So here it is, are you ready? This is the one piece of advice I wish someone had told me years ago but I had to figure it out for myself. I want to save you the trouble so I am sharing it with you.
Don’t rush in the morning.
That’s it. It’s just that simple. Wake up with plenty of time to set yourself up for a beautiful day. If you have trouble getting up in the morning, figure out how to go to bed early enough that each morning isn’t a painful jolt to a new day.
If you need that first cup of coffee and time to read the paper before facing the world, then set yourself up to do just that without racing around the house.
I prefer to avoid my email and text messages until after I have had my morning tonic (a combination of lemon, ginger, honey, and hot water) and have sat in some form of meditation, walked or done 20 minutes of yoga.
One great way to set the right tone for a day you can look forward to (or at least enjoy or appreciate — despite the piles of work or messy house or complicated relationship you may be facing), is to make enough time when you wake up to do what you personally need to do to start your day off right.
What I mean by personal is that you get to choose what exactly you need to make time for each day. Some people want to lie in bed for 30 minutes writing down their dreams or reading a book or looking at videos online. Someone else may need to hit the gym and workout. Others may want to cook a yummy breakfast and have time to eat it while listening to music. Someone else may want to just take a really long hot shower, or want more time to just sit and play with a pet.
It doesn’t matter what you decide to do as long as it makes you feel happier to wake up. The key is figuring out what works for you so you will make the time in the morning to do it regularly.
Without a doubt, not rushing in the morning has completely changed the way the rest of my day goes — and I guarantee it’ll change the way yours do, too.
Try it for two weeks and tell me if you don’t feel a whole lot better. You may need to rearrange your schedule, set your alarm earlier or get into bed sooner than you are accustomed to but I can promise you that once you get into the habit of having a leisurely start to your day, you will never want to go back to the “race to make it on time” lifestyle. (Well, realistically, I can’t change the rushing you do the rest of your day, but this advice can definitely help you begin the day with a less harried start).
And there is no judgment here, even if it’s just doing something as simple as sitting staring out the window of your home for a few minutes each morning. It is taking that time back for yourself that makes all the difference.
Rise and shine — it’s worth a try.
Originally published at www.huffingtonpost.com on January 31, 2015.
Originally published at medium.com