WEBVTT - How To Create The Perfect Morning Routine (That You Can Stick To) 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.160 That mindset of starting the day with the things that 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:05.000 you choose to do over the things you have to do, 0:00:05.440 --> 0:00:07.680 makes you feel like you can change your mood for 0:00:07.720 --> 0:00:10.639 the entire day and the way you see and experience 0:00:10.680 --> 0:00:13.440 the day. It is the sacred time and space that 0:00:13.520 --> 0:00:17.439 you create just for you. I'm Radi Wkah and on 0:00:17.480 --> 0:00:21.160 my podcast A Really Good Cry, we embrace the messy 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:25.000 and the beautiful, providing a space for raw, unfiltered conversations 0:00:25.040 --> 0:00:28.600 that celebrate vulnerability and allow you to tune in to learn, 0:00:28.840 --> 0:00:33.920 connect and find comfort together. Hey everyone, and welcome back 0:00:33.960 --> 0:00:36.960 to this week's episode of A Really Good Cry. Today, 0:00:37.040 --> 0:00:40.440 I actually wanted to discuss something that is very dear 0:00:40.479 --> 0:00:43.879 to me. I wanted to discuss morning routines. Now. I know, 0:00:44.120 --> 0:00:47.360 sometimes when you end up seeing people's morning routines online 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:51.640 that are so esthetic, so well put together, and so cutesy, 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:56.240 it can actually feel really daunting and sometimes quite unattainable, 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.600 especially if you're someone who's never managed to master your 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:02.800 own way routine before. But something you really need to 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:06.199 know before even starting this podcast is that a morning 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:10.200 routine is such a personal thing you honestly cannot just 0:01:10.280 --> 0:01:13.840 copy someone else's or mimic theirs, because you need to 0:01:13.920 --> 0:01:16.560 do what actually feels good for you and nourishes you, 0:01:17.240 --> 0:01:19.720 and that honestly may be very different to your friend 0:01:20.000 --> 0:01:23.760 or the thirty second version you saw of someone else's online. 0:01:24.040 --> 0:01:26.520 I really wanted to call this podcast because I have 0:01:26.600 --> 0:01:29.040 found so much joy and power in having my morning 0:01:29.080 --> 0:01:31.959 routine over the past ten years. It has done so 0:01:32.120 --> 0:01:35.280 much more for me than just change my mornings, and 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:38.080 I really want that for you. So I want to 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:40.360 talk about how we can create your morning routine, or 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:42.800 how you can create your morning routine, and then I'll 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:45.399 share mine at the end, just to give you an 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:47.720 idea of what it can look like. It is not 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:50.400 the most ideal morning routine. It is not the perfect 0:01:50.400 --> 0:01:53.320 morning routine, but it is a routine that I really 0:01:53.400 --> 0:01:55.840 enjoy at the moment. And honestly, it chops and changes, 0:01:55.880 --> 0:01:59.360 you know, like it will change based on what phase 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:01.040 of life you're in. And I'm sure if and when 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:04.240 I have children, my morning routine will definitely change. I 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:07.040 always hear that from parents, so like, you wait till 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:09.240 you have kids and then tell us what your morning 0:02:09.360 --> 0:02:13.160 routine is. So I'm sure that whether it's a different 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:16.120 time of life in work, or things that you have 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:18.280 going on in your life. Of course, your morning routine 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:20.680 will change. Mine has changed a lot over the past 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:24.000 ten years, but it's kind of fun changing that part 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:26.760 of you too. It changes as you change. So a 0:02:26.840 --> 0:02:29.880 routine is actually just a sequence of actions that you 0:02:29.960 --> 0:02:33.839 do repeatedly. So for example, brushing your teeth every single night, 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.200 getting ready for bed, that's a routine. Waking up at 0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:41.239 six am or exercising every single morning is also a routine. 