Wake up with mindfulness!
“Mindfulness” has been quite the buzzword over the past decade and to be honest, it has got me buzzing!
I have experienced the amazing benefits of mindfulness in my own life, from simple daily changes to more integrated practices in my life and relationships. The idea of changing our lives can be quite intimidating. However, if we can focus on changing some of our daily habits instead, these habits can in turn… change your life. Think about it, if you do something mindful once a day, every day, your life is bound to be impacted by this change.
So, here are three mindful things you can do before you pour your coffee.
First, as soon as you wake up, drink a cup of water with lemon juice. Before reaching for your coffee, or putting anything else in your body, enjoy a few moments with this refreshing glass of water. Why? Well, having a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning is not only good for the mind, but also your health! It is high in Vitamin C, promotes hydration, supports healthy weight, has been said to protect against anemia.
Second, write a daily gratitude list. “Begin each day with a grateful heart”. Can you do that? What if some of the first thoughts in the morning were thoughts about the blessings in your life? Imagine how this simple act, which takes only a few minutes a day, can impact your entire life. Begin with listing five things. It is that simple! Gratitude has been a hot topic in the field of psychology and has been seen to improve physical and psychological health as well as enhance empathy, self-esteem and quality of sleep. Sign me up!
The third mindful thing you can do before enjoying that hot cup of coffee is to move your body. Yep. Body before Coffee! Besides the benefits of exercise first thing in the morning (like improving your mood, reducing stress, and increasing energy), this has become my favorite way to wake up with mindfulness. When I move my body intentionally before I drink my coffee, I feel more present, more connected and less rushed. My movement routine becomes more fluid and more intentional rather than another thing to check off my list. Plus, it makes that cup of coffee that much more enjoyable!
Need help finding ways to move your body? You can find lots of short and full-length yoga videos on my YouTube channel here. Or enjoy 15 days of yoga, about 20 minutes each, here.
Which brings me to bonus number four. Once I have priortized my physical and mental health before my cup of coffee, I notice how much more mindful I am when I finally have that coffee in hand. It has become a part of my mindful morning ritual, rather than a mindless, sleepy habit.
How do you start your mornings? Is it mindful? Does your routine help you to feel good throuthout the day? If not, what change or changes can you make today. And remember, moments make up your days, your days make up your years and those years make up your life.
So, choose how you intend to spend this moment, today. Here and now.
xo,
Jennison
