When you get up in the morning, think of what a priceless privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to learn, to love – and then make the day count!
The morning is extremely important. It is the foundation from which the day is built. How you choose to spend your morning can be used to predict what kind of day you are going to have, and thus, what kind of life you are going to live.
Each morning truly is a brand new opportunity. Each day is another chance to get it right.
The happiest, healthiest people I know embrace this truth and use it to their advantage. They have effective morning rituals that gradually improve their well-being and give their lives purpose. Here’s what they do differently:
1. They wake up with a sense of gratitude.
In other words, they start the day with love in their hearts and minds, and are truly appreciative of their life and all of its priceless idiosyncrasies. They practice small acts of gratitude in the morning by expressing thankfulness directly to the people they care about, and to the immediate circumstances (health, opportunities, etc.) they could so easily take for granted.
From the research and coaching Angel and I have done over the years, we’ve found that the more a person is inclined to gratitude, the less likely he or she is to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic. Bottom line: Consider how very fortunate you are. Consider it every morning. The more you count your blessings, the more blessings there will be to count, and the happier you will be.
2. They begin anew.
They know it’s a brand new day to start over and do something different. Yesterday may have been a complete bummer for them, but today is a new day for learning, success and adventure. Realize this. Live now. Not before. Not later. Just NOW – in the moment you’re in.
Inhabit your morning completely. Don’t rent it out to the past. Don’t let your history interfere with your destiny! Let today be the day you stop being a victim of yesterday’s circumstances and start taking action towards the life you want. You have the power and the time to shape the rest of this day. Break free from the poisonous victim mentality and embrace the truth of your greatness. (Read The Book of Awakening.)
3. They use self-inquiry to affirm a purposeful start to the day.
Steve Jobs’ morning routine used to start by looking in the mirror and asking, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And Benjamin Franklin asked himself each morning, “What good shall I do today?” I challenge you to come up with questions that keep you on track and push you to live a purposeful life. Here are three questions I often ask myself:
- What would I like to remember about today?
- How will I sincerely honor my own desires and truth today?
- What can I do to make a positive difference in the lives around me today?
4. They read something positive.
Some happy people read a bit of scripture each morning, while others read inspiring books, articles or quotes to get their day started. Either way, they have a ritual to read some form of self-improvement literature to stretch and grow their insight and knowledge. It’s starts their day off on a positive note with positive, productive ideas to guide their day’s journey.
And that’s crucial, because in life you often have to create your own sunshine. So read something positive every morning when you wake up, and let it inspire you to do something positive before you go back to sleep at night. That’s how memorable days are made. (Angel and I discuss this in detail in the “Inspiration” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)
5. They follow an effective morning routine.
Happy, healthy people know that morning routines are critically important. They help you focus and build momentum for your day, and they give you the freedom to be present and relaxed – to enjoy just being right where you are each moment, rather than rushing from somewhere to somewhere.
Once you get your routine in order, for the first time in a long time, you will be able to, quite literally, smell the coffee. For truly easy-going mornings, reduce the number of decisions you must make. There are two simple ways to do this:
First, make your big morning decisions the night before: what to eat for breakfast, what clothes to wear, what you need to take to work, etc.
Second, build a simple routine for as much of your daily morning tasks as possible.
Really, there’s no need to drastically alter the simple things like how much time you give yourself to get ready for work, how complex of a meal you make for breakfast, or bathroom and shower rituals from one morning to the next.
6. They give themselves enough time to eat a wholesome breakfast.
You can’t possibly have a happy, healthy day if you feed your body garbage first thing in the morning. Period. Your body is a temple. You are what you eat. So do not eat processed food, fast food, and all the filth the big processed food companies try to pass off as “healthy.”
