Reading: 11 Morning Routine Ideas from CoveyClub Members

One of the greatest things about the CoveyClub is when members come together and share their accumulated wisdom. Because after all, we have all lived interesting and complex lives. We have become the real experts!

In the past, members did much of that sharing at live events (look for those to return hopefully in November), but all through the pandemic we’ve been doing it during our virtual events, or “classes.”  Sometimes the wisdom is so fantastic that I feel like I’ve read a dozen fabulous books on a topic and been able to distill them down into an actionable list. That is exactly what happened during our last Cocktails & Conversation discussion. I asked everyone to come with their favorite tips for getting their mornings off on the right foot (because if your morning isn’t great, the rest of the day won’t be either). It was such a treasure trove of smart ideas that I thought I’d share them with you here. Be sure to join us on our next Cocktails & Conversation call, when we’ll discuss how to work self-care into any routine and to make sure you know you deserve it.

1. Read the newspaper — in print form — with a coffee
2. Read 4 pages of “Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsch (with your significant other if you like)
3. Do your daily meditation. Check out the Hoffman Process from the Hoffman Institute Foundation or Insight Timer 
4. Write free-form with a pencil and notebook for 10 minutes, an idea inspired by Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages
5. 90-second stretch before you get off the mattress: stretch your ankles, your feet, do windshield wipers with your legs to maintain ultimate flexibility
6. Make your bed for a new, fresh start! Inspired by the book Make Your Bed — Little Things that Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. Here is his inspirational Ted Talk on the subject
7. Drink hot water with a muddle of lemon and ginger, and/or with turmeric 
8. Or Rooibos red tea — believed to regulate blood sugar, be a powerful antioxidant, may boost heart health
9. Drink hot water with few splashes of apple cider vinegar
10. Get outside asap — even in 2 degree weather — and watch nature
11. Coach your brain to remember your dreams. Before you go to sleep say, “Tonight I remember my dreams. I have excellent dream recall.” Say it 21 times and see what happens when you wake up. Keep a journal by your bedside to record what you dream

How do you start your mornings? Be sure to add your ideas to this list by finding it on the homepage of CoveyClub.com or on our social media at Facebook and LinkedIn. I’d love to hear your comments as well.