I wasn’t always an early riser. My family is known for being night owls. I could go over to my great-aunt’s house at midnight and she would be up watching TV and making banana pancakes. I spent a good majority of my life burning the midnight oil, but recently I decided to turn over a new leaf. I would try the “early to bed, early to rise” approach. I have to say, I am loving my daily 5 AM date with myself (that does require a 9 PM lights out for me) as I nurture my soul and calmly prepare for the day.
According to a 2009 University of Leipzig study, researchers found that “morning people were more proactive than evening types.”But there is much more to waking up early than just opening your eyelids. Having a series of success habits in place that are done the first 30-60 minutes of the day will greatly impact the clarity and peace you feel throughout the day and help you prioritize what is truly important. I call these early morning success habits, “My Power Up.”
Here are 7 morning rituals to help you power up your day:
Prepare the night before
Commit to going to bed early. I know the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon may be a part of your nightly routine, but nip that temptation and watch the clips on YouTube later. What you will gain in entertainment you will lose in quality sleep that is optimized when you are sleeping during the hours of 10 PM to 6 AM.
Make a Game Plan
Take 5 minutes before you go to bed and write out a short list of “to do’s.” I keep my list to a maximum of 5 tasks to complete on any given day. You can start with a massive brain dump of all the things you feel you need to accomplish, but quickly go through that list and choose the top 5 things that will have the greatest impact on your life for that day.
Upon Arising, Get Moving
Move the body inside and out. Drink a large glass of water. This will signal to the digestive tract that it is time to cleanse and get ready for the new nourishment of the day.If you can, get out of the house and get some exercise. Not only is this wonderful for your cardiovascular health and physical form, but moving your body can send a powerful message to your mind and soul that you are ready to move towards your goals.
Create and Review a Vision Board
When you deliberately create a vision board (don’t go overboard with your images. Just put a few things or experiences that you want to have right now), you are bringing your highest priorities to the forefront of your mind. As you study your vision board in the morning, set an intention of figuring out how to bring those images to fruition. Powerful images activate the creativity of the right side of the brain and through playful concentration, you can harness that creativity to “make things happen.”
Nurture the Mind and Soul
Resist the temptation to check Facebook, texts, or your email. Your sacred morning hours are not the time. Instead, choose to connect to your inner-self on a deeper level. Just like the physically body needs food, the soul needs nourishment. This is a good time to turn to ancient, sacred text like the scriptures, spend time in meditation or curl up and read a divine self-development book (make sure it is yummy and elevates your energy). Bringing more depth to your day and connecting to your higher power will infuse your day with richness and abundance on a soul level.
Get Ready for Success
I work from home and although it is tempting to year yoga pants and a sweatshirt while I work, I am by far more productive and happier when I am showered, have fixed my hair, have some make up on, and feel great in a cute blouse, great jeans, and dashing earrings. When you get ready with your best foot forward, you are charging your day with victory energy. Your conversations and your interactions will be different and your messaging will powerfully suggest, “I am here and ready to conquer!”
Review Your List from the Night Before
Quickly review your highest priority “to-do” list from the night before and “get ‘er done.” Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog, suggests that you commit to completing the highest priority items as soon and as quickly as you can. I concur with that advise. It may be a new discipline for some, but it will fill your day with accomplishment energy when you bring your best effort to completing first things first.You got this! You deserve your own quiet sanctuary to create an extraordinary day.
All the best early bird!
