December 8, 2020March 3, 2023

Emotional Health, Habit Change, Immune System, Lifestyle Adjustments, Mental Health, Physical Health, Sleep, Stress Management

Let’s Take Back Our Mornings! The Power of a Routine to Transform Your Health

By Kirsten Larsen

Let’s Take Back Our Mornings

Why I do a Morning Routine and Why it’s so important for our Health

If you’ve ever ventured into the world of self-help or successful people, whether it’s business, athletes, or all the amazing overcomers out there (like yourself!), you find one thing they all have in common: a morning routine. And not only in the morning, but the more successful, the more they’ve overcome, the more routines and habits are sprinkled all throughout their day. Think about it, the best athletes in the world have a full routine and process for every step of their workout.

I actually don’t like routines, believe it or not. I’d rather sit on an island and have life “happen”. However, I’d also be the first to say how extremely valuable my morning routine has been to gaining more energy, experiencing more breakthroughs, and.

Whether it’s a routine around your bedtime, waking up, creating a healthy eating habit, a spiritual discipline, or starting up your workday, they can be so powerful in not only helping you know what to do, but actually causing you to be successful and reducing stress.

Routines are just that powerful. You see, when we have to think about every little move we make, our brains get exhausted and we either tire or choose not to engage with a potentially life-changing habit.

Why getting up early can be easier than you think

You’ll hear many people use the phrase, “Oh, I’m just not a morning person” or those rare birds who actually confess that they are “early birds”. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s really that anyone can become a morning person.

Why is the morning so important though?

Starts your day right
Gets you into a healthy mindset
You have to get to bed early (resets your circadian rhythm)
Allows you to get a full night of sleep (helps your body heal and even lose weight)
Sets you up for success when you can accomplish a powerful morning, you actually feel more powerful for the rest of your day.

Simple steps for transforming your morning,
and thus transforming your day …

First and always, know your intentions:

- - Create an intention for yourself.
  - What do you want from your life?
  - Do you want to remain sluggish and not feeling well?
  - Do you want to have energy for your dreams, friends, and family?

Set up a nighttime routine:

- - Write out your morning routine
  - Before going to bed, review the first 2 things you’ll need to do upon waking
  - Lay out anything you’ll need for the morning the night before.

Ideas for your morning routine:

(What are some of the first things you need to do?)

Start at night:

- Lay out a change of clothes (whether work clothes, workout clothes, or just simply house clothes).
- Lay out anything else you might use in the morning that you’d have to search for.
- Create a mini wind-down routine (more on that in the PDF download if you’re interested)

In the morning:

- Get up and use the restroom
- Brush your teeth and wash your face
- Drink a large glass of water (bonus with lemon in it)^ These 3 alone should get your body up and moving and feel much more awake
- Get out of your sleep clothes and into either workout clothes, or house clothes
- Move your body (you don’t have to do a full workout routine yet, but at least do a small movement routine, like a walk, stretch, or some jumping jacks)

Follow the same basic routine daily.
If you practice the same basic steps every day, you’ll be able to automate many of your early morning tasks to make them easier.

Take advantage of your extra time.
Don’t wake up earlier than usual just so you can lounge around and read Facebook updates. Avoid wasting the extra time that you’ve created in your schedule.

Remember, the goal is progress not perfection!

Meet yourself where you are and most importantly, have fun 🙂

Start small and build upon it. Find what you can do successfully first.

Not sure where to start? Download my Morning & Evening Routines for Increased Health workbook with printable checklists included.

Download below:

References

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Kirsten Larsen

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Kirsten Larsen is a wholeness coach, helping people experience freedom and breakthrough in body, soul, and spirit.