There are many ways to begin each day with mindful intention – here are a few relatively easy ones to get you started.
How often have you read articles about how the most successful people leap out of bed at 5am to run a few kilometres, practise yoga, drink green smoothies and get a head start on their to-do list? For some, that’s the best way to start the day. But it doesn’t work for everyone – we’re not all morning people. For many, a child’s voice or a pet’s paw on the face is the signal that the day has begun. Nonetheless, it is possible to bring more intention into the morning and set a positive tone. Giving a little attention to your mental approach as you go about your waking routine can change the trajectory of your whole day. Here are five ways you could begin your morning on a positive, nourishing note. Try one, some or all of them – whatever fits best with you and your schedule.
1. While your head is still on the pillow
You’re awake, your day is beginning and your mind is starting to fill with all the things you need to do. You know you need to get going but before you heave yourself out of bed take a moment to practise a little loving-kindness. This ancient meditation extends kindness to yourself and to others, and while it seems very simple it can really improve how you feel at the start of the day.
First, picture yourself as you are, lying in bed. Then repeat these sentences to yourself a couple of times:
May I be safe
May I be happy
May I be healthy
May I live with ease
If your attention is so in demand from your family that you can’t spend a moment more in bed then at least say these words to yourself. By being self-compassionate, you will be in a better position to give to others.
If you can manage to stay between the sheets for a few more minutes, extend the loving-kindness outwards to others. Imagine someone you love and repeat the sentences again, replacing ‘I’ with ‘he’ or ‘she’. Finally, hold a wider group of people in your mind, perhaps your colleagues, neighbours or friends, and repeat the words again, replacing ‘I’ with ‘they’.
This is a shortened, simplified version of loving-kindness meditation but it gets across the basic points of extending compassion to yourself and others. Taking a moment to say these words will give your day a more positive intention than simply rolling out of bed with a groan.
2. While in the bathroom
Choose one of your daily rituals such as brushing your teeth, washing your hair or moisturising your face, and make it a mindful activity. For this brief time put aside everything you have to tackle over the course of the day and focus your attention on what you’re doing in this moment. Feel the tube in your hand as you squeeze toothpaste onto your brush, watch how your mouth changes shape as you move the toothbrush around, notice how the toothpaste tastes and smells. You don’t need to have an opinion on what you’re doing, or judge your brushing technique – this is simply about noticing what’s taking place at this moment, just as it is. Your to-do list will still be there when you finish in the bathroom, there’s no need to mentally bring it with you into this time.
3. While you get dressed
You could turn this into another mindful activity, focusing on the action of putting on clothes, or you could use this time to practise another positive intention – gratitude. Think of something, or several things, that you’re thankful for right now. The more specific the better and it can be as small as you like. There’s no need to hunt for something momentous. You could be thankful your child slept until past 6am; that you feel prepared for today’s meeting; that the sun is shining; or that your outfit doesn’t need ironing. Think about why you’re thankful and let yourself soak in the gratitude. It’s easy to leap forward into imagining the day ahead, which could cause you to worry and feel apprehensive. This short gratitude practice reminds you of what is already good about your day.
4. While you’re getting ready
It may feel like your morning has begun at a breakneck speed but you still have the rest of the day stretching ahead of you. What do you want to do today? What would feel like an achievement? What would simply be enough? It doesn’t need to be a big goal or a triumph at work. It might be to take a 20-minute lunch break or to clean the bathroom or even to be kind to yourself. What is one thing you could do today that would feel like success, however small, and in whatever shape? Create that one intention for yourself.
5. Before you get down to any work
Following on from creating a specific intention for the day, take a moment to consider how you want to feel and create an affirmation or mantra to use as a reminder over the next few hours. For example, if you’re feeling nervous, you could give yourself the affirmation ‘I am brave’ or ‘I am strong’. If you want to feel energised, it might be ‘I am ready for today’ or ‘I can do this’. If today will involve asserting your opinion or authority, ‘I am in charge of my life’ or ‘I believe in me’ may help.
Creating a mantra can be a useful tool to remind yourself of how you want to feel or behave. For example, if you think you’re going to feel tense and stressed, adopt the mantra of ‘breathe in, breathe out’. If you’re feeling under pressure, ‘nothing needs to be perfect’ might be helpful. If today is a day you want to savour and bank in your memory, ‘be here now’ can remind you to stay in the present moment. Think of a message that you would love a friend to say to you today, something that would help you right now, and say it yourself. Jot it down on a piece of paper or in your phone so you can reference and repeat it throughout the day.
