Good-Morning beautiful people! đ I hope everyone slept great last night and is excited for the day. I’ve got some great ideas for yal.
Morning rituals. To the untrained ear this sounds like hokum. However, for those of us who want to make the most of our day and be at the peak of our potential – this is vital info.
The good news is that we each morning have the choice to craft a better day. Letâs look at two scenarios:
Scenario 1:
You wake up with just enough time to obsessively check the notifications on your phone, find your outfit hiding under a pile of dirty clothes, chug some coffee while listening to the news rant about our distressed society, grab your keys off the counter and bolt out the door with your shoes half on. Depending on how frisky you’re feeling you may speed through a drive-thru, pick up last-minute breakfast and eat as you’re swerving in and out of traffic.
Scenario 2:
You wake up 30 minutes earlier than normal and immediately spend several minutes in silence – appreciating the stillness of the morning. You sit up in bed and take a few moments to meditate – focusing on your breathing and practicing the notion of controlling your thoughts. You come to your feet, stretch and make yourself a fruit smoothie, (which I have great recipes for!). You then take your time to make a list of what you want to accomplish that day with the most important ones first. With some time to spare, you take that walk through the park.
Now, which scenario do you wholeheartedly believe is going to lead to a better day? Which scenario is closer to your current situation?
The logical person would say that we all have room for improvement. Everyones’ morning ritual once mastered, looks a little different. There is no right or wrong when creating your own. A personâs morning can be a sequence of a half-dozen things or maybe just a couple activities. Itâs whatever makes you feel the most alive and ready to go out into world.
For those of you who have no idea where to begin, here are a few examples on how to plan morning ritual đ
     wake up 10 mins early and mediateÂ
      wake up 30 mins early
     stretch for 10 mins
     write down your goalsÂ
     wake up an hour early
     read for 20 mins
     write down ideas for your business or other activityÂ
     exercise for 15 mins
                                   wake up 2 hours early
     meditate for 10 mins
     exercise for 20 mins
     make a fruit smoothie
     read and write before walking out the door
Typical elements of a great Morning Ritual and why..Â
1.  The FIRST best thing to do is CHUG WATER đ§
Do this before even rising to your feet! Have water sitting beside your bed the night before. This ancient practice is known as the ‘Japanese Water Therapy’. Itâs not a coincidence that Japan has proportionately the highest number of centenarians in the world and they live by this practice.
A similar tradition is known in India. In Sanskrit, the practice is called Usha Paana Chikitsa, which roughly translates to âearly morning water treatmentâ. The difference is that the Indian (Ayurvedic) version recommends drinking 1.5 liters of water on an empty stomach.
This article talks about what temperature of water is best for us! Very interesting!
http://drmeelainling.com/8-reasons-to-drink-warm-water/
2. Â Appreciate the Silence.
The beauty of silence in the morning can be very peaceful. It’s a great time to take yourself out of reality and create your own little world with only your favorite things – be selfish. Let yourself be truly present in that moment and take in the beauty around you. Simply relax and wander. Be thankful.
3.  Read/Write. đ
The morning is a perfect time to bring clarity to our most inner thoughts. If you like to write – there couldn’t be a better time. It’s a fresh start to getting your thoughts onto paper. Reading is also a beautiful thing to do in the A.M.. I recommend reading something light that is calm and perhaps informative. But like I said, morning rituals are meant to form from personal preference.
4.  Exercise đđ˝đđźđ¤¸đ˝ââď¸đđźââď¸đ´đ˝ââď¸
Exercising in the early morning according to studies is the most effective time for our bodies. My perception of being in the gym at 7A.M. has always daunted me so I ran (LOL) from that idea. However I just began exercising in the morning and it is truly wonderful. I go on a short jog and practice yoga on my deck – very refreshing! My saying is, âwake up & run before your body knows what it’s doing!â
5.  Plan Short/Long-Term Goals and how to strike them down one day at a time!
This can go along with writing if youâd like but simply making a To-Do List or a list that is goal oriented is beneficial – mentally & physically! The physiology of To-Do Lists is mind- blowing. The literal act of crossing off what we’ve accomplished causes our brains to release dopamine which is connected to feelings of pleasure, learning and motivation. When we feel the effect of dopamine, we’re eager to repeat the action that caused it. Thus leading our goals to be accomplished! This is called âdel-directed learningâ. It is why achieving small goals along the way produces motivation in the process of attacking a very large goal.
6.  Eat Healthy, Nutritious Food! âĽď¸
The most beneficial food item to consume from 9am-12pm is a fruit smoothie. Many reports suggest that eating a huge meal in the morning is counterproductive and the research makes sense. Think about Thanksgiving. How do you feel after eating that huge meal? Definitely not energetic. You may feel lethargic and tired. It takes a lot of energy for our bodies to digest large amounts of food. This is not what we want to feel like in the morning! Especially if we have a lot to accomplish throughout the day! This is why brunch is so popular on Sundays đ  It’s ok to be lazy on Sundazzee⌠right? SO, a fruit smoothie is a great way to start the day. But NOT from tropical smoothie⌠one made by yours truly⌠YOU! When you begin making your own smoothies you will quickly realize that adding sugar is unnecessary. Fruit has plenty of NATURAL sugar already, no need to add more. Another great thing to consume in the A.M. is eggs with Turmeric and Cayenne pepper. As a side have spinach, tomatoes and feta cheese with your choice of fruit!
** Turmeric and Cayenne when eaten together work as a metabolism boost!
Like I promised, some smoothie recipes đ All have ice, almond milk and whey protein. The secret to a good smoothie is adding a fruit that is naturally sweet like mango or pineapple! đđđ
- spinach, mango, strawberry and banana
- spinach, kale, mango, blueberry
- blueberry, strawberry, mango and coconut
- pineapple, mango and blueberry
Much Love,
The Gypsea