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:43.960 Listening to a podcast on your way to work is 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:47.040 a routine. Even eating chips every single night while you 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:50.320 watch your favorite Netflix show is also a routine. So 0:02:50.360 --> 0:02:53.600 they're all just actions that happen again and again. It's 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:57.000 a rhythm in your daily life. But that does not 0:02:57.320 --> 0:03:00.959 make them all good routines. They're simple routines because you 0:03:01.000 --> 0:03:03.880 are doing them regularly. There's a really great quote by 0:03:03.919 --> 0:03:08.400 Aristotle that says we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:11.840 is not to act but a habit. I always find 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:15.440 the words habits and rituals are often used interchangeably, but 0:03:15.520 --> 0:03:18.639 there is actually a difference between them. Habits are things 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:22.240 that you do automatically, like checking your email first thing 0:03:22.240 --> 0:03:25.000 in the morning, or putting your keys in a specific 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:28.600 spot when you get home. And rituals are like routines 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:33.560 with one key difference your attitude behind the actions. So, 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:36.880 for example, taking a walk every day at lunch could 0:03:36.880 --> 0:03:39.560 be considered a routine if you think of it as 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:42.800 something you need to do for your productivity, or it 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:44.480 could be a ritual if you think of it as 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:47.320 a way to break out of your mundane and enjoy nature. 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:50.880 Most routines could be turned into rituals just by a 0:03:51.000 --> 0:03:54.320 change of perspective. So for example, when you have to 0:03:54.400 --> 0:03:56.840 walk to work every single day, it could just be 0:03:56.880 --> 0:03:58.960 a habit because it's something that you do. You know, 0:03:59.040 --> 0:04:01.000 you have to get from a to be and it's 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:03.920 just part and parcel of your daily thing that you do. 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:08.080 Or it could be a routine or a ritual when 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:10.360 you start thinking, this is actually great for my health. 0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:12.920 It's a way that I'm going to do something for 0:04:13.000 --> 0:04:15.600 my body. It's a way that I'm going to be 0:04:15.760 --> 0:04:18.600 out in nature and experience nature around me. It's a 0:04:18.640 --> 0:04:21.640 way that I'm going to clear my mind. And so 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:23.800 you can take something simple that's been part of your 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:26.839 life every single day, and you can turn it from 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:29.400 something that feels like a habit into something that feels 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:32.560 like a ritual or a routine. And I've actually had 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:34.200 lots of things in my life like that, you know, 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:36.400 Like I think about when I was growing up, and 0:04:36.760 --> 0:04:38.720 I had a lot of things that I would do 0:04:38.760 --> 0:04:41.080 out of a habit because my mum did them. So 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:44.480 even spiritual practices. Okay, in the morning, go and light 0:04:44.520 --> 0:04:47.880 a candle, so I'd like to candle and I wonn't 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:49.440 really know why I was doing it, but I would 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:51.279 do it because every single day, that's just what we 0:04:51.320 --> 0:04:54.200 did in the morning. Now, that became a habit for me, 0:04:54.279 --> 0:04:56.640 and it was something that I did. But when I 0:04:56.680 --> 0:05:00.160 figured out and I understood the reasons behind it and 0:05:00.200 --> 0:05:02.120 why I was doing it and what the connection to 0:05:02.400 --> 0:05:04.359 was it, it became a ritual and a routine. It 0:05:04.400 --> 0:05:07.120 became something I wanted to participate in, that I was 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:12.360 present in, that I wanted to appreciate and participate in. 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.640 And so there's a slight difference between them, and I 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:18.840 think that change of perspective is what changes a habit 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:22.159 into a routine or a ritual. So the way I 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:26.360 started creating my morning routine was deciding what I wanted 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.240 to do for my mind, for my body, and for 0:05:29.320 --> 0:05:31.960 my heart or spirit in the morning, so I would 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:35.440 break it down into those three areas, and honestly, tackling 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:38.440 all those areas first thing in the morning brings this 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:42.120 overall sense of accomplishment and direction to the day. Like 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:45.680 imagine you've done something incredible for your mind, for your body, 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:48.440 and for your heart before it even hits nine am, 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:51.000 before you even get to work. It is the things 0:05:51.000 --> 0:05:53.680 that you choose to do before doing the things that 0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:56.960 you have to do. You wake up with different energy. 