I’m not a morning person! I have told myself that for years. I don’t sleep late. I’ve always gotten up before or with Carlos. I just don’t like getting up to get ready for work or for the day. This new job means a new routine. I knew how I wanted my mornings to be, but it’s been a lot of trial and error to find a routine that works well for me.
This week my mornings have been the most consistent. I have been up between 4:40 and 4:50 everyday. I start with a short 6-10 minute guided meditation. Oh meditation! I’m terrible at it, but it’s one of those things I really want to do consistently. I have found some helpful meditations online just by searching guided meditations. Deepak Chopra’s, Chopra Center, has some. Daniel Goleman’s meditations are short and easy to follow. Doing these meditations help me ease into the morning.
After meditation I have been doing 10-15 minutes of yoga. Usually I find something online either on you tube or just a google search. Or I just do a bunch of sun salutations. Yoga, like meditation, is something I’m not great at, but would love to improve. I love yoga and how it makes me feel.
Then I settle down with a mug of hot lemon water and I write. Sometimes it’s email, lately I’ve been writing for the blog or I just journal.
By 6:30 it’s time to start rolling. I make Carlos’ breakfast and lunch. I check work email, shower and get ready for the day if I have early visits. If not then I do some things around the house and settle down to work by 8.
I feel more peaceful throughout the day when my days begin slowly and quietly. I enjoy being up and having some time alone before Carlos and Orlando wake up. Carlos usually joins me while I’m writing. He is sitting on the sofa reading right now.
Once the weather warms up I may experiment with an even earlier wake up time so I can begin adding a morning run. I don’t enjoy running at an early hour on cold, dark winter mornings so I begin my work day a little early so I can go out midday.
The first 5 minutes of dragging myself out of bed before 5AM are difficult, but then I’m up and awake. I’m never disappointed when I begin my mornings this way. I’m calmer, more productive throughout the day and my mind feels a little clearer.
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” Marcus Aurelius
Aim 
That morning sounds like a dream! My mornings always feel so chaotic, but it’s because anything other than morning workouts doesn’t work for me — I blow it off more often than not. And since M-F it’s running at 5:15 or boot camp at 5:30, I can’t stomach the idea of waking up any earlier than necessary. So I live with the chaos but on a Saturday rest day I should try to make my morning look like yours!
Wow Aimee…sounds like you have a good routine down…and believe me, it is all about routine. What is routine becomes habit. I’m so glad that you are able to ease into the day instead of rushing around which is THE WORST THING ever! Thankfully even though Kimm and I get up at 7 am (way earlier than I ever thought I would!) we have a relaxing morning routine as well. And getting up early makes the day seem so much longer 🙂 I would love to try some meditation so maybe I’ll google away.