Over the past few weeks, I’ve adopted a whole new morning routine. Every night, I set my alarm for 5am. (Yes, that frickin’ early!) It takes me a few minutes to get out of bed (ok, sometimes 30) but then I head to my downstair’s guest bedroom and get ready to start my day. I bust out my EarPods (hear that nice little “ching” when it connects to my iPhone) and then click on the Headspace app. I spend the next twenty minutes in a guided meditation. I’ve tried meditating in silence but that just bores the shit out of me (sorry for the profane language but we don’t have sponsors here so let’s just go with it). Instead, I let Andy Puddicombe, one of the founders of Headspace, help me find that sweet spot between focus and relaxation. I must admit that in the beginning I thought Headspace wouldn’t work for me. This busy mind? Who can tame it? But Puddicombe’s wise words and soothing voice calm me. My favorite part? When he tells you to stop focusing on your breathe and then let your mind just wander. Each time I finish a session, I feel like I’m returning from an enlightened journey.
Part I done. Part II. I read for about 30 minutes. Pure, uninterrupted reading. I just finished Today Matters by John C. Maxwell and I’m looking forward to getting Tribe of Mentors and reading it next.
Part III. Journaling. I do this for about the next 20 minutes. I’ll write about what I’m grateful for (not just friends and family, something new), what my major goals are for the day and any unsettling feelings I’m going through. It’s nice to take pen and paper and let your mind freely write whatever it wants to. It’s cathartic.
Ok, so now the sun has come up and I’m ready for my jog. I choose my playlist “Let’s Run” and let the music of Imagine Dragons, Rita Ora, The Weeknd, P!nk and Lady Gaga bump in my ears. It’s exhilarating. I use this trick that Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo taught me, I just try to run (or jog) to certain markers like a stop sign or a fire hydrant. That way it doesn’t feel too overwhelming. 30-35 minutes and I’m back home. I wake up the boys and help prepare breakfast.
News Flash! I was just asked to be a speaker at Alt Summit this year which means I have almost exactly two months left to get in shape and be mentally and physically ready for it. This is both exciting news and terrifying news…you get me?! Time to be bold and step up!
0 comments