0:05:57.160 --> 0:05:59.200 That mindset of starting the day with the things that 0:05:59.240 --> 0:06:01.880 you choose to do over the things you have to 0:06:01.920 --> 0:06:04.640 do makes you feel like you can change your mood 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:07.000 for the entire day and the way you see and 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:09.800 experience the day. At least that's what I've found since 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:12.760 I've been building my routine. That's a big reason why 0:06:12.839 --> 0:06:15.479 I enjoy having an early morning routine. It is the 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:18.599 sacred time and space that you create just for you, 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:22.120 whether it's five minutes or two hours. And actually for 0:06:22.160 --> 0:06:23.720 most of us, it's the only part of our day 0:06:23.760 --> 0:06:26.280 we feel in control of, and so a lot of 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:29.160 our day is dictated by other people, and so when 0:06:29.200 --> 0:06:31.839 you end up having this morning moment just for you, 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:34.279 it makes you feel like you're in control of parts 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:37.280 of your day like you aren't in other parts, and 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:40.960 so you get this sense of self accomplishment, the sense 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.520 of I have control of my life, and I choose 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:45.560 what brings joy into my life. I have the ability 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:47.320 to change my mood in the morning. I have the 0:06:47.360 --> 0:06:50.479 ability to change my mindset in the morning. And that 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:53.200 feels really really good, especially when you're doing it before 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:55.680 you start the rest of your day. And by the way, 0:06:55.800 --> 0:06:58.039 it can be five minutes or it can be two hours. 0:06:58.120 --> 0:07:00.200 You can start with five minutes and end with two 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:02.600 hours in like a year, two years, ten years time. 0:07:03.080 --> 0:07:05.040 Or you could start with five minutes now and decide 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:07.400 that all you want to do is five minutes every 0:07:07.400 --> 0:07:09.520 single morning for the rest of your life. And that's 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:12.800 also okay for your sanity, for your health, and for 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:16.400 the benefit of everything that you hold dear in your life. 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:20.600 You have a right to consciously reclaim the first few 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:24.080 moments of your day for you. So rather than waking 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:28.040 up and going straight into habit mode, you're going to 0:07:28.080 --> 0:07:32.560 turn those first few minutes into conscious participating moments that 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:35.920 are just for you. So starting off by waking up 0:07:35.920 --> 0:07:38.560 more gently. So usually we wake up to these like 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:40.840 loud alarms. By the way, I don't know why alarms 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:43.960 are just so awful, so loud and so aggressive. They 0:07:43.960 --> 0:07:46.240 do not need to be that way. Waking up more 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:50.320 gently allows you to take advantage of important better brain 0:07:50.360 --> 0:07:53.200 wave states. Now, thetter brain waves occur when you are 0:07:53.240 --> 0:07:55.560 first waking up in the morning, when the process of 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:58.640 waking up, our brain actually transitions from sleep brain waves 0:07:58.640 --> 0:08:01.440 called delta waves, to setter waves, which is the in 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:04.840 between stages, to beta waves. When we end up getting up, 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:09.800 get going, our brain starts focusing, its energized, etc. Etc. Now, 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:13.000 theeter brain waves are when the brain is actually most 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:15.760 flexible and malleable, and it plays a part in our 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:20.360 emotional intelligence, our creativity, and our problem solving. But if 0:08:20.360 --> 0:08:22.480 you wake up and you go straight to scrolling through 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:25.760 emails or checking social media and the news, you actually 0:08:25.800 --> 0:08:29.040 send your brain straight into those beta brain waves. It's 0:08:29.080 --> 0:08:31.760 literally like someone waking you up suddenly, you know, when 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:33.760 someone's like shaking you, or you hear a loud noise 0:08:33.800 --> 0:08:37.520 and you end up waking up really surprisingly or suddenly 0:08:37.559 --> 0:08:40.079 and it makes you feel really angry. Well, the difference 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:42.240 is you are doing that to yourself. You're