My Morning Ritual
I have to admit, I was a serious skeptic of what I’m about to tell you, but I recently started a new morning ritual, and before I knew it… I was hooked.
Now, hear me out, I have never been a fan of seeing curated videos of people’s morning routines. To me, it all seemed a little too staged and unrealistic as a mama of 2 under 2. But recently, I’ve been struggling with my mood and occasional irritability (more “occasionally” than I’d like, if we’re being honest) and I knew it was because I wasn’t taking the time for myself that I desperately needed to regroup and destress.
Currently, I have 4 jobs, not including being a wife and a mother. However, all of these jobs allow (or force 😬) me to be home, sitting on my bum while doing them. It’s because of this that I’ve always felt guilty taking time above and beyond my normal work schedule for ME. If I do, I don’t typically tell many people for fear of their judgement. “Why do you need “alone” time? Your days are filled with time that’s just for you.” These are thoughts I would assume others were thinking of me when I’d let my mind get the best of me.
Lately, however, I have started a new ritual to start filling my own cup and it’s been incredibly fulfilling!
MY MORNING RITUAL:
☀️ I get up at 5:45. I’ve always been a morning person so, for me, this is no big deal. Early to rise, early to bed in this house!
☀️ I take 10 minutes to do a quick yoga routine. Moving and stretching my body first thing helps get all the kinks out from laying in bed all night!
☀️ I make my coffee, juuuuust how I like it. Currently it’s a hot cup of Maple Nut coffee from Kathy, Dave & Eric’s Flavored Coffee (you can get some too at the Broome County Regional Farmers Market!) with a splash of almond milk and a little drop of maple syrup! I don’t like overly sweet but, if I’m being honest, a teensy bit of sweet definitely tastes of so yummy!
☀️ I write in my 5 minute gratitude journal. I got this journal from Amazon and it’s a wonderful tool for offering some perspective into your day.
☀️ I journal while digging into my Bible. Doing so helps me bring some real OOMPH to my journal entires. We’re coming into a season of BIG {happy} changes for our family and I’m really leaning into the Lord to help us navigate this transition! Regardless of the changes being happy, change can always bring anxiety or fear, so I’m spending a lot of time asking God to help me focus my anxieties and fears on him. I know that fear isn’t from Him. I also know that it is through discomfort and change that some of our greatest and most rewarding growth happens.
By the time this is all done, typically my babies are awake and waiting for me to scoop them from their beds and get them dressed and ready for the day. And, believe it or not, after this little routine in my morning, I’m happy to do so. It’s seems easier to shift my mindset from, “ugh, they’re up. Here we go…” to “yay! They’re up! Here we go!” (I hope you can hear my tone different in those two phrases, one is rather less than excited and the other is overjoyed). My brain stops saying, “I HAVE to go get them” and switches it to “I GET to go get them.” I don’t hear myself thinking, “why isn’t Pj getting the babies out of bed? Doesn’t he know I’m trying to have some “me” time?!” Instead I think, “I’m going to get the babies out of their beds and let Pj rest a little longer.” It offers me the space to serve my family without feeling overwhelmed, over-touched or irritable. Pj has even made specific mentions of me being a happier mama.
The benefits I feel from this morning practice are equivalent to what I feel when I get a chance to step out of the house in the middle of the day and go for a walk, breathing in the fresh air and breathing out any pent up stress or frustration.
Nothing else honestly changes. I’m still in the same situation with the same expectations waiting for me to meet them. It’s my perspective and thinking that changes and, in doing so, makes the day better for everyone, including myself!
Now, I feel I would be remiss to not mention that this practice does not happen every.single.day. There are nights that I’m up with babies multiple times and, when 5:45 comes around, my body wants to sleep instead of waking up, and I firmly believe in listening to that. This is all about finding what works for you and your family and maintaining flexibility in your day-to-day rhythms is very important. Being someone who thrives on a plan and a schedule, this was also a hard thing for me to learn. I have to let go of the idea that, if I don’t check this off my box each day, I’ve somehow failed. Showing my children the benefit of staying flexible and navigating ever changing priorities is also incredibly valuable.
Either way of starting my day is far better than rolling over and grabbing my phone, which, I’m ashamed to admit, is how I used to do it. I suppose that my ritual truly is to wake up and assess myself before grabbing my phone and filling my mind with fast paced garble that doesn’t serve me.
How do you like to start your day? Do you have a ritual you follow or do you grab for your phone for a slow wake-up? NO judgement, no matter what! I most certainly still have mornings that begin that way.