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Did you jump out of bed this morning, shouting “Seize the Day!” and leap into action immediately? Or are you like most of us, limping and grunting as the alarm goes off (if you don’t hit snooze a couple of times first – pleeease just let me have 9 more minutes)!? Well I have vowed that I am going to be one of the former this week. So here are 9 positive ways to start your day.
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Positive Ways To Start The Day.
How you start your day can often affect how your day progresses. How often have you pressed snooze, slept in and missed breakfast in the rush to get to work? But then hit traffic and been late, thus setting you off on the wrong foot all day. Maybe it is time to turn over a new leaf.
1. Get out of bed as quickly as possible after waking
Firstly, don’t press that snooze button, it really won’t benefit you and will probably make you rush your morning tasks. Instead, why not set your alarm for 10 minutes earlier, and be a bit more mindful when doing your tasks? Rather than multitasking as soon as you start your day.
2. Start the day with grateful thoughts
If you’ve seen my post on my ‘happy list’ you will remember that gratitude is a very powerful emotion. Certainly listing what we are grateful for can dramatically change our mindset to a positive one. So as you get up, think of a couple of things that you are grateful for, or that make you smile. Actually smile when you think about them, as this releases the happy hormones serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. Write them down or say them out loud. And then bask in that warm glow as you start to get ready.
3. Exercise
Now, getting out of bed 10 minutes earlier than normal will also mean that you can put in a little bit of time to exercise than you didn’t have before. If you can bear it, go for a quick walk or run around the block. But even just stretching is really good, and will make you feel better. I like to do my back exercises. Again this releases those happy hormones and is bound to give you a boost.
4. Make your bed
As soon as you are out of it, make your bed as the first task of the day. Maybe it is headology, but by doing just this simple task it does make you feel as though you are already on top of your list of things to do today.
5. Wear feel good things
Get ready and wear scents and clothes that lift your mood. I love a citrus scent and it always makes me happy. And don’t wear the same old clothes. Have a great outfit that always makes you feel great? Why not wear it more often rather than keeping it for best!
6. Eat a healthy breakfast
Do take the time to get a balanced breakfast, with lean protein, good carbs and healthy fats. You may even want to supplement this healthy breakfast with a whey protein isolate shake or meal to give you the perfect boost and help you stay focused all day.
And remember to hydrate. A healthy breakfast will keep you more satisfied and set you up for a productive morning.
7. Develop your own feel good morning ritual
Try and get 5 minutes to just develop your own morning ritual that makes you feel good. It could be that you sit quietly with your eyes shut and meditate. Or that you sit with a cup of coffee in your favourite chair. Even taking 5 minutes to watch the sun rise on your garden whilst you watch the birds. As a result of your ritual, you are ready for a positive day ahead.
8. Write a quick to-do list
You know that massive list of tasks that we all have? Well, take 3-5 of them, prioritise what needs doing over what can wait, and write a list of 3-5. Pick one big thing and 2-3 smaller tasks. This will break down your massive list, and stop you feeling overwhelmed. Therefore you’ll already be more positive about getting these things done.
9. Go to bed earlier the night before.
“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”
This is certainly true. We cannot burn the candle at both ends indefinitely. So if you are getting up at 6.30am, do get to sleep at 10.30pm the night before to get your full 8 hours. Which may mean starting your bedtime routine at least an hour before that if you are anything like me!
So I hope that these 9 positive ways to start your day help you get up with happiness and gratitude rather than doom and gloom. How would you rather start your day?
Want to be happier? Read this post too!
I’d love to hear your comments, do comment below or follow me on social media.
Like this? Why not read some positive and motivational quotes? Or 8 Best Ways to Sleep Well?
And please do pin this for later!
Hello Jo,
Thank you for sharing these positive ways to start the day. Mornings are so important and starting it on a positive note sets us up for the rest of the day!
Best,
Sigrid
Thank you Sigrid. Have a great day!
Great tips eating a good breakfast is the best, in my opinion #pocolo@_karendennis
I’m trying to wean myself back into a protein breakfast and away from toast!
This is such a good list – I find that writing a to-do list really helps me get stuff done – and gives you a great sense of achievement as you tick them off xx
Thank you. I love a to do list, but find that picking 3 things from it makes me so much more productive!
Yes yes yes to all of these. Especially waking and having a moment of gratitude. I d need to be better with breakfast and also get to bed earlier. Great tips! #POCOLO
I need to go to bed sooner too! But sometimes it’s the only time I can get anything written!
