Do you know what the great majority of successful people have in common?
It’s something everyone has access to and yet few choose to take advantage of they all make good use of their early morning hours.
I know, I know. You hate those types of people who open their eyes in the morning, jump out of bed, and are ready to take on the day. Not everyone wakes up naturally perky and full of energy. Many of us hear our chosen iPhone ringtone (because who has an alarm clock anymore?), throw the blankets dramatically over our head, and hope it magically turns back into the night.
Wake up call: You can’t chase your dreams by hitting snooze and starting your day with a negative. In fact, science has proven that time and time again, your morning routine sets the rhythm for your entire day.
Let’s start the day with a positive attitude and follow these top eight tips for turning yourself into one of those “morning people.”
How To Greet The Day
1. Stop saying you aren’t a morning person.
I see far too many people who fill their Twitter feed with ambitions and passions all afternoon and contradictorily litter their social media with “I hate Mondays, or “It’s way too early for me to be up” before noon.
Related: 11 Ways To Stay Positive (Even When You’re Around Negative People)
As a life coach, it makes me cringe to hear someone say that the reason they don’t get things done in the morning is that they “aren’t a morning person.” It’s pretty amazing how a simple reframe of this statement can change your entire outlook and you make your productivity levels soar.
Tell yourself that you ARE a morning person and as a wave with a magic wand, you start becoming one. It’s that simple.
2. Skip the snooze button.
Make a commitment to yourself to avoid the snooze setting. That extra sleep in between snoozes is only making you more tired.
3. Don’t just jump out of bed in the morning.
Don’t hit the snooze button, but do ease your body into the day. This is pre-alert time. Get your mind ready to ignite with some quiet time.
Related: 8 Bedtime Hacks: A Cheat Sheet For Getting A Good Night’s Sleep
Stretch your limbs, smile, think about what you are grateful for and begin your day calmly and with a positive spirit.
4. Pump yourself up with positive affirmations.
Say everything that you want as though you already have it. “I am productive”, “I am energetic”, “I am going to accomplish everything I set out to today”, “I am thankful”, “I am a go-getter”, “I am motivated”, “I am going to rock this day!”
Just say whatever works for you. Believe it. Making a positive commitment to having an optimistic day can prepare you for whatever is ahead.
5. Connect with yourself when you wake up and meditate for a minute or two.
Sit up, and start focusing on your breath. Inhale positive energy and exhale toxic negativity. If you start your day with a clear mind, you will feel more calm and centered.
Related: 7 Reasons Why Positive Thinking Is Awesome
6. Make sure every day includes something that will make you happy.
Preferably schedule it when you first wake up. It doesn’t matter if it’s breakfast, playing with your kids, yoga, or catching up on social media. Just make sure it’s just for you and it will make you feel good!
When you do it, take the time to really enjoy it. This helps to associate morning time with emotions of pleasure.
7. Exercise.
Just a little bit. For 5 minutes. The goal isn’t to lose weight or tone your body, it’s to increase energy and stimulate your mind to elevate mental performance for the day.
8. Go to bed at a good time!
The earlier you go to bed, the earlier you can wake up. It helps to start winding down an hour before you actually want to go to sleep. While you are winding down, get out your clothing for the next morning—it saves you time in the morning, and its one step out of the way.
Related: 5 Morning Routines You Need To Adopt, Inspired By…Cats?
Think about how much better of a hair day you might have if you didn’t spend ten minutes trying to figure out what to wear.
The Takeaway
You can’t chase your dreams by hitting the snooze button. Becoming a morning person is easier than you might think. Take advantage of these tips to get motivated and feel energized before the sun starts to rise.
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Laura Kronen is the author of Too Sweet: The Not-So-Serious Side to Diabetes and is the founder of the transformational life-coaching organization, Be You Only Better.
Photo by Buccianti
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