Incorporating Journaling and Gratitude Into Your Morning Ritual
The Start of Each Day is Important
The beginning of each day is the best time, often the only time one has to think, evaluate, and correct one’s course.
Changing the way you feel, react, behave and make decisions is dependant to a large extent on creating different habits. Creating new habits takes time and consistency – this is where ritual and routine come in. It’s where you start.
It’s not easy, few people on this Earth have established positive rituals to allow them to thrive. Once the workday starts and life happens it’s generally too late to make changes, things carry on as they did yesterday, last week, last year, 10 years ago…
You Will Need
- A ruled notebook – A5 is a convenient size – keep it beside your bed – Oxford Black n’ Red are good
- A pen to write with – I like Pilot G2 0.7 and usually buy 3 or 4 at a time.
- Me time each morning
- About 3-5 minutes of me time for your “gratitude journaling” as part of your morning ritual.
The Morning Ritual
This is what a real morning ritual looks like – my husband in fact, it’s how his ideal morning would happen – it’s his guideline, not everything happens every day, although sometimes they do. You can tailor your own. This one will give you the general idea, takes him about an hour give or take.
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Wake up 5.30 am – give thanks feel gratitude – Get Up – Don’t delay – A good night’s sleep and bed by 9.30 is NB here
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Go Outside look at the sky, listen and breathe
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Lemon Water or Apple Cider | Herbal Tinctures | Toilet time For Me and The Dogs
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Gratitude Journal in my A5 Gratitude Jnl – write in the date – start – have fun – there’s no right and wrong.
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Morning Journal Brain Dump – in my A5 Morning Brain Dump Jnl – my dreams, what’s making me feel anxious, fears – leave them on paper.
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Recharge mentally and build mindfulness– A Guided Meditate for 10 – 15 Min – use Sam Harris, Tara Brach, HRV Meditation …
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Read something motivational, watch a TED talk, take notes – use Sam Harris, Tara Brach, HRV Meditation
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Make the bed so at least that’s 1 thing productive done for the day
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Briefly Review my Quarterly and Weekly Goals and My Morning Journal and Prioritise the Big 3 tasks to achieve today
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Shave, Cold Shower, Brush Teeth
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Get Dressed
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Go to work – you can check your phone as part of your pre-workday ritual.
The Gratitude Journal
Gratitude
The best way to begin your day is by counting your blessings, to actually feel gratitude. It doesn’t need to be big things – although “I’m grateful I can breathe”, is a massive thing if you put it into perspective.
Scientifically gratitude is a magic pill for feeling better. The feelings of gratitude initiated from the thought of gratitude stimulate that part of our brain associated with the neurotransmitter of dopamine production – the do it again chemical that creates new learning pathways – you literally start rewiring your brain.
Q: Three things (even 1 is ok) I am Grateful For – start small – my warm bed, my doggies, my lovely pen, an old friend who came into your life, an opportunity I have, my spiritual journey … really try to feel the feeling.
Creating a Better Day
What you focus on appears. You bought a red car and now all you see are red cars. The Reticular Activation System part of your brain turns on and off your idea of perception and thoughts about things in this world. So, what would make today great influences your RAS to better point out actions and activities and opportunities that would make things better.
Q: What would make today great? – Great – not a to-do list. 2 or 3 Tiny actions like smiling more, complaining less, no gossip. keep it realistic within the realm of what you can control.
Daily Affirmation
Repetition of affirmations leads to beliefs and once belief becomes conviction the magic starts to happen. Simple words and statements that define you as you want to be. Affirmations should push the boundaries but be realistic and believable, not too easy or simple.
Q: I am – resilient, courageous, careful with words, worthy, valued, loved, resourceful …..
Make it Stick
- The key to growth is to learn to make promises to yourself and to keep them!
- Tell a close friend or mentor about this and ask them to hold you accountable.
- Schedule a daily calendar reminder
- Review your progress at the end of each week
- Stick it out for 5 days, then 10 days, then a month, then 6 months.
- If you fall off – simply forgive yourself, dust yourself off and start again
