If you don’t live with intention, it will be no accident should you fail. Success starts every day, the minute you wake up.
Morning routines are about intention. The dictionary says intention is a thing intended; an aim or plan. Without it, we are adrift at sea, another day, aimless in life hoping to cross paths with success. With it, we have a chance to grab hold of the rudder and steer our future as we see fit.
Does this sound familiar? We jump out of bed (after hitting snooze once or 6 times) just in time to shower/shave/shine/etc. If we are on time, we can grab a quick breakfast. If not, we take it with us or starve until lunch. If we’re not alone, then kids and spouses get in the way and add to the confusion and rush.
And if any one thing goes wrong, we’re upended and stressed in a way that bleeds into the rest of our day, from traffic to the office, to being back home. We look back on a day of things happening, but without a sense of true accomplishment. Then we do it all over again.
With each day comes a new opportunity to live with intention. It starts with how we start our morning.
Success tip #1 – Hydrate
The body is over 60% water. It’s our lifeblood. It only takes 2% dehydration to significantly affect our physical and mental performance. After 6-8 hours (or more) of no water intake during the night, it is imperative to rehydrate and give you body the best chance for optimal performance.
This may seem like a no-brainer, yet too many people skip this important step in their haste, or end up substituting coffee, juice, or soda for simple water. Feel free to indulge (for now) in these other drinks, but I would challenge you to drink the water first.
The reasons for being hydrated are based in science. These include more energy, higher brain function, and weight loss. If I gave you a free magic pill that did all three of the above, how long before you overdose on it? If you’re not used to drinking a lot of water, start slow and add a little every day.
Success tip #2 – Breathe
While we must respirate to stay alive, we don’t have to truly breathe. Our bodies are excellent at taking in just enough oxygen to keep us alive. Imagine instead of just filling our gas tank a gallon at a time, we filled it up the max. How much further could we go and more efficient could we be?
Breathing properly stabilizes blood pressure and lowers stress. This is good, yet even more important for success is the ability to achieve clarity in our minds. Take your opportunity while breathing properly to stop thinking and just be. Listen to nature and the universe.
There is inspiration everywhere if you’re listening. Is it any wonder why the best thoughts and ideas we have come in the shower? When we’re focused on one basic task and nothing else?
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it might be too much to remember to breathe all day long. However, if we can make our intention first thing in the morning, just after we hydrate, we would give our bodies a chance to absorb the water while our brain absorbs the fuel of creation, purpose, and thought.
Success tip #3 – Affirm
Unfortunately, we’ve cultivated a society where negating is natural. We negate others, especially children from natural instinct, we negate ourselves every day from simple pleasures with guilt and worry, and we negate our future, replaced by self-doubt and unfound fear.
What if we start to affirm the good that is within us and that which we would like to have in us? If there is any time of day to program ourselves with our ideal life, it’s before the day begins and the negativity of school, news, traffic, and career sets in. Think of your affirmation as your daily shield from the stabs of anger, hate, and stress.
Make sure that your affirmations are personal and important to you. Speaking generic positive statements is like spraying a flower scent after an unfortunate bout of diarrhea. You are left with the remnants of flowers and poop. Instead, make sure they mean something to you and are focused on the specifics of where you wish to be in life.
Success tip Bonus – Purpose
Why did you get out of bed this morning? Tell me there was something more to it than just your alarm going off in order to get to a job that you hate. Tell me there is a bigger purpose to use your talents, passions, and skills to add value to the world and be compensated in return.
If so, then this last tip is for you. If not, then this last tip is really for you. Once you have a reason bigger than yourself for growing (or going) through yet another day, determine the one goal that if you accomplished it this year, would make your entire year the best you’ve ever had.
Take that goal and write it down. Every day, with classic pen and paper. It may not sound that profound, but keeping your one reason for waking up that’s consistent with your life’s mission will help you focus on the right things and give you an excitement boost that will carry you through any and all obstacles of the day.
The good news is that success, while not easy, doesn’t have to be difficult. Laying the right foundation on a daily basis will provide the nutritious mental and spiritual soil to promote an amazing harvest in life.
Do you agree with us about how to start your morning?
What other things would you do first thing each day?
Do you have a story you’d like to share about an experience about a morning routine?
We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this topic! Email us at josh@brokeisnojoke.org.
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