A Morning Routine to FUEL Success
Having a great morning routine can truly change your entire day.
A few great days, quickly turns into a great week, which soon makes for a great month. It's worth a shot!
I'm only writing about this because it's changed my life. Even if I inspire one other person to change their routine, I know it'll change their life, and that is completely worth it!
It all starts with creating a new pattern. A new routine that kickstarts the day. Mentally, physiologically, and spiritually. Fueling every one of these facets will catapult you into a day filled with energy, purpose, passion, and meaning. YOU have so much to give, and even more to receive when putting all of this together.
The key to success is to solidify something that is SUSTAINABLE. Learn to LOVE the process, the routine, and the results. Of course you will have to go through some tough changes and have to learn to adapt. But that's what life is all about right? Without change, without movement; comes stagnation, complacency, death. Trivial times will only bring about change and growth that will propel you to levels that would otherwise not be achieved. Pick up any book on leadership, an autobiography of someone you admire, a (good) self-development book... a major obstacle to overcome when attaining what you desire in life is failure. Which is completely fine! Obviously no one likes to fail, but it's your response to this failure that will determine the overall outcome. Whether that is in a positive direction, or negative.
Why not achieve those goals then eh?
What I would recommend... Pick a thing or two from each category that you know you can start with. Make these select things a habit, and then implement other things to accompany your routine.
But, I would challenge anyone to give 'Intermittent Fasting' a try.
There are many known benefits of fasting, and full blown fasts suck, just ask most people who have tried one... so doing it intermittently is totally do-able and you'll still reap the benefits!
Read my thoughts on Intermittent Fasting HERE.
If you do decide to eat in the morning, try to keep it as low sugar as possible. As in anything that will turn to sugar immedietly upon entering the body, such as an overload of fruit, starches, bread, cereal, bagels, muffins, etc etc. yea I know... ALLL THE FRIGGIN GOOD STUFF!!! Try an eggs n veggies instead :)
My Thoughts on Intermittent Fasting
What you should do, for sure, is drink at least a couple glasses of water before doing anything. Your body needs help detoxing from the 6-8 hours of regenerative sleep you just provided. Help the process with organic, herbal/green teas, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon.
https://medium.com/@benjaminhardy/8-things-every-person-should-do-before-8-a-m-cc0233e15c8d
A few great days, quickly turns into a great week, which soon makes for a great month. It's worth a shot!
I'm only writing about this because it's changed my life. Even if I inspire one other person to change their routine, I know it'll change their life, and that is completely worth it!
It all starts with creating a new pattern. A new routine that kickstarts the day. Mentally, physiologically, and spiritually. Fueling every one of these facets will catapult you into a day filled with energy, purpose, passion, and meaning. YOU have so much to give, and even more to receive when putting all of this together.
The key to success is to solidify something that is SUSTAINABLE. Learn to LOVE the process, the routine, and the results. Of course you will have to go through some tough changes and have to learn to adapt. But that's what life is all about right? Without change, without movement; comes stagnation, complacency, death. Trivial times will only bring about change and growth that will propel you to levels that would otherwise not be achieved. Pick up any book on leadership, an autobiography of someone you admire, a (good) self-development book... a major obstacle to overcome when attaining what you desire in life is failure. Which is completely fine! Obviously no one likes to fail, but it's your response to this failure that will determine the overall outcome. Whether that is in a positive direction, or negative.
Why not achieve those goals then eh?
Top 6 things to MAXIMIZE your Morning
- and the rest of your day!
1) Wake up early
- Shit. I KNEW you were going to say that!! If you knew it, and you knew it was coming, why aren't you already doing it?
- I know life gets in the way. I've been there. Did it for years. Before you know it, the clock flips past 1am and you have to be to work by 7:30, so you wake up at the last possible moment, scramble to get everything together, stuff something in your face, put on mismatched socks, and run out the door, adrenaline pumping like a blood-thirsty pitbull is chasing you out.
- This is NOT the way to get an enjoyable, productive day started!! But you knew that.
- It's time to change that pattern!
- Set your alarm for the morning AND AT NIGHT. Decide how much sleep you run best on, and set your alarm accordingly.
- Prepare time-energy suckers that usually stress you out in the morning, and do them at night. You want to wake up with a clear mind, and do something with that clear mind. Adding extra clutter is pointless and only leads to a destructive start.
- Simplify your morning. You don't HAVE to stuff your face first thing. Actually, it's most likely not even healthy to do so! You can read some info on intermittent fasting that would be great for anyone to try here. If that doesn't work out, just trying bringing breakfast to school/work and eating a little later. It'll give you more time in the morning, which includes more time for your body to heal and not have to worry about digesting food.
- Plan the night before so you have a clear idea of what needs to get done the next day.
