We all know how important self-care is, right? My morning routine is the most important part of my self-care practice. It gets my day started off right, puts me first on my to-do list, and most importantly, gives my mindset a tune-up every morning.
I was first introduced to the concept of a morning routine by Tiffany Peterson from the Lighthouse Principles. She has a great video describing what she calls her “Daily Success Regimen” which includes something each morning for soul, mind, and body. I’ve adopted those three aspects into my routine as well, as you’ll see below.
I didn’t settle into the perfect routine immediately though. It took some experimenting to land on what felt right. One resource I used to figure out the perfect routine for me was a great course from my blogging friend, Crystal, called Make Over Your Mornings. It’s a 14 day video and workbook course that walks you through every aspect of setting a morning routine.
And don’t worry, it does NOT start with getting up earlier. Although that might be an aspect that works for you, it doesn’t for me. My perfect morning routine starts about 7:00 am. That’s what works for me, my body, and my schedule. Trying to force yourself into an early wake-up time sometimes backfires and makes you give up before you start to see the magic happen.
Crystal offers the first day of her course for free so you can see if it fits your personality. Click here and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to get the first day free.
My Routine
Soul:
Prayer & Scriptures–I start my morning off first thing with prayer. Then I read from the scriptures or talks that leaders from my church have given. I’ve found it helps me remember what I learn, and also makes it more meaningful if I take notes about what I’m reading. I also write down any thoughts or impressions that come to mind about what I’m reading, answers to questions I prayed about, or just anything that inspires me.
Soul Writing–I used to do morning pages, and enjoyed it, but I’ve since switched to soul writing. The idea comes from a book called Writing Down Your Soul. It is a way to activate and connect with your inner voice. Whether you call that the Holy Ghost, God, Heavenly Father, Spirit, or the Universe. I believe there is an intrinsic voice inside all of us that dwells just below the level of our conscious awareness. Writing can help you get answers from that place of wisdom.
I free-write one page every morning about whatever is on my mind. I ask questions, write about things that are worrying me, ask for blessings, and a lot more. At least one time a week, I go back through the pages I’ve written and highlight the questions that I’ve received answers to, then write all of the answers down. It’s like magic. I receive an answer almost every day that I write. My answers come in many different ways — sometimes it’s through something I read or listen to, other times it’s through another person, and often it’s just a thought, impression, or feeling.
MIND:
For the mind piece of my morning routine, I either read from a personal development book, or listen to a podcast. Often I’ll do this while walking on the treadmill to get two things done at once.
Reading personal development books has seriously changed my mindset. I’ve learned so many valuable lessons from the books I’ve read. Like I do with my scriptures, I also take notes in my Bullet Journal on the books I read.
BODY:
Workout–It’s so important to move your body. I believe the best type of exercise you can do is whatever one you enjoy. I personally only workout 15-20 minutes each day. But that’s enough to get my blood moving and give me the after-exercise mood boost. I’ll be honest, starting an exercise routine, and being consistent wasn’t easy for me. There are ten simple steps I followed to make exercise a habit. You can read all about them here.
Nutrition–I follow my workout with a healthy breakfast. I almost always eat eggs or baked oatmeal.
While breakfast is cooking, I pack my husband’s lunch. It makes me feel good to serve him that way, and he is always very appreciative.
Don’t forget to check out Crystal’s course and get the first lesson for free. Click on the image below.
