8 years ago I discovered the benefits of installing a morning routine. I realized how important it is for me to be in silence and solitude in the morning to nourish my mind, body, and soul. I quickly learned that this is only possible when everyone else is still asleep. So, I started by waking up with my alarm instead of snoozing to get more sleep. I started by going to bed earlier so I wouldn’t be sleep deprived the next day. I went ahead and removed my TV and computer from my room so I wouldn’t be pulled by its energy at night. And as with any good routine, I did it so many times that now it’s impossible for me to not do it. I noticed how my days, weeks, months, and entire life started to shift when I started getting ahead and taking control of my life by simply elevating by mornings.
Before I had Shiva, I would wake up around 5:30am every day. I wouldn’t get out of bed without naming at least 3 things I was grateful for that day—no matter what kind of day it was. Then, I would head over to the kitchen and make my morning concoction (sometimes warm lemon water, green juice, or any other morning tonic). I would read a few pages of a book, followed by journaling, meditating and I would end my “power hour” by planning the day ahead. By 7am, I would have coffee with my husband and head over to my workout of the day.
Though my morning routine looks quite different these days, I’ve been able to readjust and adapt to my new normal to continue to gift myself that time in the morning that it’s so crucial for me. I now wake up with my baby (sometimes 5am sometimes 7am) jump out of bed straight to feed her and set her up for the day ahead—or I should say, the next 3 hours. She then spends time with daddy or the nanny so I can have some time to myself before we head out for our morning walk. I’ve learned to not get attached to how things looked before. I’ve learned to find pockets of time throughout the day to take care of me, as I’m very clear that I cannot give from an empty tank.
My brother recently gifted me a book by Robin Sharma called “The 5am Club”, a book that introduces the concept of the importance of installing a morning routine, which I inhaled in a week. This book reminds you that if you’re ready to take your life to the next level and become great, it all starts with an effective morning routine. I can vouch for that.