Good morning. This is my favorite greeting to start the day. I have always loved the morning sunshine and I want to make an honest confession here. I am someone who loves waking up early, opening the curtains and gaze out at the sunlight. And yes, on some days, I even shout out: Good morning, sunshine!
Why do I do that? Because I simply love the peace and quiet that the early hours give me. It helps me to prep myself for the day ahead and more importantly, enables me to follow a routine to get started.
And no, I wasn’t always like this. For me, studying late and getting up equally late had become a pattern. Later, I became lost in a growing social life and late office hours. In all the buzz, I was losing myself. Fatigue, low energy levels, irritability and low productivity. I had to catch myself from dozing in an office meeting once - the stare from my manager and the dressing down later was enough to give me a wake-up call.
I developed some tools to help me turn around my life and becoming a morning person is one of them.
Waking early is crucial to keeping good health. Our body's metabolism works best when we sleep early and wake up early. The functioning of our organs is best when we manage this.
Here are a few of my morning mantras to start your day and brighten me up with the morning sunshine.
Drink water, lots of it
One of the healthiest things to do when you wake up is to drink a couple of glasses of water. It helps to flush out the body of all the toxins.
Get moving
I’ve tried a couple of different exercise routines and found yoga suited me the best. Surya namaskars (sun salutations) give a good cardio workout and the other asanas stretch the body, massage the inner organs and prepare me for meditation.
Just breath easy
After exercise, it's important to harness the energy or prana. I usually practice pranayama or breathing exercises. There are many different kinds of pranayamas. One of the simplest and most effective technique is the alternate nostril breathing. Here are some detailed instructions on how to practice this pranayama.
You can read up on more pranayamas here.
Meditate for some peace
This is a critical aspect of one’s morning routine. Meditation clears the mind, the thought process, gives the mind the rest that even a night's sleep is unable to give. There are various kinds of meditations. Sahaj Samadhi Meditation is a very powerful form of meditation that helps us to come out of the various patterns and habits we have formed.
If you have never experienced meditation, you can use a guided meditation.
Alternately, as soon as you have finished with the pranayamas, you can sit with your eyes shut and keep your attention on your breath. Make a strong intention to remain seated for at least 20 minutes and watch your breath.
Keep smiling & shining
A smile is contagious. The smile on our face reaches out to all whom we meet and influences their day as well. Of course, the day will have all kinds of challenges and not everything will go your way. That’s ok. You can still smile and take a few deep breaths and then think of a solution. Chances are, they will be more innovative.
Eat like a king
To give my best to the day ahead, I realized I need the energy and stamina. A healthy and filling breakfast does the trick for me. A good breakfast set me up for the day. I usually include fruits and nuts as well.
Try these tips to start your day and give a shout out to the day yourself: Good morning, sunshine!
FAQ's to start your day with simple tips
Start your day better in the following ways: Drink lots of water Get moving with exercise or yoga or whatever you enjoy Just breath easy in different kinds of pranayama Meditate for some peace - Sahaj Samadhi meditation or any guided meditations led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The smile on your face reaches out to all (whom we meet) and influences their day. A healthy and filling breakfast does the trick for many.
A simple morning routine includes the following: Drink lots of water Get moving with exercise or yoga or whatever you enjoy Just breath easy in different kinds of pranayama Meditate for some peace - Sahaj Samadhi meditation or any guided meditations led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The smile on your face reaches out to all (whom we meet) and influences their day. A healthy and filling breakfast does the trick for many.
Start the day off happy with the feeling of gratitude for all that you have in life. This feeling will fill your heart with abundance, and tears of joy may roll down.
The healthiest way to start your day is to drink a couple of glasses of water till your thirst quenches. It helps to flush out the body of all the toxins.
Start your morning with the newness in life. Open the curtains and welcome the bright sunshine. The peaceful hours of morning fill you up with the positivity and enthusiasm needed for the entire day.How can I wake up happy?
The last thought you have in your mind before you sleep is the first thought in the morning when you wake up. Good to meditate before sleeping to feel happy. Again meditate in the early morning so that your happiness routine is well-practiced.
Try a couple of different exercise routines like yoga asanas, Surya namaskars (sun salutations), cardio workouts, or body stretches. You should practice a combination of all in a week and decide which makes you energetic. Try out pranayamas and mudras to gain energy.
The last thought you have in your mind before you sleep is the first thought in the morning when you wake up. It is good to meditate before sleeping to feel happy. Again meditate in the early morning so that your happiness routine is well-practiced.
Following drinks give you energy in the morning or any time of the day: Golden milk—also known as Haldi doodh (turmeric milk)—is a traditional Indian drink Bananas, apples, pomegranate and bael fruit. Ashwagandha, ginseng, and Brahmi have energy-boosting properties that increase the functioning of your brain With its high protein, carbohydrate, fiber content and essential amino acids, quinoa is ideal for boosting energy levels. Nuts and dry fruits - Dates, figs, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. Herbal teas and light juices like lemon juice can help cool the system and make you feel refreshed and energetic.
