If you're like how I used to be and you love your sleep, you wake up at the last possible second, rush into the shower, grab a quick coffee and run out the door. Then you spend the rest of your day how you spent your morning, rushed and agitated.
The key to becoming a morning person is to create a fun, healthy morning ritual that allows you to look forward to your mornings, take some time just for you, and to be grateful for the beauty around you. To do this you have to wake up a little earlier, but the payoff is worth it, I promise.
Step 1 - Change your timescale
Turn off the TV a little earlier and go to bed an hour earlier than normal. Listening to some meditation music you find on YouTube can ease you into sleep. Set your alarm for 60-90 minutes earlier in the morning. You want to have at least one full hour of time just for you. DON'T SNOOZE! Bite the bullet and pop out of bed, this will get so much easier once you get into the habit for a few days.
Step 2 - Get Juicy
Ditch your morning cup of coffee (yikes I know!). Coffee dehydrates you. It picks you up in the short term only to send you crashing down soon after. A green juice in the morning will really get you going. You can buy great quality juicers now for less than $100. Having juice for breakfast is like a mini fast. Juice is easy to digest and your body can use the energy it would use on digestion for other things, like cleansing your intestines, plus the extra hydration will keep your skin looking young!
Here is my all time favorite juice recipe, I call it Dragon’s Blood - if you make it you'll see why:
Juice in a juicer or strong blender:
- 1 bunch of kale
- handful of spinach
- 1/4 pineapple
- 1 lime
- a lump of fresh ginger
- 1/2 beet, uncooked
Blend with:
- ice
- 1/2 mango
- 1 teaspoon powdered spirulina (Whole Foods)
Step 3 - Get Out and Get Grateful
Yoga and meditation can help us realize that when we stop, slow down and put away our phones, we open our eyes to the beautiful world around us. Gratitude is also self-fulfilling. When you recognize and are grateful for the good things in your life, you realize just how many things there are to be grateful for. Trivial annoyances will fall away and it becomes easier to deal with obstacles because you can see that something wonderful is around the corner.
The best way I have found to be happy, healthy and grateful, is to get outside! After my morning juice, I take my dog Max for a walk on the beach. I always stop and do a few yoga sun salutations or, if I'm tired, I just sit and meditate for a few minutes. Meditation is easy, and you can receive the benefits by meditating for just a few minutes a day. The stress relief you feel will do wonders for your body and mind. Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, close your eyes, take deep breaths through your nose and try to quiet your mind. Don't attach to thoughts, and when your mind wanders, just think about your breath. Try visualizing someone, something or a place that makes you really happy. When you feel relaxed, open your eyes, take a look around and notice the beauty around you, smile. You don’t need to live on the beach. Big cities have the sunrise, fluffy clouds, birds and even the skyline. For more advice on meditation, I recommend any book by Deepak Chopra.
When you create a healthy morning ritual that makes you happy, you will feel the benefits throughout the day. Start each day with a smile, see and feel beauty around you and take time to be grateful for the people you love. Gratitude is the secret not only to becoming a morning person, but also to living a less stressful and happier life. Namaste!