More Than Just A Morning Routine
Morning routines are awesome. In fact, they’re all the rage these days. Do you have one? It seems everyone wants one because it’s been proven that one of the things that very successful people have in common is an intentional morning routine.
This is why entrepreneurs who are still solo-preneuring, or starting to take on teams of their own as well as established business owners working to scale want to create a morning ritual that sets them up for success. Things can get pretty cloudy pretty quickly when you’ve got tons of balls in the air and you’re not sure which one you should catch next or prioritize first. Centering yourself at the beginning of your day is a wonderful way to get clear on your priorities, goals, intentions and pursuits. And that’s why it’s an important topic to talk about!
The real secret is not to take on someone else’s morning routine as your own, but to start your day, your way, which makes this more than just a morning routine. Get inspired by your mentors, your peers, or people you admire. Gather some ideas and then figure what works for you. If sitting in meditation for an hour every morning gives you hives just thinking about it, then that’s not something you should be “forcing” yourself to do as part of your morning routine.
Yours could be waking up slowly, having a bath and sipping your coffee in your favorite chair.
Just because something works for someone else, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Ditch the ideas that won’t work for you and personalize your mornings so you’re not thinking about it as a routine or something you have to do, but an amazing way to start your day the way you want to.
When I began to ignore what others are doing for their morning routine and find what works for me, that’s when mine really came together.
My morning journaling actually transformed into my morning Q&A with the Universe and my deeper wisdom. I began asking questions during my morning writing ritual and because I was already in a full free write, my pen just kept flowing and before I knew it, the answers to the questions I asked would just come pouring out of my pen! Sometimes it’s written as if I’m answering my own question and sometimes the pronouns change and it’s like the Universe is answering me directly and giving me guidance and wisdom.
I actually started sharing my “Morning Messages” on Instagram every morning. I regularly go back through my writing and pull out little nuggets of wisdom. I’m not sharing all my answers, or giving away my questions, but I thought it would be nice to share some wisdom and inspiration because the goal would be for you to read it and use it as a jumping off point to ask whatever are the right questions for you.
What works for me may not work for you. I’m now sending out these little nuggets of wisdom from me & the Universe as “Hilary’s Morning Messages From The Universe” over email every weekday morning. Why did I decide to do it this way? Two reasons!
First, I wanted to share some of my own feel-good morning ritual with you so you can simply take it as inspiration to create something that works for you. It could be that reading these morning messages IS what works for your own morning routine….who knows!
Second, gurus are touting the benefits of a morning routine because it’s a way to start your day focused on your own goals and dreams, instead of in your Inbox where you find yourself swimming in other peoples’ priorities. For all my goal-getters who aren’t yet used to NOT starting their day by grabbing their phone and checking their email, I thought, if I could just be in your inbox with some words of wisdom and some inspiration that lights you up and gets you thinking about your own priorities, then I’ve done my job well!
Starting your day with intention, gratitude, and meaning is totally an inside job. You’ve got to do what resonates with your mind, body and soul. You may need to try a few things on to see what feels right.
If you want to start a morning routine that’s personalized to you, start by asking yourself these two simple questions:
1 – What’s the intention behind my morning routine?
2 – Based on your answer in #1, ask yourself – What do I do or could I do to make me feel (your intention from #1)?
For example, if my answer to #1 is “to start my day in gratitude and connected to my spirit, goals & values,” then, I would ask – What do I do or could I do to make me feel connected to my spirit, goals & values? For me the answer would be: choosing a song of the day that represents how I want to feel and meditating to it…and writing!
It’s good to check in with yourself often, though, because on some days my answer is…walk on the beach and be inspired by nature!
Remember, this is all about starting your day FEELING GOOD. A morning routine is not one-size-fits-all, so do your homework, gather inspiration and give it a whirl!
And if you think receiving “Hilary’s Morning Messages From The Universe” would get your juices flowing with inspiration, intention and creativity first thing in the morning (my intention)…then be sure to sign up right here.