Devi’s Guide to Becoming a Morning Warrior!
Get to Bed
It seems obvious, but just because it is obvious doesn’t mean it is easy. 9:30 PM seems awfully early to be snuggling up for zzz’s but, when I do the math, even if I make it to bed by 10 PM, my 4:40 AM alarm is less than seven hours away! So, let’s aim for seven hours. Eight is magical, but, to be real, it is hard to make it happen. Setting the intention of getting to bed seven hours before your alarm will wake you is the first step.
Let your phone charge somewhere out of reach so you won’t be tempted to check an incoming text or scroll through your newsfeed. Also, turn the screen face down so that, when your screen lights up with a notification, it doesn’t disturb you. Our eyes are awesome; they can actually sense that little bit of light! Now, what to do when you’re lying in bed replaying the events of today (or, for me, my choreography for tomorrow) wasting precious moments of potential sleep? Inhale and exhale through your nose. Breathing this way is calming to our nervous systems. Begin to extend your exhalations, making them as long as your inhalations and, eventually, a few beats longer.
Set Yourself Up For Success
Packing my backpack the night before I teach 6 AM GRIT makes me feel a bit like a second grader, but it is definitely the most important gift I give myself on a daily basis. Figuring out how many pairs of socks I need to pack, setting out the outfit I’m going to feel good about putting on in the morning, and being sure I have snacks for the next day ensures that I can pick up my bag and go in the morning rather than scrambling to gather loose ends.
Pro tip: Put your keys in the pocket of the jacket you’re gonna wear or inside your bag. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve missed a morning class or frustrated myself to tears by being totally ready to go, but not able to put my hands on my keys.
Bribe Yourself
It’s all about the small things. Having a bottle of your favorite kombucha waiting for you in the fridge to grab on your way out the door in the morning can make getting out of bed ever so slightly easier. Nothing wrong with rewarding yourself. You totally deserve it.
Create habits
It seems weird to call them “rituals,” but I think it is safe to say that I totally have morning and evening rituals. At least on my good days. Before bed, brushing my teeth, doing a sugar scrub, burning incense, playing certain music, whatever helps me wind down for the evening…doing those things again and again teaches my body that bedtime is coming.
In the morning, I love to dab a few drops of essential oil on the soles of my feet (the pores on the bottoms of our feet are actually the largest pores on our bodies and receive oil most effectively) and give them a little rub…one drop of peppermint and one drop of orange per foot is an awesome awakening blend. I mean, getting out of bed isn’t so bad if the very first thing I have to look forward to is a foot massage…even if it is from myself! I know it is easy to feel rushed in the mornings, but building a few habits can make you feel grounded and pampered instead of punished.