MORNING RITUALS

MAKE BREAKFAST A PRIORITY

I am a big fan of breakfast and never leave the house without something nice and nourishing in my belly. As a busy mum (sometimes running on less than ideal sleep), having a really nourishing breakfast to fuel my morning, helps keep me feeling energised and motivated. It also stops my blood sugar from crashing (which usually leads to poor food choices later in the day) which I definitely want to avoid. Many people start their mornings with coffee on an empty stomach (a big Naturopathic no no!), which can put you in an overstimulated and cortisol-driven state of anxiety (not how you want to start your morning). Delaying your coffee until after your breakfast is one good way to counteract the negative effects of coffee, whilst still experiencing the cognition enhancing effects of caffeine. If you still can’t get your head around having breakfast before your caffeine hit, you might find bulletproof coffee is worth trying. Made with grass-fed butter and some other healthy fats like medium-chain-triglycerides (MCT), this type of coffee can give you many of the brain-boosting and energising benefits of caffeine without the edginess and anxiety that some people experience.

MINDFULLNESS AND GRATITUDE

There is definitely something to be said for starting the day with a grateful and mindful heart. The more fast-paced our world becomes (and it continues to move forward at a crazy busy rate), the more important it is to find some quiet and stillness in your day. Capturing these moments of stillness before you even leave the house helps set a calm and clear foundation for your day, which can do wonders for your mood and productivity. The stress and negativity that we all can experience in the big wide world just rolls off you like water off a ducks back when you are in a calm, clear and focused state of mind. Many successful entrepreneurs make morning mindfulness practices a priority in their own lives, and find it a powerful tool for unlocking their insight, intuition and clarity of thinking.

EARLY MORNING EXERCISE

With the weather starting to become cooler (especially in the Southern states – Melbourne I’m looking at you!), it can get harder and harder to get out of bed rather than repeatedly hit your snooze button. I get it, the idea of crawling out of your cosy covers in the cold and dark to exercise may seem crazy, but when you do make that decision you never ever regret it. Many people benefit from early morning exercise routines. It gets the blood pumping, boosts energy and endorphins and helps to get your day off to a great start. If the idea of getting up super early still doesn’t appeal to you and you feel like that extra shut-eye is more important than that gym class, don’t worry! Even getting up ten minutes earlier (we can all do that) to do some easy stretching in the morning will have benefits for your day ahead.

BE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH YOUR GOALS

Another great ritual to add into your morning routine is checking in with your goals and reconnecting with your “why” – that is, what inspires you get up every morning and what you actually want to achieve in your life. For instance, writing a list of what needs to be done the night before, means you will be prepared for the day ahead. I usually write a set of goals and stick it up on my fridge so I can check in as I slowly wake up in the morning and start my day. I might have an inspiring quote or even a beautiful picture greeting me in the morning and it instantly reignites my creativity and motivation, regardless of how I feel when I first wake up. It’s a much better ritual to add to your day (instead of instantly grabbing your phone first thing in the morning, and checking emails and social media which I think is a much worse way to start your day!).

These are just a few of my favourite rituals which can help you begin your morning the way you want your day ahead to go. Make a pact with yourself to no longer press the snooze button a million times in the morning, but bounce out of bed and enjoy making rituals a part of each and every day. Trust me, you won’t regret it.