Start the day feeling calm and collected with these five super simple morning rituals. Because once you’ve mastered your morning, you’ve mastered your day…
Reflect
Read enough inspiring quotes and you’ll quickly realise that ‘staying present’ is essential for anyone hoping to cultivate a happy and successful life. Less popular, but equally as valuable, is the idea of reflection. Every morning, take a moment to reflect on three things you’re grateful for from the previous day. It might have been the delicious coffee you had on your morning break, a wonderful chat with a friend, the train ride to work or the food you ate for dinner. All of these seemingly ‘everyday’ things – food, transport, friendship – are, in fact enormous privileges. Framing them as such will help you to carry gratitude and positivity into your day.
REPEAT
Repeated rituals form healthy habits so start small by endeavouring to make your bed every morning. When your external environment is tidy and calm, you’re likely to feel calmer on the inside too. Making your bed also means that you’ve already achieved something just a few minutes into your day. And of course, when you return home, you’ll be pleased to see your space looking tidy and inviting. Tim Ferriss, bestselling author of ‘The 4-Hour Workweek’, is a proponent of daily bed-making, and this is certainly one morning ritual we can get behind.
NOURISH
If there’s one daily habit we should all adopt, it’s a gut-loving ritual that primes, soothes and strengthens digestion – all before 9am. Given that 70 per cent of our immune system is located in the gut, starting the day with a gut-loving elixir is key to our overall wellbeing. Containing ingredients like bio-fermented papaya, aloe vera, peppermint, slippery elm, milk thistle, L-glutamine and turmeric, GUT PRIMER™ Inner Beauty Support™ nourishes your digestive system and helps to repair and restore the delicate lining of the gut. While GUT PRIMER™ can be taken at any time of the day, we find that mornings are a particularly powerful time to implement health-related rituals.
SIMPLIFY
Ever noticed that you’re at your most glow-y when you first wake up? This is because your skin’s protective barrier re-establishes itself at night. What’s more, all of those fabulous products you used before bed have had time to work their magic. Cleansing in the morning may remove your skin’s natural oils (the good stuff) and disrupt the skin’s delicate microbiome. So, rather than washing your face with a cleanser in the AM, just rinse it with tepid water and pat dry. Not only will your products last longer, but you’ll also streamline your morning routine.
EAT
Steer clear of breakfasts that are high in carbohydrates (like sugary cereals and granola) as they’ll spike your blood sugar and fail to sustain you for more than an hour or two. Instead, opt for an energy-sustaining protein like organic, pasture-raised eggs – they’re the perfect breakfast option for omnivorous folk and will give you the nourishment you need to tackle your to-do list. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition, actually suggests that eating a breakfast rich in healthy fats (think avocado and eggs) may help us to burn fat more efficiently throughout the day. Eggcellent!
A few last words: the seeds for a successful morning are actually sown the night before. So, be sure to get at least eight hours of quality sleep so you can wake up feeling refreshed and energised.
What does your morning routine look like? We'd love to know.
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