Rest
I’m of the belief that the best morning rituals start at night.
A few thoughtful habits, a couple intentional rituals and you set yourself up for the best day tomorrow, tonight.
MAKE A RITUAL OUT OF PREPARING
Take 15 minutes and look over tomorrow’s schedule, the less likely you are going to be surprised, the less anxious you’ll feel. If there is something you’re not prepared for, remind yourself to move that meeting in the morning. Jot down anything else you need to make a note of, but cap yourself at 15 minutes. This isn’t the time to work on the next day’s to-do list. Then be completely done with work. Turn off your notifications and set limits on work apps.
Allow yourself to completely disconnect. I promise you, it will all be there tomorrow.
MAKE A RITUAL OUT OF UNWINDING
Take yourself for a peaceful (read: technology free) walk around the neighborhood or cook dinner with your kids or significant other. Tend to your garden or at least sit outside and watch the trees sway in the wind and the clouds glide by overhead.
I encourage you to find a moment of stillness after a day of work. Your brain waves love a chance to transition from one frequency to the next, so give yourself what you need.
MAKE A RITUAL OUT OF TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF
You remember that dinner you cooked with your kids, make it nourishing. Eat the rainbow in vegetables. Cook with intention. Thank the earth, the farmers, the transporters, and the grocers for their hard work, then thank yourself for taking the time to go to the store and bring good food home. As you eat, savor every bite. Taste the spices you added, the textures you paired, and the flavors that bring you home. Clean up the pots, pans, and dishes so you can arrive without clutter when you cook breakfast the next morning. Take a shower, or at the very least wash your hands, feet, and face before crawling into bed. Your bed is a sacred space, treat it as one and you’ll improve your sleep.
Be so intentional with how you take care of yourself that you recognize how your body and mind feel when you consistently make the choice to nurture yourself. It starts by connecting with your ideas of what it means to take care. This decision is entirely up to you, so take control of every aspect, then watch how your body responds to being taken care of and how it becomes so much more effective at taking care of you in return.
MAKE A RITUAL OF COMMITTING TO YOUR RITUALS
We have so much to do in a single day. Decide you are going to commit to your rituals and protect them and carry them out with intention and awareness. In the same way you would not skip a meeting with your boss or choose not to feed your child, make the choice not to skip out on your rituals. Our tendency to give and give until we have nothing left really only harms us.
Schedule your rituals into your calendar, write them down in your notes, and at the very least, set your intentions the night before to commit to them. Your best days start the night before. Make sure they include your rituals.
Have you ever heard the saying “win the morning, win the day”? Start tonight.
