To Inspire:

Do you have an early morning routine that inspires and focuses you on the personal virtues and strategies you will need to live each day with love, passion, and purpose?  Research demonstrates that people with a consistent early morning routine live with more joy and effectiveness.

Author and speaker Hal Elrod shares six things he does every morning – steps that he says have transformed his life.  He calls them his “miracle morning routine.”  Perhaps you can use or adapt them as you create an early morning routine that prepares you to be the best version of yourself that day:

1. Silence (1-5 minutes) –  Immediately after getting out of bed, sit quietly, breathe deeply and calm your mind to be at peace.
2. Affirmations (1-5 minutes) –  Pull out your daily “affirmations” and read them out loud.  These written affirmations should reflect the great potential you have to give and receive love and joy to all those you encounter that day.  Focus here on how amazing you and your life are.  If you are a Christian or person of faith, your written affirmations could be Bible passages that affirm who you are as a child of God.
3. Visualization (1-5 minutes) –  With your eyes closed, visualize how you will go through that day.  Listening intently to others; smiling and laughing; encouraging others; doing excellent work; serving your spouse and family; etc.  See yourself in each setting of that day and imagine what you will do and speak.
4. Scribing (1-5 minutes) –  Pull out your journal and record whatever comes to mind that inspires you.  Perhaps one or two things for which you are very grateful; or a virtue you want to live well that day.
5. Reading (1-5 minutes) –  Now grab your Bible or other books that encourage and inspire you to become all that you were made to be and read a few paragraphs; slowly and carefully.
6. Exercise (1-5 minutes) –  Finally, do some stretching or other light exercises.  This won’t replace your full workout but will get your blood moving and activate your mind and body to accomplish all that you’ve meditated on in the other five steps.

Want to learn more?  Click here for more information about Hal Elrod and his best selling book, The Miracle Morning.

And let us know if you have a morning routine that inspires you!

Source: Elrod, H. (2012). The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM). Place of publication not identified: Hal Elrod International.