You can increase your energy in the morning by: Open up the blinds and let in the sunlight. Splash cold water on your face and take a shower. Drink plenty of water to quench your morning thirst. Stretch your limbs and get into a flow of breath. Mudra pranayama - place the tips of the ring finger and the little finger at the tip of the thumb. Keep the other two fingers stretched without any tension. Holding this mudra with gentle breathing for a couple of minutes helps activate dormant energy in the body. Bellows breathing or affectionately referred to as ""Coffee Breath” or “Yogic Coffee”. Go for a morning walk or outdoor light exercises. Create a good sleep routine to wake up feeling fresh. Meditate to tap the dormant energy in the body.
Kickstart your energy, enthusiasm and clarity in the morning with meditation and natural sunlight. It has been scientifically proven that the body responds to and benefits from natural sunlight in more ways than one. See if you can expose yourself to a little natural sunlight when you meditate. Developing a morning meditation practice can alter your life most positively.
Hug someone you love for at least 20 seconds Clean up - a quick 10 minute tidy your space Be with nature and appreciate it.
Positive self-talk is quite personal to anyone. Some greet themselves 'Good morning' or call themself by names with love etc. When I brush my teeth, I love to see myself smile in the mirror. It starts my day with energy and joy. I say to myself, "Me kar sakti hun, me karti hun, mujhe karna hi he, me karungi, me kar sakti nahin aisa kahin kuch bhi nahin." It fills in me the required positivity and encouragement for the new day ahead.
Change your thoughts by implementing the below: Reduce Your Needs & Increase Your Responsibilities Look At People Who Have Bigger Problems Than You Don't Be Unhappy About Being Unhappy Drop Unpleasant Memories Of The Past & Live In The Present Moment Know That Everything Is Temporary
The best time to start your day is two hours before sunrise. I prefer to wake up naturally. It means when you wake up in full alertness without the buzzing of an alarm.
Get a better morning routine with Ayurveda Brahma Muhurta - wake up about one and a half-hour before the sunrise so that you can synchronize with the rhythm of the sun. Positive vibrations by rubbing palms together, thumb tip rubbing the other fingertips in a circle, etc. Reciting the protection mantra - Karaagre Vasate Lakshmi, Karamadhye Saraswati, Karamoole tu Govinda, Prabhate kara darsanam Place your first footstep on the floor with gratitude to mother earth. Clean up - hands, face, mouth, nose, teeth, tongue and eyes with cool water. Exercise, or yoga, Surya Namaskar, pranayama, Nadi Shodhan or any other physical activity Meditate Pamper yourself by giving a massage with sesame oil. Bathe in neither too hot nor too cold water. Lunch should be taken early between 12-1 pm as it coincides with the peak period responsible for digestion.
A perfect morning routine is easy to implement and accomplishes all the tasks. Yet it has room for an emergency without disturbing the routine tasks. The purpose of any morning routine is to attain energy and happiness by the end of the day.
1. Create a Gadget-Free Morning Routine Meditate Practice yoga or other forms of exercise Journal Organize your priorities and schedule for the day Write out a gratitude list Spend time with loved ones Drink tea and eat a peaceful breakfast Get outside into the fresh air 2. Use a Time-Management Tool - The Pomodoro Technique suggests setting a timer (they use a trademarked tomato timer) for 25 minutes and taking 5-minute breaks between each 25-minute segment. After four rounds, take a long break. 3. Use an App Blocker - Manage distractions by using an App blocker
Follow these steps every morning: Drink lots of water to quench your thirst Get moving with exercise or yoga or whatever you enjoy Just breath easy in different kinds of pranayama Meditate for some peace - Sahaj Samadhi meditation or any guided meditations led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The smile on your face reaches out to all (whom we meet) and influences their day. A healthy and filling breakfast does the trick for many.
Organize your daily routine by listing all the activities and allowing a period for each activity. Some prefer to do the easy tasks before the tedious and difficult ones. Stick to your decision. After lunch, you have low energy as it's time for digestion. So do the tasks which don't involve too much of the brain. Evening time is the time to finish your tasks as maximum as possible and despatch. Before retiring to bed, organize a few things to be used in the morning to avoid hush-rush. Within these loose outlines of each part of your day, you can be specific too. Keep room for an emergency. Assess your current daily routine to fix up any issues. Redesign and roll out the new routine.
Follow these steps to start with morning energy - Open up the blinds and let the light come in. Splash cold water on your face and take a shower. Drink plenty of water to quench your morning thirst. Stretch your limbs and get into a flow of breath. Mudra pranayama - place the tips of the ring finger and the little finger at the tip of the thumb. Keep the other two fingers stretched without any tension. Holding this mudra with gentle breathing for a couple of minutes helps activate dormant energy in the body. Bellows breathing or affectionately referred to as ""Coffee Breath” or “Yogic Coffee”. Go for a morning walk or outdoor light exercises. Create a good sleep routine to wake up feeling fresh. Meditate to tap the dormant energy in the body.