Friday 8 September 2017

How To Create a Positive Morning



Mornings! That part of the day many of us dread; the realisation that we have to get up even if we don’t want to and get ready to go to work. But it doesn’t have to be this way! In fact, with a few simple steps you can free yourself of any negative thoughts that present themselves in the morning, here’s how:

1-Prepare the night before!

Choose your outfit, pack your bag and make your lunch the night before, this will save time and effort and keep you calm as well.

2-Tidy up the night before!

I really dislike walking in to a kitchen where the previous day’s washing up is still sitting there on the side. It makes me feel irritable, so I always try to ensure that the washing up is done the night before so that when I walk in to the kitchen, I am greeted with a clean and welcoming space. I know it’s not always possible, but it’s a ten-minute task that can really help the morning routine.

3-Read a positive affirmation or quote

You can find positive quotes everywhere; in books, magazines, online or even better, make one up. It doesn’t have to be long, here are some of my own examples:

‘smile often’
‘Keep believing’
‘PMA (positive mental attitude, although you all knew that one didn’t you!).

4-Don’t check in with the world first thing

Do you really need to check social media or work emails as soon as you wake up?.....really? If you honestly feel this will be too difficult, see if you can wait at least 15-20 minutes before you start checking in.

5-Don’t immerse yourself with too much news

I know we all love to know what’s going on (myself included), but when we listen to the news, watch it on TV or read about it, it won’t be too long before we’re absorbing something very negative. I’m not suggesting you turn your back on the news, just reconsider how quickly you connect with it during your day.

6-Try silence at breakfast

No conversation, no radio, just enjoy the peace and quiet before a day full of moments to chat and listen to the world around you.

7-Have a mindful shower

You most probably won’t have time to have a long shower, but try and be mindful as you shower, focus on how the water feels when it touches your body, what’s the temperature like, what’s the water pressure like? Nothing complex here, just a simple opportunity to observe.

8-Don’t fear the day ahead

Even if your day looks daunting (maybe you have a meeting with your boss, maybe you have a presentation or a deadline to meet), try and not look forward to the day ending because you would have just wished a whole day of your life by! We’ll all experience days that won’t be so good, but there are always good moments within every day, you just have to find them.

9-Smile at someone

Go on, I dare you! As you walk down the street, make eye contact with someone and smile, most the time you’ll get a smile back and if you get anything else back, laugh about it!

10-If something goes wrong it’s not the end of the world

Okay, your train is delayed or even worse cancelled, you’ve laddered your tights or got caught in the rain-as much as these situations suck, you have a choice to how you’re going to react to it. Transport is completely out of our control so if you’re going to be late, don’t panic, it happens. If you get caught in the rain, well at least we get rain and it’s better than being sunburnt! And if you ladder your tights or lose a button, well you can replace these items so it’s really not the end of the world.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog post and even if you just manage to implement one of my points, I hope you feel the benefits! Enjoy your morning, remember you only have seven each week!