When I wake in the morning, my mind slowly gathers, and I begin to move, the early morning light just starting to seep in. I have a glass of water, start the coffee, and begin my meditation. Afterwards I enjoy a good book, the quiet, and then I write. This is my nourishing morning, and I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from it. It wasn’t always this way. I used to wake later, rush through a grumpy routine before diving into email, work, errands, and meetings. It was frenetic and dreadful. But I’ve changed my mornings for the better with a few simple ideas.

Wake a little earlier. If your mornings are rushed, the simple solution is to get up a bit earlier. This means going to bed a bit earlier, too. Do it gradually, just 10 minutes earlier a week.

Keep things simple. One of my early mistakes was trying to fit too much into the morning. What’s helped me is having a couple things I do early on. That makes the time much more peaceful and enjoyable. So meditation, reading, and writing are the only things that I do almost every morning.

Have something to look forward to. Don’t pack your mornings full of things you need to do, but do have something you can’t wait to get up to do.

Practice mindfulness. I like to start with meditation because it sets the tone for my day. With a more mindful attitude, I notice when I start to rush and feel stressed. And I notice small things that I might miss. Meditation can be as simple as quietly having coffee in your garden for ten minutes, enjoying the beauty that is around you. ~ Adapted from Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits blog  

Massage Therapy Center Palo Alto wishes you nourishing mornings, more peaceful days, and a body that moves with ease!