Nothing beats the feeling of waking up like a spring chicken full of enthusiasm, positivity, and excitement, now by no means am I a morning person, trust me, pre smoothie/ fresh air and caffeinated, I’m a walking zombie…but a good one ;-), apart from days I have missed out on ZZZ’s or had one to many tipples the night before, Most days I wake up happy, joyful, grateful, and determined for the day. The days when I have woke up grumpy, tired, slightly unmotivated, my day seems to go from dull to disastrous, does this sound familiar? first you stub your toe, than you spill your coffee, than you are stuck in traffic… a bad start seems to end in a bad day, and vice versa a good start ends up as a good day, so here are my 4 tips on how you can wake up feeling fab, fresh, and full of enthusiasm and determination for the day, every day ( unless there is a a little party the night before )
1) Beauty sleep: The most important thing you can do to feel fresh is get your ZZZ’s, for me, if I am sleep deprived, I am unpleasant, unproductive and unfunny ( as I am even more silly and a big goof ball when I get my beauty sleep, I often get asked if I had a clown for breakfast…kidding ) anyways back to my point, for me I have a nightly ritual, that helps me sleep deeply, feel rested, and be ready for the next day. I have an epsom salt bath, this helps relax the muscles, and calm the mind, if you don’t have a bath, a 5 minute hot shower, with essential lavender oil is a good replacement, next I make a cup of Yogi bedtime tea and take to bed, than I take 400 mg of magnesium citrate which is great for the nervous system, muscle recovery and calming the mind, after I write out my TO-do list for the next day, and lastly I read something inspirational or uplifting for about 30-45 minutes, no thrillers or juicy Jackie collins style…this will keep you up!
2) Wake up a little earlier: Set your alarm 15-20 minutes to get some extra coziness and start your day with a guided mediation, I love all the mediation guides by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey, you get a mix of a positive style podcast, 10 minutes of mantra / silence and an uplifting centring thought you can carry with you throughout the day, like “ Being thankful makes my life healthier every day, or “My beliefs enhance my life” or “I am grateful for divine manifestations” and so on; you can simply repeat it when your walking to get lunch, driving in your car, or grabbing your green juice. Meditation helps you become more aware of your thoughts throughout the day. Since adding meditation to my daily routine in 2013, I feel much more mindful towards my thoughts, actions, and deeds.
3) Be grateful: After having some morning silence, think of 3 things you are grateful for , for example, I am truly grateful that it is a privilege to be alive, breath, enjoy, and love. Even things as simple as having warm water, food on the table, a roof over my head, clothing to wear, the crisp air, and the blue sky, just thinking of 3 things every day, is life changing. Also while we are on the subject of gratitude, make a conscious effort not to complain, if you moan, matters will only get worse, so try to recognise when you hear yourself complaining, in other words, your inner thoughts create your outer world, so whatever you think- will grow, so be grateful, turn negative thoughts to positive ones, and shake it off, even during really tough times, like suffering from a bad illness, having loved ones sick, or going through a bad break up, surround yourself with people that lift you up, stay strong, and always go back to things that you are grateful of, this is an instant mood booster.
4) Smoothie 0 Clock: Start your mornings with an energising, nutrient packed, plant based smoothie, not only will you give your body a plethora of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants in one big gulp but also by adding energy boosting superfoods to it like acai berries, guarana, maca, or spirulina, you will feel a natural high within minutes! A favourite smoothie recipe of mine aka The feel fab blend is: 1 handful of blueberries, 1 handful of black berries, 1/ 2 cup of almond milk, 1 sachet of acai berries with guarana, 1 large handful of leafy greens, 1 tbs of maca, and sprinkle of omega seed mix.
Ashley xoxo