My Morning Routine and Daily Rituals

The morning time is important to me. I naturally run a but hurried and agitated so it takes some time to calm down my mind and body and focus on the things I want to do.

When I find myself feeling shitty I am almost always failing to do the routines noted here.

I rarely do all of them every day, but the foundation of one or two keeps me grounded.

Shower and Listen to the Radio

Starting my morning with a shower helps me to wake up and I like to listen to the local radio station WNYC while I do this. It helps to get me feeling positive and it's a great way to stay up to date with news and current events.

Make Coffee, Read, and Meditate

I make my morning coffee and take some time to read something inspiring – maybe a blog post or a book. I also meditate for 10 to 20 minutes to slow down my mind and body for the day to come.

Exercise

In the morning, I like to do some light exercise with a bulgarian bag and some kettlebells. This helps me stay active and energized for the rest of the day and really helps with mental health.

Feed the cat

I feed my cat and give him some attention. He is trained to the sound of the espresso machine starting. I get a free hit of dopamine as if I accomplished something, but all I did was take a can off the top of the fridge and open it. The cat is always grateful.

Journaling and Writing

I also spend some time journaling and writing down ideas for the day. This helps me organize my thoughts, plan out tasks, and stay on track with my goals.

Plan Out My Day

Finally, I plan out my day by making a to-do list so that I can prioritize tasks and be more efficient throughout the day.

Making an espresso

Making an espresso is important part of my morning routine because it provides me with a quick and efficient caffeine boost and it is a quick and rewarding creative act; every day I strive to perfect my tamp, grind size, and quality of the shot I pull.

5 Minute morning journal

I am grateful for...
1. 
2. 
3. 
What would make today great?
1. 
2. 
3. 
Today I am practicing...

Analog / paper time and being outside

I usually make an effort to spend some time outside and away from my phone, laptop or other screens. This helps me stay grounded, appreciate the world around me, and get in touch with the present moment. I also like to spend some time with analog activities like sketching, painting with watercolors, or reading a book.

Connecting with friends and family

I like to take specific time in the morning to check in with people via text or DM or whichever inbox has messages now. I struggle sometimes to answer people when I get messages throughout the idea, but I usually try not to let a message sit for longer than a day.