doing that 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:44.960 to your own brain when you end up switching straight 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:47.760 from your sleep waves, from your delta waves all the 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:51.440 way to your beta waves without going through thetter. Essentially 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:53.440 you have to go through the process. It's like a 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:56.040 step by step thing. You do your your sleeping in 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:58.080 your delta, you then have to make it through the 0:08:58.120 --> 0:09:01.200 ceta and then make it to the beat. It's a 0:09:01.240 --> 0:09:04.199 sequence that actually helps you feel more awake and prepared 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:06.960 for your day and more grounded and focused. You know, 0:09:07.040 --> 0:09:09.560 sometimes when I've woken up in that urgent way, or 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:13.640 my alarm's been too loud and it's been aggressive, it 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:16.360 really does make me feel more tired when I've woken up. 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:19.199 I don't know whether you've noticed that. So sometimes it's 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:21.200 just about making your way through the sequence and so 0:09:22.000 --> 0:09:25.200 trying to have just a short amount of time. By 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:26.880 the way, it doesn't even have to be a long 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:31.040 period of time. Having five minutes just before you end 0:09:31.120 --> 0:09:33.400 up touching your phone five minutes, give yourself those five 0:09:33.400 --> 0:09:34.959 minutes in the morning. It can be three minutes, it 0:09:35.000 --> 0:09:38.400 can be thirty seconds. But try and give yourself a 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:42.480 moment where your eyes are opening, they're starting to notice 0:09:42.480 --> 0:09:46.280 your surroundings. You know what, try this, Notice five things 0:09:46.280 --> 0:09:49.040 in your room, look at five things in your room. 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:52.520 Process five things in your room before you end up 0:09:52.559 --> 0:09:54.439 reaching for your phone. That might be an easier way 0:09:54.480 --> 0:09:56.360 to do it rather than having to sit there counting. 0:09:57.160 --> 0:10:00.600 Allow your eyes to focus and notice five things in 0:10:00.640 --> 0:10:03.920 your room before you actually get to your phone, before 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:06.800 your hand makes its way to your side table and 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:09.640 grabbing your phone. So that's definitely the first place that 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:12.800 I started. I've tried to do this. Then, you know 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:16.520 what's really helped me is actually doing a quick prep 0:10:16.600 --> 0:10:20.480 when I wake up, waking up, opening your eyes and 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:23.240 saying thank you so much God for this breath, for 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:26.199 this life, for this body, and setting an intention for 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:28.440 the day. So that's the first thing that I recommend 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.160 you try to do. But the next part is, like 0:10:31.200 --> 0:10:34.880 I said, picking one thing for each area of your mind, body, 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:37.319 and spirit. If you're starting from scratch, I'm going to 0:10:37.360 --> 0:10:39.840 give you some examples or ideas for each area. So 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:42.160 when you think about your mind, you can think of 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:48.240 things like crossword puzzles, making your bed, reading, breath work, journaling, 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:52.160 intention setting, all of these things that start to not 0:10:52.200 --> 0:10:57.559 activate your mind too intensely, but create a process of thoughtfulness. 0:10:57.600 --> 0:11:00.560 Like you're becoming mindful and thoughtful in the process of 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.760 doing a crossword. It's stimulating your mind to be more 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:06.760 focused than attentive making your bed. It gives you a 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:08.760 sense of accomplishment for your mind. You're like, Okay, I 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:11.880 got this one thing done. It looks pretty. Everything's keen 0:11:11.920 --> 0:11:15.359 in my room. Reading can help to build your imagination. 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:18.080 It helps you to feel like you are learning. Learning 0:11:18.120 --> 0:11:20.720 something early in the morning just makes you feel like 0:11:20.800 --> 0:11:25.640 your brain is functioning well and that you're absorbing information 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:27.640 that you can take through the rest of your day. 