I get a head start on my week by being mindful on Sunday and planning my week.
On Sunday, I think about what values I want to prioritize for the week. By values, I mean what is important to me in life, what I want others to know I stand for. There will be my most important values that I act on every day, and there will be other values that I sprinkle throughout my week and month depending on the level of importance of each. Then I think about what actions I can take to reach my goals and live these values. For instance, being a loving, caring, and supportive wife and mother is always one of my top values. Being a compassionate, knowledgeable, and excellent counselor for my clients is also a top value. Some of my other top values are being a nurturer of the environment, being a kind, thoughtful friend, and treating myself with value and self-compassion. Knowing these things about myself, I plan how I want to spend my time during the week. For my family, I will schedule time to plan, shop for, and prepare nutritious meals for them all week. I will plan to make breakfast and lunch for my son. I will plan to be present for dinner with my family, be available to help my son with homework, and drive him to activities. For my counseling and coaching practice, I will look at my calendar and prepare for each client session. I will work on writing worthwhile material for upcoming talks that I am giving to different groups. To value myself, I will schedule time for exercise and healthy meals, and any necessary Dr. appointments. To dedicate time toward friends, I will plan a time one day a week for lunch or a walk with a close friend. I will allow time to catch up via phone calls with other friends. To be a nurturer of the environment, I will be intentional in recycling and conserving. You get the picture. Moving on to my morning mindfulness routine….
![My Morning Mindfulness Routine](https://empowercounselingllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/blog-stacked-stones-on-rocky-bank-01-1024x681.jpg)
My morning mindfulness routine is to wake early and take my dogs for a walk outside. Oh, I forgot to mention how much I love my dogs and value their companionship. So when I walk Cooper and Otis in the mornings, I am serving two values at once – caring for the health of my dogs and setting myself up for an intentional day.
While walking my dogs, I focus on staying present in the moment, noticing what I see, hear, and feel. As I enjoy the sunrise and the quietness of the early morning, I focus on what is important to me in my life. I find that moving during my mindfulness practice gets my blood pumping and gives my brain a boost. This helps with clarity and focus. Plus exercise releases endorphins which naturally elevate my mood! Then I prioritize what I want to act toward today. When I get home, I write 2-3 “must take” actions on my calendar. Then I go out and take these actions.
My morning mindfulness routine is my blueprint for slaying the day! By thinking about the actions I need to take to reach my goals and live my values, then actually taking action, I increase my self-confidence. At the end of the day, I feel fulfilled, like I have lived my purpose.
Do you have a morning mindfulness routine? If so, I would love to hear about it. If you don’t, I highly recommend developing one.