Ultimately, you set the tone for your day.
Even if you’re like me and struggle to get out of bed in the morning, you can still set yourself up for a positive day.
You might wake up 10 minutes before the alarm with the cat’s cold nose in your face, or because one of the kids needs something now, but that doesn’t mean that you have to relinquish control over how you feel about your day.
So how do you start on the right foot when your mornings don’t go as planned?
How To Have A Successful Life
1. Remind yourself that you’re amazing
Take the time to type some compliments to yourself on your calendar. Do this using your phone. Set the alert function so that you wake up to something positive. Yes, you’ll still have the alarm, but you’ll also have a something happy to read because you do do amazing things.
Related: 5 Reasons To Boost Self-Confidence
Do this in the morning, because you’re already waking up in a good mood, and now is the perfect time to reflect on your awesomeness.
2. Meditate…while walking
There are days when it’s too hard to get out of bed and run up and down the steps before work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take a short walk. Meditation can be combined with walking to double up on your dose of happiness.
Especially if you’ve struggled to meditate in the past, walking meditation provides a way for you to focus on your body because you’re actively using it. It also gives you a way to greet the sun in the morning, and we all know that serotonin levels increase with sunshine, which helps boost your mood.
Related: Why Meditate? The Minimalist Guide To Meditation
3. Start with a smoothie
The night before, or even the week before, prep your breakfast. If you’re always the last one up and never have the time to eat, line up your Tupperware and divide frozen fruit into the containers for a breakfast smoothie. My favorite mix is one cup of strawberries, one cup of blueberries, a banana, and yogurt.
By preparing the smoothie ahead of time, your only decision in the morning is what base you want. Try water, or something creamy (but still healthy!). I prefer yogurt and almond milk, but some people like using ice cubes and water.
Do whatever makes you happy! Enjoy your smoothie while you’re getting ready, or pour into your favorite travel mug and drink it on the go.
Related: Health Nuts Rejoice! Why Green Smoothies Totally Rock
4. Aromatherapy…in the shower
A hot shower in the morning puts your best foot forward, but if you really want to start the day with pep in your step, try adding a shower fizzy to the tub. Use something with a strong hint of citrus to help you wake up.
Not a fan of citrus? There are coffee-scented shower fizzies, as well as peppermint, which is my favorite.
5. Style yourself
You don’t need to spend an hour in the bathroom to look polished. Take at least 10 minutes to smooth your hair or apply some makeup. Those extra few minutes spent on you will help you walk taller throughout the day.
Related: 6 Ways To Have Body Confidence
6. Have teatime
Put the kettle on and make yourself a cup of green tea. There are lots of varieties that include fruity flavors, too.
Green tea is a good antioxidant and has just enough caffeine in it to kick-start your day without giving you the jitters of too much coffee.
7. Stop the to-do list
Feel like you aren’t moving fast enough in the morning? Make one of your habits to stop and recognize what you do get done instead of what you don’t. Keep a productivity list instead.
Today you showered, dressed, walked the dog, made breakfast, did the dishes, and meditated for 10 minutes, all before you left the house for the day. It doesn’t matter you didn’t have time to water the plants. They’ll wait until you get home. You haven’t even gotten to work yet and your “completed” list is already getting long.
8. Love your pets
Before you leave for the day, make sure you give your furry friends a scratch on the head or a hug —especially if you grumbled when Fluffy woke you up before the alarm.
Related: 6 Health Benefits Of Pets
Who can leave the house unhappy when there’s so much love in it?
9. Create a positive playlist
It isn’t always enough to get out of the house in a good mood. Sometimes the commute to work can knock you down a few pegs before you’ve even really got the day started.
Load up your phone or iPod with upbeat music. That doesn’t mean pick your favorite moody ballads. That means pick your favorite upbeat high-energy dance-till-you-can’t-move-your-body tunes. By the time you get to work you’ll be wide awake and ready to take on the world with a smile.
10. Look for inspiration
There’s nothing like a moment of inspiration to brighten the rest of your day. Whether you look for that inspiration by staring out the window at a beautiful sunrise or watch a quick go-get-‘em video on YouTube is up to you.
Related: 5 Ways You Can Find Inspiration In Life (Even On Your Bad Days)
Carry that inspiration in the back of your mind for the rest of the day.
11. Pursue a personal goal
The early bird gets the worm, we all know that. But the early bird can also get a few extra moments to spend on a treasured hobby or personal goal.
Always wanted to write the great American novel? Get up 15 minutes earlier each day and bang out a page. In a year, you’ll have a complete book. That’s something to be proud of.
12. Hold off on coffee
I’m a tea drinker, but at heart, I love my morning coffee. To help me conquer dragging feet, I’ve stopped making coffee in the morning. Don’t be silly, you say? Don’t worry! I still have coffee, I just wait to drink it until I get to work. I started doing this six months ago. The results have been stupendous. Seriously.
I now get to work at least 30 minutes early (I really love coffee) which means that I’m the one who opens the office for the day. By the time the rest of the office shows up, I’m bright and bubbly even if I wasn’t already because of the caffeine.
Related: Coffee Nutrition Facts: 7 Things You Didn’t Know
That’s resulted in my employer bumping up my salary because I’m such a “go-getter.” Between you and me, I’ve since opted to keep my reason for my early morning joy to myself at work.
The Takeaway
These small habits will add up to a solid morning boost. A salary increase might not be in your future —but hey, who knows? However, no matter what, taking time for yourself in the morning will set a positive tone to your entire day.
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Sarah Landrum is the founder of Punched Clocks, a blog dedicated to helping others find happiness and success in their careers. She specializes in career advice but is also a health nut and DIY junkie with a passion for living life to the fullest. Follow her for more inspiring tips at @SarahLandrum.
Photo by vandolarp