It’s 6:00am, the iPhone Marimba ringtone goes off, and you wake up mid-dream feeling like you are facing cardiac arrest. Then it begins... “Omg what am I going to wear today?”, “What will the boss say to my new proposal?”, “God damnit I have gained 5kg” … the flood gates of our mind are released and the thoughts flow faster than the River Nile through Egypt! If this scenario sounds all too familiar, then please read on.
The way you start your day can really have positive or negative effects on the remainder of it. The moment in between waking up and flood of consciousness that follows, is often described as one of the most peaceful moments we can have. In this split-second moment we haven’t put on our masks of life yet, we haven’t stepped into our roles such as mother, wife, business woman, etc. So imagine the positive effects of prolonging this feeling of inner calm for more than those few milliseconds…
If you’re waking up feeling stressed and panicked, you can predict how the rest of your day is going to play out. Think about starting your day by ‘reprogramming’ your mind. There is one crucial factor that gets the better of us when trying to make these positive changes and that is the dreaded T word - TIME! So we’ve composed a quick 30-minute wake-up regime that you can implement to get your days started in a better way:
1. Try wake up naturally to the sunlight. Try not setting your alarm and you will be surprised at how your body wakes up naturally anyway. So ditch the alarm clock, even if you just set it slightly later as a back-up and see if your body responds by naturally waking at your usual hour.
2. Before you open your eyes think of one thing you’re grateful for in your life.
3. Open your eyes slowly and sit upright. Light a candle and meditate for 10 minutes, or slowly get out of bed and do 5-10 minutes of yoga. A few simple poses to loosen up the body and wake up your muscles will make the world of difference.
4. Slowly make your way to the bathroom and look yourself in the mirror and repeat the thing you are grateful for and say a positive affirmation, something simple like “I accept myself”.
5. Shower and pamper yourself using your favourite beauty products.
6. Dedicate time at home to prepare a delicious wholesome breakfast.
Even if you find you can only implement a couple of these acts to your morning routine to begin, you will notice a difference in your mindset and the way you approach your day.
Words by
Nadine Ominski, Nutritionist & Health Coach
Related content:
How to find the perfect health and fitness regime for you How to practice mindful eatingBreak free from binge eating