6 Positive Ways to Kick-Start Your Morning

1. Give Thanks 

I found that starting the day with a grateful heart completely sends my mind into positive overdrive. There’s no one on this planet of ours that has a perfect life or has reached completeness. Each one of us has our hangups and stressors that can make life difficult. But taking the time to reflect on little nuggets of positivity at the start of the day can bring you joy and even lead to being a blessing to someone else. Appreciating that you have breath in your lungs, you’re employed, or you have a hot cup of coffee waiting to be brewed :p can remind you that there are many things to be grateful for.

2. Hydrate (That doesn’t mean with coffee!)

From the time you hit the sack to the moment you wake up, your body has been in fasting mode for hours! Over the years, I’ve learned that my body needs at least 20 oz of water in the morning before consuming anything else. Drinking at least one glass of water will help wake you up, get your digestive system going, and rehydrate you after a long night of beauty rest. Now let’s go grab that cup of coffee!

3. Don’t Reach for the Phone

The internet and smart phone have to be two of the greatest sources of distraction in our time. Don’t get me wrong, it has its perks (such as blogging) but it’s important to use it wisely in moderation. I encourage you to pick up the phone as the last thing you do before heading out the door. Trust me, not much has changed on social media since the evening before!

4. Making the Bed

I’ll be the first to tell you that sometimes I don’t feel like making my bed in the morning! However, studies have shown that making your bed can cause you to feel motivated and lead you to be more productive throughout the day. I can’t deny that completing this chore (as simple as it may be) gives me a sense of accomplishment at the start of my day. Plus after a long hard day of work, who doesn’t like to come home to an organized bed, am I right or am I right?

5. Get Moving 

Although a good workout sweat is a great start to the morning, sometimes there’s just not enough time. As we sleep our muscles can stiffen from staying in the same position for hours at a time. But, a full body stretch, yoga, or pilates will help wake you up and get that blood circulating properly.

6. Wake Up Earlier 

If you’re not an early riser, waking up at the break of dawn can be quite the drag. Waking up earlier can bring much peace and stillness before encountering the crazy rat race of the world. A few years ago I despised getting up early and saw no benefit of doing so. Once I gave it a go, my mornings went a lot smoother, I didn’t have to rush, and I even had a little “me time”. You may even have the time to finish that cup of coffee!