- Give yourself something to look forward to, regardless of how small. I'm sure you remember when your parents brought you to the state fair when you were a kid.. you had no trouble waking up that day! Or for Christmas morning... you get the idea.
- Besides, your WORST habits tend to happen at night! Browsing Facebook, eating junk, wasting away in front of the TV, mindless other junk... DREAM CRUSHERS. So go to bed earlier, and wake up and THRIVE!!!
2) Find Your Inner-Peace
- Get up, get the blood flowing. Take DEEP breaths. Expand the entire rib cage, pulling the diaphragm down into your gut, utilizing every last bit of those extraordinary lungs. Every last alveolar sac needs to be infiltrated with fresh oxygen to be able to help your body detox after a long night of sleep, and to bring oxygen to the trillions of cells in your body. Especially your brain!
- Now, it's YOU time. Hone in on YOU. Do what YOU need to do, in order to attain a state of strength, confidence, and power, yet a state of complete ease. How you go about this is different for everyone.
- Breathing exercises
- Slow Yoga
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Reading scripture
- Write down 3 things you are grateful for that day.
3) Visualization and Goal Setting
- Damnit. Everyone is telling me to do this...
- YEP. It must work er something!
- So get started, you won't regret it!
- There is a reason why the most successful people actively do this, everyday. Regardless of their level of success.
- Ways to go about this..
- Have notecards ready to go in a spot you like to hang out in the morning.
- Write down 5 goals/things that need to get done TODAY
- Write down 3 goals for the WEEK
- Write down 3 goals for the YEAR
- You'll see your progress and the weeks go by. You'll get closer and closer to these yearly goals, faster than you could have ever imagined previously.
- Say these goals out loud on your way to work/school/the gym. SCREAM them. They'll become a part of you. You'll own them. NOTHING will stop you.
4) Fire up that Creative Mind
- Now it's time to ramp it UP a notch!
- Now that your body and soul are at ease, find something that's inspirational to YOU. Another book, pastor, leadership/self-development speaker, etc.
- Make a routine of it. Change it up, don't let it get boring or redundant. Start your morning off with something that gets you re-ignited and ready to take the day by the BALLS.
- Quite honestly, I put this step as number 2 on many mornings.. Sometimes you just need that extra kick a little bit quicker!
- Always keep a notepad right next to you, something that you'll keep with you the rest of the day so you can put these enlightened thoughts into ACTION. So many great ideas are lost with everyday distractions and the failure to go forth and put things into action. Which is what will produce change, which leads to results.
5) Get yer booty moving
- Exercising in the morning is an extremely powerful, extremely empowering thing to get into the routine of doing.
- ESPECIALLY if it's some sort of metabolic conditioning! Short duration, high intensity. You'll stimulate every system of your body in a healthy manner. Induce a hormonal response that will burn fat, build lean tissue, bring oxygen deep into the lungs and out to every cell of the body. While flushing the lymphatic system and helping your body naturally detox. Not to mention stimulating your nervous system!
- Besides, you get it out of the way, and you'll be ready to take the day by storm.
- If high intensity training isn't your thing, doing ANYTHING is better than NOTHING. Yoga, a walk outside, hill sprints, etc. Just do it. Even if it's just a little bit. Just get MOVING!!! You'll NEVER regret it, I promise.
What I would recommend... Pick a thing or two from each category that you know you can start with. Make these select things a habit, and then implement other things to accompany your routine.
Breakfast
To EAT,
or not to eat?
Another topic that is worth addressing here as this decision can make a massive impact on your day!
and you may be surprised by my answer...
We've all been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day right?? Gets your metabolism boosted, yer tummy full, yada yada yada. Believe me, I've heard it, I've lived it.
But, it may not be the best idea! WEIRD, I know. Hang with me
But, I would challenge anyone to give 'Intermittent Fasting' a try.
There are many known benefits of fasting, and full blown fasts suck, just ask most people who have tried one... so doing it intermittently is totally do-able and you'll still reap the benefits!
Read my thoughts on Intermittent Fasting HERE.
If you do decide to eat in the morning, try to keep it as low sugar as possible. As in anything that will turn to sugar immedietly upon entering the body, such as an overload of fruit, starches, bread, cereal, bagels, muffins, etc etc. yea I know... ALLL THE FRIGGIN GOOD STUFF!!! Try an eggs n veggies instead :)
My Thoughts on Intermittent Fasting
What you should do, for sure, is drink at least a couple glasses of water before doing anything. Your body needs help detoxing from the 6-8 hours of regenerative sleep you just provided. Help the process with organic, herbal/green teas, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon.
For more reading:
- Miracle Morning
https://medium.com/@benjaminhardy/8-things-every-person-should-do-before-8-a-m-cc0233e15c8d
How did other noble people start their day?
http://truththeory.com/2015/10/24/how-darwin-freud-and-14-other-brilliant-minds-scheduled-their-days/
Comments