My Morning Routine

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love”. –Marcus Aurelius

Mornings hold a special kind of magic for me and I believe it is because they announce a new day, new clean blank slate, new chance of making things right. The start of a new day, full of possibilities! And starting your day on a good note can have a huge impact on the outcome of pretty much everything you set out to do.

I understood the importance of creating and sticking to a morning routine when I found myself absolutely dreading getting up every morning and facing my day, instead endlessly scrolling instagram and getting more upset because I was not, say, in Bali living the rich life and an hour later scrambling to get dressed as quickly as possible, only to get to work half an hour late and in the most awful mood. And it was only 9:30! That is when I decided I want to change this and create morning rituals for myself that will charge my whole day with energy and positivity.

1. Hydration

First thing I do after jumping out of bed is drink two glasses of water with the juice of half a lemon. This has tremendous health benefits, among which: natural vitamin C source, helps with detoxification and weight loss, rejuvenates the skin and boost your energy levels up!

2. Meditation

I like to wake up pretty early when I can, so that I can enjoy the quiet time while the world is still asleep and sneak in some minutes of meditation. Over the past year I have become prone to anxiety attacks and mediation helps a lot! I find it difficult to do on my own, so I am using the Headspace app on my iPhone – I love their guided meditations.

3. COFFEE

Coffee drinking is a ritual of itself and one of my favorites, so I take my time and thoroughly enjoy my first cup of dark, strong coffee, while listening to the Buddha Bar radio on my Apple TV. I often find that the second cup of coffee never really tastes quite as good as that very first one… :)

4. Quick Workout

Working out first thing in the morning has so many benefits, so

I make sure to sneak in a quick 20 minute session. It instantly wakes me up, keeps me energized throughout the day it is scientifically proven that working out on empty stomach burns more calories! I am a big fan of ToneIt Up’s workouts – check out their daily 5 moves that you can do in the middle of your living room, with hardly any equipment. Easy!

5. Breakfast

People keep saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I just can’t accept that… all 5 of my meals are important to me!!! God forbid I miss out on any of them as I tend to turn into a snappy, bitchy, hangry (hungry+angry) monster! This being said, I never skip breakfast and it is usually something light, but nutritious. My favorite is oats with yoghurt, seeds, dried fruit, honey and coconut flakes (and cacao nibs on top!)

6. Planning my day

I am the kind of person that needs structure and a plan, otherwise I get easily distracted and forgetful. This is why I take 10 minutes each morning and actually write down all appointments, to-dos and reminders for that day in my planner and I carry that thing around like 3 year-old carries a blankie. I also cry when I lose it. :) Joke aside, but it really does help me get shit done and I also happen to be in love with my Danielle LaPorte Weeklyplanner that I am currently using.