Morning Ideas

Monday, October 26

{photo taken by my lovely sis-in-law Jenna

I am not a morning person. I have never been, and probably never will be (i'm sure all you mama's out there are having a good laugh on this one, as i'm bound to HAVE to become a morning person with children!). I'm one of those people who wishes I was a morning person because every time I've woken up at 6am (which is rare, people!), I feel INCREDIBLY accomplished by 10am. You really can get so much done in those wee hours! But alas, God make me a night owl and I will embrace that!

Regardless of the time I wake up, I love mornings. I love the newness of the day. I love the way the sun streams through my huge window. I love breakfast. And I love the possibilities that lay ahead. But sometimes I need a little inspiration and umph to get me going! Because of my health, I had to give up coffee about 4 years ago, and since then i've been creative when it comes to how I energize in the morning!

Below are a few ways I maximize the morning hours:) And I'd love to hear your ideas…

1. Prayer and Meditation: Waking up, I need some fuel to light my fire:) The best way i've learned how to fill up with love, positivity and kindness is by allowing God's love to just saturate me! We truly do give off what we put in. The days I take time to center my mind, rest in God's truth, and surrender my day to Him, the more confident and full I feel to take on the day! Along with reading my Bible and prayer, I also pair my meditations with a book that helps guide my time. A few incredible ones I've went through this past year are:
-Jesus Calling devotional by Sarah Young: This little book has been the perfect inspiration, especially if you don't have much time in the morning! It's like Jesus is talking directly to me, I love it!
- The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst - This one was so encouraging about saying YES to the right things. It gave so much practical inspiration, and Lysa is both hilarious and honest.
- Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson - This is probably one of my favorite books i've ever read, and one i'll revisit every year. Sally is a woman I want to model my life after, I was so encouraged.

2. Exercise: I gotta be honest here, since i've been in grad school and worked a full time job, poor exercise has been put on the back burner. I just have NO time to get to the gym. But I've figured out a foolproof plan that has been "good enough" for this season of my busy life! Essentially, what I do is tune in to free yoga videos on youtube. My favorite yoga videos are the 5 and 10 minute ones from Tara Stiles. Tara is so great (i'm acting like I know her, haha), and because the videos are short, I can make it happen. Trust me, you do have an extra 5 minutes in your day to stretch!! On the days I have a little more time, I try to walk with a friend or family member so that i'm maximizing my time by hanging out AND getting exercise!!

3. Green Juice: So, since I lost my beloved coffee (wahhhh), i've turned to a new form of energy…green juice! In my Blentec Blender (which is essentially the same as a Vitamix), I mix a cup of water, a handful of spinach, and a dash of frozen fruit (usually low glycemic berries like blueberries and strawberries!). Can I tell you what a difference this has made in my life? For the first time in years i've actually been regular going to the bathroom (hopefully that's not TMI) ha! But spinach is SOOO amazing for your body, packed with nutrients and often labeled the most healthy food for your body! So it's no surprise that this has kind of revolutionized breakfast for me! And if you have a blender powerful enough to make a juice (as opposed to a smoothie) you'll find it's far easier (and faster) to drink!!

4. Breakfast: So, on days where I have a little more time in the morning, I LOVE to make breakfast. Ohhhhh, I can't even begin to share how food inspires me and gets me excited! When I was young, the days my mom made breakfast were always so enjoyable and are some of my fondest memories! Since going gluten and dairy free, here are a few of my favorite recipes for a delicious breakfast:
- Paleo Crepes
- Fiesta Egg Casserole
- French Toast (I just use Udi's gluten free bread instead of the sourdough bread the recipe calls for)
- Chicken Sausage Links from Trader Joes- When I first changed my diet years ago, my doctor told me these are a great source of protein in the morning! They are so flavorful, low in sodium, and chicken (as opposed to pork!). Yum yum!

-Music and candles: I love ambiance in the morning!! I want to fuel my body, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually too. Since i'm all about wanting to cultivate a peaceful place my body can transition into the day from, music and candles are my go-to! My favorite morning stations lately on Pandora have been Bethel Music and Rend Collective. So life-giving!!

What about YOU? What gets you going in the morning??? Give me some ideas!! Happy Monday! xoxo

No comments :

Post a Comment

I LOVE hearing from you friend:) Your comment will make my day!