mediation you can think of, including “chocolate” meditation, check out davidji’s book, “Secrets of Meditation).
After meditation, I do a short yoga practice. About 12 years ago I started doing a 20 to 30 minute yoga practice every morning at 5:30 a.m. before I went to work. When an accident in 2014 fractured my hip, I discovered chair yoga. Now, in 15 minutes, I can do a thorough practice which includes a few, non-invasive standing poses as well, and I get just as much of the benefit without the fear of injury.
When I’m finished with my yoga practice, I sip a cup of my favorite coffee or tea and do a little journaling. Now that I am no longer holding down a full-time job outside my home, I can indulge myself for as long as I like, but when I was working an eight hour a day job, I still took a few minutes to write down at least five things I was grateful for. After that, I hopped into the shower feeling fulfilled and excited to begin the day.
My great morning would deteriorate rapidly if I didn’t fortify myself with a good breakfast. I don’t like to eat a heavy breakfast, so I usually rely on a high protein smoothie and some whole grain toast with almond butter. On the weekends I enjoy a bowl of oatmeal with fruit or a tofu scramble with toast and fruit. You wouldn’t put cheap gas in your car if you wanted it to perform at its best. Why wouldn’t you do the same thing for your physical vehicle?
I must be honest here and say that you need to be willing to get up a little bit earlier and devote at least an hour to your morning ritual, but it’s a small price to pay when you consider that you have the power to change the course of your day – not to mention your life - and how you will experience it, for better or for worse.
When I think back to all the years that I jumped out of bed like bread popping out of the toaster and hit the alarm in dread at having to face another day, I shudder at the memory. They say it takes at least three weeks to adopt a new habit. What have you got to lose except three weeks of mornings that start with: “Oh, God, it’s morning!” What do you say?