I came across this gem of an article this morning describing an amazing morning routine we should all start doing. Here is the article from ClassPass.
8 Things You Should Do Every Day Before 8 a.m.
Posted June 22, 2015 by classpass
We’ve all been there, when we feel like our jobs are taking over our lives and it’s negatively impacting our health. Sometimes it’s so extreme that we check our email before we get out of bed. Even if you love what you do for a living, chances are it involves sitting too much, working on stress-inducing deadlines and proving yourself to someone.
So let’s roll back the movie reel of your life Monday through Friday morning and do eight things to reclaim mental, physical and spiritual health — all before 8 a.m. Don’t worry, these to-do’s are easy to fit into a morning routine (without making you miss your morning class), and will make you feel better physically, give you mental clarity and keep you in touch with who you really are:
Your body is performing miracles every second to decompose old cells and generate new ones. Support this process by drinking plenty of water in the morning to aid the flushing of old toxins. Downing lots of water is also a beauty hack. Have you ever thought about how different an infant’s skin looks compared to an elderly person? Humans age on the exterior like a piece of fruit: We get dehydrated, and our skin starts to shrivel and show the bumps and bruises life gave us. Hydrating religiously can improve the health of your skin, your digestion and prevent headaches.
Every night, when you go to sleep, your body develops “fuzz” between the tissues. Imagine that the once-slippery surfaces of your muscles and connective tissues start to grow Velcro between them and get stuck together. The fuzz starts to impede your range of movement. The good news is that you can reclaim the mobility you had yesterday by moving your body in the morning.
But please note, this isn’t a workout. Rather, it’s simply circling your wrists; swinging your arms around to explore the range of motion in your shoulders; flexing and rounding your spine; moving your legs backwards, forwards and sideways; and rotating your ankles. You can do that right from the comfort of your bed!
You’re likely yawning when you hear the alarm go off, but a good way to wake yourself up is by focusing on your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose and let out the stale air with a lion breath (sticking out your tongue and letting it all come out!). You can even pair this deep breathing with the movements above to energize your morning.
Take a moment each morning to sit or come into child’s pose, close your eyes and ask yourself, “How are you?” What comes up might be sad, anxious, excited, disconnected, vibrant, inspired or painful. No matter what your honest answer is, give yourself a moment to be a friend to yourself and truly listen. When you ask yourself this question, it’s OK if words don’t describe how you’re feeling. Sit with yourself for a few minutes, as you are. And remember, it can take a few tries to get an honest answer.
Someone once said, “Messy bed, messy head.” Make your bed as a symbol of committing to being organized, thoughtful and intentional throughout your day. Plus, part of the allure of staying in a hotel is always coming back to a clean, pressed bed. Imagine that same feeling, every single day — with your own sheets!
Successful businesses have guiding principles that they adhere to and return to during important decisions. Similarly, personal intentions are qualities, actions or morals that you are committed to and want to attract. Your intentions can change over time.
One suggestion is to take time about once a month (on the new moon is an especially potent time to do intention setting) and write your intentions on a notecard. Pin the notecard to the wall where you will see it when you leave your bedroom each morning, and take a second to remember why and how you make the choices you do. Say it out loud and hear the words! You can always tweak your intention to relate to your day ahead. If you don’t get a hit of inspiration one morning, you can trust that just remembering your intention is helping you live a more fulfilling life.
It’s become an unconscious tick: We look down to our cell phone as soon as the stoplight turns red. Break the habit — you have a long day ahead in the world of technology. Instead of seeing your phone screen, see what is above you. The sky, the trees and the buildings will take your breath away and bring you into the present moment. The sky appears limitless, and simply looking up will remind you to see the beauty and potential that is around you. Looking up will wake up your spirit and remind you that you’re free.
Start your karma circle for the day off right by being generous. Oftentimes our first human interaction outside of the house is with the barista. Give them $1 tip. Every morning, whether they are snobby or chatty, throw them a dollar. If you don’t have the caffeine routine in your life, you can give $1 to someone playing music on the street or drop a buck in the charity container at the supermarket. Email your friend to tell them how special they are. Small acts of unconditional generosity will make the world a better place – and leaves you in a better place, too.
Written by: Caitlin Rose Kenney is a member of the Studio Happiness team at ClassPass in New York City. She’s a yoga teacher and former studio manager with a passion for professionalizing the fitness and wellness industry.
Happy Wednesday!
Much Love, Alyssa
