I recently read a blog post from a woman complaining that people’s morning routines are either fake or make everyone else feel inadequate. So I am writing this post with slight trepidation.
I appreciate where this lady is coming from – a couple of years ago I probably would have felt the same way. I would have told you I didn’t have time to implement a morning routine and given you all the reasons why.
Now, since doing one consistently, I know that I don’t have time not to have a morning routine. Not only that, I can’t get by without my evening routine as well.
I’m not sure if a morning routine would be considered ‘a fad,’ but previous to becoming a health coach, I had never been one to follow fads or trends. One of the reasons is that I always considered myself to be healthy. Just to be clear – my definition of ‘healthy’ was hardly ever being sick, not being on medication, not knowing my doctor’s name and being able to do all the things I needed to do in any given day. Even being diagnosed with an auto immune disease, coeliac was not a factor in my mind, because I had stopped eating gluten many years ago and ergo the problem had been ‘solved’.
I accepted the ‘minor’ issues such as hives, rashes, acne, PMS, bloating, constipation, tinnitus, fatigue and brain fog as something I would just have to deal with.
This all turned on its head when one morning I had vertigo and couldn’t get out of bed. I was struck with the sudden realisation that my previous assumptions had been naive and I had to stop kidding myself. My intuition told me that I was not in good health and it was the wake-up call I needed to change my attitude and approach to my well-being.
Up until this point in my life my idea of well-being was taking time out to exercise and treating myself to a few glasses of wine, several times a week. Once it dawned upon me that this strategy wasn’t working I knew I had to change.
I found some amazing role models and I learned about Ayurveda and the positive benefits of seeking balance in all aspects of your life. Everyone I looked up to purported the benefits of having a morning routine, so I decided to try it myself. I put my ego and previous judgements aside and woke up 20 minutes earlier each day to start my day with gratitude, drink my lemon water, oil pull and move my body.
I introduced one new habit at a time and sure enough I found that taking this small amount of time each day to myself grounded me for the rest of the day and ultimately provided me with more energy. There are some days I don’t feel like doing much exercise so I don’t, but I always move my body in some form and it always makes me feel better.
I have also found that waking up before my children sets me up so positively for the day that I can’t not do it. It means I am in a good mood before I greet them in the morning and I am better equipped to deal with any dramas that may occur.
My morning routine looks like this:
- Get up around sunrise (around 6am)
- Coconut oil pull
- Brush teeth
- Drink ginger & lemon tea + greens juice
- Move my body – yoga, HIIT, rebounding
- Breakfast
My evening routine looks like this:
- Put kids to bed
- Have a turmeric latte
- Brush teeth
- Finish up on work
- Take a bath & read a book
- Meditate
- Sleep by 10:30pm
Full disclosure: I don’t do all of these things every single day, but I try to as often as possible and it makes me feel great.
I have found this routine works for me personally and I encourage my clients to find a routine that suits them. It could be something as simple as singing at the top of your lungs in the shower. If it makes you feel good – do it!
Take care.
Love Andy