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:31.520 Breathwork is amazing. Breathwork is actually good for a practice 0:11:31.559 --> 0:11:34.840 for mind, body, and your spirit, but for your mind. 0:11:35.200 --> 0:11:38.200 There are different types of breathworks that can do different 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:41.160 things for your mind. And so there's a breathwork that 0:11:41.200 --> 0:11:44.160 can help you with focusing and balancing out your left 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:46.720 and right hemisphere of the brain, and that is called 0:11:46.760 --> 0:11:51.240 anulum villum or alternate nostril breathing. I actually have a 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:54.680 YouTube video with all of these breathworks on there. I 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:57.960 live on breathworks. Since I have learned breathworks, it takes 0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:00.920 me through my day, whether it's building energy, whether it's 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:03.880 trying to get focused, whether it's relieving anxiety. And so 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:05.880 there are different types of breath works that can really 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:09.200 help to enhance your focus, attention, and calmness of your 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:13.120 mind too. Journaling, getting out all the things that are 0:12:13.160 --> 0:12:17.400 in your mind, circulating, stagnant, whatever it is that you 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:19.720 no longer want in there, writing things out so you 0:12:19.720 --> 0:12:22.600 can start your day fresh with a new mind, so 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:24.840 your mind is able to see the rest of your 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:28.560 day through clarity rather than fogginess of what has been 0:12:28.960 --> 0:12:31.400 in the past. An intention setting if you didn't do 0:12:31.400 --> 0:12:33.680 that in the morning, writing down the few things that 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:37.000 you really want to achieve today, whether it is in mind, 0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:40.840 whether it is a physical accomplishment, or whether it's just 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:42.680 like how you want to feel by the end of 0:12:42.720 --> 0:12:44.880 the day. I read somewhere and this goes back to 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:47.160 what I was saying, having those first few minutes of 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:50.080 the day in the morning just to yourself. So there's 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:51.720 a thing called three minute mornings. I can't of ely 0:12:51.720 --> 0:12:53.040 remember where I read it, but I'm going to look 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:54.880 it up. Again it says, just try it for the 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:56.880 first three minutes of your day. Don't look at your phone. 0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.560 Just lay for three minutes. Lay your eyes, get used 0:12:59.600 --> 0:13:02.880 to being set, your intentions for the day, say a prayer. 0:13:03.120 --> 0:13:05.800 You can decide what those three minutes contained, as long 0:13:05.880 --> 0:13:08.720 as it is device free, and that is so good 0:13:08.880 --> 0:13:12.280 for your mind. And the last thing is I mentioned alarms. 0:13:12.400 --> 0:13:15.600 Alarms do not have to sound scary or awful. One 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:18.440 thing I highly recommend that was such a game changer 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:21.679 for me is the Hatch. Oh my goodness is this 0:13:21.720 --> 0:13:23.839 is not a promotion for the Hatch, nor have they 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:26.960 paid me for this promotion, but I have to share 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:30.160 it with you because it is so brilliant. It essentially 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:34.080 wakes you up with light or sounds of like oceans 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:38.440 or birds singing, you know, really gentle, lovely sounds that 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:41.680 allow you to go through those different brain waves in 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:45.120 the best way possible. And so you give it like 0:13:45.200 --> 0:13:47.000 a time period that you want to wake up in, 0:13:47.360 --> 0:13:49.760 and it will gently start to wake up, you say, 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:51.400 when you want to be awake by, and it will 0:13:51.440 --> 0:13:55.880 start to play music or act as essentially the sun rising, 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:58.480 so it gets brighter and brighter in your room with 0:13:58.520 --> 0:14:01.199 this device, and it can't wakes you up just how 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:04.760 you should be. So try to, you know, avoid having 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:08.720 your alarm clock going off with a terrible sound and 0:14:08.920 --> 0:14:11.559 switch out for something that's a little bit gender mix 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:13.320 up with your body. Now, there's so many things we 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.199 can do for our body in the morning. My favorite 0:14:15.200 --> 0:14:18.080 thing is movement, any kind of movement or mobility to 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:21.720 get your body