Growing up I definitely believed that an optimum morning routine was essential for future success.

As a young martial artist I was inspired by the likes of Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. I would try to consume all sorts of motivation in the pursuit of trying to be the best version of myself.

Also, the motivated and energetic side of me seems to come out late at night. All to disappear with the piercing sound of the morning alarm. So despite my best intentions, consistency in any form of morning practice, especially exercise, has been a real struggle.

Falling short of the expectations I had for myself, came with feelings frustration and inner conflict.

However, over time, my perspective on morning routines has completely shifted.

Which ironically has helped me be more consistent in the mornings (generally speaking).

I came to realise that the specifics of what we do in the morning are far less important than the mindset we nurture. Rather than fixating on a rigid checklist of activities, the true essence of a morning routine lies in finding some sense of clarity and perspective of the day ahead.

We often have lots of things going on at any one time.

It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and as if life is out of our control.

While there are numerous factors beyond our control, the challenge lies in distinguishing them from the aspects we have the power to change.

So I see each morning as an opportunity to recognise these aspects.

What can you do to start your day in the right frame of mind? How can you find a sense of perspective?

This is going to look different for each of us.

Some days you may well wake up with clarity and you feel motivated to just crack on.

For me this isn’t usually the case.

So what do I do in the mornings?

Well I love starting the day with some sort of cold exposure, which is typically 2-3 minutes in the plunge or a cold shower if I’m on the move. My reasons for starting this were to do something I didn’t want to do first thing in the morning. But I actually quite enjoy it now, so it mainly serves as an effective way to wake up.

Then one of the best ways for me to feel inspired is by listening to our 4-minute guided audio session ‘Start Your Day’. Today, I was taken back to the memories of being deep in the jungles of northern Thailand. Bamboo rafting down a 10km stretch of river. Backflipping into the water. Admiring the majestic views of the valley as sunlight shone through the tallest trees I’ve ever seen. Feeding elephants.

Reliving this memory filled me with joy and gratitude for such an incredible experience.

I also like to move to get a little movement in. This could be a walk, a slow run, or a few bodyweight movements. This isn’t supposed to be challenging and more to get the blood flowing and the brain firing.

Takeaway

Forget the frustration of not sticking to a fixed morning routine.

Instead just spend a little time doing something that helps you find a sense of clarity ahead of your day. Something that makes you feel good.

How do you like to start your day?

P.S. If you’ve also listened to ‘Start Your Day’, I’d love to know what memories you thought about.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2yCZAXbnIDppNK0KTqcAbp?si=6ce33690a25e4542