We all have good days and bad days. That is just a part of life. Or is it?
Building self-awareness means that you can take control of your emotions so that the bad days become less severe and the okay days become better.
There are some events that you cannot control in life.
Fortunately, you can learn to manage your response to those events by learning self-awareness. Become the master of your emotions rather than allowing your emotions to control you.
We have put these morning routine tips together to help you do just that.
Write Down Your Dreams from the Night Before
If you’re like most people, keeping a dream journal is likely something you’ve never considered. With that said, though, there is a lot of benefits to be gained by jotting down a summary of your dreams each morning when you first wake up.
For most unpracticed dreamers, the dreams of the night before are quickly forgotten – usually within only minutes of waking. If you write down a summary of your goal when you first wake up each morning, though, you will be able to remember it throughout the day
.Dreams offer a lot of value that isn’t often considered, from serving as sources of entertainment to potential sources of inspiration too, according to some, a direct window into the subconscious mind that can teach the conscious mind important lessons.
Any way you look at it, though, remembering your dreams is going to be better than soon forgetting them when you wake up each morning. Best of all, keeping a dream journal has been shown to help people have more vivid and memorable dreams.
After a period of time writing down your dreams each morning, you may get to the point that you can remember your dreams in their entirety without having to keep a dream journal.
Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Yes, yes, yes. We know!
All those responsibilities don’t allow for early nights etc. Yes, they do.
Conscious decisions about how much you sleep and whether you get
You make this possible so don’t blame a lack of sleep on someone else.
The Miracle Morning
by Hal Elrod
⏱ 10 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Avoid Hitting the Snooze Button
Hitting the snooze button on the morning alarm over and over again until there is no time left to spare is an unfortunate morning habit that many people have adopted.
While the temptation to hit the snooze button and sleep for just a few more minutes is certainly understandable, it comes with a few considerable drawbacks.
For one, “snoozing” the morning away, so to speak, means that you aren’t going to have time for any other items on your morning checklist before it’s time to go into work; and waiting until the last possible minute to roll out of bed and rush into work is not the recipe for an enjoyable and productive day.
Worst still, hitting the snooze button multiple times before you finally get out of bed will only leave you sleepier and groggier than you would have been if you hade woken up the first time your alarm went off. Being woken every ten minutes is certainly not the design of our bodies’ sleep cycle, and in more ways than one, it does more harm than good.
Don’t Check Your Phone Right Away
For many of us, checking our phone is one of the very first things we do in the morning. The problem with this particular morning routine, though, is that checking your phone tends to pull your mind into the world of work before you’ve had the chance to indulge in other non-work-related morning routines.
If you wake up early enough that you don’t have to get ready for work right away – and you should if you want to make the most of the day’s most important hours – wait to check your phone until you have already completed the other items on your morning routine.
Your phone is a connection to work and the outside world, and the early morning hours, when used appropriately, are a time for you to focus on you. Whatever email is sitting in your inbox can wait an hour or two until you are ready to begin focusing your mind on work and the world beyond your home.
Eat a Frog
No, while frog legs can be delicious, we don’t mean literally – instead, what we mean we say that you should eat a frog each morning is that you should tackle the most difficult thing on your to-do list that day first and foremost.
It’s a saying that was popularized by motivational speaker and author Brian Tracy in his book “Eat the Frog” and a saying that Tracy took a from a Mark Twain quote that says, “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.”
In this case, though, the “frog” in question is the task on your to-do list that you are dreading the most. If you can start the day by finishing your most challenging task right out of the gate, you are then able to go through the rest of your day with confidence and contentment, knowing that the worst this day has to offer is now behind you.
In the end, dreading a difficult task is often worse than doing the task itself. Rather than wasting emotional energy on dread and worry, begin each morning by eliminating the source of that dread and worry right from the start. In other words, begin each morning by eating a frog, and it can only go up from there!
Related: Simple, Yet Effective Daily Habits To Improve Your Life
Win the Day by Boosting Your Morning Motivation
Whether you are an early bird or a late morning sleeper as a result of your biorhythms, what you think and do when you open your eyes in the morning typically sets the tone for the day.
Becoming aware of your thoughts is key to the tone you set for yourself when you wake up. Will this be an awesome day, mediocre at best or just plain miserable with you stomping on fires at every turn?
Be positive when you wake up and don’t kid yourself that just because the right words come out of your mouth that you are playing your part. That’s a cop-out.
Even when you’re not in the mood, as they say in the classics – ‘fake it ‘til you make it’! Your thoughts determine your emotions, so encourage that on a daily basis until it becomes routine.
Start Your Day With a Simple Gratitude Meditation
Gratitude is essential when developing a well-rounded, balanced lifestyle.
