There are three tiny, little things that I am currently doing in the mornings that make a profound difference in my day.
They are also some of the hardest things for me to do right now.
They are three things that always lead to more successful choices in the rest of my day.
The Hard Things
“A daily routine built on good habits and disciplines separates the most successful among us from everyone else.” – Darren Hardy, The Compound Effect
20 Minutes of a Workout
I have to workout first thing in the morning, or I will not do it the rest of the day. I am not someone who loves to workout, and It is just not very high on my want-to-do-list. But I know that I want to physically be able to show up for my children, keep up with the family adventures as they get older, strengthen my core so I can hold and carry my heavy baby without headaches, and keep my body healthy and strong.
Since I had slight Diastis Recti with my last pregnancy, I found this exercise program. I think I am more apt to do it on a regular basis because I had to pay a decent price for it – the Scrooge within me is not about to let that investment go to waste.
Stay off Social Media until Nap/Quiet Time
In the mornings, I have 2-3 hours of solo time before the boys wake, and in the past, I would allow myself to post or browse through social media at some point during that time. But, I find that I am quite a bit more productive in my mornings if I choose to stay off of it completely until my boys are down for their quiet time.
I currently have my phone set to allow myself to have one minute of social media time before it blocks it. So, if I make the mistake of opening it, that one minute blocker is a great reminder.
Drink 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
The health benefits in apple cider vinegar are many, and for years I have dabbled in it -trying to convince myself to just swallow it. If I mix one tablespoon of vinegar and 1-2 cups of water and drink it with my breakfast, I find it it doable. And I then I can relax and enjoy that success the rest of the day.
The Morning
“You only need to take a series of tiny steps, consistently, over time, to radically improve your life.” – Darren Hardy (The Compound Effect)
You have a greater amount of self-discipline and motivation in the mornings, and the amount decreases as your body tires during the day. If you do not do the most difficult tasks first, it is very unlikely that you will do them later as the day progresses.
A few good choices in the morning makes it easier to continue on a path of good choices. You know the saying, “A body in motion will continue to stay in motion?” Just as it is difficult to get out of a rut of bad choices, it also is easier to continue making good choices after you have begun. Completing those good choices gives you both a feeling of success and accomplishment as well as the desire to continue making more good choices.
“Step by step, day by day, your choices will shape your actions until they become habits where practice makes them permanent.” – Darren Hardy (The Compound Effect)
Just Choose Three
If you are anything like me, when I get in the mood to track habits or to intentionally improve, I have ten or more areas that I would like to work on. But change happens in small incremental, consistent moments. Just choose three habits to focus on for a month or two before incorporating others.
The hard things can become easier. Just a couple months ago, my “hard things” were different. But those “hard things” are now so much easier and are simply part of my normal routine. Getting up by 530AM, praying through a prayer card consistently, eating a fresh salad every day, changing out morning coffee for warm lemon water, going outside with the boys for exercise, eating eggs and/or kefir and fresh fruit for every breakfast, hanging out the laundry instead of sticking it in the dryer, drinking 1-2 quarts of water before any other liquid, etc. Once a “hard thing” has been done successfully for about a month or two, it can become a “normal event”. It will not be hard forever.
Hard things are different in different seasons. When I am in the throws of pregnancy sickness, my three hard things are 1) taking a shower and dressing for the day, 2) having a devotional time with Jesus, and 3) eating a healthy breakfast. It takes everything within me to get them done and sometimes I may not do any or I completely fail altogether. But I do know, that if I can just push through those three things, my day will be better because of it.
What is one thing that you want to implement into your morning to start your day off successfully? Please share below for further inspiration to the rest of us and accountability to yourself – putting something into writing always seems to make it just a little more real.
I am taking a break from blogging for june. I look forward to reconnecting in july again.