The way you wake up can make a big difference in how your morning goes,
Can't it?
If you keep finding that your day gets kind of co-opted by other people's agendas,
Then I want to share with you a couple of steps for a calmer wake up.
First,
If at all possible.
Don't have the phone be the first thing you do.
I know sometimes there are things that can be helpful tools for waking up.
Like insight timer meditations or talks.
So if the phone is a helpful way for you to access those states of mindfulness,
But just be careful of the creeps.
Social media.
Text messages.
Your inbox.
If you find yourself habitually going to those places,
Notice that urge,
Notice what's behind it.
And introduce a little pause.
The moment.
You start your morning.
With everyone else's to-dos and agendas.
Is the moment your morning is no longer yours.
I like to have a few different simple mindfulness tools at my disposal in the morning.
So if you're not someone who likes a morning meditation practice or you're just still struggling to get to meditation,
Which I completely get,
Then you might try a very simple stretch.
Right in your bed.
You open your eyes.
Instead of reaching for the phone,
Popping right out of bed,
Getting right into whatever it is that you do first thing.
Just stretch out a little bit.
Spread out.
Take a couple of slower breaths.
And feel.
It doesn't take long,
And it's not really very complicated,
But it can make a big difference.
Getting embodied,
Connecting with your somatic sensations,
Even if they're not always pleasant,
Maybe you're stiff in the morning,
Doesn't matter.
The act of connecting with your body in the present moment.
Will be enough.
Another great thing you can try is feet first.
When you put your feet down on the floor,
Before popping right up and getting into your day,
Feel,
What is it like to have your feet on the ground?
Maybe even wiggle your toes a little bit.
Let yourself literally and figuratively ground.
Before.
You move on.
And finally,
Give yourself a break.
If you're trying really hard to have a calmer wake up,
A better start to your day,
And you just notice,
Oops.
Picked up the phone again,
Got swept away in the to-dos.
That's okay.
It happens.
It's harder than ever.
To have a mindful,
Slow wake up.
Because maybe even your alarm is on your phone.
So I encourage you to be really gentle with yourself.
And to just decide.
What kind of wake up do you want?
How can you be a little bit more mindful?
Of the ways that the inputs from the morning.
Impact the course of your day.
And finally,
Notice on a day when you start with a calmer wake up.
How did those first few hours go?
What's the tone of your day?
And on the other hand,
On a day when you go right into the world's agenda for you.
Notice how your day and how your morning go then.
No judgments.
No right and wrong.
Just becoming more aware.