Does it take ten extra minutes to prepare a wholesome breakfast? Yes it does. Is it worth it? Yes it is! Most foods that you don’t have to prepare manually statically cause sickness, cancer, and disease. Do they taste good? Sure. It’s all well-seasoned, pre-packaged poison. This is why so many people are sick – mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually – because they are hooked to the taste of poison, instead of being hooked on the truth and to real foods that heal and provide the human body with good health and wellness. Don’t make this mistake. Fuel your body properly first thing every morning. (Read 100 Days of Real Food.)
7. They move on gracefully to what’s most important.
As human beings, we are goal oriented. We like making progress. When we accomplish one of our goals, we smile about it. That’s why the happiest people I know are also some of the most successful people I know.
And success is not something you have; it’s something you DO. It’s something you experience when you wake up and act accordingly. So let your first hour set the theme of proactivity and success that is certain to echo through your entire day. The key is to focus your attention first thing in the morning on the right things. Why? Because at some point we all wonder, “Why is it so impossible to get everything done?” But the answer is stunningly simple: We’re doing too many of the wrong things.
Several research studies have shown that people never get more done by blindly working more hours on everything that comes up. Instead, they get more done when they follow careful plans that measure and track key priorities and milestones. So if you want to be more successful, less stressed, and a lot happier at the end of a long day, don’t ask how to make something more efficient until you’ve first asked, “Do I need to do this at all?” Simply being able to do something well does not make it the right thing to do. I think this is one of the most common problems with a lot of time-management advice; too often productivity gurus focus on how to do things quickly, but the vast majority of things people do quickly should not be done at all.
Afterthoughts
Angel and I have our alarm set to the song Happy by Pharrell Williams. For us, it’s impossible to not smile when this song plays. This, combined with the other rituals above, set the tone for a productive, happy and healthy day. 🙂
The floor is yours…
So what about you? What helps you start the day off right? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.
Photo by: Riana Green
J.J. says
I wake up an hour earlier than my family so I can enjoy a few quiet, thoughtful moments before the chaos of life begins. I eat breakfast & drink a cup of tea while reading your blog (or your book if I prefer to be offline). I cherish the first hour of my day. Thank you for being a part of it.
DARA says
Before I had a dog in my life, my mornings were full of rushing, feeling stressed to get out of the house…
Now? For the Past 9 years, my routine has been about taking care of her… I don’t set an alarm clock which is amazing! She wakes me religiously every morning at 6am. or 5:55am to be exact… on the nose, without fail. Dogs are very habitual and it helped me get into a routine that is actually really peaceful. We get up, I make coffee and within 10 minutes, we are out the door and on our morning walk. This is the best way to wake up for me. No one is awake, it’s quiet, watching the sunrise and getting the blood moving with exercise has been the ultimate best thing for me mentally. I look forward to our morning strolls thru the neighborhood! Coming home, she eats, I drink my hot fresh coffee and sit in quiet while I ponder my day, what I want to wear… Blessings come in all shapes and sizes… mine just happens to be 90lbs of Fur 🙂 Namaste.
Kevin Benson says
I never gave it a lot of thought before reading your post, but I see that my wife and I do a lot of the things you write about. I work at home and my wife works at the local university. One thing that’s made our mornings a lot less stressful is moving closer to her work. She now walks to work and doesn’t have to worry at all about the commute traffic.
Cam says
Before I met my husband, I would sleep until 5 minutes before I had to leave for work. I would jump out of bed, throw on clothes, put my hair up and rush rush rush! He taught me the value of waking up earlier, having a cup of coffee with no distractions, and really letting myself come back into the world from sleep. I am so grateful!
And also, I am grateful to you Marc (and Angel too), because I have used the wisdom I have acquired from your coaching and blog posts to reinforce and uphold many of the positive habits I’ve started over the past several years.
Rose Costas says
This is a great reminder of how to achieve true happiness. Once we are willing to focus on those things that are truly important then we can find the things we should be grateful for. Happiness is a choice. It doesn’t matter where you life or what you have if you make that decision everyday that today I am going to be happy you will find happiness in spite of.
