The Importance of the Morning Ritual

My schedule is all over the place. Sometimes I'm asked to work in the morning, sometimes in the evening- rarely do I ever stumble across a short mid-day shift.

In between, I focus my efforts on The Good Spell Book- churning out information and articles when I can spare the time. The one thing in my life that is constant is my morning ritual. No matter how early I have to wake up, I make sure to carve out a few hours that are mine alone. These hours have become sacred to me. Those 9 hour work shifts soon leave you with the sensation that an entire day has passed you by. The gemini in me is restless at the thought of working day-in-day-out, so I offered myself a compromise: mornings.

Mornings are important. The saying "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" could not be more overused, but there is some truth in it. Waking up energized and positive can help prepare your day for greatness, as opposed to the tired and daunting prospect of having to rush to work the moment you wake up. Yes, sleep is precious and vital to your health. So hit the sack early tonight and set your alarm clock for a reasonable 7:30 (earlier if the schedule calls for it). I've even set my alarm clock for three am, if it means I have time to make coffee, shower, and sit an look at Tumblr for an hour.

Waking up early has additional perks- getting to see the sun rise, appreciating the quiet, being one of the few people awake and having the world seem to open up at your feet.

Your morning ritual is what you make it- spend an hour hiking, read, write in your journal, bake your breakfast (why not? Coffee cake fresh out of the oven is delicious). Once you've reset your internal alarm clock, you can do anything you want with this time. It's important to seize the day, every day. It is so easy to fall into the routine of working, eating, and sleeping. This regurgitated schedule is unfulfilling. It is the standard of our culture and with enough of it I've watched countless co-workers become moody, agitated, and depressed over time.

To work into forming your own morning ritual, start by gradually setting your alarm clock back in intervals of thirty minutes every two days. You can also download apps on your phone that will only wake you up when your body is out of REM dream state. REM is the deepest level of sleep and it can be difficult to wake up, feeling refreshed if your alarm clock goes off during this period of time.

Start by making a list of things you'd like to do if you had more free time, and things you do that make you feel relaxed. Compile these two list together and try to do one thing off of your list each morning. I guarantee that you will feel happier and more energized by incorporating your own rituals in to your schedule.

Do you have a morning ritual? Tell us what some of your favorite pass times are in the comment section below.

#inspiration #health