Let's talk about Monday mornings, or any morning and how to, 'live them by design.'

Okay so who likes Monday mornings? Although I'm not standing in front of you right now I'm guessing your hand didn't go up. When I first started this whole "live by design" mentality I came to the realization that life is too short. I realize that statement is nothing mind blowing or anything you haven't heard before but I set out to actually do something about it.

If life is too short, then it's certainly too short to 'not like' certain days, and definitely too short to not like the beginning of each day (i.e. mornings).  So far the best way to do this I've found is by setting up a routine; but not just any routine. I've set up my routine to take care of how my brain views the rest of the day AND also I make sure to start my days nutrition with a clean slate.  

So how do I do this?

My Brain: The more I study personal development, psychology, happiness and the brain in general I have found my entire happiness is simply based upon how I view things. What angle do I take? What meaning do I give events? The same thing can happen to 100 different people and you can get 100 different responses. Isn't that crazy?

To make sure my brain is ready and primed for positivity and success EVERY morning I make sure to either read or listen to personal development. I don't need to spend a lot of time doing this but I've found anywhere from 5-15 min is perfect for me. It gets my mind going in a positive direction and really sets up my day to look for opportunities instead of being on cruise control for the day. 

My Nutrition: The second way I love to start my day (and have been for 3+ years) is with my morning Shakeology (it's a healthy meal replacement shake if you're not familiar). For me it's so much more then just a healthy nutritious shake though. It represents me starting my day off on a healthy positive nutritional note. Nutrition is tough for me but I've found if I start the day off right I'll want to keep that momentum going. If I start first thing in the morning with a fast food burrito or something (yes, that used to be my routine), I'm less likely to continue making good decisions for the rest of the day. 

Others like to workout first thing in the morning and I've even heard morning meditation is an awesome way to calm the mind before your day gets crazy hectic. It really doesn't matter what you do the goal is to start each and everyday on a positive note. 

So how do I start?

1) I like to pick 1 or 2 things that will help me make the biggest "dent" in my goals. Having a strong mindset can move mountains for anyone's life so that's always priority #1 for me. The reason I chose nutrition as my number 2 is because I have health goals too. Working out has become habit for me but nutrition is a constant battle. Starting my day with a gold star on my record not only makes my life easier but also motivates me towards more success. I'm a big fan of "MOMENTUM creating motivation" so an easy shake that I really don't have to think much about works perfectly for me. Either way find what works for you! 

2) Your day has to start on a "selfish" note. I understand many people have families they need to take care of in the morning but this is about setting up YOUR day for success, not anyone else's so find a way if even for 5 min for this to be all about YOU. Doing something for someone else I'm sure makes you feel good about yourself but that doesn't count. Remember SELFISH is the name of the game here.

3) Take ACTION. This doesn't work unless you do so try some morning routines out. You may not get it right the first time but I'm a huge believer in people having "inner answers" so do what works specifically for YOU. This could take a little bit of time to develop a good morning routine but once you do I promise it will be life changing. Great way to start is just by doing small actions. This is not the time to try to wake up a full hour earlier and workout for an hour. Start with waking up 5 minutes earlier and have a nice book next to your bed. Keep it simple. 

I wish you the best and have a POSITIVE and HEALTHY morning :)