Your Morning Routine is Not a To-Do List.

Hello and welcome back! Let’s talk morning routines. I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic the past couple of weeks.  Our morning routine is a habit and like all habits, we aren’t always conscious of their impact.  

 

Reaching for our phone first thing in the morning, wandering into email, social media, all the other places that create distraction and overwhelm ultimately doesn’t serve.  Some of the lies we tell ourselves about this is—it makes me more productive, gives me a head start on the day, I must respond to this email right now—but is it true?  These little devices we carry around all day provide an infinite steady stream of things to do and think or worry about, so why turn on the faucet any earlier than we need to?  

 

Your morning routine is not a to-do list.  Does your morning routine fuel you and fill you up?  If your morning routine feels a little lifeless, it might be time to reassess the rules and regimen.  Sometimes we get so automatic in our habits that we lose meaningful connection to them, get stuck on autopilot.  If it begins to feel like a to-do list, a chore, an energy sucking rather than fueling practice, you won’t keep returning to it.  What you needed three months ago might not be what you need most right now. The most effective morning routine is the one that leaves your heart and head feeling better than you found it.

 

How do you honor and protect your morning routine?  You create one worth protecting.  The past couple of months have reminded me that there's value in an intentional morning routine.  I’m not talking about the part of your morning that requires daily tasks for the loving care of other people.  I’m referring to the 20, 30, or 60 minutes (whatever you can take) designed and created just for you.  This designated time is a sacred and spiritual practice.  Time set aside to pause and reflect, anchor in the present moment. It’s a space to be still and reconnect with yourself.  A time to reach for a little peace, joy, and celebration.  An opportunity to build enthusiasm and confidence for the day ahead.

 

Our heart, mind, and body are the house we live in.  This week, I invite you to build (or rebuild) a morning routine that feels like returning home to yourself.  Avoid an all or nothing mindset and ask:

What do I need most right now?

How much time can I commit to showing up for myself in the morning?

What top two rituals or routines leave me feeling tethered to my values and on-purpose for the day?

 

We get a new beginning every morning.  Make it matter and more important, make it yours!  Stay open, brave, and on-purpose.