Embrace mindful ownership of your day by taking these 5 steps to boost your morning mood. Would you say that you’re not much of a morning person? Maybe you prefer late nights to early mornings. And either way, that’s fine. Whether you get up at the crack of dawn or start your days a little later, it’s important to check in with yourself before setting out for the rest of the day. Starting the day on the right foot is important, particularly when you’re trying to reach your personal goals. For a lot of people, it has become a habit to open their eyes, and immediately slog through the morning without making space to honor the self. Every day is a new beginning that you get to embark on. Cherish that. If your morning routine could use a little revamp, this article is for you. It only takes a few mindful moments to uplift your attitude and keep you on a mindful track.
Daybreak Mood Boosters
Even if you can only carve out a few extra moments, dedicate yourself to taking the time that it takes to honor yourself fully. Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be complicated to be beneficial. Circle back around to the simplest wisdom: Stop overthinking and find peace. Make yourself a priority and see how each day becomes an adventure in delight. Once you set yourself up to boost your morning mood, you’ll never want to slide back in the other direction. Let’s get started!
1. Take a Hot Shower
Start the day feeling refreshed with a hot shower, but also, turn that experience up a notch. Add in a little all-natural shower spray to really open up your senses. Trust me, once you do, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing this all along. The hot water will soothe any aches and pains you might have and the spray brings the mind fully into focus. Think about it, the shower can easily be transformed into your own personal spa moment. Add some tunes that get your emotional body in tune with the upbeat attitude you crave. Find some songs that make you feel your best. The bonus of your hot shower is that you’ll also be able to go to work looking, smelling, and feeling your best without any disruption to your current timeframe.
2. Eat an Energy-Boosting Breakfast
Breakfast is a great meal for a few reasons. First, it gets your metabolism up and running and gives you a boost of energy, so you can tackle the challenges ahead. Although it might be tempting to grab a cup of coffee and a biscuit on the way to work, it helps to sit down and really savor the first meal of the day. Choosing something healthy, like avocado on wheat toast. Even if it’s small, a healthy breakfast choice will fill your body with nutrients to keep you feeling great all day long. Ensure that you actually like what you’re eating, too – this will give you something to look forward to each morning. You could always try mixing things up with new recipes and flavors. There are tons of great ideas online if you want some new ideas and inspiration.
3. Do Something to Make You Smile
What do you usually do when you wake up each morning? As you’re brainstorming ways to boost your morning mood, this is the really fun part. How can you bring something you love in the first moments of your day? Are you the kind of person who instantly starts checking emails and getting into work mode? Maybe you sit and watch the news for a few minutes before you leave. None of those things are really going to set you up for a great day. Instead, take a step back, and strive to start your day on a note of positivity. Love music? Start with that. Maybe you can play with your kids for a little while, go for a coffee from your favorite café, or read a chapter of your favorite book. Find something that makes you feel grateful for the life you have and bask in it for a moment. In case you haven’t realized it yet, that lifelong list of to-do’s isn’t going anywhere. So, make time to relish moments whenever you can.
4. Take Time to “Smell the Roses”
Condition yourself to play an active role in the amount of joy that you experience each day. Sometimes, difficult experiences and emotions get the better of us, and we feel as though we’re constantly bogged down by obligations, roles, and responsibilities. to the point that we forget that we play a huge part in setting the tone of our thoughts, perceptions, and attitudes. Luckily, even the smallest delights can lift us up and nurture our readiness to adventure into the future. Personally, I love a daily meditation reader. First thing in the morning, over hot tea, I sink into beautiful words that fuel my spirit while my head is still waking up. Additionally, breathing in some fresh air and experiencing the beauty of nature can give you a natural boost. Take your tea or coffee outside. Allow yourself a little time to really notice the world around you. Rather than rushing to work as quickly as possible, wake up early enough to take your time.
5. Exercise
I know, I know, don’t let me lose you here. Remember, morning exercise can be as simple as a 10-minute stretch. Perhaps you can put a few minutes on your stationary bike or take a morning stroll around the block. The truth is, getting in a dose of exercise first thing, gets your blood pumping, your energy up and your mind invigorated. If you take a few minutes to move around outdoors especially, you’ll notice a real difference in how you feel: Sunlight is a real mood boost. You also get a great chunk of dopamine and endorphins from whenever you’re active. The combination of the two, in the form of a walk or a jog outdoors, can give you the extra mood enhancements you need. While you’re exercising outdoors, you can also take in some of that wonderful nature we talked about above. Observe the less noticeable things that usually pass you by, like the sound of birds chirping, or the smell of the grass. There’s a lot of extraordinary experiences out there if you know where to look for them.
Do It Your Way
Try these 5 steps to boost your morning mood, in ways that make sense for you. They will make you feel happier by boosting your mood and energy while also giving you back a sense of ownership to how each day plays out. Truth be told, I AM a morning person, and I really do begin each day with my personal version of these steps. While winter weather often moves my morning exercise inside, here are a few of my favorite things to sink into each morning:
Be Well.