5 Ways to Slow + Ground Your Mornings

by | Jan 19, 2017

We are officially just two weeks into the new year, and if you’re like most people your resolutions might already be fading into the past. People often use the marker of the new year to set the bar so high for themselves that it becomes nearly impossible to reach. Utilizing these five simple steps to slow + ground your mornings makes the clear-headed and healthy decisions much easier to make long into the next year. If you are perhaps one of the many that have already fallen off of your intentions for this new year, relax. Every new moment is a moment to reset.

// NO PHONES IN THE BEDROOM \\

I have used my phone as an alarm clock for many years, which means that it has lived plugged in beside my bed every night. It is the first thing that I look at in the morning when I get up. Before I’ve even connected with my husband or opened my eyes fully, my phone is already dragging the world into bed with me. It has all day to be with you, so try to give yourself the first hour of your day (or start with half an hour if that feels better to you) to connect only to the things immediately in front of you. Let’s bring back the good ol’ fashioned alarm clock in 2017.

// LEMON WATER \\

Drinking water first thing in the morning helps to flush your digestive system. Adding lemon to the water just amplifies all of the goodness! Lemon increases the potassium in your blood, which helps fend off depression and anxiety; it helps to alkalize your body which cuts down on the ability for diseases to live in there; the vitamin C helps to make your skin glow; lemon protects you from free radicals and helps to boost your immunity! Give it a squeeze, what are you waiting for?

// MORNING SMUDGES \\

Always be smudging! If you’ve ever been over to my home, chances are there is something burning somewhere. It’s my favorite way to create a clean slate for a new day, and Palo Santo is always on heavy repeat in our house. With its citrus-pine scent, Shamans have called upon its magic for ceremonies for years. Some of its greatest healing properties include:  grounding, clearing, raising vibrations and connecting to Source. Palo Santo Supply Co. is one of my favorite companies from which to source Palo Santo. Our other friends Sage + Copal are also on heavy rotation in our home. Try walking around your space and hitting the reset button with a morning smudging to see if it helps lift your mood and ground your day.

// QUIET TIME \\

Carving out some quiet time with yourself before stepping out into the world is crucial. There are so many things that can knock you off your course the moment that you walk out the front door – traffic, a heightened exchange with someone on your way to a meeting, spilling coffee all over yourself, the news in general. After you’ve made your lemon water and smudged your house, sit quietly in a chair. I use this time to meditate, even if it’s just for ten minutes, though twenty minutes is preferred. Getting quiet and going inside builds a solid foundation to the start of your day, ensuring that you stay upright, despite daily things trying to trip you up.

// DAILY INTENTION SETTING \\

 After meditation time, the mind is usually a little more open and free. I like to close out my morning ceremony with ten minutes of free writing in my journal – be they thoughts or ideas that drifted into my meditation time or an intention that I’d like to focus my energy on as I move through the day. Having an intention for the day gives you an opportunity at every turn to actively tune back into your morning quiet time.