Good morning, Lowcountry! How did your day begin? Did you slap the snooze button a few times then rush through your routine, perhaps grabbing a breakfast bar for the road? Or did you savor the sunrise while slowly sipping a cup of coffee on your balcony?
"How you start and end your day affects your energy not only for yourself but for those around you," says Erin Diehl, author of I See You!: A Leader's Guide to Energizing Your Team Through Radical Empathy. Since the morning "sets the tone for the rest of the day" it's well worth it to do an audit on your current routine and ask yourself where you could make some changes. For Diehl, her morning upgrade involved a major move from Chicago to Charleston, where she traded brisk walks in a coat "that resembled a down comforter with a zipper" for invigorating morning runs by the marsh near her new home.
Yep, you can go big with your morning revamp. But you can also start small. We won't judge you for either approach, and we have a few easy-to-add hacks for making your morning more productive and more enjoyable -- whether you've got five minutes or five hours.
1.) Begin with Intention
A focused thought won't cost you any extra time, and adding a daily affirmation practice to your morning routine can pay large rewards over time. Make it easy by writing your favorite inspirational quote on a post-it note and sticking it on your bathroom mirror. Read this feel-good sentence while you're brushing your teeth and train your brain to start the day with a positive mindset.
"Affirmations work because they give us a sense of self-efficacy, which basically boils down to a belief in our own abilities," advises Jen Gottlieb, author of Be Seen: Find Your Voice. Build Your Brand. Live Your Dream. "Affirmations alone won't solve all your problems, but they are a great tool. . . when it comes to your confidence, self-belief, and allowing yourself to be seen."
2.) Start with a Stretch
Can't stop hitting snooze? Not a problem: You can begin stretching before you get out of bed. Actress Michelle Yeoh, who has training in ballet and martial arts, recently revealed that she doesn't leave her mattress before she's finished this simple self-care routine.
“What I do is from the minute I wake up, before I get out of bed, I’m stretching,” she told the Los Angeles Times (You can watch her demonstrate her routine for “CBS Sunday Morning").
Stretching is a great way to check in with your body and prepare your muscles and joints for the day ahead. If you have more time, you can extend your morning fitness routine to include some morning yoga, a walk on the beach, or a bridge run. Bonus points if you can bring at least part of your morning fitness routine outdoors: Sunlight exposure will improve your mood and help you get your recommended daily dose of Vitamin D.
3.) Go with Gratitude
The research results are in: Adding a gratitude practice to your routine can improve your health, boost your brainpower, and help foster better relationships. "There's not a day that I take [living here] for granted," Diehl told us in a recent interview.
Like stretching, feeling thankful is another thing you can do before you get out of bed. Cultivate fresh thoughts of gratitude every morning, or, if your brain needs a little help waking up, try this easy trick: Before you go to bed, write down three things in a gratitude journal. Keep the journal on your bedside table, then simply reach over in the morning and open it to your last entry for a quick refresher. It's that easy!
Even if you're going through a rough patch and aren't feeling particularly grateful, there's a way to flip that script. Gottlieb says it's possible to "discover the hidden yes" in every situation. "Every single crappy thing that has ever happened to me in my life has led me to becoming the person I am today," says the successful author and speaker. "Even when I thought it was the worst thing in the world, it happened for a reason." To train your brain to "look for the hidden yeses in all of your nos," she advises making a list of "every rejection or failure that turned into something great." Stick that list in your handy gratitude journal to read on the cloudy days when you need a little help finding life's silver linings.
4.) Connect with Community IRL
If checking your phone before you get out of bed is part of your current routine, you're not alone. One recent survey found that 89 percent of respondents admitted to checking their smartphone within 10 minutes of waking up. So while you're adjusting your wake-up ritual, it's a good time to ask yourself if this habit is contributing to your happiness. Would your mornings be better if you went phone-free for the first 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or hour?
If that sounds impossible, Diehl says you can "set your alarm thirty minutes earlier than you normally get up" to allow yourself time to "fill your cup first," which means doing the things that will fill you with energy for the day ahead.
Whether or not you choose to go phone-free, we urge you to start your day with self-care before you interact. Once your cup is full, it's time to share those good vibes with the people in your community. You might make a habit of giving your partner or roommate a compliment before you walk out the door. You could also connect by sincerely thanking your barista when you grab your morning coffee – or by buying a second cup to surprise a co-worker who could use a boost. Studies have shown that complimenting or thanking someone IRL has been shown to increase feelings of wellbeing for the receiver of the kind words, the speaker (you), and even the bystanders who happen to overhear the conversation! When you prioritize your health and happiness in the morning, you'll have the energy to pass on the positivity all day long.
Bonus: Where to go for your morning coffee connection: Diehl likes to grab her morning coffee at Highfalutin Coffee Roasters on James Island. For more ideas, check out our roundup of the best coffee and chai shops in Charleston.
