Good Morning Sunshine

A GUIDE TO BLISSFUL MORNINGS

Written by Maddie Gamble, Lifestyle Staff Writer Graphic by Shea Murphy, Contributing Graphic Artist

Ihave never been an early riser and frankly, I don’t think I ever will be. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not a morning person—I actually love mornings. Waking up to a new day has grown into one of my favorite things, but first I had to let go of the idea that a good morning needs to start at a certain time.

It has taken me a while to realize my morning routine doesn’t have to emphasize productivity. I don’t need to get up early, work out or journal for it to be beneficial. I simply need to do whatever makes me love getting ready for another day.

Society has fostered the misconception that your morning routine has to look a certain way in order to be successful—a concept that is entirely false. Scrolling through TikTok, I frequently come across videos containing aesthetically pleasing series of clips of an individuals’ morning. They look so well put together and perfectly radiate “that girl” energy. However, the reality is that outside of the camera, mornings rarely ever look like that. Social media is a constant highlight reel and we have to keep this in mind when we start comparing ourselves to others.

The most important thing to remember when creating your morning routine is to center your morning around personal happiness and positive energy. A negative mindset first thing in the morning will instantly generate a bad mood—a mood that may carry through your whole day.

I often find myself waking up and instantly wanting to press the snooze button to go back to sleep. This simple act puts me in a bad mood and is something I have intentionally removed from my morning routine. Instead, when I wake up, I instantly think to myself or even sometimes say out loud “I love today.” It can feel silly, but acknowledging how grateful I am to wake up for another day takes the dreadfulness out of my mornings—it has made me genuinely excited to get up. Not all mornings need to look the same. I wish all of my mornings could consist of me sleeping in until noon, eating breakfast in bed while binge-watching Netflix, and drinking endless amounts of coffee—but the reality is that they can’t. I used to think every morning had to look the same. If I missed a step one morning, the entire routine felt pointless. It took me years of struggle to realize that’s not the truth. Morning routines exist to provide an order that brings us happiness—not stress. Landing on a routine that’s effective with on pressure is a hard balance to achieve. I found it helpful to identify a few steps to do every morning, regardless of when I wake up. For me, those steps are making a cup of coffee, journaling or writing in my planner and drinking a glass of water. Picking a few steps to commit to doing every day makes sticking to a morning routine a lot less overwhelming.

A good morning routine is one that makes you feel ready to start your day, and it shouldn’t be influenced by anyone but you.

When it comes to your mornings, there should be no place for comparison. There is no value in striving to perfect a routine that doesn’t align with your needs. What works for others isn’t necessarily going to work for you. If you don’t love getting up early, don’t get up early. If you hate working out in the morning, work out in the afternoon. The beautiful thing about mornings is that there’s no rule book. You get to craft a time for your personal growth and well-being without any expectations from others.

Creating your morning routine shouldn’t be stressful. A good morning routine is one that makes you feel ready to start your day, and it shouldn’t be influenced by anyone but you. You should do whatever makes you feel energized and confident to face the world. The goal isn’t perfection and productivity—it’s peace. ■