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 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.