DO YOU HAVE A MORNING ROUTINE?

It's something I've read about in books, magazines, and on blog sites, and everyone's seems to be different. But that is probably what I like most about finding your own morning routine - you're sure to love it if you make it up yourself!

Why have a morning routine though? I often wondered in the past, is my morning routine me getting out of bed, putting my training gear on, grabbing my stuff for the day and hopping on the train, sneaking a quick double shot espresso before my 2hr gym routine? After all, it was a routine, and I did it in the mornings?!?

I think the whole "morning routine" thing began to cement itself into my mind as more and more people were getting into it - well it seemed so according to everything I seemed to be reading. And singing the praises of a clearer mind, time to themselves, and the benefits associated with setting intentions for how they wanted their day to go... why not give it a try?

So I began a routine that looked something like journalling, then body brushing, oil pulling, a run, then a shower, a 5 minute tidy up of my place, and who knows from there. At other times it was my gym routine above, followed by a superfood smoothie loaded with protein before starting work. Last year it was sleeping in for as long as possible, doing a recorded visualisation before getting out of bed, then cooking a nourishing brekkie.

I've tried many different things as a "morning routine" but to be honest, most of them I continued for no other reason than I'm a complete control freak. I had to brush my body from top to toe whilst oil pulling even when I couldn't be bothered. I had to set my alarm early to get these things done even if I really wanted a sleep in. But whenever I've read about morning routines, never once has anyone even implied "you must stick to this religiously or else you will not feel the benefits, and your whole world will come falling down and you will have to start from scratch again". Go figure.

But now... my morning routine is very loose and the only "must" on there is a walk in the fresh air. And this is not difficult for me as I now crave it, after the initial week of making myself go. If I feel exhausted, or I sleep in and don't have as much time, I just walk to the end of the street and back. And that's ok. Otherwise I'm usually walking for half an hour after a big glass of water, come home, drink more water, shower, then make brekkie, and start getting into my study or the blog. And every now and I then I mix it up, oil pulling daily for a week or so, or having a clay detox drink on waking for a while... but I've no rules.

So what makes up a great morning routine?

Here's a few things to get you thinking...

What time do you usually wake up?

What time do you need to leave the house, or begin working from home?

Do you have kids to tend too or a dog to walk?

Is the rest of your day usually pretty packed full with little time for yourself?

Do you prefer exercising first things or later on after work?

Source

Things to try...

+ Waking up half an hour or an hour earlier to fit in the yoga you love so much

+ Setting your alarm 15 minutes early, and 5 minutes later so as soon as it goes off you sit up and deep breathe for 5 minutes until the next alarm goes off. Then for the remainder of your 10 minutes, throw all your thoughts onto paper, and go dry body brush yourself top to toe

+ Sip some apple cider vinegar in warm water to get your digestion going whilst reading something inspiring

+ Journal

+ Tend to your garden

+ Meditate next to a beautiful scented candle

+ Drink a litre of water with some lemon it it

+ Pick an angel card, fairy card, colour card, emotion card, etc for the day

+ Go for a walk or a jog in the fresh air

I've come to realise that a morning routine is very simply something that kinda concretes us into the here and now, but can also be so much more than that. It's a chance to close your eyes and breathe deeply with no interruptions. To lay out your mat, have a great stretch, and remind yourself that today is another day on this glorious planet of ours, and not to get too caught up in the small stuff that we'll inevitably forget about next week. A chance to go for a walk in the fresh air or enjoy your favourite cuppa tea reading a chapter of that amazing novel you got the other day. It's YOUR time to do what you want with no interruptions.

And that's what makes it's so special

Christie xx