I love to work out early every morning starting around 4:30am and most happy then but there are times even though few when I can’t do it at that time or have to skip it all together even though I could have chosen to go. I am tempted on those very few days to become unhappy because it is not of my doing but what I do is focus on how great I am going to be tomorrow in the gym. I think about my love for exercising and how much it will be fun to make up for it when my clients have left town and sign a big contract as well.
Jay says
I have discovered that if I go to bed early it makes getting up in the morning much easier. Seems obvious, but for many years I stayed up until 11 pm or later only to struggle to wake up at 6 am. It turns out I am one if those people who needs 9-10 hours of sleep a night, and now that I go to bed early, I have no problem waking up!
Janey says
Thanks for the reminder about gratitude. I am very grateful for your posts and I really enjoy reading the readers comments. One of the things I do when I wake up in the morning is to become aware Thst I am grateful for the sheets I’m sleeping on! Might sound silly but I notice how clean soft and comfortable they feel. Then I tried to take my gratitude outwards a little bit and be grateful for the sounds my dog is making the sounds the house is making and the people in it. I know was this morning I woke up a little anxious but after reading your post I feel a bit better. Thank you so much.
Kris says
My husband and I get up at 5:30 and go to the gym every morning even though I don’t go to work until 10am and he goes in at 7. I make breakfast after and then send him off. It’s important we are on the same schedule- makes us closer and healthier. We go to bed together too. I relish our ritual.
Kim says
When I’m the most productive, I’m the happiest. If I go to bed by 10 or 11, I’ll wake up at 4 or 5 and can get a lot done, reading and working. But I have to fight the urge to be a night owl because that messes up how I feel and what I have time to get done. Great tips, I will try them all, and thanks for sharing!
Holly says
I was rather delighted to find that I do many of these routines. It’s one of the reasons I get up so much earlier than I have to but it allows me time to reflect and prepare for the day and take the dogs for a walk (although doing that in the dark and cold and wet of winter is not as serene as I’d like). However, on #3 I’m going to have to go with Benjamin Franklin because if I ask myself Steve Jobs question I can guarantee I’d never make it to work.
Gracie says
I’m trying to stop drinking – I know – not the greatest time to start with the holiday season upon us. But I’m going to try your Self-inquiry questions to keep me on track. Wish me luck! Thanks for offering these.
kerry says
When I first wake up-get up… I am usually upset. I question myself as to why and then I know I have things that need to be done and so I do them. I am trying to recreate my life every day… but I have had so many disappointments doing that. I haven’t learned to operate well around people yet. I am very sensitive and I get hurt easy. I keep trying to set good goals for myself to improve in this area… and I feel I keep getting pushed back.
Cherie says
I do try to have as much prepared the night before as possible. And I take the time to make my daughter’s breakfast and sit with her while she eats, before her bus arrives. Those things are easy. My biggest challenge is trying to start the day with positive thoughts, before I even step out of bed. Replacing worry thoughts with affirmative, creative ones feels so much better, but it does require constant “steering” away from the usual pattern.
Bette says
I recently started a new job in a big city and intentionally chose an apartment within walking distance of the office. It makes such a difference to not have to worry about a morning commute.
I do several of the things Marc and Angel recommend, including waking feeling grateful for another day of life and getting up a little earlier so I don’t have to rush.
Things I could improve upon — checking weather and laying out clothing the night before — packing my briefcase — getting my snack and lunch together beforehand — locating and gathering things I need (mittens! scarf!) before the morning.
Jennifer says
My best mornings involve getting up early when my wife and daughter are still asleep. When alone I have a back stretching routine that helps me get the any tightness of my back and legs relaxed. I enjoy a cup of coffee and think about how I want to be in my day. When I’m overly tired and sleep too long to enjoy this routine I notice quite a difference in the hustle-bustle feeling in my mind throughout the rest of my morning.
