Living in Gratitude: Morning Rituals for Success
Every morning starts a new page in your story. make it a great one today. ~Doe Zanamata
Studies prove that our willpower is at its peak in the morning. Establishing a morning ritual allows us to set our intentions for the day ahead. Mornings are the ideal time to create a routine and set priorities, as this minimizes becoming distracted by other less important things and helps keep stress at bay. It also ensures we achieve what we set out to do before our body and mind fatigue.
Here are 10 steps to creating a morning ritual for success.
- Go to bed early
The proper amount of sleep is necessary for mental and physical health. It boosts our creativity, productivity and ability to handle the challenges and opportunities the next day will bring.
- Get up an hour early
Although this sounds unappealing to many and will take some time to adjust to, research shows that early risers are more optimistic. They consciously anticipate problems and are able to minimize them effectively, a critical skill to success in our lives and careers. It also allows us to have quiet time along to plan and prepare.
- Enjoy the calmness
Mornings are quiet and peaceful. They are the perfect time to be alone with our thoughts, sit and be still, watch the sun rise and breathe.
- Create a motivational mantra
Create a mantra that inspires and motivates, something to repeat each morning to energize you for the day that lies ahead.
- To Do list
We have the most energy in the morning and this is the optimal time to tackle the task that we don’t want to do. By placing the toughest To Do at the top of our list and completing it first, we will relieve stress and anxiety, allowing us to tackle anything that follows with relative ease.
- Visualize
Research has proven that taking 2 minutes a day to visualize increases our positivity, boosts our mood and clarity. During your quiet time in the morning, close your eyes and map out your day in your mind. See yourself accomplishing your to do list effortlessly, think through what you need to achieve. Visualization allows you to see yourself making good choices, using your time wisely and productively. It creates a calm, efficiency for the day ahead.
- Breakfast
It is important to properly nourish our body and mind. When our bodies are running on empty, our productivity, creativity and focus wanes.
- Move
Exercising in the morning boosts energy and mental acuity. It releases endorphins that work in our favor for the rest of the day. And, those who work out in the morning are more likely to stick to their exercise plan.
- Snack smart
To keep our metabolism going and creativity at its peak throughout the day, it is important to eat healthy snacks that fuel our body and brain. Planning these snacks in advance ensures we make wise food choices. This will keep our memory sharp, our focus intact and keep our body functioning on all cylindars.
- Let go
Less stuff equals less stress. Cluttered spaces tend to clutter our minds. We also waste time trying to find things. Employ the touch it once rule whenever possible to keep paperwork, emails and ‘stuff’ at a minimum.