stimulated. We have been lying down, stagnant, 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:25.360 in a state of slumber for far too long in 0:14:25.400 --> 0:14:27.920 the even as we've been sleeping, and so what does 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:31.160 our body need. It needs to feel stimulation. We need 0:14:31.200 --> 0:14:34.880 to like get up, feel energize, gentle movements to start 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:39.040 the day, getting us ready and prepped, getting our adrenaline pumping, 0:14:39.320 --> 0:14:42.480 getting our serotonin levels high. All types of movements do that. 0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:46.560 Moving our body gets our mind moving too, and so 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:48.880 any kind of movement movement has been part of my 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:52.720 morning for a very long time now, whether whether it 0:14:52.880 --> 0:14:56.920 was yoga, whether it's boxing, whether it's running, whether it's 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:00.240 weight training. Any kind of movement to get your body 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:03.400 just energized is really important, and you can move as 0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:06.320 slowly or as fast as you want. The next thing 0:15:06.360 --> 0:15:11.320 is drinking water. Now our body's also been dehydrating, slowly 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:15.360 becoming a prune overnight as we've been sleeping, the water 0:15:15.400 --> 0:15:17.160 that we have drunk is being used up in our 0:15:17.160 --> 0:15:19.800 body and probably released in the morning when we wake up, 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:23.760 and so we really have to replenish water. Now. Water 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:27.080 our body is what seventy percent water. Our mind needs 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:31.400 hydration to function properly. Our organs need hydration to function properly. 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:34.000 And so as much as it is something you hear 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:35.880 all the time, like make sure you hydrate, I don't 0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:39.440 think we really realize just how important water is to 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:43.560 every part of our body, how essential it is to 0:15:43.600 --> 0:15:45.800 make sure that we are not feeling tired, to make 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:48.280 sure that our organs are able to function well, to 0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:51.880 make sure that we are feeling focused, to make sure 0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:53.480 that we're not craving things that we don't want to 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.840 be craving water and hydration is a key part of that. 0:15:57.440 --> 0:15:59.640 So maybe it's just waking up in the morning having 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:03.000 a lovely cup of hot water. I have this hot 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:05.960 water with some spices in it. Such a great practice. 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:09.160 I do that just before my meditation, and it's a 0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:13.640 ritual that I really enjoy sipit. Calmly. Slowly drinking hot 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:15.560 water is probably the only time you are forced to 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:19.160 do something slowly, and so it's a really nice way 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:22.240 to start your morning on the slower side. The next 0:16:22.280 --> 0:16:24.880 thing here is breathwork. Like I said, breath work works 0:16:24.880 --> 0:16:28.560 for mine, body and spirit. Breathwork helps to get oxygen 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:31.640 into your body. It can actually be classified as movement 0:16:31.680 --> 0:16:34.080 depending on the type of breath work you're doing. There's 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:36.800 one called cup our baty, which is breath of fire. 0:16:37.000 --> 0:16:40.280 Oh my gosh, you're so energizing. You feel the oxygen 0:16:40.360 --> 0:16:42.720 bursting through your body. And then there's also a cup 0:16:42.760 --> 0:16:46.400 our baty which is this skull shining breath. You're going 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:47.800 to have to look these up or check out my 0:16:47.840 --> 0:16:51.440 YouTube for them. But the breath of fire is amazing. 