When it’s cold and miserable outside the last thing that I want to do is get out of my bed in the morning. I will fully admit that I am not a morning person… but I’m not really a night owl either. In an ideal world, I would choose to go to bed early and wake up at a comfortable 10 o’clock every day… averaging about 12 hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately that is not even remotely possible with my school schedule. In the past my morning routine has consisted of hitting snooze for a solid hour and then frantically sprinting around my apartment trying to get ready, pack my bags for the day, and make breakfast all within 20 minutes of having to leave for my class.
One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to start each day off on a calm, peaceful, and positive note – and this frantic routine definitely would not have allowed for that. I made some major adjustments and can definitely feel the positive effects! Each morning I have been setting my alarm clock for 7 AM and hitting snooze until 8 AM (old habits die hard).
At 8 AM I get out of my bed, make my breakfast, which is the same every single morning – steel cut oats, 1/2 banana, cinnamon, 1 tbsp almond butter, and a sprinkler of dark chocolate chips. I swear by this breakfast to satisfy my sweet tooth for the day and keep me full until at least lunch time!
While the water is boiling for my oatmeal, I make my coffee and make my bed. I read somewhere that one common habit among highly successful people is that they make their bed… every. single. morning. I will admit that it is a huge pain, but it does make me feel slightly more organized and like I have my life together when I walk into my room and don’t see a huge knot of sheets and blankets covering my bed.
I always light my “Oatmeal Cookie” candle and sit down at my desk to enjoy my breakfast and coffee once they are ready. Instead of jumping onto Facebook immediately during breakfast, which has been my habit for probably the past 7 years, I take about 10 minutes to gather my thoughts, say a prayer, and write in my journal. I like thinking about what I have to do during the upcoming day and all that I have to be grateful for in my life.
I have been doing this for about 15 days and I feel happier, calmer, more patient, and more grateful each and every day. What works for me may not work for everyone, but it definitely is a better way to start my day than running around like a madwoman!
xo,
Jaclyn
