As promised, I want to talk about morning routines. Now, before we get started, I have to admit that I can be pretty terrible about morning routines. I tend to be someone who sleeps until the very last second my alarm allows me. However, I have found that after awhile of waking up early enough to take time for myself, it actually isn't that bad and it sets the mood for the day. That being said, be realistic about what you can do. If you're not getting to bed until midnight for some awful reason, then don't wake up at 4 AM just because someone more motivated than you tells you to. My recommendation is to work backwards from your first responsibility. So if you have to be at work at 8 AM, wake up two hours earlier. If you don't have anything going on until 10 AM, wake up at 8 AM. Many of you know my schedule. My first client isn't until 10 AM on any given day, so I've been waking up at 8 AM (ish). Before you start cussing me out about my schedule, I also work until 7 PM most nights, so the math checks out. ;-) Anyways, moving on. Lets get started! Your alarm goes off at whatever time you set (I suggest setting your alarm to music, it's less jolting), you turn it off (or listen to the music for a minute like I do), then roll out of bed (literally). Once you turn your alarm music off, turn to your trusty Alexa (All-new Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa - Heather Gray) and tell her to play you some upbeat music! Guys, my Alexa is probably one of my favorite things. She does everything I say without complaint or questions. It's glorious. Right now, as I write this, she is playing music on my bluetooth speaker that I have in my living room. Anyways, that was a side note. Your music is playing and it's time to make your bed. Yes! Make your bed! I know this sounds ridiculous, but it is an important step! I absolutely love getting into a bed that is made. I also love how my room looks when my bed is made. So make that bed! Don't skip this step!
I have to make another side note right now. It's about sheets. If you are not a sheet snob like me, you need to become one. There is amazing power in sleeping on the right sheets. If your thread count isn't 1,000 or above, we need to talk. I know sheets can be expensive, I truly do know. However, having one set that is WORTH the money is super important. I'm going to link the ones I have, but you absolutely don't need to buy these. There are cheaper options that are still in the luxurious realm. Click on the link and then just shop down the Amazon Wormhole as I call it. Find you some sheets that are made for the Queen that you are! Ok, so here are the ones I use. They are called Pure Beech Jersey Knit Modal King Sheet Set in Charcoal. These are a King set, so be sure to switch it over to whatever size bed you have. They are pricey, but I have never been more pleased with buying sheets. I actually didn't think I would like these when a friend told me they were the Jersey type, but they are so expensively made that you would never know it. I feel like I'm sleeping on a cloud. They're amazing.
Back to morning routine: You're now grooving to some music, your bed is made, it's time to wash that face! I'm not going to talk about any face products here because I'm planning to write a whole blog on facial products later on. But what I will tell you about your morning routine, make sure you're using products that cleanse and energize. In my nighttime routine blog, I talked about aromatherapy and how important it is to a routine. Well the same applies here! Some of the best scents for revitalizing, energizing and encouraging focus/clarity are your citrus based scents, like lemon, tangerine, grapefruit, orange, etc. You can also use scents like eucalyptus, peppermint and tea tree (very similar to eucalyptus). All of these scents awaken your senses! They're some of my favorite scents. I love all things lemon. When I write my facial routine blog, I will link y'all to some of my favorite morning products. They're lovely. In my nighttime routine I linked you all to a lavender candle, but here I'm going to link you to another candle that I have fallen in love with. It is made by the same company and it smells amazing! I light it on my vanity and I smell it all through my bathroom and bedroom in the morning while I'm getting dressed and doing all the morning things. Here it is: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Scented Soy Candle, Lemon Verbena, Candle, 7.2 ounce (Pack of 2). I just love it! Light that bad boy up and enjoy the subtle hints of lemon all throughout your room. *FYI- I lit the lavender one about 20 minutes before my bath last night and when I walked into my bedroom, I was hit with the lavender smell immediately. I smelled that lavender until I fell asleep.*
You can also diffuse oils in a diffuser. I have a couple of diffusers and I'm not overly particular about which ones I like, but I do like to be able to see the mist coming out of it. I also prefer that the diffuser look classy, and not just a plastic oval shooting out scented mist. I looked for the one that I have, but I can't find the exact one on Amazon anymore so I'll give the link to one that is like it: Diffuser for Essential Oils (400ml) - Super High Aroma Output, FREE Cleaning Kit - Dark Wood Essential Oil Diffuser. This one looks expensive, but is very affordable. Getting a sturdy one is important. The cheap, cheap ones will fall apart after several uses. Next, you'll need some essential oils. You want to get a variety so that you can mix and match. Here's a good starter kit that has all the scents I think you need to get started: Aromatherapy Top 8 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Basic Sampler essential oil gift set 8/10ml (lavender, sweet orange, peppermint, lemongrass, tea tree, eucalyptus, lemon, frankincense). I like to mix lavender and lemon. The two scents actually do completely different things so I'm sure the essential oil enthusiasts and experts would say not to do this, but I love the smell. I will even throw in a couple drops of peppermint...oh my gosh, it smells good! Time to talk about morning drinks. I am not a coffee drinker and I realize I might be the only one in the whole universe, but there it is. That is my one fatal flaw. That being said, it doesn't mean I don't want to have a morning drink! I want to be cool like the coffee drinkers and be able to have something that wakes me up and starts my day. So I've been on the prowl for the right drink. I've tried smoothies, veggie drinks, teas, you name it, I've probably tried it. So I am on a journey to find a hot tea that I like. Here is what I have tried so far: Yogi Tea Kombucha Green Tea 16 ea ( pack of 2) as well as Yogi Tea Herbal Tea, Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy 1.02 oz(Pack of 2). I wish I could give a raving review, but clearly I am not a hot tea drinker. Maybe it's the southern, Texas girl in me, but I was missing the sugar that I'm accustomed to in sweet, iced tea. *sigh* Y'all drop some comments below if there's a hot tea y'all like and I will try it out!
Many people meditate in the mornings. They say it gets their mind prepared for the day. For me personally, that's what prayer does for me. I take some time in the morning to pray for my attitude, my clients that day and any other requests that are on the list. If you don't pray, then I still think it's important to send good thoughts towards having a good attitude, being thankful that you're alive and that you have another day to live and make the most of. I recommend having a positivity board or writing on your mirror with dry-erase marker. It's important to have something that we look at each morning that reminds us to think positively. Negative thinking is easy. Positive thinking takes work! If you want to feel better, be more productive, have more energy and look forward to the day ahead, it's all going to hinge on how you begin your day!
If you have any morning routine ideas that have worked for you, drop a comment below and let the readers know. I'm always up for new ideas! And I'm not kidding about the tea recommendations. I need all the help I can get on that!
Be happy! Be healthy! Be Well!
Until next time.
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