To say "I'm not a morning person" would be an understatement. I have always preferred to stay up late and wake up late. As I've gotten older though, I've realized how important and valuable mornings are when it comes to getting work done. I took some time to visualize what an ideal morning would look like for me if I HAD to pull myself out of the most comfortable bed in the world. (Which is 10x as hard when you have a fluffy puppy who has joined you.)

Creating positive space in the morning is critical for me to have energy and be productive. I thought I would share a few rituals I have recently implemented to start my mornings off on the right foot. I know not everyone has the same schedule or responsibilities but I think everything I've listed below can be done in a relatively short amount of time. Finding a morning routine is also personal- these are just a few things that have worked for me. Hopefully this will give you some inspiration!

* Keep in mind that a good morning usually starts with a good night's sleep. Take some time to think about what that means for you and how you can set yourself up with success the night before. 

This has been really easy for me to do before I even get out of bed. As soon as my alarm goes off (because let's be real- I'm not quite at the point where I can wake up without one) I'll grab my phone or iPad and open up the Insight Timer guided meditation app. I cannot say enough good things about this tool and I still cannot believe that it's free. There are thousands of meditations and affirmation programs. My current favorite is "Morning Meditation with Music" by Jonathan Lehmann and it's about 10 minutes long.

It's true what Naval Adm. William H. McRaven says in his commencement address at the University of Texas. "If you make your bed in the morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day." It takes me 5 minutes (maybe a little more if my dog is all stretched out and looking extra adorable) to accomplish this task and it always makes my bedroom seem neater even if there is a mountain of laundry next to the clothes basket. It also makes me happy to see a tidy bed every time I go into my bedroom. 

Far too many mornings (and afternoons) of mine have gone by without having any water. I'll be in the middle of work and realize that all I've had to drink was coffee. I think it's important for me, as someone who is prone to dehydration, to make sure that I drink a big glass of water before I have coffee. Drinking water first thing assists with digestion and re-hydration, especially if you've had alcohol or foods high in sodium. Even if it's a 3 cups of coffee kind of day, at least I can feel better about my 8-16 oz of H2O when I wake up.

Having a meal that both tastes good and is nourishing is a great way to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. My go-to is oatmeal (specifically the Bob's Red Mill Quick Cook Oats) with cinnamon, ground flax seed, a dash of brown sugar, peanut butter, and cacao nibs topped with almond milk and fresh raspberries or blueberries. The oatmeal takes 2 minutes to cook and satisfies me the whole morning. I also eat cereal, smoothies, and Van's Power Grain Waffles when I am feeling like a treat. 

If you need some extra motivation in the morning, get moving! This has been especially important for me when my first instinct is always to crawl back into my cozy bed. Do a few stretches when you get up, try a few minutes of yoga (check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube), take your dog for a walk, or crank up the tunes and dance. 

Do you have any morning rituals? What would it be like to create positive space for yourself?