Susan says
I started doing these things (or most of them) several years ago and it has totally changed the direction of my life. If you don’t start out the day with gratitude and positivity, you really don’t concentrate on anything, the chaos just comes at you and you feel like you are a hamster on a wheel! It may be a tough habit to get into, especially if you have children that need your attention first thing, but once you do it for a while and see the difference it makes, you’ll start giving yourself the gift of that time in the morning. You are worth it!
Jeanette says
It was difficult to give myself enough quality time in the mornings when my children were very small, because I couldn’t predict when they’d wake up. Now that they’re older and on their own schedule, I do allow myself enough time to do some of the things you’ve recommended. Knowing your purpose for the day is very important.
David Rapp says
Perfect timing again. I am working on changing my morning routine as I have seen mine spiral out of control for the last 60 days. Mostly work-induced, I am charting out a personal project plan for next year. Its part of a challenge issued by two other blogs, a No Fear challenge.
The first step is reviewing, recovering and revamping my mornings. I am REALLY keen on learning Tai Chi, getting back to the gym, and dropping weight (100 pounds is the target). But this is not resolution, its a Re-Solutioning of the Problem, namely letting my schedule control me.
Josey says
Early morning is the best time of the day. First I put a log on the fire and make sure there are seeds in the bird feeders. These are seasonal things of course. Then I start the coffee and the sauna. Do a 15 minute workout, sauna and shower. Then, breakfast. Sounds like a lot but it’s just the first hour of the day. I love reading my email with coffee and especially love hearing from you.
Denise says
My morning ritual consists of fixing a power smoothie for breakfast, then making a cup of tea or coffee and sitting down to journal for about 30 minutes. Then I take the dog and go for a run. The endorphins from running really help me as I have bipolar disorder and am prone to depression. The thing I need to add is reading inspirational material. I read quotes on my Facebook feed, but there’s too much other stuff that shows up there to make it a truly inspiring experience. Thanks for a great post!
Luke says
Daily meditation has been the number 1 contributing thing to my life. It’s awesome & sets you up for a productive, happy day!
Patty says
I also go to bed early and let myself wake up without an alarm clock everyday. By allowing my body to get enough rest, I find that I feel much better physically and mentally. My husband and I have breakfast together talk about our upcoming days, it is a great way to connect.
Thank you for these tips, love your blog and always learn so much!
mitchell says
Thank you for this..I used to be so rules and goal oriented that people told me to relax and let a task here and there go to the wayside. Well, in an effort to do that I have become too relaxed and can’t stay focused. After getting married a year ago I see my husband does alot of the above while I lay in the bed till the last minute… I realized while reading this I need to find balance . Thank you for your article.
Cynthia says
My morning ritual consists waking up early fixing my husband breakfast & getting his lunch, then out the door for him. I like to relax after he leaves with a cup of tea watching the sun rise reading your blog or reading something inspiring & positive.
Jump in the shower, smoothie then out the door for the day. I’m in real estate so a lot of negativity so for me it is important to take 30-40 minutes in the morning to focus on the day ahead and set my positive intentions and outlook for the day.
Yolande says
Great article as usual. I’m going to try to incorporate this into my life today.
Amy says
Good Morning Marc & Angel. I’ve been a subscriber for years & Love your inspirational messages and I own your book! I don’t always have the time to read every email you send, but a few times you have included a speaking video of your email message and those are easier as I can play them while I’m getting ready for my day in the morning. It would be helpful to include the video or even an audio link with every message. Happy holidays!
Love,
Amy
Amy Laidlaw
Balanced Life Solutions
~Certified Reiki Practitioner
~Certified Life Coach
602-695-1142
Laura says
I make scrambled eggs every morning to eat before drinking coffee. I was told that eating protein before drinking coffee will give the caffeine something to adhere to and pass through the digestive track, instead of the adrenals and other organs. It’s a better feeling, no more edginess from the coffee. It still wakes me up, but, I don’t get the heart racing and speedy feeling from coffee like I used to. I also love having a hot meal first thing…gives me a sense of being grounded, and it only takes about 10 minutes, the amount of time it takes to make coffee!
