Start Everyday with Intention and Positivity

Start Everyday with Intention and Positivity

Have you given much thought into how you set up your day? The start of each day is foundational. It can be pivotal in how we emotionally manage whatever comes our way. You’ve probably experienced this if you’ve slept through your alarm, and you’re rushed and discombobulated even into the evening hours. It can be valuable to think about creating a morning routine to set yourself up for resilience daily!

Here are some ideas for simple, but effective activities to incorporate into your morning:

1. Stretch: Our muscles are tight in the morning. Simple stretches such as neck rolls, shoulder rolls, child’s pose side stretching, or maybe a gentle seated forward fold in bed can be helpful to release some of that nightly tension we’ve built up. Tension + any stressors in the remainder in your day means by evening you’re body is wound up pretty tight. And you can do these poses while still in bed!

2. Set an Intention: Do you ever make subconscious intentions for the day ahead, such as “Today is going to be a tough one” or “I’m going to be anxious about this meeting today” or “I have to rush today”. Why not set your day up with a conscious, positive intention? An example could be setting an intention to remember to breathe, or to invite calm, or to be compassionate to yourself.

3. Drink something calming while doing something you love: Making yourself a warm cup of tea or your favorite type of coffee can create some cozy feelings to carry with you throughout your day. You can sip while journaling, reading your favorite blogs, or flipping through a magazine.

4. Sit still and go slow: The remainder of our day may be jam packed. Take some time in the morning to slow down and breathe. Slow down your morning tasks so you can really enjoy the smell of coffee, the view of the sunrise, and the quiet stillness morning can offer us.

5. Watch or listen to something inspiring: Turn off the news and turn on something that fills you up and makes you feel good. Perhaps it’s a TED talk or a mental health podcast. Read an inspirational quote or read a blog article about self-care.

6. Gratitude: Think on something you’re thankful for. This could be simply having a fresh start to your day, a supportive friend currently in your life, or a tasty breakfast. Perhaps you write a gratitude list each morning or simply bring to mind that thing your grateful for and rest your mind on it for a minute or two.

Try out these ideas, but also be open to what works for you individually. There are a million ways to customize your morning routine.