Victory Mornings Begin With A Routine.

“Morning is wonderful. Its only drawback is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day.” ― Glen Cook

The way you wake up decides the vibe for your entire day. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ however I’ve had the privilege of meeting some inspiring everyday people who endorse a routine that sets the flavour of the day. Morning rituals have the power to fuel your success. Each of you has your own pattern that emerges as a routine. Some of you are up and about at the break of dawn and some prefer to loll in bed pressing the snooze several times.

As a coach working across time zones, I try to stick to a routine when I wake up. And, I rise quite early, at the crack of dawn. For the longest of time, it had been a challenge for me to get up before 7am. I recollect the time I would stick posters all across my house with ‘5:00 am’ typed on them in 100pt font. I’d snooze my way through and the earliest I accomplished was 6.45am! Till I gained 5kgs and I enrolled myself in the neighbourhood gym where my trainer had me reporting at 5.45am for my training! I was driven and after the first few weeks, got into the rhythm of the 4.30am alarm. Yes, quite a feat, this. Now, it has become routine. I find myself in control of my day and I’m able to pack in more in the wee hours than I do in the subsequent 9 hours.

It helps me in reflecting, prioritizing my activities and allows for uninterrupted problem-solving. 

Here's what I do.

Never hit the snooze.

Yes, no matter how tired you feel or how late you slept the night before – DO NOT HIT THE SNOOZE! Take control of your mind and command your body to rise up.

Light Stretches or Physical Exercise.

In case, you hate exercising - sit down on your bed, it’s okay. Stretch your arms, fingers, roll your head from side to side, shrug, rotate your ankles and then stand up and bend and twist. Do six repetitions. That’s all. If you’re into physical fitness then set time aside for a walk, cycling or heading to the gym. You’ll find yourself reclaiming the strength to attack your day with gusto.

Express gratitude.

How many times have you allowed the stress of what you need to do weigh your mind even before the day has begun? What were you thinking when you woke up? Your depleting finances? The anger at your job or loved one?  You attract what you focus on. Beginning the day with gratitude. a) Give thanks to 3 people who matter to you the most b) 3 situations that you are grateful for c) 3 things that make your life easy d) Place your hand on your heart and thank this beautiful world.

 Visualise.

Use the quiet time to visualise your goals and the day ahead of you. Focus on successes and your power to make it happen. Write it down, draw or record it. Even 3 minutes of visualization will frame your mood and outlook for the day.

Alkanize your body with a warm glass of lemon water.  

When you wake up in the morning, the body is dehydrated. A glass of warm lemon water helps to hydrate you. While lemon water is acidic outside the body, it has an alkanizing effect within the body. It flushes the body's digestive, circulatory and elimination systems after a night’s sleep. The lemon juice is an effective cleanser and helps in the detoxification processes. While drinking the water, close your eyes and focus on the water spreading through your internal organs with every sip. It’s the best gift you can give your body.

Insighting in a minute.

Sit by a window, breathe in the morning air and tune yourself to the sounds with your mind’s eye. You’ll feel relaxed and light. Focus on all you are planning today and ask yourself 3 questions as my mentor used to say:

• What should I FOCUS on?
• What should I HANDOVER to someone else?
• What should I going to LET GO?

Map your day.

Plan the tasks and stick to it, leaving some room for flexibility. What can be done within 5 minutes, do it immediately. Schedule social media breaks in order to optimise your day. Keep some time aside for play as well.  

Have a healthy breakfast.

Kick-start your metabolism with a hearty, healthy breakfast to help you burn calories throughout the day. It influences how we perform physically and mentally and impacts every dimension of our being during the course of the day. It is the most satiating and crucial meal of the day, so don’t skip it.

Go ahead, create a routine for your morning. And, pretty soon your mornings will empower and energise you.

What is your morning routine?

I'd love to hear back from you.

Your Victory Coach