HEALTHY LIFESTYLE · AUGUST 2018
04
02
MEDITATE
Meditation is so powerful. It’s
also very biblical. It depends
on what you’re thinking about and
how you’re going about it, but for me,
meditation looks like reciting something
(sometimes out loud, sometimes in my
head), a word or a phrase, possibly a
scripture, with my eyes closed. Closing
my eyes allows me to stay present and
not get distracted from the meditation.
If I feel that a word is really speaking
to me, I’ll focus on that and just keep
taking deep breaths while I continue
reciting the word over and over again.
I’m focusing on intentionality. I choose to
focus on that word and then I invite the
Lord to join me in my morning routine
and to be present with me throughout
the day.
Occasionally a distracting thought will
come. I acknowledge that it’s there and
then purposely let it go. I stop worrying
about it and go back to repeating my
word or phrase.
Doing this for 10 to 15 minutes has been
proven to reduce cortisol levels, so I
encourage you to meditate, even if all
you can spare is five minutes. Set a timer
(one without a jarring alarm) and then
close your eyes and begin.
03
PRAY
After I’ve finished my
coffee, I will go into
prayer. I give God the day and I talk
to Him about what’s on my heart.
If anything came up while I was
meditating, I give it to God and talk
it out with him and pray through
it. Whatever the day may bring, I’ll
pray about it.
MORNING PAGES
Morning pages is a type of journaling in which you write at least three pages a
day. The first page is all about your thoughts. Basically, you want to do “stream
of consciousness” writing, which may be what’s going on in your life, what’s bothering you, or
anything that is going on in your head. It doesn’t matter, just let it out. If you struggle to begin,
I encourage you to just start writing. Usually, if I’m unable to think of what to write, I’ll just open
my journal and write “I’m sitting on the couch. The fire’s going. It’s really quiet.” And then the
next sentence just begins to flow out. Try it!
The second page is all about what’s going on that day. Use this page to determine your plan for
the day, collect your thoughts, and mentally get ready for the day ahead.
The third page is all about gratitude. When you’re writing this page, don’t be vague or obvious—
get specific. Instead of just writing that you are grateful for your husband, you could write
something like "I’m grateful for the color of my husband’s eyes, or my husband’s mild temper."
Those are just examples, but my point is to just get specific.
05
READ THE BIBLE AND
READ PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
I start with my Bible and focus on that for 10
minutes or so. I might read my devotional, or
wrap myself up with quiet self-growth time
with the Lord.
Once I’ve finished that, I wrap up my
morning ritual by reading whatever personal
development book I’m currently involved
in. (Right now, it’s The Big Leap by Gay
Hendricks.) It's that simple.
My entire ritual usually takes about an hour,
and I realize that may be a lot of time for
some, but you don’t need to dedicate an
hour if you don’t have it. Dedicate what time
you have and feel strong with the decision
to begin making your mornings more
purposeful.
For me, this routine has become non-
negotiable. I don’t throw it aside. It doesn’t
matter how busy the day is shaping up to be.
I can always get up earlier to make it happen.
The reason it is such a priority is because it
has deeply affected my mindset throughout
the day. I start in a different place and I feel
better, lighter, and more confident. This time
also allows me, as a Christian, to invite the
Holy Spirit to speak with me, and at the end I
invite Him to be with me throughout the day.
Doing this is so, so powerful.
25 HEALTHY MAGAZINE
Not only that, but it makes me a more
patient person and improves my attitude.
If I’m 100% honest with you, my biggest
weakness is that I can be very impatient
and can struggle with anger. But, when I
follow through with my morning ritual,
I find that I don’t struggle with these
emotions very often.
Finally, it provides me with
a sense of gratitude in the
midst of any difficulties I may
be experiencing. It allows
me to step back and look at
the situation and ask myself,
"What is good about this?" and
bring my focus there.
I hope that you find this encouraging and
that you go and make your own morning
ritual that serves you and makes you feel
better and more together, confident, and
peaceful throughout your day.
What follow-up questions do you have?
Please share them in the comments!
Also, you can hop over and follow me
on Instagram to see how I practice
intentional living in real life.
By Allie Casazza