Creating Your Miracle Morning

It’s a well known fact that humans are creatures of habit - we gain comfort, stability and freedom from the routines we create for ourselves. Yet in a post lockdown world a lot of the old ones have disappeared… and if we’re not commuting every day or going to the gym on our designated lunch break it can be easy to feel a bit lost as we navigate through our weeks. 
With more and more people working from home, changing up our patterns and shaking up the old, “normal” ways of going about our daily life (Check out our blog on the New Normal here), it can be easy to lose the routines that provide so much value.
Our solution? Create a reliable, yet flexible morning routine that can move with you wherever you are and be actionable no matter what your day holds.

Morning routines have been praised by many of the most successful individuals - in fitness, business and creative worlds - as the key that helps them own every day and continually move forward. It can be the thing that grounds you - irrespective of what else is going on.
Often called a ‘Miracle Morning’, choosing small yet meaningful actions to start your day powerfully can lead to a more productive, enjoyable and fulfilled day overall.
In this blog I’m going to share my top tips to create a balanced and impactful morning routine, based off the habits of many successful people.

THE EVOLUTION OF ROUTINE

Personally, I’ve found the specifics of my morning routine have shifted over the years. Like with your goals and lifestyle, routines will naturally shift and adapt as you grow and move through life.
For this reason, I’ve created a formula that allowed me to identify the key components that I felt were necessary to create a balanced morning routine that would set the day up for success. The result is a flexible habit building tool that can shift with your location and agenda. It can take 10 minutes or 2 hours - whatever suits. Its strength is in its versatility.
Without fail, the days I implement this routine always end up better. I hope you find it as useful and life changing as I have.

The formula: Move, Reflect, Grow, Prepare.

The beauty of this Miracle Morning ‘template’ is that it can be adapted to any person, anywhere, with any amount of time. You don’t have to do it in a specific order or format, but the inclusion of each component allows a holistic approach. Below I flesh out some examples of what this could look like.

MOVE

Move your body. One of the most effective ways to wake our bodies up and prepare for the day is to incorporate movement. This could look different each day or become a set exercise you do. It could be 2 minutes or 90 - whatever works. Here’s some examples:

• 2 minutes of stretching
• 10 minutes of mobility work
• 30 minutes of yoga
• A 20 minute run
• Walking the dog
• Cycling to work
• A class or workout at your gym

You don’t have to be an athlete! A little goes a long way and the main goal here is to get the blood flowing.

REFLECT

This has been one of the most beneficial inclusions for me, and it’s one that’s often overlooked. A reflection, or mindful practice can be as versatile as a movement one. We’ve got a whole blog on creating this practice that you can read here. Below are some ideas of a reflection you can add each morning:

• Journal your thoughts, goals or limiting beliefs
• Meditate - use an app or guided meditation to practice
• Gratitudes - write a list of what you’re grateful for
• Affirmations - speak or write positive words and phrases of affirmation that are relevant to your goals and mindset

Again, 2 minutes can make a huge difference to the way you approach your day.

GROW

This idea is all about bettering ourselves. It can be learning or researching something new or expanding our knowledge or mindset in some way. Below are some of my favourites:

• Read a few pages of a self-development book (or business or health - something non-fiction)
• Watch a TED talk or instructional video
• Spend 5 minutes researching the next stage of a project or goal you’re working on - small progress adds up
• Do a tutorial or online skills class
• Listen to a podcast or Clubhouse room

PREPARE

The final step to own your morning is to set yourself up for the day. This can include:

• Physical prep e.g. showering, hair, makeup
• Eat breakfast and/or prep lunch
• Packing your bag and choosing an outfit that makes you feel your best (though this one can be good to do the night before)
• Check your calendar and add in any specific tasks and appointments you want to include
• Look over the rest of your week and check that everything is on track
• Drinking a glass of lemon water with pink salt (warm) to prep your body) - this is a good one to do FIRST thing after waking up, it rehydrates the body after sleep and is great for your gut health.

As you can see, these four aspects are very flexible and adaptable. I’ve found that they provide enough structure to tick all the boxes of preparing the body and mind for success, without being so rigid that the routine can’t be maintained.

Do you have a morning routine?
Have these ideas helped you in creating one?
Anything we've left out that's a non-negotiable for you?
Pop your comments below :)