5 steps to a peaceful morning.

I am all about having a good morning. While I generally do wake up on the right side of the bed, there are some steps that I take to ensure I get my day off to a good start.

[P.S. you can read how I make the most of my Mondays here.]

Let’s dive right into my 5 tips for a peaceful morning.

1. Get routined. It is really difficult to have a peaceful morning if you are dead tired. Getting to bed on time is a something we all talk about, but rarely practice. My goal is to be in bed, lights off at 11PM and up by 7AM M-F, and I am up before 9AM on Sat-Sun. I set a bedtime alarm that goes off 15 minutes before it is time for bed. When it sounds, it is time to close my computer, brush my teeth, and snuggle up with Clea (my cat!) for a cozy sleep.
2. Go natural. Leaving the blinds open is a great way to wake up naturally. If you live in a place where there isn’t much early morning sun (hello Denmark in the winter) or if you are up uber early for work, invest in a sun lamp for the same effect.
3. Start easy. I go really gentle on myself in the morning, building in time to move slowly, because rushing is decidedly not peaceful. Instead of pressing snooze on my alarm, I meditate. I open my Headspace app and meditate for 10 minutes while still in bed each morning. The narrator’s gentle guidance just lulls me out of a sleepy state in such a serene way. [Pro tip: I also try to meditate for five minutes before heading to bed too.] Now that my mind has been coaxed awake, I do the same with my body. The first thing I do once out of bed is a morning stretch – just two minutes to get all of those pops and kinks worked out.
4. Fuel up. Now that I am out of bed, it is straight to the kitchen for a glass of H2O. We get dehydrated while we are sleeping, so gulp down some water first thing. I squeeze some lemon juice into mine and drink it cold. Within an hour of waking up, I’m ready for breakfast. My favorite thing to have is my trail mix oatmeal. Super nutritious, filling, and delicious. Find the recipe below.
5. Sing along. Music always puts me in a great mood. I love using Spotify’s mood selector and and putting on calming playlist to listen to as I get ready. My Altec speaker follows me around all morning, including in the shower as it is water proof. Nothing makes for a good morning like singing in the shower!

Well, those are my five tips to a great morning. Research shows that happiness is 50% our genes, 40% our selves, and 10% our circumstances. Basically, half of our total happiness is controllable. And these five steps definitely fill my happiness gauge in the morning.

Don’t forget about the oatmeal recipe below!

-TM

What makes your morning routine peaceful? Let us know below.

Tess’ Trail Mix Oatmeal

What you’ll need: Serves 2 cups

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole grain rolled oats
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen fruit (I like black cherries, blueberries, and strawberries)
• 1 tbsp protein powder
• 1 tbsp nut mix + raisins
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp gogi berries
• 1 tsp peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp cacao nips
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• A handful of fresh fruit (I love raspberries and blueberries)
• A pinch of sea salt

Steps:

1. Add water, frozen fruit, and salt to pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Add in oats, protein powder, nuts, chia, and cinnamon, and cook until oats are ready, stirring frequently.
3. Place in bowl, and top with gogi berries, peanut butter, cacao nips, extra nuts, and fresh fruit.
4. Enjoy!