Here are 6 rituals I have integrated into my morning routine, as a woman, mother and entrepreneur.
*Please remember that just like each human being, every morning is unique! These are my own rituals that I have worked to include in my routine after years of evolving, committing to taking care of myself and also testing out research-based actions. YOU are the best person to decide what you need, please remember that.
- I do NOT hit the snooze button.
Thank you to Mel Robbins, host of the Mel Robbins podcast, for helping me to realize the effects on the brain and on our bodies when we hit snooze. A strong metaphor for the rest of the day, when we hit snooze, whether on our devices or an alarm, we may be hitting snooze in other areas of our lives: that phone call we know we need to make, that clarifying message we need to send, that action that we have been putting off. I choose to start my day by not hitting snooze. It is an internal decision.
- Please note that if you are a young parent, and/or immediately in the post-natal period, that this ritual is to be adapted to your feeling and your sense of your health. When I was on maternity leave with each of our children, I would still get up, and then perhaps take micro-naps in the day; the importance of the ritual depends on how you want to integrate it while always taking care of yourself.
2. I read poetry.
This may sound, well, super literary; and while it is, have you tried reading a poem recently? On the quantitative level, it literally takes sometimes less than 2 minutes to read a poem. This morning (Tuesday, February 6th), I read one by Kipling. It just elevates my soul, it nourishes me, I feel more connected to history and to longevity. I feel like it is a powerful antidote in our hyperconnected culture.
3. I move my body. And I drink my coffee after breakfast (this took me a while to get down!).
I learned recently that our cortisol levels in our body are a big indicator of how we are sleeping, eating, feeling. By not drinking coffee until at least 90 minutes after waking, we can better regulate our nervous system and feel more centered and even throughout the day. This is still blowing my mind. If you are interested in this topic, you can find some more research on it via this LinkedIn article here.
4. I hydrate with filtered water and continuing doing so throughout the day.
This is so important. The number of women I speak and listen to each week who confirm to me that they have trouble making time to listen to their bodies, to drink enough, to use the restroom enough…it floors me. It is so key to make sure that I am getting enough water during the day. If you are feeling tired in this end of winter, I encourage you to make sure that you are getting enough hydration and water is a big part of that. See if you can find a filtering device to be drinking the cleanest water possible. I even thank my water before I drink it, I connect with positive energy when taking care of my body, consciously connecting to my potential as I nourish myself and hydrate myself. As for vitamins, of course, please consult your doctor / physician before taking any nutrition supplements. I have found a regimen that works really well for me as a young mother: it is so essential to supplement when you are in the early years of motherhood, and even further on into our lives.
5. I write down, even just 1 sentence, of gratitude.
This is a practice counseled by all kinds of experts, coaches, studies and programs; celebrating who we are, what we do have, what we see all around us, this is such a key part of embracing abundance in our lives. As a young mother and entrepreneur, sometimes my ego would have me forget how far I have come. Gratitude helps me to stay anchored, grounded in the present, seeing the path already accomplished and traveled, as well as the beauty of what is to come. Practice gratitude in the morning and feel an entire positive shift resonate throughout the rest of your day.
6. I celebrate simple, easy family rituals with our children and my husband.
This is unique to each family. For us, we have « Quick, Family Hug! » where one of us will call out « Family Hug! » on the way to school, and we all stop walking, and give each other a hug for the day. We also high five each other often and right before walking into school, affirming that today is a beautiful day, that we are here to learn, to grow, to evolve, to love. We have our own rituals that I won’t discuss here that are for us and special to us. What I want to ask you is, how can you introduce simple moments of joy, right in the morning? What if you read a book to your baby or child in the morning, as a way of connecting for 5 minutes before drop off time? That was another ritual I loved to do and still do with our children; connecting with them about seasons, nature, feelings, and all in these seemingly small moments, but what are actually the moments that they will remember the most.
I wish you beautiful mornings, whatever rituals you may introduce. What I will say is to make your mornings much more of a priority if you wish to feel lighter, fresher, more energetic: the way you begin your life each day matters; your Life, matters. You’ve got this. Hope these rituals inspired you (I could have spelled out so many! more for a future post!) and that you can make your morning a miracle, even when it seems small, for that is truly what life is: a present.
Love,
Julie