If you long for more meaning and purpose in your life, are a victim of your snooze alarm, or wish you felt greater fulfillment at the close of each day, pay careful attention to your mornings. Here are 10 simple ideas to consider from Dr. Christi Hegstad, a certified coach and contributor to HuffingtonPost.com:
Give thanks. Nothing beats starting the day with gratitude. Have you experienced a work success recently? Did your child have a great day at school yesterday? Is the sun rising, meaning you've been given the gift of another day? We have much for which to be thankful, and beginning your day in a place of gratitude instantly raises your mood and emotional state.
Journal. Even if you don't consider yourself a journaler, putting pen to paper for even a few minutes can clear your mind and support your wellbeing.
Read inspirational text.
Choose a devotional, poetry, or a few pages from an enlightening book – anything that inspires you.
Move. The options here are endless: go for a run, engage in a yoga practice, do a series of situps and pushups, or simply wake up your limbs with some gentle stretching.
Meditate. How amazing would it feel to clear your mind from constant chatter? Health experts, athletes, physicians, spiritual teachers and more boast the effects of meditation, and beginning your day with it can increase your likelihood of returning back to it throughout the day, too. Consider a class or a guided meditation app to get started.
Visualize. Create a mental picture for your ideal day, year, or life, then dwell on it for a few moments each morning.
Savor the silence. How often throughout your day do you get to experience true silence? No phones, no email notifications, no interruptions? Simply sitting in the silence, or combining it with prayer or admiring something of beauty, can be a rare gift these days.
Set your daily intention. As you think about the day ahead, with its various activities and interactions, how do you want to carry yourself? Choose a word that represents who and how you want to be throughout the day, then call it to mind frequently.
Review your "Best You." Who are you at your very best? Capture it onto paper and take a moment to review this each morning. Create a one-page document that holds your vision statement, purpose statement, guiding principles, values and goals. A quick scan of this each morning provides a centering effect.
Step outside. Look up at the sky, and take a few deep breaths. Remind yourself of the vastness of the world, the beauty that surrounds us, and the good fortune of another day to make a difference in the world.