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:53.080 I'm going to show it to you guys now just 0:16:53.080 --> 0:16:55.040 so you can hear it. Well, not show it, make 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:58.840 you hear it, and you can hear just how energizing 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:00.560 it actually is just by the sound of it. So 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:13.800 it goes a bit like this. Essentially, you just feel 0:17:13.840 --> 0:17:17.560 the oxygen flowing through your body. It increases the amount 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:20.359 of oxygen that you're getting in within that time, and 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:23.720 so it's little shallow breaths. It's pretty amazing. I'm feeling 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:26.840 very energized right now. And also you sometimes get this 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:29.480 tingling in your head because of the amount of oxygen 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.760 that's coming in at one time. Another thing you could 0:17:32.760 --> 0:17:36.760 do to reset your circadian rhythm. That's our body's clock 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:40.560 that helps with sleep and being awake and being optimized 0:17:40.600 --> 0:17:43.280 in both states. My little niece is actually in the 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:46.639 room with me, and she is being very patient and 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:49.000 very sweet while I record this, because I'm supposed to 0:17:49.040 --> 0:17:51.800 be looking after her, and so she's drawing. So if 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:55.880 you hear little sniffles or drawing, it's my magical four 0:17:55.960 --> 0:18:00.560 year old news doing things. So you say hello, she 0:18:00.640 --> 0:18:05.280 does not want to say hello. So going outside for 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:10.159 at least ten minutes, so being under being under the 0:18:10.200 --> 0:18:13.520 sunshine when it's sunny outside, especially first thing in the morning, 0:18:13.560 --> 0:18:16.200 really helps to reset your sarcadian rhythm. I also believe 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:18.560 that going out at night when the moon is shining 0:18:18.720 --> 0:18:21.159 helps with that too, but we're talking morning routine, so 0:18:21.200 --> 0:18:23.640 I won't go into that part. Next up for your 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:28.800 spirit for your heart, meditation, prayer and journaling. I've tried 0:18:28.880 --> 0:18:32.359 lots of different meditations throughout the years. The meditation that 0:18:32.560 --> 0:18:36.280 I do now is called montra meditation. It is a 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:42.080 beautiful practice of using sound, vibrations and mantras and they 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:45.239 just flow through your body. Mantras are so powerful. Mon 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:48.640 means mind and tram means to transcend or to fixate. 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:52.680 And it says that all the meditation practices, whether it's silent, 0:18:52.760 --> 0:18:55.240 whether it's there's so many different types, right, There's so 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:57.680 many differentes meditation, but out of all of them, doing 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:01.720 montra meditation actually helps a fit state your mind the easiest. 0:19:01.720 --> 0:19:04.119 It's like the easiest form of meditation. But also you 0:19:04.119 --> 0:19:06.919 can get the deepest with this practice too, So there 0:19:06.920 --> 0:19:08.840 are different mantras that you can practice. You could do 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.200 it for five minutes, and I started off as a 0:19:11.240 --> 0:19:13.760 five minute practice ten years ago and now I have 0:19:13.800 --> 0:19:15.960 a two hour practice of my meditation. It's the largest 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:19.000 chunk of my morning routine for sure, and also the 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:23.600 part that influences the rest of my day the most too. Prayer, 0:19:23.760 --> 0:19:27.000 waking up and having a moment where you are sitting 0:19:27.040 --> 0:19:29.440 in one s case and having a connection to God 0:19:29.480 --> 0:19:32.960 in the universe, having a connection moment where you are 0:19:33.359 --> 0:19:36.320 sharing gratitude for every single part of your life, maybe 0:19:36.480 --> 0:19:39.560 sharing a moment where you're going through something difficult and 0:19:39.600 --> 0:19:42.720 pouring your heart out. It's almost like journaling, but even 0:19:42.800 --> 0:19:44.920 better because you feel like you're connected to something bigger 0:19:44.920 --> 0:19:48.080 than yourself. And then journaling again, we mentioned that before, 0:19:48.080 --> 0:19:49.879 but this could be about your emotions, it could be 0:19:49.880 --> 0:19:53.600 about something you're finding really difficult in your life. Sometimes 0:19:53.680 --> 0:19:56.320 putting pen to paper instead of just saying it in 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:59.800 your mind can really help. And so having those moments 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:02.760 where yeah, you're just releasing I think a lot of 0:20:02.760 --> 0:20:05.200 the morning is about releasing the things you don't want 0:20:05.200 --> 0:20:07.080 to carry with you for the rest of the day. 0:20:07.560 --> 0:20:10.000 And that's why having a morning routine is really special 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:13.280 because you allow yourself the space to do that. You 0:20:13.280 --> 0:20:15.879 can honestly just expend it how you like and decide 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:17.840 which areas you want to spend most amount of time in. 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:20.520 You know, I end up waking up at five or 0:20:20.560 --> 0:20:22.159 five thirty in the morning because I have so much 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:23.720 that I want to do in the morning. I have 0:20:23.840 --> 0:20:26.159 my ara and a half potatoe, our meditation practice, I 0:20:26.240 --> 0:20:29.080