Melissa says
#1: The small bedside lamp is on a timer so that the light clicks on at 6:00 a.m. (sometimes wakes me up, sometimes not).
#2: The cell phone rings a gentle “Ripples” alarm at 6:15 (I am often awake before it goes off).
#3: And the clock radio is set to turn on NPR at 7:00 (if I really sleep in!). I never worry about missing the alarm …
Gonzalo says
My mornings are different now that I listen to positive messages in my phone while I take a short walk. Something relaxing, but at the same time inspirational works for me.
Before I used to turn on the computer and start checking email and getting busy, busy, busy the second I opened my eyes. But I realized by mid-day I was drained. And I couldn’t quite figure it out why that was.
I’ve fallen in love with “slow” start, to a relaxing music, and soothing positive messages give me time to reconnect with myself and face the day full of positivity.
Keep up the GREAT work guys! Kudos to you M & A.
Britt Reints says
I am still struggling with implementing a full morning routine because I feel this overwhelming need to get into productivity as soon as possible. I’m not sure how to fight that since I do CREATE well in the morning.
Melissa Wilson says
Starting the day off right is so important. I, myself, practice #1 and #4. I love to wake up and just say that I am grateful for another day, whatever that day may bring my way. I also like to read something inspiring or thought-provoking to put myself in the right frame of mind.
Steve says
Something I like to do is set my morning attitude by ending my previous evening with positive reading. Brene Browne and Miguel Ruiz are a few of the authors on my nightstand.
Going to sleep with positive thoughts generally has me waking up with positive thoughts.
David Gray says
Morning exercise is critical for me for a positive mindset. I work out at home, so I also have the benefit of doing a little meditation immediately afterward. I turn off the lights. While my body is recovering and my breathing slows I quiet my mind, releasing all the junk and replacing it with good stuff. It’s a good way to prepare myself for the day, which at this time is full of many challenges.
Angie says
As a creative person I can relate to some of the postings above re: wanting to get right into productivity, or the need to be conscious of turning worries into positive thoughts. A long time ago I started doing “morning pages.”
Morning pages are from Julia Cameron’s “An Artist’s Way.” They consist of writing two pages of stream of consciousness writing; dreams, worries, complaints, what you see out the window, anything. The third page is for affirmations of want you want to become, or bring into your life. It’s a great little exercise, and on the very rare days I miss it due to travel or something unexpected, I really feel its absence. One of those things that you have to do, and do for a couple of weeks before it will settle in. One of the best habits I ever started.
Jamie says
One of the wonderful things about dogs is they expect you to walk them in the morning. Walking or running with dogs is a great, healthy way to start your day.
Matt Palka says
Meditation and reading something that inspires me – like your book and blog. That always starts my day off right.
Suzanne says
I loved this post. Mornings are so very important. You mentioned listening to “Happy” every morning. I remember, years ago, every morning my husband and I would play “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers and dance around and sing to each other. I don’t know why we stopped, but I vow to start this ritual again. Thanks for bringing back this happy memory.
Mary Lynn says
I go outside , drink coffee, write in my journal, and smoke! Usually I end up beating myself up for smoking. I am an artist and diagnosed with major depression as a teenager. No meds have ever worked on me so I am off of meds and just cry. I swam every morning for many years then just stopped in September. I have chronic pain from arthritis, but for some reason I have a fear of starting to swim again. I am sad, lost close friends, and don’t feel like doing anything at all. Guess I will try again. I do eat healthy and always have, but can’t seem to quit smoking AGAIN!!! I am in a creative block, but morning is still my favorite time of the day.
Betsy says
Hello, I wake up every morning and thank God that I woke up. I also take a few minutes to be aware of me. Do stretches, exercise some, and do some self talk. I am working on positive self talk. Something I have learned from your blogs. Taking one day at a time is really good idea.
Great post. Thank you.
