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12 Morning Rituals That Will Change Your Life
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Believe it or not, the way in which you spend the first hour or two of the morning will either make or break your day. Think about it; on the days when you shuffle around, watch the morning news a few minutes too long, and then rush out the door, forgetting things or running into work a few minutes late, doesn’t the rest of the day kind of take a downward turn?
If you find yourself constantly rushed in the mornings, set the alarm a bit earlier. If the mere thought of losing 10 more minutes of sleep causes you to break out in a panicky sweat, perhaps you need to reevaluate your entire schedule.
For most people, giving yourself that extra 10 to 20 minutes to perform a few morning rituals will help bring you a day filled with productivity and energy.
Set a positive tone and pick a few of the following morning rituals that will literally change your life and set you up for a great day every single day.
1. Meditate
You might think that you are relaxed after a good night’s sleep, but this just means that it’s the perfect time for a quick session of meditation. Choose a comfortable position and spend just 5 to 10 minutes meditating. You will be surprised at how easy the rest of your day seems to just float on by, as if by some feat of magic.
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2. Ease Tension Areas
A few minutes after you get out of bed (we know you will want to pee first), go sit in a comfortable chair or on the sofa. Notice how your body is feeling at that moment. Is any part of you sore, tender or tight? You don’t have to try to change position or try to “fix” anything, just notice how you feel and where it is located. Now direct a few deep breaths (about 10) to the painful area. If there is more than one, do one area at a time. This tension check will really help you start your morning tension-free and ready to face the day.
3. Smoothie Time
Morning is one of the best times to nourish our bodies. After going so long without food, your body is ready to be energized and refreshed, filled with healthy goodness from Mother Nature. Pick your favorite green smoothie recipe and drink it as you get dressed and ready for the day. Don’t have one? Choose one of the recipes here at NaturalOn! Energy in a glass, what more could anyone ask for?
4. Positive Thoughts and Affirmations
An Internet search about the benefits of positive thoughts and affirmations will reveal thousands of hits. This is because these types of thoughts and words really do affect the body and mind. They increase grey matter, reduce pain, and improve feelings of well being. Think positive thoughts as you go about getting ready for the day. Say a few positive affirmations as well, such as “I am energized and ready for the day.” Or “I am healthy, wealthy, wise and super energized!” Or whatever suits you. Try it for just a few weeks and you will be surprised at how many things change in your life because of this.
5. Listen to Music
Rather than listening to the horrible things the news has to say, why not fill your mind with some music? Choose whatever music suits you; some disco tunes to get you up and around, or some soothing classical music, whatever works for you.
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6. Try the Sun Salutation
The Sun Salutation is a series of very simple yoga poses that many have found to be life-changing. Some find that doing just 5 sets of sun salutations in the morning relieves back pain, neck and shoulder tension, as well as offering a more positive outlook on life. Try doing just 5 sets each morning for two weeks and notice the difference it makes in your life.
7. Dry Brush
If you usually take a shower in the mornings, spend an extra 5 minutes dry brushing your body. This is an Ayurvedic practice that improves circulation and removes dead skin cells while detoxing the body. Using long strokes with a brush made for this purpose, brush towards your heart. You will notice a difference in your skin after just one session.
8. Qi-Gong
Pronounced chee-gong, this is a system of breathing and physical exercises that take only 10 minutes. Doing this ancient practice can improve flexibility and bone health, lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and improve overall quality of life.
9. Rebound
Using a mini trampoline is often called rebounding. The act of simply jumping up and down is perfect for anyone at any level of physical fitness. Lightly bouncing is zero impact and effectively stimulates the lymph system as well as improving thyroid function. You can rebound as often as you like. You will be surprised at how this simple exercise really keeps you feeling energized. Aim to do 100 bounces each time. You will find this little exercise is addictive.
10. Decide How Your Day Will Go
Many people believe that what you truly believe will happen, you make happen. If you think you are going to have a crappy day, you will. So why not believe that you are going to have a wonderful day, a stupendous day? Take 5 minutes to do a fast forward view of your day. Picture yourself driving to work with no problems, handling business like a champ, eating healthy, feeling great, having plenty of energy to play with your kids after work and then hopping into bed relaxed and ready to sleep. Why not try it? What do you have to lose other than 5 minutes?
11. Scrape the Tongue
Once you start to do this, you will wonder why you waited so long to start it. You can buy a tongue scraper in any drugstore or just use the edge of a spoon. You will notice a big difference in your breath, and if you do it early in the morning, you will find that this helps to wake you up.
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12. Spend a Few Minutes Stretching
Stretching for just 5 minutes can help to wake up your muscles and tell your body that it’s time to start the day. Any type of stretching exercise will do. Try a few different types. Experiment with yoga, tai chi, or any type of stretching that appeals to you. What you do isn’t nearly as important as just doing it.
READ ALSO: 12 Ways To Stop Feeling Sleepy Without Coffee Or Energy Drinks
Stick to three of these and no more. If you try to do more than three of these each morning, you will probably end up feeling overwhelmed and you won’t do any of them. If they all sound good, try three for two weeks, then switch to another three and so on. When you find the three that you like best, pick those and discard the rest. You won’t regret doing any of these things, even if you only end up doing one or two of them for the rest of your life.
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