Do you ever have those mornings where it feels like you’re moving in slow motion? Those days where you’re sort of moving at half-speed. It’s always nice to start the day with a bit of movement and intention, but on those slow-moving days, it’s especially important to ease into the day nice and slow.
Today’s practice will help you do just that! And if you’re looking for other ways to start your day right, below are a few of my favorites.
Do Less
This may seem obvious, but I often fall into the trap of trying to do too much in the mornings. I’m looking for that magical unicorn morning, so I want to do some yoga, and meditate, and journal, and maybe get to the gym.
Perhaps doing all of those things is possible on the weekend, but on most days, it’s just not feasible. Trying to do too much makes it so that I’m rushing through these things that are supposed to be my time for me.
So instead, I’ll focus on just doing one or two things, and taking my time with those. Tomorrow is another day for doing more things.
Enjoy Moving Slowly
Again, this might seem obvious, but I find that I often need this reminder. Even on those days where I feel like I’m moving in slow motion, I often feel bad about moving slowly. For some reason, our society has glorified the hurried morning…jumping out of bed, and racing to get in our cars or on the subway.
And I get it – we’ve got places to be. But how we start our day is how we’ll go through our day, so take the time to start the day right. And on that note…
Wake Up Earlier
This might be a controversial one, and you might be rolling your eyes at me already, but hear me out. Setting your alarm for five minutes (or more!) before you really need to be out of bed gives you the time to ease into your day at your own pace.
Use that extra time to lie or sit in stillness. To really savor your morning cup of coffee. To move your body in any way that speaks to you. Notice how much more relaxed you feel as you head into your day.
I will caveat this one by mentioning that waking up earlier means going to sleep earlier. The only thing as valuable as the gift of time is the gift of sleep. Don’t sacrifice one for the other. A bedtime routine can be hugely beneficial in this endeavor!
Related: Tips for Quality Sleep + Bedtime Yoga
Journal
One of my favorite morning practices is journaling. Sometimes I journal about my dreams during the night; sometimes I write the things I’m grateful for; sometimes I’ll use journaling prompts to get me going.
I find that this practice helps me start the day from a place of clarity and intention. To know where I’m coming from – what I’m starting with – and to get clear on what I want to bring to the day. If you’re looking for some journal prompts for inspiration, join the tribe and get access to my resource library!
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Get Moving
Make time to move your body in some way. Even just 15 minutes can have such a positive impact on how your day unfolds. If you’re having an energized morning, go for something more active – a sweat session at the gym or a swift-moving vinyasa practice.
But if you’re feeling a big more mellow, and you want to ease into your day more slowly. The practice below will be perfect! It’s just 20 minutes, and we move nice and slow. So go ahead and unroll your mat and let’s start the day right!
I’ll meet you on the mat!
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