Whitney Diaz says
I wake up early most mornings before work just so I can read your emails! If I’m still in a low mood, I keep reading! I keep reading your articles and/or look up others online until my mood shifts. Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to find what speaks to me that day. My ritual continues with a hot shower and a brisk scrub with an invigorating scrub brush and pepermint Dr. Bronner’s followed by tea tree face wash. I love the power of scent, and using products I feel good about that are ethical and healthy. Next ginko biloba and tea. I like to take my tea to go after a healthy bite and finish by sipping my tea as I wake up and drive away with my playlist on shuffle. So many tiny things to be grateful for before the day has unfolded!
Karen says
I believe that gratitude every morning is very important. When you’re down, it gets you through. When you’re on top, it keeps you grounded.
Paul says
Another great post guys. I always try to wake up to the day ahead with a positive mind. I’m surrounded by a better group of positive friends now too and I find this helps me. Thanks again.
Upsana says
For me, meditation twice a day has been really helpful. It starts my day off in a calm mindful manner. For the first 5 mins, I mindfully go through all the good things in my life that I’m thankful for and then go on to become still and quiet the morning chatter in my mind. I end the meditation with a positive affirmation. This practice has helped me become calmer, organized and productive at work too. However I am still a work-in-progress.
I love the idea of setting the alarm to “happy”. Its my favourite song at the moment so might give this a go. 🙂
C. Catchings says
@Jay. Sleeping early did produce quality mornings and days which followed for me as well. Now, I’m not to sure..maybe, it’s my mattress or something..Getting a good start is a bit tough. Still worth the effort, though.
P.G. says
I wake up and meditate in mind these things:
Today,I will control my thoughts, feelings, reactions, behavior, attitude, and desires no matter how negative the condition I face.
then I start my day with these three Sentneces written on my chest:
“I am Aware, I am Conscious, I am alert”
“Pay attention to your thoughts.”
“I am happy.”
It has changed my life.
Damjana says
I read this post last night before going to bed and set my alarm to ‘Happy’. I got out of bed immediately, without procrastination, and made myself a cup of tea. I finished it slowly while reading the comments:) It’s a lovely start of the day. Now, half an hour after I woke up, I’m ready to continue my productive day peacefully.
Ellen says
I do morning pages every morning, and my alarm goes off to Jason Mraz’s ‘Hello, You Beautiful Thing’ which really helps prime my subconscious for the day in advance!
Cindy says
This is all so fantastic. Hubby and I have been following a similar routine for a few months. We include listening to waves on a beach for 15 minutes while we think about nothing. We know our state of mind by how easy or difficult it is to keep the ‘noise’ out during this time.
We listen to Happy sometimes too, although it can lead to endless repeat in my head…I want to be happy, but not THAT happy. 🙂
Jennifer says
After years of attempting to have a routine (and failing), it’s only recently that I’ve established a successful one.
My routine begins around 5:30 am where my husband rolls out of bed and goes through his routine prior to going to work. I’m half-awake, but that 45 minutes before I need to jump out of bed helps my body fully wake up. At 6:15 am, I rise out of bed and go through my bathroom and wardrobe routine before setting out to walk our two dogs. It’s about a 20 minute walk through the neighborhood where I return and prepare breakfast for both myself and the dogs. During this time, I’m listening to music, checking the weather, and browsing through Pinterest for some fresh ideas and inspiration.
About 7:30 am I head to work and I even have a routine at work! When I get to the office, I make sure to read one personal development article, journal my moods and gratitudes, while finishing off breakfast. After that, I make a simple three-item to-do list with items I want to complete by the end of the day and I’m off to work!
It’s worked for me for the past few months, which has been great since I’ve struggled many years to have a routine. It makes me feel like my day is going smoothly when I have this routine at hand.
Marc Chernoff says
Thank you, thank you, everyone. I really appreciate you all sharing some of the keys to your morning rituals.
Angel and I just read through your replies and honestly gathered a half-dozen great ideas we intend to test out this week. 🙂