6 Things To Do Every Morning For A Happier Life

I have never been a morning person. The only time you will catch me happily up with the sunrise is when I’m traveling. In high school and even early into adulthood this was never much of a problem. But as my family and daily life evolves, I’ve found more and more that being a night owl is no longer working for me. To be honest, it hasn’t worked for quite some time but I struggle to make the permanent change.

Soon, my daughter will be going off to kindergarten and I will have no choice but to rise early. I would rather do so gracefully and with gumption so I can begin both of our days on a positive note and continue to be productive after I have seen her off to school so I’ve compiled a list of things I should do every morning for a happier life. The beauty of the routine is that it really doesn’t require much extra time than my normal morning routine – other than the fact that it begins about three hours earlier.  

Wake Up Early

One of the perks of working from home is that my daily routine is pretty flexible. Up until now, that meant late evenings and early mornings, but it also means the opposite can work. Instead of waking up 30 minutes before we have to be at school, I would love to be up an hour earlier. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) waking up early requires discipline. It means that I actually have to begin a sleep ritual at night that allows me to sleep earlier. 

Create a Morning Routine

Morning routines can be really important for a streamlined day, especially when it comes to getting the kids off to school and work day started. A good morning can build momentum for an entire day but so can a bad morning. Creating a routine allows me to power through the morning instead of rushing from one task to the next. 

A good routine does a few things:

• Reduces the number of decisions we have to make.
• Allows you to accomplish all of your morning tasks. 
• Follows a sequential order. 
• Makes your life easier. 

The great thing about a morning routine is that is doesn’t require you to completely change the way you do things in the morning. It just requires you to be cognizant of the tasks you already perform in the morning and then arranging them in a way that’s more efficient for you. 

Avoid Caffeine, Choose Juice Blends Instead

I usually depend on a strong caffeinated beverage to carry me through the morning and save me from holding my eyelids open with toothpicks. I’ll even admit, I’ve popped the top on a soda before 10am (don’t judge). The down side to this is that it’s just empty calories and in no way helps my next task, exercise. 

Instead of drinking a soda or coffee, switch to something far more powerful. For a long time we’ve known about the benefits of fruit and vegetables juices but the latest trend in juicing has really brought them to light. But forget about the expensive appliance that you have no room to store and is a major time sucker to clean because now brands like V8 are doing all the work for us. For example, their V8® Veggie Blends drinks are packed with essential antioxidant vitamins contain 60 calories or less per 8 oz serving and are low in sugar. They also contain 1 full serving (1/2 cup) of vegetables per 8 fl oz and are as simple as open, pour and enjoy.

Eat a Wholesome Breakfast 

Feeding your body garbage, or worse, not feeding it anything at all, in the morning is a big no-no. Not only is this the hot button for Monster Mommy to appear, but you know what they say, you are what you eat. A big glass of fruit juice and some bran cereal, a poached egg and whole wheat toast, or even an egg white on an english muffin are all reasonably healthy breakfast choices and take less than 10 minutes to prepare each morning. 

Begin The Day With Intent 

One of the best ways to begin your day is through meditation. First, find just 5-10 minutes to sit quietly and concentrate on your breathing. Then, run your day through your mind. Think about the things you absolutely must accomplish today, things you would like to accomplish today and things that you’re okay with passing onto another day.

Finally, think of the things you’re grateful for and forgive yourself for yesterday’s mistakes. We don’t need that negative energy following us around and not a single one of us could say we have led a perfect life.

Post Meditation Exercise

It’s been shown time and again how good exercise is for all areas of our life. It makes us feel better physically and mentally. A good dose of exercise can dispel stress, boost our mood, relax our mind and energize our body. It’s the perfect way to begin my day.

Find out more about V8 Veggie Blends on Twitter and Facebook.  

This post is written on behalf of V8 through Find Your Influence by me. All opinions are 100% mine.