Good Morning !
I hope you are about to have a glorious day!
Do you ever notice how your morning routine can have an effect on the rest of your day? It sets the tone. If you have a crazy rushed morning, it’s easy to feel irritated or frustrated the rest of the day. When you have more time, and things go smoothly, you feel like you’ve got it together, you’re calmer and more in control.
Getting up earlier and giving yourself time to establish a ritual or routine that enhances your day can make a huge difference in mood and energy. Some people enjoy working out first thing in the morning. This gets your blood pumping, boosts endorphins, and eliminates the possibility of surprise schedule changes interfering with your training. Others enjoy getting up and having some quiet time to meditate, read, journal, or enjoy a cup of tea or coffee before the
madness begins. I personally love to start the day with some gentle stretching or yoga. Warming up the muscles, Increasing blood flow, and connecting with my body puts me in the best frame of mind to take on the day.
Stretching and mobility work is always a good idea any time of day, but especially first thing in the morning. If you have any muscle soreness, joint stiffness, or low back pain, a morning movement practice can help reduce or alleviate your discomfort allowing you to move more comfortably through your day.
Your practice doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. You don’t have to follow a specific routine; you don’t even have to get out of bed! Just move in any way that feels good to you based on how your body feels in the moment. Every day will be different, so check in with yourself and determine what you need.
A few of my favorite simple mobility movements include:
Cat/Cow
Thread the needle
Windshield wipers (legs)
Wrist and ankle circles
Shoulder rolls
Toe touches
Deep Squat hold
Downward Dog
Child’s Pose
Figure 4
Calf Stretch
Floor Sweeps
Check out these two videos that include a simple stretching routine you can do in bed and a short (about 10 minutes) sun salutation yoga flow. These are just examples of how I enjoy moving. In my own practice, I never repeat the same flow twice. I just do what feels right for the day, my energy, and my body. I use this time as a moving meditation. I focus on my breath and my movement and let the rest of the world and all its problems melt away. I invite
you to try this on your own.
The beauty of this intuitive practice is that there is no way you can screw it up!
Well… If you fail to listen to your body and you allow your ego to take over and push yourself too far, then you’ve screwed up.
