How to Boost Your Mornings in 5 Minutes
Simple practices that make your day fabulous.
If you want to own the day, start with the morning. How you begin your day sets the tone for it.
Never feed your morning with junk, whether junk food or junk news. People who are picky, live a better life.
Instead of spreading yours attention thin on the lives of others, focus on yourself.
There are simple habits you can form to feel more energized, inspired and motivated.
Silence.
Morning is not about adding more to your plate, but about making space for clarity and muting the chaos.
Turn off your phone. Close the door. Disconnect from the outside world.
Silence lowers your blood pressure. It calms down your nervous system. It boosts your concentration and stimulates brain growth.
Sit quietly. Observe your thoughts. Observe where your thoughts go. To your next task? To your pain-in-the-ass boss?
Giving our brains a break restores focus and energy.
Be here and now. Meditate. Don’t judge. Observe.
Meditation increases the volume and density of the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped area of the brain that is crucial for memory.
Does silence make you uncomfortable?
Good. Get used to it. Feeling comfortable alone will change your life.
Affirmations.
I have set up a new routine. After the morning workout, I practice intentional breathing for ten minutes. When I am done, I meditate, repeating three simple phrases to boost my self-esteem, depending on what I need that day.
For example:
- I am at the right place, at the right time. Nothing is passing me by.
- I love my life.
- I am successful.
- I surround myself with loving and kind people.
- I accept my body.
- Everything is always working out for me.
Those sentences are supposed to be simple and in the present tense. The mind thrives on simplicity.
I treat morning affirmations like a tool to set my mood for the day. It also inspires me to mind my self-talk during the day. Your subconscious always listens and drives your actions according to your image of yourself and the world.
Since the subconscious always listens, make the lyrics you chant worthwhile.
Visualizing.
You have been gifted with the unlimited potential of imagination.
Imagination makes things happen.
Your inner state reflects your external environment.
Imagining a positive outcome of any situation increases your chances for success. It boosts your motivation and determination to achieve your goals.
Write down the scenario of a person who embodies the traits you want to exemplify.
For example, you want to own a company. What would your morning look like? You would wake up early, exercise, eat a healthy breakfast to sustain your energy throughout the day, have a cup of coffee, tick off a to-do list.
In other words, you would be on top of the game as you have a business to run. No excuses. No mindless binge-watching. No time to complain and lose your grip on scrolling through social media.
Next, how would you feel? Successful. Accomplished. Free. Energized. Motivated.
Embody those traits and actions.
It doesn’t matter if you have company or not. Instead of waiting for somebody else to hand you the dream life, start living it right now.
Writing.
Whenever dreadful thoughts come up, I sit down and write.
Writing invites clarity and structure to your day.
You can call it morning pages. You can call it a gratitude journal. Whatever serves you.
Pouring your thoughts on the paper puts everything in perspective.
Listing things you are grateful for sets your mind on a positive note. Whatever you start doing with a positive mindset, the results are always better than initiating the same activity with doubt or fear.
Practice it early to set your day for the good in your life.
Start small. Start with three things, people, circumstances you get to be thankful for. Start with little things like a comfortable bed, a roof over your head, a healthy breakfast, a good coffee, a call from a friend.
Simple habits make for powerful changes.
Exercise.
Do you want to change your life? Then let your actions speak for it.
A healthier body and mind mean a better life. Move your body. Stretch. Dance. Do yoga. Sweat. Do cardio. Whatever serves you.
When endorphins kick in, you have more energy to tackle any unexpected task that pops up during the day. Your mindset is set on success and stays focused on achieving your goals.
A yoga session works like a cup of coffee.
Five minutes on the mat suffice to wake up your body and increase the blood flow. It makes you feel better. And when you feel better, you act better.
Breathwork.
Sit comfortably with your spine erect and count your breaths.
When you centre your energy into the present moment, you have more energy to create with. It stabilizes your nervous system and brings back the focus to yourself.
Think of it as a ten-minute meditation. When your mind wanders, keep bringing it back to the present moment.
Deep breathing and pranayama yoga expand your diaphragm, deliver oxygen to all the cells in your body, and get rid of the stale and toxic air that needs to leave your lungs.
Breathwork is incredibly effective, transformative, and available to us all.
Sunlight.
Humans need sunlight to increase their levels of serotonin, the mood-boosting neurotransmitter. Low levels of serotonin are linked with mood swings and depression.
An hour of natural light in the morning will help you sleep better. Sunshine regulates your circadian rhythm by telling your body when to increase and decrease melatonin levels.
Take a morning walk. Combine light exposure with exercise in your garden. Open up windows to let the light in and drink your morning coffee with your face towards the sun. These are simple acts of self-love you can cultivate daily.
Your habits shape your identity, and your identity shapes your habits.
— James Clear
If you want to change your life, you need to start doing things that may be unfamiliar to your routine. But that is the point.
When everybody lies in bed, you wake up early.
When everybody judges and jumps on social media, you read to educate yourself.
You want your life to be extraordinary, right? Then start doing the unusual.
Thank you for reading, — Katarzyna
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