Nothing has resonated with me recently like Brene Brown’s myth of scarcity:
“We wake up in the morning and we say, ‘I didn’t get enough sleep.’ And we hit the pillow saying, ‘I didn’t get enough done.'”
Sound familiar? If you’re going to change that feeling, you’ll need to do some things differently. And it has to start the moment you wake up. Rather than grabbing your phone and plowing through emails while your eyes are still blurry, try taking care of yourself in the morning before heading to work. You’ll feel better, be more productive, and have a more favorable outlook on life if you’ve done something for yourself before heading out into the world.
Morning Meditation
Even if you don’t have a regular practice, a morning meditation can be a calm way to start the day and re-set from whatever happened yesterday. There are lots to choose from – I like this one for sunrise and sunset.
Exercise
Benefits of morning exercise including feeling more alert and increased metabolism stick with you all day long. A brisk walk, yoga routine, or other workout of your choice is worth getting out of bed for. Carve out 15-30 minutes, try it for a week, and see how you feel.
Caffeine
This one’s controversial, so I say do it if it works for you. Studies show that for some, even the smell of coffee in the morning can reduce stress. Count me in! Other perks (pun intended) include sharper thinking and a variety of long term health benefits resulting from anti-oxidants.
Golden Hour
If you’re already a morning person, use your time wisely. Instead of catching up on your backlog, do something creative while you have the energy. If you’re more of a night owl, you can try to convert. Why bother? Morning people may actually be happier and more productive.
Eat Dark Chocolate
In case you missed it, eating a chocolate bar every day does not in fact promote weight loss. And there’s no evidence that eating chocolate in the morning is good for you. So why include it? We all have vices, and everything should be taken in moderation – even healthy habits. So treat yourself to something you love before walking out the door.
