How I Cultivate Calm In The AM
It’s crazy out here in these ‘Rona streets. 👀
Panic and fear-filled energy are consuming our world. It’s palpable, and if we’re not careful, penetrable (a dear friend recently shared how her normal sense of calm transformed into a full-on panic attack after seeing multiples of people freak out daily).
Photo credit: K. Rish
The truth is, we have to cultivate calm now more than ever; reminding ourselves, and others, to move in love instead of fear. To remember that social distancing does not mean emotional distancing. To consider our brother or sister in the same aisle as us when we are going for our 6th package of toilet paper (Please. No more of this. Your bums will be just fine and stores are restocking daily).
But, if we can begin our days with a sense of calm, gratitude, self-centering and love, then, our chances of being able to pass it onto others (and extend it again to ourselves!), quadruples.
photo credit: k. rish
Awareness is everything. Mindfulness is key. And it all starts with us.
To help with this, here is my current 15-min mindful morning routine that allows me to develop + maintain the calm I need for the rest of the day:
How I Cultivate Calm In The Am ☀️
Engage in Gratitude. 😌
Growing up, I saw my mother do this daily and now I see why: not only do words of gratitude hold power in the atmosphere, but saying them aloud reminds us that everything we have is a gift. It isn’t owed to us, it’s given to us - through unconditional Love. This acknowledgement begins to open my heart for the day.
Employ movement. 🤸🏽♀️
Move slowly into small stretches. This helps to generate more warmth in the body - preventing injuries during normal every day movements and creating space for restorative oxygen to flow.
Hydrate. 💧
I try to commit to drinking 10-12 oz of water first thing every morning. My system will be ready to expel a good amount of water in the morning, so, my goal is to rehydrate right away - especially after sleeping for for 8-9 hours. It also helps to detoxify, balance the immune system, jump-start your metabolism and prepare your intestinal tract for optimal digestion. It’s been a game-changer.
Designate a separate space. 🙇🏽♀️
Leaving the bedroom, I create room for my morning space (I’ve tried doing it in my bedroom, but just end up falling asleep). I make some morning lemon tea (yup, more detoxification + hydration!), light an intention candle (I set an intention daily - whether it’s to release anxiety, embrace joy, focus on love, etc). and cozy up on the couch or at a desk with a warm, fuzzy blanket. It’s so important to create a vibe that you enjoy coming to. So, as you think of creating your own morning space, try choosing 2-3 things to engage your senses in. This will help to create a sacred environment where you can disappear into your favorite kind of serenity.
Meditate AND/OR Devotion. 🧘🏽♀️📖
Depending on what you need that morning:
For mindfulness, I love the Stop, Breath + Think App.
To center myself spiritually, I love the Abide App. A 2-3 min meditation is all I normally need to clear my mind and set the kind of tone I want for the day.
If I’m choosing a devotion, there are plans on the Bible App I enjoy, that can coincide with where I am emotionally and mentally. They are short, sweet and give fantastic perspective.
Inspirational morning reads that uplift, while centering your spirit, will shift things dramatically in your morning!
Journal. 📝
The benefits of journaling are vastly underrated. To be able to release encumbering worries or document any newfound perspectives from meditation/devotion, is monumental in my morning reset. Mind = refocused. Vision = cleared.
Prayer. 🙏🏽
Whenever I hand things over to God, I give myself the permission to finally relinquish charge over the things I can’t change. It’s a relief to pass over everything that I may be dealing with: frustration, confusion, anger, hurt, helplessness and fear to the only One who is truly equipped to handle it all. We simply aren’t built with the mental space, physical capacity or the emotional bandwidth to manage everything at all times. Sometimes, we need help, perspective and many times (if not, at all times), it’s most effective to abdicate it to the One above. ❤️
I’m not gonna lie to you, I normally luxuriate through this routine if I have the extra time, but even so, these 15 mins to myself in the morning before the world begins, is literal gold.
Photo Credit: K. Rish
If this routine resonates, but you have small children, demanding work hours or no time on your hands,
try a condensed version of this:
A Quick 3 Minutes To Calm (Before You Start Your Morning)
Engage in Gratitude - 10 secs
Employ Movement - 30 secs
Drink Water - 20 secs
Designate Space - 2-3 mins - be inspired by of the following: a brief meditation, a releasing prayer, setting your intention for the day, a short journal entry to clear your mind, a short stretching/movement sequence, dancing it out, reading a page or two from an inspirational book, listening to a snippet of a short podcast or a quick paragraph of a motivational audiobook - OR sculpt time to dedicate 3 mins to whatever you’d like that day that helps to clear your mind/center your breath.
What are some things that you love to do in order to cultivate calm in your mornings?