Morning Rituals To Get Your Day Started On The Right Foot

About 18 months ago, I was exhausted and overwhelmed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic plus the responsibilities of operating a house/parenting/homeschooling fresh on the heels of the death of my husband to cancer. I knew something had to shift in my life, yet so much seemed out of my control. A lot of activities I would normally take part in to blow off some steam - like going to the gym or out with friends - were off-limits due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. I had to find a way to shift my mindset within the confines of living with pandemic restrictions. Out of this reflection came the creation of my new morning ritual.

I have performed this ritual now every morning. I can say it has made a positive impact on the quality of my life and work. Starting the day with a more grounded and intentional mindset before I even leave my bedroom changes the interactions I have with people (virtually and in-person) and how I feel about my life. So, what does my morning routine look like and how can you build your own ritual?

First, I bought an old-fashioned alarm clock. My cell phone does not enter my bedroom. I don’t want this precious time interrupted by anything. I know if the phone is in the bedroom (even on airplane mode), it is too tempting for me to switch it on. And when we look at our phones within the first few minutes of the day, we see things going on in the world. Let’s face it, there is not a lot of good news stories out there right now! We may also open messages about requests for our time or updates on projects. When we see these types of communications, it immediately puts us into reactive mode, and then your mind is off to the races for the day thinking about your to-do’s. What I am proposing here is to give yourself the first few minutes of the day to be in a proactive space. To set your foundation first and then open up to the world in a headspace of feeling more grounded and fuelled up.

Second, I drink a room-temperature glass of lemon water with a dash of sea salt for hydration (that I prepared the evening before) to reduce inflammation and cleanse my body.

Next, duty calls and off to the washroom.

Then I hit the floor. I do some core exercises and a few easy stretches. I am mindfully focused on my body, not on any to-do’s that will be waiting for me outside the bedroom doors.

I set an intention for the day. This isn’t something I am wordsmithing or putting pressure on myself to come up with. It is an easy message that seems to come from my gut about how I want to be in the world that day. It might be something like, “I will be as present in the moment as I can be today.” Or, “I am focusing on seeing even obstacles as teachers,” or “I am in the space to connect with people at a deeper level today.” These intentions can range from work topics to health and wellness, finances...really anything that is important. The idea is to set one intention each day.

Then I pray. For those of you who don’t share that belief, just stick with your intention. For me, I do value this connection point with God and also as an opportunity to ask for help with my intention for the day. This is a time for me to focus on gratitude.

Now, I am ready for the day. I leave my bedroom to make breakfast and welcome the day.

When creating your own morning ritual, reflect on what feels good to you. I would suggest adding in a physical element to strengthen your body. Also, a mindful moment where you can focus on the here and now versus your to-do’s. Maybe journal, sit in meditation, say something you are grateful for, look at a picture that makes you happy, have a relaxing shower. Your morning ritual may only take 5 minutes, but it can make a major difference in the flow of your day. If you want to get out of an ‘auto-pilot’ way of life, you need to be willing to grab a hold of the steering wheel and take control over the areas that are yours to design.