Setting the Tone for Our Day
Alarm clock rings, we snooze, we snooze again, maybe once more, we check messages/emails, tap into social media feeds, turn on fear-inducing news, by then we are rushing out of the door into traffic and an 8-hour work day. Ever wonder why you have a sense of being on edge the rest of the day?
Studies have shown that the first hour of our morning has a significant impact on our overall mood and sets the tone for the rest of the day. Many of us move through this hour on auto-pilot, plugged into technology, or overly influenced by external forces. As a result, our nervous system is spiked and we go through the day in an over reactive and/or defeated state.
We're here to share ways in which you could set the tone for your day by targeting 3 of the main pillars of wellness: mind, body, and spirit.
Body:
We lose a significant amount of water overnight, a great way to jump start the body is by hydrating with 8-12 oz of water while we get our coffee or tea ready. Adding Himalayan or Celtic salt with a squeeze of lemon could aid in adding essential electrolytes and minerals giving the body a boost of energy.
We all have our unique ways of sleeping and many times our bodies are placed in unfavorable positions for hours at a time. Giving ourselves a few minutes each morning to stretch the body back into alignment will help alleviate any tension within the body.
Movement is essential for overall wellness and many of us have difficulties finding time to incorporate it into our schedules. Assigning this component to the morning allows us to take this on first thing, activates the body and mind connection, boosts energy, and gives us a sense that we can now take on the day. This could range from walking, exercise, or dancing to your favorite music.
Mind:
Give yourself a moment of silence in the mornings. Whether it be through formal meditation, while drinking your tea/coffee, or preparing yourself for the day. The lack of external stimuli will allow the mind to ease into this new day and yield focus on the present moment.
Journaling is a powerful tool for anyone seeking to understand their mental state and the morning is an ideal time to exercise this. This could involve reflections on last night's dreams, what we would like to accomplish today, or expressing what we are grateful for.
The same way we activate the body in the mornings, the mind also requires some stimuli. Some ways to stimulate the mind without the use of technology: reading a book, puzzles,
Spirit:
We find ourselves either with a purpose or on the journey of seeking one. For those with a purpose, the mornings are a perfect time to reflect on what that purpose means to you and how you will navigate today in alignment with that purpose. For those seeking a purpose, this time of the day is one in which you could reflect on what you have learned so far during this journey and take a moment to affirm that today will be another day of getting closer to that purpose, possibly jotting down questions you hope could be answered today or the next.
A gratitude practice has an immense impact on our emotional wellbeing and brings with it high levels of contentment. Starting the day by looking around us and taking a moment to think, speak, or write down what we are grateful for will allow us to go throughout the day with much greater appreciation for the life we live and reduce the sense of lacking something.
Visualizing Meditation: taking a moment to sit, close your eyes, and see yourself having already accomplished the goals you set for yourself, imagine the sensations and emotions felt in that moment. This exercise will increase your confidence, decrease any anxiety, and raise your motivation.
Each new day gives us the opportunity to set a different tone, giving ourselves the time is the first major step. We can simply begin by focusing on one of the pillars mentioned above and gradually incorporate the others. Our morning routines can be built in a variety of ways each day, which gives us room to experiment and find what works best for us.
Author: Beto Vega