The fact of the matter is that we can't all be morning people. Some go through phases, some have been disciplined since childhood, and some will never like mornings. However, there is something to like about mornings. Maybe it's the newness, the breath of fresh air into a new day. Typically people struggle with the actual act of waking up, not the idea of enjoying the morning. Here are four ideas of how to change your attitude on mornings- aka- how to stop hating them!
Change your nightly routine
The first way to change your relationship with mornings, is to change your relationship with nights. Even if you are more productive late in the evenings, you should at least try to shut everything down (mentally and physically) around 7:00 pm. Let dinner time be the threshold. Once that's done, begin your wind down and don't look back. Don't open your computer to just look at things. Start to view your nights as an extension of your next morning. Meaning, the morning just gets harder and harder the later you stay up. Change your nights, change your mornings. It's as simple as that.
Start a desirable morning ritual
The averaging working adult wakes up in the morning with just enough time to make coffee, take care of kids, and get dressed to get to work on time. Usually there isn't any free time built into mornings. It's highly recommended to set 5-15 aside every morning, just for yourself. Perhaps that means you enjoying your coffee alone. Perhaps it's you making breakfast for yourself that the rest of your household might not choose. Moral of the story, it's easier to get out of bed when there is something desirable to get up to.
Do something you've never done before
When given the opportunity, most people enjoy a morning workout class, neighborhood walk, or even breakfast date. It's the act of scheduling and sticking to it, that most struggle with. Start adding small events to your morning routine. Try a new type of workout class. Meet a new friend for breakfast. Walk your dog around the block with your coffee in hand. It's such a great feeling to accomplish something great before you've even fully started your day. A workout for example, is so satisfying because the endorphins that your body generates will add energy and stimulation to your day- no caffeine needed! Adding something fresh and exciting to your mornings can breathe total new life into your routine.
GrateFULL
It's no secret that one of the biggest factors in achieving true joy is the stance you have in gratitude. The more grateful you are, the more things you seem to appreciate. Use 90 seconds of your morning to list 3 things you're grateful for. You could do this in the car. You could do this while doing any of the other suggested rituals. You could even introduce your entire family to this exercise and share the lists during breakfast or in the morning car-line. There are endless ways to fit this simple practice, and the reward is tenfold. Beginning your day with a clear mind and a posture of gratitude is a great way to have a great day.
The great about this list is that it's not the end all be all. Meaning, there are endless more ways to redirect your feelings of mornings. Also, this list is not mutually exclusive. You could practice all four, you could introduce one at a time, you could do only two and immediately feel better, and so on and so forth.
For all of you morning lovers, what are some of your favorite rituals? Did any of these happen to already be in your routine? Let's all make a pledge to start giving mornings a second chance. Who knows, maybe you'll change for good!