All right, let me be real for a minute, friends.
I’m a morning person. Or, at least, I am when my morning goes my way. But when I sleep through my alarm, or I have to rush to get out of the house, or I start it off just on a generally bad note, it can affect the entire rest of my day.
So today, we’re talking about morning routines! I have a lot of to say about this topic, but instead of going on and on and confusing you, I’m not going to tell you how your morning routine should look, but why you should have one. I hope that after reading this post, you’ll see WHY it’s important and beneficial to have a morning routine that works for you.
Lately, I haven’t been as good as I used to be – or as good as I’d like to be – with waking up early and getting things done before the day really even begins. But as I’m trying to get back on track and “take control” of my mornings again, I thought this would be a good time to write this post.
Waking up early has tons of benefits – actually, I’ve noticed I’m an overall happier person on days that I wake up early. BUT, none of that matters if you’re not getting enough sleep. For me, getting enough sleep is priority over getting up early. Because if I don’t, I can’t function and I can’t be successful. I wish that wasn’t the case, but it is.
Now that I’ve said that, we can move on!
What is your “Why”?
Having a set morning routine helps me feel like I’m in control of my day, and ultimately, of my life. It helps me confirm the fact that no one dictates the way my day is going to go except for me.
But that’s not the only reason to wake up early. Usually, people have a morning routine because they’re working toward something, or trying to reach a goal. For me, I get up early, do my routine, and then usually work on one of my books, a blog post, emails with my publisher or editor, or I work out. All of those things lead me toward different goals that I have. They are personal things that I’m doing for myself, that I’m getting a head start on at the very beginning of the day.
Why are YOU waking up early? What is the reason you are going to pull yourself out of bed when it’s dark out, when the rest of the house is still asleep? Each day, you need to remind yourself of that goal. Is your routine in place so you can be healthy and workout before heading to school/work? Is it so you have time for yourself and your mental health before your kids are up? Or is it to have time to work on a book you want to write? There are tons of reasons, but you have to have one, or else this whole morning routine thing is kind of pointless.
It’s Not Motivation – It’s What I Do
Now, having a passion that pulls you out of bed in the morning is great… but that passion and determination won’t be there every day. That’s where habits and rituals come in to place.
I have rituals that I just do – regardless of if I feel like it or not – every morning, like my skincare routine, a devotion, and drinking my lemon water. But those are my rituals. What are yours? You know yourself better than anyone else. What do you need to take the time to do every morning before the day begins? Read? Journal? Pray? Drink tea? Stretch? Go on a walk? Sit outside and drink coffee? Listen to music while making breakfast?
It doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be a small list of things you do for yourself, to set yourself up for the best day possible. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others. What do you need to do every morning to get yourself in the best place mentally and physically to take on the day? Everyone’s day looks different, and so does everyone’s morning routines. You know what you need to do to have the best, most productive day possible, so don’t hit snooze and neglect those things.
At the end of the day, getting up early and sticking to a morning routine is great, and can be so beneficial, but I’m learning that it’s okay if every morning isn’t perfect. I’m learning to listen to my body and what it needs. Some days, I don’t work out because I don’t feel well, or I sleep in a little bit because I was out late the night before. And that’s OKAY. We aren’t meant to live perfect, routine lives – but full, joyful ones.
Love,
Gabriella
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