Morning Routine: A New Day is Dawning Part 3: The How--Breaking Down the Habit

Part 3 of our Morning Routine series discusses how to apply a new habit.

Start with the H – Health – The Anchor that Holds Us Back or Sets us Free

Our health is the most important thing to get right in our life. Sure, we need many other things like family, love, purpose, and shelter, but we are nothing without our health.

Don’t believe me?

Then why did the world come to a complete halt in 2020 to keep us all healthy? Or why do our elders tell us to “value our health while we have it”?

While I’ve come to believe it’s our purpose that drives us, it’s not until our health is in order that the clarity of this purpose comes into view.

Over a period of several years, I lost sight of my health through overindulgence of alcohol, poor eating, and a lack of exercise.

Once I quit the booze, started eating right, and exercised regularly, everything seemed to become clearer.

If you aim to get nothing else from a morning routine, start by waking up just a few minutes earlier to do some physical exercise.

A BIT of Planning – Plan a List

The best place to start is Hal Elrod’s SAVERS when researching what might make for a truly miraculous morning experience.

Hal is the Steve Jobs of the morning routine and has sold over a million copies of his book The Miracle Morning. He lays out a systematic and practical approach to starting the day through an acronym and system he calls the SAVERS.

S- Silence

“We can learn more from an hour of silence than we can in a year from books.” – Matthew Kelly

Three Ideas:

· Meditation – Try apps like Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer

· Wim Hof Breathing – Check out the free app and his YouTube videos

· Mindfulness – Check out Aura and Breethe apps

A-Affirmations

“An affirmation opens the door. It’s a beginning point on the path to change.” – Louise L. Hay

Three Ideas:

· YouTube has lots of videos with guided affirmations. Pick one that speaks to you.

· Write out a list of 5 or so affirmations each morning.

· Incorporate your list in your meditation. Say the affirmations over and over and block out the rest.

V- Visualization

“Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose.” – Bo Bennett

Three Ideas:

· Imagine yourself completing each task you have on your to-do list.

· Imagine yourself succeeding with the one thing that is most important that day.

· Imagine yourself being exactly where you want to be a year from now.

E – Exercise

“Exercise is the key, not only to physical health, but to peace of mind.” – Nelson Mandela

Three Ideas:

· 20 minutes of strength and weight training

· 20 minutes of cardio or functional fitness

· 20 minutes of yoga or stretching. YouTube has great free yoga lessons!

R – Reading

“Reading is a way for me to expand my mind, open my eyes, and fill up my heart” – Oprah Winfrey

Three Ideas:

· Something for spiritual growth. One of my favorites is The Gifts of Imperfection by Rene Brown

· Something for personal growth. One of my favorites is 12 Rules for Life by Jordon Peterson

· Something mindless that spurs creativity. One of my favorites is Unlimited Memory by Kevin Horsley

S- Scribing

“The written word is the strongest source of power in the entire universe.” – Gary Halbert

Three Ideas:

· Journaling: Write out your thoughts, fears, and ideas. (Tons of secure apps for this as well)

· Drawing or Sketching: Don’t worry if you're no Monet. No matter your skill level, this simple practice will spur creativity and ideas through the activation of left and right brain neurons.

· Articles, blog, or a book- Just as is the case with sketching, it's the practice, not the purpose.

Want some time to focus on your breath and dedicate your mind to movement? Yoga is a great way to increase mindfulness and invite creativity. We have all kinds of classes on offer.