Two paradigms. One of you.
While life holds infinite possibilities, let’s see which of these two options best describes your ideal morning.
Which way would you rather start your day?
Option 1:
Being startled awake by your kids begging for food, dishes in the sink, and barely able to open your eyes all the way before stumbling to the kitchen.
Option 2:
Naturally waking up due to your body’s rhythm to a quiet, clean house, caring for your body, mind, and spirit, and setting the intention for your day before your family awakens to start the morning bustle.
Well, I’ll be honest, I used to be Option 1.
Now, I’m Option 2, and I’ll never go back!
Over the years I’ve learned that the way you start your day sets a powerful tone for the rest of your day and the shift from option 1 to option 2 way easier than I thought. If you can start your day in a clear, energized, grounded state, it makes you better able to handle whatever life may throw at you today!
Here are some of my favorite tips to start your day off right.
A good morning starts the night before.
GO TO BED EARLY & AT THE SAME TIME.
The key to waking up for an energizing and grounding morning routine is to get to bed the night before! If you don’t get good sleep, you’re way more likely to roll over and hit the snooze button and miss your chance for an empowered morning.
Your body has a natural rhythm for sleeping and waking – your circadian rhythm. This rhythm can be disrupted by many things (certain foods, light, activities, etc.). One way to help your rhythm get back on track is to go to bed around the same time every night – and bonus if it’s before 10pm. A well-rested body that can go to bed and wake up naturally on about the same schedule is a body that is in a good rhythm. Read more on 5 ways to improve your sleep here.
DO A 5-MINUTE-MINIMUM TIDY-UP BEFORE BED.
Studies have shown that your environment can affect your mood, stress levels, health, and your sleep. When the first thing you see in the morning is a pile of laundry or dishes, it can already take energy away from your creativity or peace. Waking up to a tidy, clean home invites a much more pleasant morning. Plus, it’s so much easier to make breakfast in a clean kitchen – especially if you are cooking for multiple people!
Wake up early.
Now, before we get into this, there are some disclaimers to this tip: if you have an infant, or if you have a job that requires you to wake up at an absurdly early time. In this case, maybe you can do some of this “morning” routine before bed, or whenever works for you.
Waking up before the other responsibilities of the day begin creates a sacred time for self-nourishment. Instead of rushing, you can make a cup of tea to sip. You can begin your day at a leisurely pace – a speed that is often disregarded or disappeared from our culture. Waking early allows you time to begin your empowered morning.
Hydration & Physical Nourishment
LEMON WATER
Very soon after I wake up, I drink at minimum 16 ounces of water with lemon juice squeezed into it. This helps flush the body of toxins that the body has worked on getting rid of the previous day and through the night. Drinking lemon water also assists the body with re-hydrating cells that haven’t taken in fluids in 8 hours. Lemon water is also very beneficial for the skin, as I talk about in my Face Rejuvenation online course. Lemon also has a plethora of vitamins and minerals that are wonderful for nourishing your body after an overnight fast.
B12
About 20 minutes after my lemon water, I take my B12 supplement. (I like the Vimergy B12 or Cymbiotika). Getting the right kind of B12 is so crucial for the body (read more about why here) and consuming it in the morning on an empty stomach is optimal for absorption.
CELERY JUICE
After I take my B12, I start juicing my celery. I have at least 16 ounces, but oftentimes much more. If you haven’t heard of celery juice yet, WOW is it amazing for all kinds of ailments but also a strong preventative measure for keeping in good health! You can read more about why celery juice is amazing for the body here.
SMOOTHIE
I wait at least 15-30 minutes after my celery juice to eat anything, so that the celery juice can fully move through my digestive system. I will typically make a Heavy Metal Detox smoothie, but if I don’t have that for breakfast I will get it in later in the day. You can check out some of my other smoothie recipes here!
SUPPLEMENTS
What I take daily depends on what my body is needing, but for sure I always take these five supplements daily because of how strong they make your health. Cheers!
Move your body.
Be it gentle stretching or sweaty exercise, research shows that moving your body in the morning has the following benefits:
- Improves cognitive performance like decision-making throughout the day
- Helps control blood pressure
- Burns more fat
- Increases energy and reduces fatigue
- Improves mood and lessens depression
- And so much more!
Exercise is also fabulous for your lymphatic system – an essential part of a strong immune system and general good health.
BONUS if you can exercise outdoors! Not only does sunshine improve health and help balance your circadian rhythm, research shows that exercising outdoors has a more powerful effect on mental health. While you’re outside, you might as well put your feet on the ground to get the added benefits of earthing (read more about it here).
Mindfulness & Intention
MEDITATION
It’s no secret that meditation can improve your energy, sleep, productivity, mood, and health – so why not do it as part of your empowered morning? Studies also show that breath-based meditation is a powerful way for beginner or seasoned meditators alike to receive these benefits. One of my favorite breathing techniques only takes 2-5 minutes and is so good at balancing the body. Watch how to do it here. For more meditation resources, check out this article.
POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
Your very cells are eavesdropping on your thoughts. They are listening to every word you say and think – and they react accordingly. This is why positive affirmations are so powerful! I have seen this make a huge difference for countless clients on their healing journeys. My own son Liam says affirmations all the time – we did it so much with him when he was little, that now as a 6 year old he does them on his own automatically and as he feels he needs them. Check out little Liam saying some affirmations here. I also love this affirmation deck.
SET YOUR INTENTION
“Our intention creates our reality.” – Wayne Dyer
What kind of day do you want to have?
What kind of person do you want to be as you walk through today?
Is there a particular event or meeting you want to focus on today?
The morning is a great time to mentally visualize your day and set an intention for your day. It can be a phrase, a single word, or an affirmation that helps create a vibration of that intention for your day. Journaling, especially gratitude journaling, is a powerful exercise to do in the morning (or evening), but if you’re short on time you can also do it in your head – as long as you put your focus on it.
Beyond The Morning
“A great attitude becomes a great day
Which becomes a great month
Which becomes a great year
Which becomes a great life.”
– Mandy Hale
Cheers to a great attitude and a great life!!
Ignite the healer within,
Amber
P.S. If you want even more resources to help you have the best year ever – including courses on each of these tips like morning routines, meditation/breathwork, and developing positive rituals, PLUS my own Face Rejuvenation course – for 99.4% off, check out the Self Improvement Bundle here on sale until 1/9/21!
