As we enter a new season of life (with both kids in school!!) I’ve been thinking a lot about our routines and morning habits. I’ve always been a glass half-full person, so optimism isn’t necessarily a hard reach for me. I’m also sensitive, and oftentimes thrown off if something doesn’t go according to plan. It could be something as small as a meeting running long, or something as big as receiving disappointing news. It could be heavy traffic, an unexpectedly sick kid, or a workout I didn’t get to. Big or small, the changes used to admittedly impact the overall mood and productivity of the day.

Toward the start of this year, it was a focus of mine to develop morning habits that would set the tone for my day — regardless of what went right or wrong. I wanted to feel productive, patient, and positive on the best days and the worst days – because we all know there’s always both. I wanted to take control of how I wanted to feel, not how the circumstances of the day would make me feel.

A few things I started to implement that give me more control over my day:

• Morning meditation: I use the Superhuman App for daily meditations. They’re quick! As brief as two minutes, or up to 30 minutes, depending on what you choose.
• Movement: I have a schedule that keeps me consistent (running solo, a workout class or app, etc). But sometimes meetings, kid’s obligations or life things can throw off the plan. To make space for that, I stretch first thing when I get out of bed, even if just for a few minutes. This gets my body moving right away, and sets the tone for me mentally.
• Daily mantras: I repeat a few mantras to myself in the car, usually after school drop off:
  • “I cannot control what happens today, but I can choose how to react.”
  • “I am exactly where I need to be.”
  • “I am loved, and I will love others today.”
  • “I am safe in my body. I know my body best.”
  • “Today, I want to feel ______ (productive, strong, light, etc)”
• Water before coffee: I had to break my habit of coffee first-thing, and wow, it makes a big difference on my overall well-being.
• A routine: I’ve said this before — routine = freedom. I deeply believe in a routine, and I aim to re-assess mine every four months, which aligns with the start of a new season. The more routine we create for ourselves, the easier it becomes to pivot when needed. It also allows for more free time, less decision fatigue, and a greater sense of self-boundaries when it comes to categorizing priorities. The more full my life becomes, the more necessary a routine is.

Hope this helps! A reminder, I don’t believe in trying to implement a lot of changes at once. Even trying one new habit at a time gets us closer to how we want to feel. It took me several months to implement all of this consistently, but I have noticed an overall calmer way of being, and I like having control over how I want to feel each day.