Updated: My Morning Routine
Happy Wednesday! Today, I hope at least, to make an official return to blog post writing! I've mentioned this in blog posts and emails to you that I have SO missed writing to you on a weekly basis. But my hope with entrepreneurship is to last forever, not burn myself out in the first three years. And the reality is as our client load has increased and we spent most of 2017 trying to figure out how to run a business, start a podcast and launch our first online product...it left little time for writing. And since I don't want to burn myself out, I decided it was OKAY that I couldn't do it all. And I would get back to it when I could.
So here I am!
I cannot express how incredibly grateful I am for those of you who continue to support my blog even though I have been MIA for quite awhile. It seriously means the world to me. I am BURSTING with ideas for blog posts, and truly hope I can continue writing to you 1-2 times a week (my goal is on Wednesday and Friday).
Today's blog post is one I've been wanting to share with you for quite awhile.
The very first blog post I wrote about my morning routine was written almost a year ago...but a lot has changed since then! When I wrote that post I was still working out almost every morning, waking up VERY early, working two jobs and trying to cram as much as I could into every morning before I went to work for the day.
Now, I work for myself, have changed the way I exercise and live life a whole lot slower (and much happier too). Don't get me wrong I was a happy person a year ago, but when I go back and read that post I can even see how I was only pseudo-living-slower. I could tell I felt better with my routines, but still felt compelled to crush the to-do list and workout everyday and do.all.the.things.
Before I share what my morning routine looks like now, I just want to echo what I've expressed about routines on the podcast, on the blog and social media, and even in our e-book. Work with the time you've got. It's not realistic for each and every person to spend 2+ hours everyday on their routines. I totally respect that. Work with the time you have, and what is realistic for you. But I promise, even ten minutes in the morning to yourself is a wonderful way to start the morning and help you feel more grounded, present and less stressed out throughout the course of the day.
My current morning routine:
Wake up of course! Nick goes to work early in the mornings and continues to go to the gym a few days in the morning before work, so its just worked for us to still stick with our usual bedtime around 9-9:30pm and wake up between 5-5:30am. Even though I work for myself, I enjoy keeping our schedules the same, and I truly enjoy waking up early. I will say though, for at least the first 3-4 months of self employment (which officially started in July) I slept 9-10 hours a night and did NOT wake up at 5am for awhile. After years of hustling so I could quit my job and work for myself, I was TIRED. After a few months of consistently sleeping more (and as a result not having much time or desire to exercise, so a break from that as well), I felt like myself again and naturally started waking up around 5am again.
As soon as I wake up, I still check my temperature daily as part of my Fertility Awareness Method (if you want to learn more about this natural version of birth control, listen to episode 13 on Nourishing Women Podcast). I also immediately start heating up water in a teapot, and after I check my temperature I scrape my tongue as well.
While I wait for my water to boil to make my warm lemon water and coffee, I put together my morning space (journals, books, crystals, palo santo, etc), make up the bed, clean up a little bit. Who else is with me that they can relax 100x better when the house is pretty and clean :) #cleanfreak
I cuddle up with a big blanket, drink warm lemon water while I wait for my french press coffee. Not only do I prefer the taste better, but I like that it makes me pause and focus on water first and foremost. Once the coffee is ready, I add maca, collagen and lots of heavy cream and sit down to read while sipping it. These days I alternate between using Four Sigmatic coffee and regular coffee (which is always organic and fair trade when at home). I also typically write out my to do list during this time and any manifesting/journaling I want to write out too. Lately I have been reading a lot of self awareness books in the morning, like Brene Brown's work, Inward by Yung Pueblo and the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Sometimes I do this for twenty minutes, other times I sit for quite awhile (an hour or more).
Movement...is a lot different now. And I will be writing a blog post on this VERY soon. As far as morning exercise goes (which I do still prefer most of the time), 2-3 times a week I go to yoga class at 6:30am at my yoga studio. Sometimes I practice at home in the mornings, often times just for 10 minutes or so just to get my body moving. And I always go on a walk with my dog in the morning too (because if we don't he has wayyyyyy too much energy!)
Shower and set up to meditate. Before meditating I set myself to be more present by burning sage and palo santo, hang out with a crystal or two and listen to music. When I am ready I meditate. I was only doing anywhere from 3-10 minutes daily but since Kathryn was on our podcast just this past week, I've really been inspired to try to sit for the whole 20 minutes...I'll let you know my thoughts on this as I continue to make it more of a habit!
Eat breakfast, set up for work (as I work from home 90% of the time), dry brush/get ready for the day/put on real clothes hopefully.
And that's it! It can last anywhere from 1-3 hours....and as I mentioned is more time than what most will do! I find my morning rituals VERY important for me, but I also think a lot of this has to do with having a job where I'm giving to others all day, so I really have to set myself up to be ready for that.
Tell me: What's your favorite part of your morning routine?
