I am not a morning person, like not even a little bit. Even if I’ve gotten enough sleep, I rarely leap out of bed raring to go. Transitioning from rest to activity is just something that challenges me.
So lately, I’ve been trying out some new ways to greet the day—and myself—a little more gracefully. I’ve learned from reading about sleep that each person’s natural circadian rhythm is hard to change. So my goal isn’t to suddenly become a cheerful early riser. But I am hoping to improve my outlook when I do step out of bed in the morning.
One thing that’s made a really nice impact is to sleep with the window cracked open. The fresh air has actually helped me sleep better, but I especially love how it gently encourages me to align with the morning world outside. As spring has started to brighten up here in Massachusetts, the morning air and bird songs are really putting a fine point on the invitation to wake up and greet the day.
I’ve also started taking a moment to feel my feet on the floor. Before I stand up, even before I’ve fully opened my eyes, I sit on the edge of the bed and take a couple of deep breaths while I wiggle my toes and gently press the balls and heels of my feet into the floor. This makes me feel grounded—literally—in my commitment to starting the day, and I like the intentionality of moving from lying down to standing up by really feeling where my feet anchor on the ground.
Finally, I meet myself in the mirror with some positive self-talk. I have one of those electric toothbrushes that stays on for the full recommended two minutes, and I’ve been using that time to look myself in the eye and direct my inner monologue in a positive, self-nurturing direction. I might compliment myself for something (like brushing my teeth for the full two minutes). Or I might encourage myself to begin the day with confidence and perseverance. Or, I might just think about self-supporting words like kindness, love, hope or peace. There’s something about making eye contact with myself in the morning that helps me get in the right frame of mind to step into the day with authentic positivity.
Hoping these ideas might help you have a good morning, today and every day.
