Happy Friday! Today, I want to share with you 4 simple ways to brighten your morning and better your day, or even your week! These 4 things have been on my mind for the past weeks and they’ve been helping me so much! I hope they help you and bring you joy as well. Especially, in this current season of our lives, we could all use a little bit more happiness, kindness, and brightness to our days! With that, let’s get into today’s post!
1. Make a to-do list each morning or night
I follow a to-do list every. single. morning! Creating a to-do list to accomplish (either at night or in the morning) for the next day is crucial for productivity! Even if your morning routine is simply watching Netflix for an hour before you begin your work (you do you, my friend!), but once your routine is over, and once you’ve gotten ready, it is time to work. And that’s when the to-do list comes in handy!
To-do lists are perfect for staying focused and listing out everything you need to get done for the day because you have the tasks on paper out in front of you. Plus, they help with time management! Do you follow a to-do list each day?
2. Prioritize your to-do list
This brings me to my next tip! When it comes to creating a to-do list, don’t just list everything you have to do in a random order. List out your tasks in order of priority! Personally, I have found this to be incredibly transformative for my days. For example, I even list my workouts and relaxing/quiet time in the morning because those are essential priorities for me.
I really encourage you to actually try it and see if it helps you! I know, I know, you probably hear this all the time, but I actually have been putting it to practice each day and I absolutely LOVE it. Plus, I find it so beneficial! With that, here is an example from my day:
- Wake up around 6 or 7 am
- Make bed
- Quiet time + Coffee
- Walk dogs
- Workout
- Shower
- Accomplish whatever small household chores need to be done (dishes, laundry, vacuuming, etc.)
- Start work or college classes (whichever I have planned for that given day)
Your entire life will change when you learn what to say yes to and what to say no to, I promise you! I make my bed each morning because it matters that I care for the tiny tasks in my life because I believe that it affects how I do my bigger tasks. I workout in the morning because it’s the time of day that I can appreciate my body, care for myself, and de-stress.
When I take care of myself, I can care for others much better! This is why self-love and self-care are SO important, my friend! Always try to make sure that you incorporate one form of self-love and self-care every day!
3. Look for the light and the positives in each day
I’ll be honest with you, these past few weeks, my heart has been heavier than usual. With everything that’s going on in the world, it finally feels like it’s weighing me down a little. It seems like negative, heartbreaking news is everywhere and I somehow feel bad for even typing this and sharing this with you because I always want to be positive. However, the reality is, life can truly be heavy!
So in those moments of heaviness, I always try to look for the light and the little positives that each day brings! To look for the good and to cling to the promise that something good always comes out of something bad. It’s easy to be discouraged or dismayed, but it takes great inner strength to face the darkness and dare to turn on the light. When it feels like darkness is overwhelming you – always look for the light! To help, try doing a random act of kindness towards someone, write down things you are grateful for, look for the bigger picture and the potential positive outcomes in a negative situation, whatever you can think of. Just remember, every day is a new day and remind yourself each morning that it’s going to be a great one!
4. Stretching
I’ve been incorporating a lot more stretching or even yoga poses into my morning routine! Not only to relieve any sore muscles from working out each day but to also reap the many benefits that stretching includes. For example, stretching reduces tension throughout the whole body, increases blood flow, stimulates the lymphatic system (which also improves our immunity!) & optimizes the flow of blood, oxygen, and vital nutrients! T
herefore, I encourage you to make stretching a morning habit! For instance, as you roll out of bed and your feet hit the floor, take 5-10 minutes to move your body and stretch your way to a healthier, happier, and more energized self!
I hope you enjoyed today’s post, my friends!
Do you have any healthy habits that you include in your daily or weekly routine?
I hope you have a beautiful day and stay safe!
xo, Cydney
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