How to Start Your Mornings Off Right!

Mornings are rough.  Trust me I know.  They are rough because millions of people are affected by it everyday.  It takes a toll on us all and for many of us therapy might be needed.  I believe its a syndrome that affects everyone and for many in a very negative way.  So negative that for many even their personality is affected all day long. I have dubbed it the "getting out of bed.....everyday" syndrome!

So now that we are done with the theatrics lets get to the point.  How you wake up in the morning and the attitude that you personify during this time will set the pace for the rest of your day.  I heard that old saying growing up "well it looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed". Truth is no matter what side of the bed you wake up on, what really sets your tone for the day is your mind set from early morning.  I hear a lot of people say "well I'm not a morning person".  This saying really bothers me, because unless you start your days at 12pm and beyond, then we all are morning people as we usually wake up somewhere in the morning hours.  Part of having a healthy day and beautiful outlook on life is setting your tone of mind from the moment you open your eyes.  Remember beauty is a state of mind.  No amount of makeup you wear or clothes you buy will make you feel beautiful if deep downside you are really struggling with who you are.  Sadly, for many these issues start from the moment they open up their eyes.  So here are some tips on how you can achieve a beautiful mind set and turn around your outlook if you are affected by this "syndrome" and are not a morning person.

1. Mediate/Pray/Mindfulness

I will admit I am guilty of not being mindful in the mornings on many occasions.  I am part of that group of people who first reach for their phones, laptops, tablets and what not in order to check their emails and see what is going on the world.  However I have had to take a step back many times and first check on what is going on with me before I can even start to examine the world.  When you wake up in the mornings, don't reach for all your electronic gadgets first.  Truth is whether you check your emails now or five minutes from now; not much will change.  When you wake up in the mornings and before you take your first step try centering yourself.  Whether that be a small 3-5 minutes of mediation, prayer or being mindful of your feelings, sensations, body, and surroundings.  The goal is to catch your bearings before you start your day so you can set your tone for a beautiful mind set that day. 

2. Yoga/Stretch  

Believe it or not, practicing yoga or stretching in the mornings has been found to help follow blood to your body parts, improve posture and help with achy muscles.  However if none of these appeals to you, it helps you at least to get out of bed. If you take a few minutes when you wake up in the mornings to stretch or practice yoga you can actually incorporate point number one and two together!  Part of practicing yoga and/or stretching is again just being mindful of your body and yourself.

2. Hygiene 

I know many people do not shower in the mornings instead at night.  However a morning shower can really help you wake up and feel so much better about yourself.  It also gets your body clean from all the sweating that occurs as you sleep.  It helps to invigorate our senses as the water falls on our body and for many they take this time to reflect while in the shower.  So you can basically do step one and three while in the shower.  Just remember to brush your teeth while you are at it.  Nothing says "good morning" like fresh clean minty breath!

3. Eat Breakfast

Many of us are guilty of skipping breakfast in the morning which is bad.  However many of also eat horribly in the morning which is just as bad as skipping breakfast.  When planning your most important meal of the day, skip on high crabs or fatty food and instead go with low crabs, low sugar and whole grains.  Try having fruits with yogurt, oats and grains with fruit, eggs with chicken or turkey bacon and other health options that are not loaded with sugar.  Fruit smoothies, freshly squeezed juice and juicing is another health option.  Eating breakfast is very important not only for your body but for your state of mind.  If you go starving to work, in my experience I have noticed on how this affects my mental state of mind for the rest of the day. So plan your breakfast meals ahead of time so that way you won't be rushing in the mornings wondering what to eat.

4. Getting Dress

Regardless of what your fashion sense is, you should always feel happy in what you wear.  Don't use clothes to hide yourself and don't wear makeup in order to pretend to be somebody you are not.  Makeup; while it can hide our facial imperfections, it can never mask how we truly feel about ourselves  deep down inside.  Furthermore, while clothes can make you look fatter or skinner, it can never change your real shape.  Use clothes and makeup as a way to accent who you are and not what you are pretending to be.  The point of getting dress in the mornings is to allow the world to see you for who you are and how you represent yourself.  I hear many girls say, "I don't wear makeup because I am to lazy to do it".  Wear makeup because you want to and not because you feel like you have too. However don't use the excuse of not wearing makeup because you are lazy.  We still brush our teeth and shower everyday in spite of being lazy.  So don't skim on yourself because your are lazy.  Instead use your time wisely so you achieve the look you are going for whether that be makeup free or not.  Nobody no matter how smart or pretty you are looks good as a hot mess.  It doesn't represent you as as a person fairly and its not a good look to sport.  Looking like you just rolled out of bed is not a look....period.

I try to follow these four easy steps in order to achieve a beautiful mind set everyday.  At times I fail and miserably.  However I always remind myself that there is always tomorrow to start over again and beauty continues to be a state of mind!

Keep Smiling!

Dayana