Z. Johnson
Let’s talk about self-care for a second! Taking care of ourselves should be a top priority in our lives, especially during these times. But, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of our days, to the point that we forget about our mental and physical health. Self-care for me is a must, and I’ve made some changes to my morning routine that shifted my life. So, today, I want to share my self-care morning routine and how it’s helped me live healthier.
Things that changed with my self-care morning routine
I became more positive
I love a good morning routine! Things are not perfect all the time, but it makes a difference when you start your day in a good mood. So, I started changing the way I think and how I feed my mind during the day.
More resilient
Believe it or not, having a self-care morning routine helped me become more resilient. When my days are hard, I try to include some sort of meditation and manifest what I want for my future. Also, realizing that I’m strong and can go through challenges helped me develop that spirit of being resilient.
My self-care morning routine Improved my focus
My morning routine raised my focus during the day. I used to get distracted a lot, but now I’ve learned to prioritize, organize my schedule and simply do things more effectively.
More creative
My self-care morning routine helped me become more creative and put my ideas together. If you are like me, you know how sometimes we have a lot to think about. My mind is always going, literally. Sometimes I would come up with new ideas that then I would turn into a project or put them on my wish list for later.
My self-care morning routine boosted my confidence
Yes! Having a self-care morning routine that works for me has helped me become more confident. Taking better care of myself physically, mentally and emotionally made me feel and look better.
Enhanced my metabolism
I usually start my day with a good breakfast, so nutrition is key for me when it comes to self-care. My go-to breakfasts are simple, yet nourishing: I pick protein foods like eggs, oats, low-fat dairy, and include fiber like fruits and whole grain products.
My self-care morning routine helped with mood swings
So my #1 tip to get your mood together is practicing gratitude, hydrate yourself and eat right. I noticed that by doing these things, not only my body felt right, but also my soul.
Got healthier skin
Having better skin is definitely a win-win situation! I changed a lot of things in my current skincare routine, because, to be honest, it was very basic and didn’t cover my needs. My skin was dry, or excessively oily. I had constant breakouts, and even dark spots. So, since I switched up things drastically with my skincare, I saw how it got healthier and smoother.
Just as a heads up, I want you to know that having a self-care routine is important, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Life happens, but as long as you put yourself as a priority, you’ll find it easy to do something you relate to. You shouldn’t see it as a to-do list, rather just focus on doing what naturally elevates your energy. My routine is not just about the body, but also includes my mind and soul. So, these are things I normally do in my current self-care morning routine.
The night before: Unplug
I will be honest, unplugging from everything before going to bed used to be a big challenge for me. Checking my emails on my phone, texting or even browsing through sometimes “toxic” social media was draining part of my energy. So, I discovered that when your brain unplugs from technology and other distractions, before bedtime, you become more productive and have more energy the next day. I’ve been trying this for a while, and I’ve noticed some changes even with the quality of sleep. Facts show that unplugging is a huge win-win when it comes to your wellbeing and morning routine.
Start the day with gratitude
The first thing I do when I wake up is practice gratitude. Being grateful has helped me realize all the blessings that I have. Thankfulness is very powerful because it also helps to focus on the good side of things and have a clear mind. I am a believer and spirituality has always been part of my daily living. Without God, my life would’ve been in shambles. So, I keep Him as the center of everything I do.
Some people have a gratitude journal and do this everyday in the morning. I am not the type of person that would write down everything in a journal, but from other people’s experiences, I’ve learned that it can also help you to practice more gratitude everyday. Do what’s best for you!
Nurture my thoughts with positive affirmations
Another thing that has helped me stay sane mentally and emotionally is feeding my brain with positive thoughts. Affirmations are more than just phrases. These are thoughts that you repeat to yourself everyday and turn them into beliefs. Because of that, you need to add more meaningful and positive thoughts to your life. I love personal development coaches like Gabby Berstein, Maria Jose Flaque, and Jay Shetty. Messages from spiritual leaders like pastor Marcus Gill and pastor T.D. Jakes are my favorite. I also enjoy listening to success-driven podcasts, one of my top choices is Success With Soul, from Kate Kordsmeier.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is another gratitude practice that can transform your mindset. I started being more mindful about not only what I eat and how I exercise, but also the things that I listen to, and the people I surround myself with, to name a few. Mindfulness is about being present and enjoying what you have right now. It’s also about not being reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness has many benefits, like relieving stress, improving sleep and even digestion. I sometimes practice mindfulness or meditation. If you want to learn more about mindfulness, check this out.
Drinking my water is a must in my self-care morning routine
I have to get that water first thing in the morning! Starting the day with some water for me is essential to hydrate my body, awaken, get focus and to kick start my metabolism. I usually do at least 1-2 glasses every morning. I noticed that starting this way also keeps my digestion in check. Try this and you’ll notice the difference!
Get my personal hygiene in check (skincare and hair routine)
When it comes to my self-care morning routine, I pay a lot of attention to the products I use. If you’ve read about my skincare essentials, you would notice that I’ve been transitioning to natural, organic skincare. I realized how toxic ingredients were damaging my skin, and since I changed to a clean beauty routine, my skin health improved to 360 degrees. My favorite skincare routine is from The Detox Market. These are clean beauty products with natural, non-toxic ingredients. You can learn more about clean beauty here. Get a 10% discount on all of their skincare products below.
Make sure my breakfast is packed with good protein
Protein should be part of your daily meals. This is my priority everytime I start my day. Having protein packed meals will help to fire up your metabolism, keep you full for long and help control those cravings. Starting the day with enough protein in my breakfast has helped to keep me fit and healthy overall.
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Take my vitamins in my self-care morning routine
I take my vitamins regularly to boost my metabolism, improve my immune system and basically support my nutrition. I’ve found a lot of benefits since taking Whole Food Women’s MultiVitamin, from the Vitamin Shoppe. These are plant-based supplements packed with all the essential vitamins, minerals and omega-3. Head over to the link below to check out more about Whole Food Women’s MultiVitamin, at 10% discount.
Listen to some fired up music!
Music is part of my daily living. I enjoy listening to music when I’m having my breakfast, while I head out or even for a few minutes when I wake up, if I’m not in a hurry. I just love how it elevates my spirit and my energy. Apart from that, it helps me to relax and get my vibe right. So, my jam is afrobeats, reggae music, hip hop, r&b or soul. If you’re not a musicaholic like me, maybe you can stick to your favorite “mood booster” habit.
Get some movement in
There’s no specific time of day to workout. I’ve sometimes done exercise in the evening or even at noon time. But, studies show that when you start your day with movement, it boosts your energy, reduces fatigue and it makes you more productive throughout the day. Even if you suffer from migraine and other types of pain, working out early will help your symptoms disappear. Besides that, I noticed that exercising in the morning improved my mood and confidence. If I don’t have time for a full workout-routine, I usually go for a walk and then go to the gym later in the day. Stretching exercises are also good to start the day. The bottom line is that adding some sort of movement in the morning has heightened my days.
Below you can find some of my favorite fitness gear for when I do my full-body workouts at home or outdoors.
To wrap it up,
My self-care morning routine changed a lot of things in my wellness journey that I didn’t even think about. It has helped me to stay grounded, more relaxed and in better physical condition. Even when days can get really crazy, having a healthy morning routine can do wonders with your mental wellbeing and soul. So, let me know if you’re doing any of these things in your current self-care morning routine. Are you changing anything up to make your life better? Comment below. Share this with a friend you care about!
Until then!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
