Choose Joy Each Morning: My Morning Routine

Headband: https://amzn.to/2RZklr0

Shirt: The Hollis Co,

Routines and habits are so important.  They are things that we CAN control, especially when everything else feels out of control.  I choose to start each day in a way that will put me in the right mindset to have a great day!  

After I wake up and shower, I start by drinking a glass of water and making some coffee.  I recently got a milk frother and my morning coffee has been feeling so fancy; like a special treat.  It's also usually in a Disney mug that sparks joy and that's an added bonus!  

Milk Frother: https://amzn.to/2Kufr12

With coffee in hand, I pull out my gratitude journal and one of my favorite pens.  The prompts are simple, nothing overly complicated.  I write down five things I'm grateful for from the past 24 hours.  These are specific little things, not all encompassing ones.  It could be the sunshine on the run I took the day before or that my husband brought home Chic-fil-A for dinner.  Focus on those.  Sometimes you have to look a little harder, but they are there. Promise!    

My FAVE pens: https://amzn.to/353y05U

The second part is writing down ten dreams, written as if they have already happened.  The beginning of the journal has some pages to work out what these are for you.  There is also a video series to help with this part if you want to do this practice on a notebook you already have (https://starttoday.com/pages/how-to).  Writing these out each morning keeps you focused on where you're going.  One of the dreams I wrote down in my first journal was that "I ran a half marathon" and I was able to replace that with a new dream earlier this year!

Start Today Journal: https://starttoday.com/pages/shop

I make my priority list and schedule for the day the night before, but I look over my day after I journal.  This sets my intentions and I can focus on what the day has in store for me!  I know we're all busy and have to-do lists a mile long, but something that is super helpful is selecting three items each day that will move the needle on your goals and make them non-negotiable.  Get those done first and you'll have accomplished something meaningful...and not just the laundry!

Next, I read or listen to a podcast for 15-30 minutes depending on the day.  This is typically either personal development or business related.  I finish getting ready for the day and then try to time block at least a couple of hours of work before any meetings or errands.

What does your morning routine look like?

xoxo Shannon