Morning Routines: A proven method for keeping your sanity!
No joke...my morning routine has saved my children on numerous occasions! LOL!!
Isn't the above picture how you spend your morning??!! Ha!! Yeah, right. It probably sounds more like this...Suzie's alarm goes off, she pulls herself our of bed, and rises the sleepy children. An hour later, Suzie and the kids speed out the door with stuffed backpacks, lunches squeezed in a sack, and breakfast in their hands. She makes it to work just in time for the first appointment of the day and things rush on.... The end of the long day concludes with Suzie falling into bed confused about where all of her time is going.
Does this feel like you? You're struggling out of bed, immediately rushing from thing to thing in the morning, and running on someone else's agenda. You feel that your priorities, your INNER BEING, are missing from the daily grind...
How will an intentional morning make a difference?
For Christians, the number one difference maker is the time you invest in your relationship with God.We need time to look inside for values clarification and priorities.Look at the story of the jar with rocks, pebbles, and sand.
I've found that as my life circumstances have changed, my needs and time commitment for a morning routine have changed as well. I've learned to stay flexible with my intentional mornings. But, there are a few key parts that I've noticed overlap and are essential to "work in."
Read: Put positive things into your head from another source.
Move: Wake up the body! Reminds us of the sacredness of our body.
Center: Thinking and listening time
Journal: Get your thoughts out and get organized.
**I recommend that you cover each section every day.
So, how has this morning routine saved my children? Well, when I take the time to get in touch with myself, my God, and my purpose for the day I approach all things with a sense of peace and assurance that wasn't there before. Even the aura I give off to those around me has changed and affects others.
Does this mean every morning is perfect and without incident? Do I always make the "right" choice for my priorities and mind-set for the day? Of course not! But, my chances are much better when I take the time necessary. And yours will be, too.
My hope is that you would be inspired to make your selections from the menu and spruce up your morning routine ASAP