You focus on work, play and family but few people attend to their spiritual needs whatever these may be. Hall out your bible, meditate or pray – whatever works for you but spend at least 10 minutes in the morning in a state of gratitude for all the privileges you enjoy in life.
There is nothing quite like ingratitude to attract a lot of ‘nasties’ into your life. It sounds like a cliché, but an attitude of gratitude is the key to becoming a better person. Do it!
Get Some Sunlight
By design, sunlight is an integral part of our brain’s wake-sleep cycle, signaling that it’s time to wake up. Thanks to shades and curtains, though, it’s possible to keep the sunlight out of a room all day long, and many people wake up to complete darkness long after the sun has risen.
While there is certainly nothing wrong with making your bedroom as dark as possible to promote good sleep if you aren’t someone who rises with the sun, it’s still important to let the light in soon after you’ve woken up if you want to chase away grogginess as quickly as possible.
Opening up the shades and letting the sunlight in is one of the first things that you should do each morning. It will signal to your brain that morning has come, and it’s time to wake up and help you transition more quickly and enjoyably from sleepiness to wakefulness.
Work Out
Experts agree that the early morning hours are the best time of the day for working out. For one, scheduling your workout routine in the morning makes it more likely that you will follow through and stick to your commitment. It’s simply much easier to put off working out if you wait until the afternoon when you have already tired yourself from a long day’s work. By making your workout routine one of the first things you do each day, though, you can ensure you have enough motivation and energy to get you through it.
Working out in the early morning is also beneficial thanks to the fact that it gets your blood flowing and can provide you with a boost of adrenaline that will help fuel you throughout the day.
Whether you would like to lose a little weight, gain some muscle, or simply keep your cardio in good shape, working out each day is one of the best things that you can do for your body – and the early morning is undoubtedly one of the best times to schedule your workout routine.
Stretch
In some ways, stretching is just as beneficial for your physical health as exercising or working out. Not only can stretching help you avoid injury in the short term if you are planning on participating in a physically demanding activity, but it can also help you avoid injury and health complications later in life by keeping your joints loose and limber.
If you plan to make working out a part of your morning routine, you should certainly plan on making a pre-workout stretch regimen a part of your morning routine as well.
Take a Cold Shower In the Morning
After 5 – 20 minutes of waking up slowly and setting your ‘thoughtful’ tone for the day, there is nothing quite like a cleansing shower to refresh your body to prepare your body and mind for the day ahead.
Soak it up and if you’re feeling brave, turn on the cold faucet to add that extra bit of pizzazz to your day.
Morning Coffee Anyone?
No! Your body consists of over 90% of water.
Your body screams for water first thing in the morning to break your overnight fast. Not coffee, however appealing that may be.
Sure, have coffee in the morning but take in at least a glass of water before you do. Follow this up with a healthy breakfast. Don’t pretend you don’t have time for breakfast. Make time.
Look after your physical health, and that will support your emotional well-being.
Catch up on Your Reading
Researchers agree that reading is one of the most beneficial things that you can do to keep your mind sharp. Best of all, it doesn’t necessarily matter what it is that you read; fiction and non-fiction alike can both be very entertaining, informative, and beneficial.
With at least a few minutes of your morning each day, take the time to do a little light reading. Whether it’s the morning paper or that novel you’ve meant to finish, reading in the morning can get your mind humming and shake out any cobwebs that might be leftover from the night’s sleep.
Related: Why you should read books (According to science)
Spend Time With Your Loved Ones
Try to sit down with your family for breakfast.
If this is not possible, make it a rule to connect for at least 5 minutes before going about your day.
These are your loved ones – show they mean everything to you instead of just saying it.
If you live alone – spend some quiet time over that glass of water and breakfast before starting your day’s work.
A mindful life means being aware of what you think, which determines your reactions to events around you and your quality of life. Mental, emotional and physical balance is key to sustainable health.
Don’t take it for granted just because you’re young and don’t think that it will ever catch up with you. It does.
Think long-term now!
Set Daily Goals
Motivational experts all over the world will tell you that goal setting is one of the most powerful tools for success that you have available to use. While many of us set long-term goals, short-term goal setting such as setting daily goals is a productivity-boosting method that not nearly as many people take advantage of.
Setting daily goals each morning is a simple routine that offers a lot of value. Some mornings, your list of daily goals might be as simple as making it through the workday with a positive attitude.
Other days, your list of daily goals might be much more specific and involved. Either way, setting goals for yourself each day allows you to decide every morning what your typical day in terms of productivity looks like and gives you a daily roadmap to success.
Whether you write down your daily goals in a journal or simply store them in your memory, setting daily goals for yourself in addition to more long-term goals is a practice that you are sure to find very valuable.
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