10 things Happier Women do before 11 am
All right, so sometimes I feel like a broken record when I talk about this, but you guys!!! This is SO SO important. These routines will make our break your day. This cannot be said enough, and I will keep it going over and over because this is EVERYTHING!!!! Ok, here is goes:
Time block your day the night before. I’ve been getting the question lately of how do you get everything done in your day. This is key! I don’t have a whole lot of time, but using my time wisely and having a set plan of what I need to get done when will keep me focused. Time blocking also gets my brain going on what I am going to accomplish, especially if it’s a newsletter or blog post I am going to write. Just the simple thought or act of writing down that I need to get it done will get my creative juices flowing so when I actually sit down to do it, I am ready.
Drink at least 8 oz of water upon waking (add lemon for a bonus). This will get your body started off on the right foot and feeling good! Drinking water first thing in the morning replenishes your body with what it needs and aids in digestion. The lemon will help support your liver and aid even more in getting your digestion track started.
Pray. Prayer does not have to be done a certain way or said in a particular form. Pray. Pray to a higher power, whatever your belief is. I have a simple prayer that I say when I first open my eyes, “dear Lord, thank you for this day, I invite you in.” It keeps me grounded and reminds me that there is a higher power so much bigger than me and when I have trust in faith in God, all of my worries can be washed away, because He knows what is best for my path in this life. You find what works for you, but connect to your higher power. It can simple and sweet but it can also be a bigger conversation. I do both in the morning but that prayer is what i always say as soon as I wake up.
Meditate. This also does not need to be done in a particular way. I say, if you can keep your mind still for even 5 minutes, you are doing it. You can even do a walking meditation. The point is be still, disconnect, and listen. We make this one so much more complicated than it needs to be. Stop, turn off the noise, and be still.
Move your body. I used to be so rigid about this and thought it needed to be done in a certain fashion, but just move your body for 20-30 minutes. All you need to do is something to get your body flowing—HIIT, running, yoga, stretching, walking, dance class, etc. It doesn’t matter, just MOVE!
Journal. This, my friend, is free therapy!! This has saved me so much in my life. I set the timer for 10 minutes and just free write. I write everything and anything that comes to my mind. I’m not kidding—sometimes I sound like a child writing and sometimes I write beautiful quotes—it doesn’t matter, just keep writing. It is so freeing and releasing. And plus, who doesn’t love an excuse to by a fancy new journal!?!?!?!?!
Nourish your body with a whole foods Your first meal of the day, whatever time it is, needs to be something nourishing. I have been following the 16/8 plan for about 6 months now, so my first meal is usually around 10. (disclaimer I’m not strict about this plan, there are some days I do not follow and eat earlier if I’m hungry—if you want to know more about it I will certainly write a blog post about it!) Start your body off on the right foot! Sometimes I just have a piece of fruit to begin, sometimes I have a smoothie, or sometimes it’s a full blown meal—it all depends on what my body needs and where I am going to be.
Get dressed. This is true especially for the stay at home mamas, or work from home mamas. There is something about getting dressed and feeling more motivated. I was a psychology major in college and in a class I took the professor talked about dressing up for tests and how when we do, we perform better on the tests. It makes sense, dress for success, right?
Get inspired by reading a page or two from an inspiring book. I am a book junkie. Having books around that have little snippets to read daily can keep us focused on a new way of thinking or a new way of handling something in our life. I love having this book laying around, and I will turn to whatever page my hand grabs, and I know that the message I landed on is exactly what I needed in that moment. I also love this book, and this one too.
Limit social media for at least the first hour of your day. If you take one thing away from this post, this should be number one. This can make or break your happiness, believe me, I know first hand. I personally put my phone on airplane mode before I go to bed so I’m not tempted when I wake up. This will keep you closer to your own thoughts, your own feelings, and your own desires. Believe me, you will still feel connected to your friends, family, and work even if you do this, in fact, you will be able to connect easier to them by making this happen.
In a perfect world, this would all happen everyday, but as you know, I am far from perfect. If this seems overwhelming, pick a few to start! Tune into your body and see what your mind and body are craving.
What do you do to become a Happier Woman? Want some help getting going?? Let’s chat to see how I can help!!!
Sending so much LOVE,
