One of the biggest contributors to my success is my morning routine. I used to put other people’s demands on my time before my own, and I never got to do the things that were important to me. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that we need to prioritize the things that we want to do, the things that are helping us build the next phases of our next lives, and the things that we enjoy at the very start of our day. It’s one of the simplest secrets to changing your life.
The Importance of Prioritizing Yourself
Back before I established a strong morning routine, I would try, but often fail at getting to the things that were most important to me, like writing my book, building my business, cooking a delicious dinner, going for a run, or doing yoga. All of these things I was hoping to get to after I got through the demands that other people had on my time. If there’s one thing I’ve learned—if you take nothing else from this blog post, listen to this: there is always going to be more coming in that needs to be done. There’s always going to be more asked of you, so start creating time for yourself so you get to your priorities first.
My Journey of Self-Discovery
When I started my healing journey, I realized I loved reading. I was also desperate for answers and wanted to understand what was going on with my health and why I was feeling so bad. I was anxious. I was depressed. I felt a lot of shame. I was having physical health problems because of it. And I realized underneath it all, I had a self-worth issue that stemmed from childhood trauma.
On the outside, I looked confident. People saw that I had success, and they thought that everything was fine. But inside, because of my childhood trauma, because I was told growing up that I was selfish and that my needs were bad, I was in a tremendous amount of pain.
It was during my mornings, prioritizing reading, journaling, and meditating that I started on a path toward healing. Through reading other’s stories, I learned there was nothing wrong with seeking what I truly needed. It was during the mornings that the magic that helped me heal occurred.
The Power of a Structured Morning Routine
I wake up at 4:00 AM. It takes me about 15 minutes to get out of bed, brush my teeth, get Bruno (my dog) downstairs and get my lemon water (I love hot lemon water!) before sitting down to read. Reading has become a massively important part of my life because I value growth above almost all else. I always have a business book going all the time, a memoir, and something a little more entertaining as well. Reading is how I learn and grow.
When David joins me at 5:15 AM, we meditate together, then after, I journal, and enjoy coffee. Next, I start my writing—I’m working on a memoir and writing is so therapeutic for me. After that, I spend about an hour working on my business before working out. Movement and exercise are critical for me also, and I go to the gym, yoga, or workout outside almost every morning.
It feels amazing—before 10 AM, I’ve gotten almost all the hard things I need to do done, and I feel incredibly accomplished for it.
Embrace the Structure, Embrace the Freedom
Some people say the structure feels limiting, but for me, having this routine allows for the freedom I want. I’m accomplishing goals and when you’re disciplined and have a structure like this, it opens up your mornings to be able to do what you really want. And I think, like me, what you really want is to have a good workout routine, and time to work on what’s most important to you.
If you’re growth-oriented, and I know you are, time to focus on the next phase of your life, to take care of your mental and emotional health, is important to you and all of these things can happen with a morning routine.
So my friend, I encourage you to embrace the structure, embrace the freedom that comes with using different morning routine ideas that enable you to do what you really want. Prioritize the things that truly matter to you and the things that will help you build the life you desire. It may require some adjustments and letting go of old habits, but the freedom and fulfillment it brings are truly transformative.
Start small, be consistent, and watch as your life begins to change in ways you never thought possible.
