Two Fresh Ideas To Add A Little Movement Into Your Morning Routine
If you read the title of this post and had the gut reaction of, "Yeah, definitely no. I'm not a morning person. I have to set 3 alarms, and sleep until the very last second before I'm literally peeling out of the door", I promise we have a lot more in common than you think. If you’re over there thinking: “why is a morning routine even important?” just stay with me.
Let's start with calling it like it is. Most of us are not so-called ‘morning people’ by nature. Does ANYONE like getting out of their warm, cozy bed in the morning only to get out in the world and adult? I mean maaaaybe on Sunday when it's brunch day. But for most of us, the next destination past the shower and the coffee shop is either work or school - with a possible errand or two along the way. None of that sounds like an exceptionally great time to me, especially not at 8 o'clock in the morning.
We've all read the stories about how successful people rise before dawn, do an hour of meditation and exercise, eat a healthy breakfast, and then head off to conquer their day. I absolutely envy those people, but I am definitely not one of them.
I absolutely swear by getting my 8 hours of sleep. And, I have some quick Ayurvedic rituals I do which I’ve shared previously - splashing cool water on my face 7 times, using a tongue scraper and dry brush, spending a few minutes in bed visualizing the day before my feet hit the floor - but what about movement? How do we make time for that?
To be real, I love taking a morning yoga class. However, as a writer, a 10 a.m. class means I'll be burning the midnight oil that night. But hey - I'm some days I’m okay with that.
However, on days when I need to get right to it I have found that adding in light exercise to my morning routine has made all the difference in my productivity and mood for the rest of the day. Here’s two ideas to make moving easy.
She Likes to Move It, Move It: Take a Walk in Nature
Movement of any kind helps get the blood flowing. My favorite way to get the day going is with a walk in nature. I do like the structure of my yoga routine, however, there's something extra spirit lifting about being outside while the air is still crisp and the world is just starting to stir.
The variety of route or location creates a feeling of newness, and since it's about getting the body going, it doesn't have to be a jog. Often, I’ll get dressed for the day, and then make a quick stop at my favorite park before I make it to my first destination. I'll hop out of the car to explore the flowers, trees, pathways and the views for 10-15 minutes or so. Does it take extra discipline? Yes. Do we all have 20 minutes we could devote to this, double yes.
Something as simple as that can be a true meditative moment. Some days I'll bring along a chilled out playlist, or a podcast I’ve been meaning to catch up on, pop on my headphones and zen out.
Dance It Out
If there isn't enough time to detour to the park, I'll take those 10-15 minutes and dance in my living room. This is wayyy too much fun and I promise, you’ll end up laughing to yourself and maybe at yourself. Somedays I’ll throw in some sun salutations too - and others I dance like I’m at the club on a Friday night. Do what suits you!
I love ending the dance session with some meditative breathing (the last song on my playlist is always one I can get re-centered to). Here's the playlist I've been using lately.
I hope you all feel inspired by my own morning movement routine. As simple as it is, it sets me up to have a grounded and productive day. If any of you have your own, special morning movement routines, feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear!
Wanderfully yours,
Andi
