THE MORNING SUCCESS RITUAL

I read this article from Dumb Little Man.  I have tried in the past three days and was surprising effectively.  I noticed more energy in the morning.  Here is the abbreviated article with my actual actions noted under BE (short for BrokenEars).

1) Smile

Immediately upon waking, smile.  As simple as smiling is, it has a profound affect on our nervous system and how we feel.  By smiling first thing upon waking, you're implying to yourself that you're happy and grateful for this day.  It also sends signals to your brain to start feeling good!  

BE - I am reminded of an amazing scene from Jerry Maguire movie … “I clapped my hand and yell out that it’s gonna be a great day!.”  That is what I have done each day and I start to feel great in each of last three days.

2) Be Grateful

Smiling leads nicely into the second step, which is being grateful.  The quality of our life is the quality of the emotional states that we consistently live in.  By taking time each morning to think about what you're grateful for, you will put yourself in a positive state which will help you be more productive, energized and happy.  I encourage you to spend at least a minute thinking about what you're grateful for each morning. 

BE - Now this part is a little hard to be positive about.  Instead, I reflect what I have done yesterday positive.

3) Hydrate Yourself

Taking care of your body each morning and hydrating yourself is one of the most important things you can do for your health.  While you've been sleeping, you've become massively dehydrated and your body needs water to operate in full efficiency.  The problem is, most people wake up and immediately drink coffee or a caffeinated beverage, which actually dehydrates the body and only provides a temporary stimulation.  This will help your body naturally be more energized, thus increasing productivity.

BE - Believe it or not, I have all but forsaken coffee in the morning.  But have switched to a cup of green tea in the afternoon on occasionally.  I am finding myself drinking more and more water as I get through cleaning my place.

4) Get Moving

Moving your body and doing something physical each morning is a powerful way to change your state.  During sleep, we've been inactive for several hours and we need to physically get our bodies going again to "wake ourselves up".  I recommend spending a few quick minutes upon waking to get your body moving, such as going for a walk, stretching, or doing a quick exercise.  It doesn't matter what you do, but move around for a few minutes in the morning before you go back to sitting down again.  This will do wonders to help turn on your metabolism in the morning, as well as give you the much-needed energy for a productive day.

BE – By throwing myself into cleaning in the morning, it is surprising more effective and more productive.  The key was knowing what to do in the morning last night before I hit the sack.  And check it off upon completion.

If you got any better suggestions / ideas to hit the ground running in the morning, please feel free to leave a comment.