it's winter.  Lately, I have found that saying an affirmation really helps me set my intention for the day.   There have been times when I couldn't get out of my bed because I was so overwhelmed with anxiety and dread for the coming day.  To help guide me through my day, I make a list of things I would like to accomplish on top of anything else that forms the day.  Are you a list maker?  So as not to feel overwhelmed, I started with just one thing. It doesn't matter if it is something inconsequential.  For example, last week, I put on my list to send out a thank you note that I had been procrastinating on for days.  When I sent out that note, there was a sense of accomplishment and completion that motivated me to continue to do another task.  This is especially important if one's mind is struggling with feelings of overwhelm.  Now I usually have about 3 tasks on my list. I know that 3 tasks might sound piddly but, again, the point is to build confidence.  Also, depending on how much time you have, you don't want to spend your entire morning routine writing a miles long to-do list!

I also spend a few moments in meditation.  Honestly, I think I have been meditating for years and not even known it!  Recently, I was listening to a podcast and the discussion was on the various meditating techniques. I had no idea that there were so many techniques.  I just thought there was just one which involved a lot of convoluted breathing exercises and chanting.  All I know is that even a few moments of meditating (or praying) is incredibly relaxing and centering for me.  I have also started a gratitude journal.  I am not sure whether to switch this to the evening as it seems to make more sense to me to write out what things occurred during the day that I am grateful for.  Do you have a gratitude journal?  Do you journal in the morning or evening?  And that's it, my morning routine.  Do you have a morning routine?

I am linking up with Share Your Cup at Have A Daily Cup With Jann Olson