There are some good points raised here. However, I think that getting things prepared the night before such as cereal and clothes set out for the next day can help things run smoothly too. #mmbc
Great tip! Thank you
Great tips excerise is mine Thank you for linking to #Thatfridaylinky please come back next week
Thank you for reading!
I always exercise first thing in the morning – it’s the best way to start the day! As a work at home mum def agree with the to-do list too! #MMBC
Thank you. At the moment it’s the hardest thing as I rarely can get up before my little one demands my time. Hopefully as she gets a bit older I can get some exercise into my routine beyond doing back stretches!
I pretty much do the opposite of most of these at the moment: going to bed late, hitting snooze far too many times and skipping breakfast. It’s probably the reason I feel at least 20 years older than I am, so I definitely need to take some of these on board!
I think we all overdo it at times. Thank you for reading!
Oops! Forgot the #KCACOLS
Proof of my sleep- and breakfast-deprived mind not working again!
Love these! I don’t get to hit the snooze button! My alarm consists of a 5-year-old and 2-year-old. They don’t have snooze buttons! LOL. #KCACOLS
My 2 year old doesn’t have a snooze button either! Lol
I absolutely hate mornings so I am going to try and use your tips over the next week to see how I get on! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time!
I hope some of them work for you!
I need to work on this more. I am homebound and that makes it hard to see the point of getting dressed and bed made. I know that it does my mind good to have a “I started my day” feeling.
Thanks for the reminder! Sharing on Pinterest!
#KCACOLS
Thank you Jen. I could work on it more too.
Definitely the short to do list – manageable chunks! Also the pommodoro method works for housework for me – 20 mins of housework, 20 mins of something I want to do, 20 mins more housework etc, but just so long as I don’t “cheat”!! Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo
I love the Pomodoro method for my other tasks through the day!
Oh I love this list so much! I definitely need to take heed and follow some of these!
Thank you! I hope that they help.
I need to get better at going to bed on time, and not pressing the snooze, and making my bed… Oh no – reading this post has shown me that I really need to get better at organising my whole life! Haha. But yes I think you’ve shared some great tips here, especially the one about being grateful each morning #blogcrush
Thank you. We are all a work in progress! And that is no bad thing!
I’m an early bird and get nothing out of hitting snooze, I just fidget and annoy my husband, but your right, I must start getting to bed sooner in the evenings and making my bed first thing does set me up for a good day #blogstravaganza
I don’t get chance to hit snooze with a toddler in the house, but it doesn’t serve any purpose!
These are great tips. I always have a good stretch when I wake up followed by a shower before breakfast. I think a good morning routine is as important as a good bedtime one. Thanks for sharing with #Blogstravaganza 🙂
Thank you. Yes, I prefer a morning shower to wake me up too!
I love this! And getting out of bed when you alarm goes off really does make you feel better. Even better, waking up at the normal time at weekends because of your body clock and getting up (but indulging in the weekend laze) is just as good in my experience! #kcacols
Thank you. I’m not allowed a weekend lie in anyway as I have toddler alarm, but it does help if you can get straight up and out and at ’em!
Oh I love this. I totally need to take some of these on board. Thanks for sharing with #pocolo
Thank you.
I find I’m at my most productive in the morning and it all goes downhill as the days goes on! Great tips 🙂 #blogstravaganza
Oh me too. Generally once I’ve had my mid morning break. Then I lose a bit of focus!
I’m so guilty of hitting the snooze button in the mornings, even though I’ve heard so many times that we don’t actually feel any better for it. Maybe I should try to get up on the first alarm tomorrow and see how I feel once I’m up! x #KCACOLS
Do it! Just think of all you can do with that extra 9 minutes?
Great advice, and the bit about doing stretches reminded me about my grandma, who had a routine of ’morning moves’ which she kept on doing well into her 80’s 🙂 x #KCACOLS
Your grandma was a very wise lady. Thank you for reading.
These are all great, but I think #9 is key! It takes discipline to shut off the light and get needed sleep. Thanks for thinking all this through! All so true!
#9 is my worst habit. I really need to stop burning the candle at both ends! Thank you for reading!
8 out of 9 isn’t bad though. Its good enough that you do the rest!
A great read! I get up at 5am now as my 8 year old sets his alarm for 6am every day?! and I write my “Morning Pages” a diary essentially on what happened the day before and then I meditate. I am trying to also incorporate yoga into this routine too but Tea and my hungry cat distract me so far! Thank you!
Wow! Getting up at 5 is no mean feat, especially if it is dark. Love the sound of your routine!