Start your day on a positive note with these tips!

Every day is a new beginning, so make the most of every new day! But how do you do this? Putting better habits in place for the morning will leave you more energised and in control throughout the day. With these tips you can start every morning with a smile!

1. Going to sleep happy

I think that one of the most important elements to waking up happy is going to sleep happy! This can be accomplished by having a healthy, gratitude-filled bedtime routine. For example, this type of routine might include saying a list of gratitude statements to yourself or your partner, refraining from listening to upsetting news stories at bedtime, keeping technology out of the bedroom, and/or playing gentle music. All of these techniques work well to have a good sleep. And when sleep is peaceful, you naturally wake up feeling refreshed and ready to embrace the day.

2. Just say no to snoozing

Did you know there’s a word for hitting the snooze button over and over? Me neither. But it’s called drockling, and it´s not a good thing!! Drockling confuses your body’s internal clock so it’s hard to wake up refreshed. When you finally do roll out of bed, you’re more likely to be groggy and cranky. And is that really how you want to spend your morning?

Instead set your alarm 15 minutes earlier. By setting your alarm early, you don’t have to jump out of bed and rush through your morning. You can begin your morning by lying in bed, slowly waking up. It’s just as important to prepare yourself mentally as well as physically for your day. These few minutes in bed, before anyone else is up, are all yours.

3. Smile

This is the simplest thing to do. One smile can trick your mind into feeling happier. When you smile, your body releases endorphins and serotonin, which make you feel good.

4. Start the day with love

Every happy morning should begin with a loving hug from someone you love. When you wake up in the morning, your brain is still fuzzy and tired. You are still a “blank page” for this day. Nothing has affected you in any way. The first thing you should think about is about someone or something you love. That will make you feel happy and loving. There is nothing like a few minutes in bed hugging your spouse, children, siblings or even your dog or cat. Connecting with the ones you love soothes stress and provides you with a positive start to your day, as well as keeping you focused on what’s really important. The love with which you start the morning will have a lasting affect throughout the day.

 5. Release some tension

The more relaxed you start your day, the more powerful and energized you will feel. Make sure you start your day without stress. Release your tension by immediately doing some exercise (10 minutes of running could be a great way to wake up your body). You could also opt for some breathing exercises, some yoga or stretching or to meditate for a short while at sunrise.

Do you have lots of worrying thoughts or do you feel stressed? Then put them down on paper, by writing them down it helps you to let go.

6. Make your morning work for you

Who’s in control when you wake up — you, or your morning routine? Many days, it may seem like the latter, but you can change that. Make mornings work for you by eating right, avoiding your electronics unless there’s an emergency, and prepping clothes and meals ahead of time.

If you’re one of many in your home, don’t be a morning martyr. Enlist the entire family to work as a team to make the morning rush less stressful.

7. Prepare A Healthy Breakfast

Don’t be tempted to skip breakfast! It is in many ways the most important meal of the day. Instead, make something fresh and healthy that’s packed with vital nutrients.

Some people swear by green smoothies, while others prefer to cook up hot porridge or boil an egg. As long as it’s good for you and giving you a decent reserve of fuel for the day, you can let your personal taste dictate what you have.

8. Plan your day

Hang a large calendar or white board in a prominent position in your kitchen. On it write everything you need to know for that particular day, from kids’ activities to whether the guy is coming to service the furnace to whether it’s time to pay bills. Check it out carefully while you sip that first cup of coffee or morning tea; it will help you structure your day in your mind and avoid the stressful effects of forgetting something important.

9. Wear bright colours

Wearing a pop of colour will immediately brighten your mood and it has the ability to enhance someone else’s mood when they are with you. If you’re feeling sad, wear yellow. Yellow is considered the brightest and most cheerful of all the colours. If you’re feeling anxious, choose something more soothing like lavender or light blue.

 10. Plan something nice for the evening to look forward to

I think it is important to have something to look forward to every day. In addition to any big things you might have organised in the long term (such as a holiday), it is important that you do something that you feel like doing every day. It will give you a positive vibe all day long.

So, if you don´t have anything special in mind, try to think of something. It may be that you want to watch a movie, work out or finally make some time for your hobby. Or you might just really enjoy an evening of doing nothing at all!

Make sure the day has something fun in store for you. That keeps you happy and motivated throughout the day!

Written by your SISter in Wellness Femke