I don’t leap out of bed each day but I do consider myself a morning person.
Once I’m up, I’m up. And you can talk to me without fear of having your head bitten off.
However, I’ve learned that despite being a morning person, what I do in that first hour or so can have an impact on how I feel throughout the day.
We can’t always stop challenges and obstacles arising and unfortunately, there will always be annoying people. But if you start your day with positivity, it can reduce the effect these things have on your overall mood.
Here are 5 ways you can start your day with positivity:
Journal
You know that I’m an advocate for journaling.
If I had to choose just one thing I couldn’t live without for peace of mind, it would be my journaling practice.
Journaling helps you to find clarity and get all the thoughts you have circling your mind out and on paper.
It’s great if you’re prone to overthinking or struggling with any difficult or painful emotions that you’re not comfortable discussing with others.
Pull an oracle card
This is such an easy way to add some positivity to your morning.
Oracle cards have been used for centuries as a way to receive spiritual guidance and insight. They are a powerful tool for connecting to your own inner wisdom and intuition.
I normally pull a card every morning from one of the several oracle card decks that I have on rotation.
You can also use your oracle card as a writing prompt for your journal practice.
Read something positive
I normally have a book with positive quotes and affirmations next to my bed. I don’t read from it every day, but it’s there for the days when I need an extra boost of positivity in the morning.
Again the affirmations or quotes can be used as journaling prompts to note any thoughts or feelings that come up for you.
There are so many books you could read. Just make sure it’s something with a positive message and short passages that you can read in a couple of minutes.
Move
Most of us spend the majority of the day sitting – during our commute (well if you can get a seat), at the office, working from home, when we’re catching up with friends over drinks or dinner and when get home and unwind.
I know not everyone can afford a fancy gym membership. Or maybe the gym isn’t even your thing. But it is important to find a way to move more each day.
Our sedentary lifestyles are having a huge impact on our health. Therefore it’s vital that we prioritise some form of exercise.
Choose something that you’ll enjoy and that can be done in just a few minutes, if you’re short on time in the mornings.
Meditate
I’m really inconsistent with mediation.
My main excuse is that I don’t have enough time, which we both know is a lie. It’s more accurate to say that I don’t see it as a priority.
But I really want meditation to become as integrated into my life as journaling. Especially as I always feel more peaceful by the end of a meditation.
Additionally, when I meditate consistently, I’ve noticed that although things still annoy me, I get over them much quicker.
If you want to give meditation a try, check out my post on getting started with guided meditation.
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I can honestly say that doing things in the morning gives me a more positive outlook and peaceful state of mind.
If for some reason I don’t do at least a couple each day, I really notice the difference.
Your initial thought might be that the things listed above sound great but you just don’t have time in the morning for all this stretching, reading and meditating.
But that’s the beauty of it.
You don’t have to do all, or even half of the things listed.
You can pick and choose, spending as much time as you have available.
Start with one or two things that you know you can easily fit into your morning routine and that you feel will have the greatest positive impact on you and your day.
Gradually as you begin to reap the benefits, you can start waking up 5 or 10 minutes earlier to add something else.
And during the summer it doesn’t feel so bad waking up slightly earlier as the mornings are brighter.
So, carpe diem as they say and start your day with positivity!
