Win the Day!

If I were to tell you that I squeezed six things into my already busy morning routine and it actually ADDED more goodness to my life, you might think I was crazy... but take a second and hear me out. This really, really works!

As a single mom and business owner, I am always reading up on ways that I can manage to get everything done that needs to be done and still feel like I am moving forward in my life. It can be such a challenge, and I know that ALL parents are busy and overwhelmed, and most of us want to do better and feel better. My research lead me to a movement based on a book called Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.

His story is a lot more interesting than mine, but his message was one that I found hard to believe: that by ADDING things to my schedule and getting up earlier, I would be able to achieve more, relax more, and be more apt to feel accomplished at the end of the day.

So I set out to experiment on my own. The Facebook group I found was full of so many positive people, I was a bit taken aback. How can so many people be THAT excited about the morning? Gross! I lived to roll over and hit snooze. I figured it was time for me to try it out for myself.

The premise of this morning routine reminds me of my mom, actually. I remember her saying when we were kids that all she really ever wanted was some time to herself. By implementing these next five steps, I got exactly that: ME TIME. I found that I actually looked forward to it, and in turn, became more patient, more relaxed, and more focused. That makes for a much more fun and happy mom.

Before you begin, pick a special place just for your routine. Good try, doing it in bed... but we both know you’re just going to fall back to sleep! Make sure it is comfortable, and makes you feel good: a favorite chair, a sunlit corner, etc.

These steps can be done in any order that makes the most sense to you.

Step One: Peace

This can be 15 minutes of prayer, meditation, silence, deep breathing, etc. Just a nice quiet way to bring you calmly into your day. Meditation takes some practice! If you have difficulty calming your mind, try guided meditation from YouTube to get you started. If thoughts enter your mind, just let them pass through as if you were watching them through a window. Set a timer if you need to, so you don’t stress about when the fifteen minutes are up. If fifteen minutes seems too long, try to build up to it gradually.

Step Two: Affirmations

Ok, I am NOT a woo-woo kind of girl, and standing in front the mirror telling myself “I am smart, personable, capable and gosh darn it, people like me” is SO not my style. So instead I made cards that reaffirm my strengths, and I read those to myself every morning. Just some positive self-talk to let my inner critic know that I was onto her, and I wasn’t about to listen to her garbage.

Step Three: Visualization

See the “woo woo” comment above. This felt really strange to me at first, but then I realized that we visualize things that what we want all the time. We sit at work and dream about Starbucks. We can almost taste it. How did we know we wanted it? We visualized it. This is the same way to approach other things you want in your life. Of course, visualizing them is followed by hard work to achieve them, but getting a clear picture of yourself with whatever it is that you want to manifest is the best first step toward knowing and getting what you want from this life.

Step Four: Exercise

Augh! You knew I was going to say it, didn’t you? This was the part I felt the most anxiety about. Get up and exercise? Are you kidding? Where’s that snooze button? If you can get through the first week and stick with it, even 15 minutes on the treadmill or a walk around the block does your body and mind SO good, trust me. I actually found that this helped me the most and was what I most looked forward

to. I would find some great playlists on Spotify, and load up on the positive, blood pumping music to work out to, or I would opt for a walk around the neighborhood. Doing this before you are immersed in the crazy morning shenanigans seems almost otherworldly, almost like they’re two different lives.

Step Five: Reading

There’s a bit of a controversy around self improvement books that specifically target areas of your life that you may be feeling insecure about. Some people feel that by reading up on how to fix it, you can lower your esteem by feeling that you need to be “fixed”, but I feel that we can all use a little self-improvement in one area or another.

Whether it’s related to health, business, personal life, financials, or something else, reading up on ways to improve your life can never be a bad thing. I really enjoyed You are a Badass by Jen Sincero, and Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I also made it through some budgeting books, business books, and some other great ones that improved life in myriad ways.

Step Six: Journaling

Oooh I love a pretty journal, a nice warm cup of coffee, a blanket... ahh. Journaling doesn’t have to be long, involved and full of too many feels if you don’t want it to be. Bullet journals are perfect for go-getters who love to plan out their day, week and life. Gratitude journals can go a long way to help remind us that we have a lot in this life to look forward to. Or mix it up! If you don’t know what to write, begin by doodling and filling the page with whatever you desire. Getting what’s on the inside out and onto paper can really relieve stress and give you a completely different outlook.

I know that mornings are crazy, and the thought of sleeping in is so tempting. But I challenge you to try creating your own magical “me time”, and see if it makes a difference for you too! Happy 2019!

- Yvette Tripp

Please say “I saw it inWillamette Kids and Family.”