Rrrrring! Yawn. Get out of bed. Flip on the coffee. Shower. Dress. Consume last drop of caffeine. Eat something quick. Go to work.
Wait.
Was there anything in there for you?
Anything to smooth your way into a great day – or one even better?
One of the blessings of being retired has been a vast expansion of my morning routine, but retirement is not a necessary for a more mindful start to any day.
Even while driving to my early morning clinical rotations to meet students before 7 am, I repeated a personal affirmation/prayer that set my mind on a path of gratitude and kept me watchful for opportunities to be a blessing to others.
What are you doing to get your mind, heart, and body on a positive path?
Perhaps you have a favorite playlist that can get you perking along with the coffee, or perhaps you ease into the day with meditation music like I do?
When I need an upbeat tune that puts a spring into my steps, I’ll ask Alexa to play Enchantment of the Elves by Llewellyn. It just makes me so happy and gets me moving in sync to match its sprightly beat.
Many people turn to a session of yoga or do exercise to get the blood flowing to their brains and to their muscles before starting their day.
Just going outdoors to walk or let out our pets can address mind, body, and spirit needs in the human as well as for our furry companions. Use that time to maximize your well-being. Are you using all your senses during that walk? What are you seeing, hearing, feeling, or smelling?
Mornings are a great time to do the body scan I share a few weeks ago. How are you doing body? Are you standing okay? Balanced? Anything hurt?
Do you have a minute or two to journal your morning thoughts? Or perhaps you can take a few moments to set your intention silently or verbally for the day. What will your mindset be as you approach the tasks before you?
Are you facing an elephant-sized set of projects? Which one is the absolute priority, and what is the minimal first step you can take to successfully check off forward motion for the day before heading onto the next thing?
Is your first meal going to do your body good? Clean protein, veggies, and fruit instead of a sugar, starch, or fat bomb?
When we start the day by being mindful to our needs, being kinder in our outreach to others comes much easier.
In health-
Deidre
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