Do you have a daily habits? I am sure you have some. A habit is a decision that you make. Over time you stop making the decision to do this thing but continue to do it anyway. Like brushing your teeth or starting your car or putting the dishes away.
How about rituals? I think of rituals as mindful practices that you make that can become habits. I am sure you have rituals. For me, a morning ritual can be what really sets my day up for success. When I find that if my routine is altered somewhat and my ritual upset, my day can seem off. I do not feel like I have the same level of success.
How do you create a ritual? First, the ritual is personal. What works for me is not going to necessarily work for someone else and vice versa. The idea is to create something that sets you up for success and over time becomes a habit.
My morning ritual includes exercise, meditation, prayer, intention setting and a protein shake for breakfast. It is what works for me, and is a mix of mind, body and spirit. I also have an evening ritual. Here are some ideas to help you create a morning ritual or even add to the one you have.
Exercise, aka get moving. We all know exercise is good medicine. Start to incorporate some type of movement into your day. It could be a walk, yoga, running or dancing. Exercise has been proven to help depressions and increase happiness, so just pick some way to get moving.
Meditate. You have probably read about mindfulness meditation, as it is become more popular in the past few years. I am lucky that I have a sister who teaches this practice, so it has been on my radar for many years. Studies have shown that just a small amount of meditation increases creativity. Just start with five minutes, sit quietly, and focus on your breath. Don’t worry about doing it right or wrong; just practice.
Gratitudes. Many people, including me, keep a gratitude journal. It is a good exercise to create a gratitude list. It alters your state to the positive.
Hydrate. Getting enough water every day is important. I will take water with me on my morning walk so I can replenish what I lost overnight. A lot of people swear by adding lemon to warm water as the way to start a day.
Journaling. This might be “Morning Pages.” It might be writing about what you will accomplish during the day or how you feel spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Set an intention. Decide on your focus for the day. It is powerful to start your day with an intention.
Make a healthy breakfast. I know that starting with enough protein in my diet is important for me, so I always start with a protein shake. It is part of my ritual.
What are other examples of morning rituals? I know people choose affirmations, lighting candles, visualization, runes and angel cards, reading for 15 minutes, drawing or stitching for 15 minutes, and getting up an hour early every day.
It doesn’t really matter what you put into your ritual. The idea is that having a ritual sets you up for a more meaningful and productive day. And, you may find that you need rituals at other times of the day or at the end of the day. Just work with the idea of creating rituals that become habits.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
What are your morning rituals? I’d love to hear about them below in the comments section, or jump over to our ICAP Facebook or Google+ pages.
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Morna McEver is the founder and CEO of the International Association of Creative Arts Professionals where creative arts entrepreneurs craft business success. Her weekly e-zine offers tips, techniques and inspiration to help you craft business success from your creative arts passion. You can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://www.creativeartsprofessional.com.
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