The morning is the most precious and important moment of the day in my opinion. Why? Because it’s when you set the tone for the rest of the day. How do you want to feel? Focus or frazzled? Strong or stressed? I understand that not everyone has time for a full on morning routine like I have but if you want to get your A-game on, just try incorporating one of these wellness habits/rituals (even if only for a few minutes) and notice how much better you feel already.
Hydration
Our body fasts during the night to reboot and cleanse itself so what you put in it first thing in the morning is super important: are you going to give it coffee, bread or something with dairy? That’s an inflammatory cocktail just waiting to wreak havoc on your entire system (plus coffee can make you so jittery).
Instead, go for hot water + lemon. Yes, cliché as it might be, there is a reason this drink is so popular in the morning. It detoxes your body and wakes it up gently (and it “gets things going” if you know what I mean). If you want to switch things up, I also love hot water and fresh mint.
Meditation
The morning is the right moment to intentionally create the right mindset for your day. So many of us wake up immediately thinking of our to-do list or focusing on something that is bothering us. Meditation (not unlike the hot water + lemon) detoxes the mind and helps slow down that mental chatter.
I have posted about my meditation practice and its benefits several times so you can find more information here if it’s something you want to incorporate in your morning routine. Once again, it doesn’t have to be 20 minutes if you’re in a rush. I meditated for 1-5 minutes when I first started this practice and gradually increased the time of my session over months/years.
Movement
If you follow my Instagram stories you’ve seen that I workout almost every day but “working out” means different things: it can be with weights, pilates, yoga or a simple walk. The duration of the workout also varies. I have my ideal time and then I have my actual time which can be only 20 minutes on certain mornings. I always say “Something is better than nothing” and I find that even a short workout is good because it keeps the momentum going.
Why workout in the morning? Because it’s a priority and life can easily get in the way. I want to make sure I get it in first thing so if the day goes to shit, at least I did something for myself. Working out is also a great stress reliever and given the demands of my job (and life), working out is a must. It helps me be a better human/boss/colleage/everything.
When starting a morning workout routine take baby steps: go to bed 15-20 minutes early to get up 15-20 minutes early and go from there. If you’re worried about motivation to workout, read this.
Above everything else, please remember this
Be kind with yourself when incorporating new health habits in your life. It won’t be a straight ascending line. Sometimes you’ll feel like you are taking a step (or two) back and that’s totally normal. Trust the process and have faith in yourself. Start small but be consistent. Let me know if you need any support on this journey by sending me a DM on Instagram or email be at genevieve@redfairyproject.com. Geneviève xo
Read this to find out How to become a morning person
Read this to find out How I got into the best shape of my life