The one thing your morning routine might be missing~
It could mean the difference between a good day and absolutely nailing it.
Happy Thursday~
If things go according to plan, this newsletter should land in your mailboxes somewhere between 5:00 & 5:30 a.m. CST.
In case you’re wondering, when I send this isn’t an exact science - I’m always adjusting things Thursday mornings. Sometimes I schedule with confidence the night before. Other weeks, I wake up extra early and make last minute morning edits. You’ll always get it sometime Thursday morning, but I’ve allowed myself a bit of wiggle room for its release time.
At any rate, by the time you open this, you can rest assured that my morning routine is well under way. If I’m sending this from my home base, I’ve already - started the coffee, made my hot lemon water, and probably already eaten my smoothie bowl.
I’m a card carrying early riser and proud of it.
If I’m on a press or FAM trip or my favorite place (Spain in case you’re wondering), by the time you open this I’ve probably already completed my travel morning routine (it’s a whole thing - I’ll share it sometime), and am in the midst of my day. Or maybe I’m about to head out for a round.
Who knows.
The point is, I have a morning routine that’s pretty much the same no matter where I am in the world, and I trust you have your own routines too.
Routines are good.
The only problem with routines is they tend to become a bit routine.
And sometimes, when things get too routine, we get lazy.
We stop striving for more.
Because, why should we?
Things are cool. Status quo, baby.
Right?
I thought that too… then I went to my morning workout class, and something was different.
A little backstory: this class is bright and early, Monday through Friday, in a studio cranked up to 95 degrees. The goal is always the same—mix cardio with weights—but the actual weights you use change every day.
Normally, I arrive at the studio, arrange my mat, and get intel from classmates or the instructor on what weights to get for that day. I’ll then get what I need from an equipment room that houses a plethora of weights in various shapes, colors, ages, and poundage.
Some belong to members, others are supplied by the studio - it’s basically a free-for-all.
And while the room is always neat, it’s never exactly what I’d call highly organized. (No shade to the studio, it’s kind of the nature of the beast. People are in a hurry, grabbing and returning weights.)
Until this past Monday.
I walked in the room and stopped in my tracks.
The weights were organized by weight, color, and size.
They were arranged with the attention of the most elite Gap sweater folders.
The room looked gorgeous.
Suddenly the somewhat mundane act of grabbing weights felt kind of fun.
Back in the studio, we went about our workout like we always do, but towards the end of class, someone asked, “Hey, who tidied up the weight room?”
While no one really knew who did it, it was obvious that everyone was impressed. And when we returned the weights, I swear everyone did so with the intention to make the room look pretty again.
We saw how lovely the room could look and wanted to keep that feeling alive. We saw how a space that usually looked pretty good could actually look really good.
Later that day, I thought about the whole weight room scenario more and thought, “What am I missing in my daily routine that could mean the difference between ordinary days… and extraordinary days?”
Did I need more supplements? Should I get up earlier? Ask my husband both of those questions, and he’d assure you those wouldn’t be the solutions. I already practically need a second mortgage to cover my current supplements and I already get up at 4:30. (What, should I just stay up all night?)
Maybe the secret to better days don’t start with out-of-control morning routines, but rather, thoughtful evening routines.
(And heck, let’s pay attention to our daytime routines too.)
Good, productive days might be more attainable if we’re more intentional. We set ourselves up for success by giving just a little bit more effort and care to our daily routines.
Because of this Monday morning weight room revelation, I’m changing the way I think about my mornings by setting myself up for them the night before, trying to do things like:
cleaning the kitchen the night before to wake up to a zen, uncluttered space.
folding laundry and putting it away before bed (no more clean clothes sitting on the couch begging to be folded)
getting coffee prepped, supplements lined up, ingredients ready to roll
cleaning/organizing my work space and writing my to-do list at the end of the day. (And then diving into that list first thing in the morning.)
Depending on your life circumstances, this list will obviously look different.
The point is to look at your evening routine and think about the easy steps you can take before you hit the hay that might make all the difference the next morning. It doesn’t matter what or how many things you do, the point is just to give it some thought and try one or two.
Stumped on how to start? Mary Tyler Moore fans might remember Ted Knight’s take on having a better day- you could try his method too.
While you ponder your next moves, I’ve got some links for you to check out that can help make your days and nights smoother.
Enjoy!
🩷
Abbey
To wind down before bed, start with a yoga routine from Adrienne, develop a calm evening routine like this one, read what the folks at BetterSleep have to say about relaxing before bed, and then try this Egyptian Sleep Meditation. A good night’s sleep depends on those things, but if you’re not digging your bedroom, it’s harder to sleep - so check these design tips for creating a dream bedroom, make sure it’s got good feng shui, and then add in some new bedding - sheets from Crate and Barrel, this dreamy comforter, more amazing options from Quince, and let’s not forget Target’s beautiful bedding.
More on sleep… and waking up rested. If you still can’t get a single Z even after all of that work, see these tips for better sleep, and then take a look at how you’re getting up. Are your mornings