The alarm sounds and the tug-of-war starts. The choice you make in the first morning-minutes determines the course of the entire day. Will you default to a habit or design something new?
I promised my next post would include things that I do to resist reaction-mode in the morning. Without help, I can’t resist slipping into reaction-mode when I’m in front of any type of media or technology. It’s a mind-numbing vortex – a habit, and my most vulnerable time is first thing in the morning.
Until last year my mornings were on autopilot. Alarm; out of bed; coffee; straight to email; on to texting; and out of the fog about lunch time. I was busy yet ended the morning, and often the day feeling unfulfilled. Maybe this sounds familiar.
Now my morning has an upgraded autopilot that gives me a foot-hold for creating the day I want. These ideas and practices originate from a variety of sources, have changed my life, and might do the same for you.
It’s easier to build a new habit by linking it with one that already exists Click To TweetI’m sure there is a technical term for this process but I like to envision it as an on-ramp. My morning autopilot starts with meditation. But sometimes I don’t feel like meditating! So I use an On-ramp.
I do, however, love lighting candles and even though I may not want to meditate I always want to light a candle. I place the candle close to the floor so that when I kneel down to light the candle I’m in position and it’s easy to drop onto my meditation pad. It seems so simple and it works every time.
20 minutes later the reward is a cup of coffee. Ahhhh.
The ritual continues with 5-10 minutes to plan my day. After that I write. It may be a speech, a blog or a project plan. The important part is that I do NOT sit at my computer. I write longhand. It’s a throwback, but the part of my brain that loves to create stuff is very happy. Check out The Dopamine Connection.
Not until 8:30am do I check email for the first time. By then I have set my priorities for the day and I’m less likely to be pulled into other-peoples-priorities. At the end of the day I feel focused and fulfilled.
Before this year I didn’t plan my days and believed it was impossible for me to sit still to write. This discipline gives me access to a success superpower – Creativity. Before I implemented this practice I believed creativity was only available those creative types; not me. I was wrong.
When I’m not in reaction-mode I have more creativity, clarity and focus. You can’t make creativity happen, but you can make it welcome. I find my morning practice makes it welcome.
Please share your morning rituals. What primes your day for happiness, momentum and fulfillment?
joanne@jmarceau.com
