4 things I do every morning to get myself into a positive state

I work from home and like many of us I have had to adapt and learn what works best for me. Relying on caffeine to wake me up doesn’t make me feel good. And anyone who experiences anxiety or fatigue would be better avoiding it. People think that because of my job I’m always calm - which isn't true! Through all of my studies, client work and reading research here are the 4 things that I do as a habit pretty much every morning.

Thank you

As I get out of bed and each foot touches the floor I say “thank you” to myself. Some days this comes more naturally than others. I have 2 small children and I haven’t woken up naturally or to an alarm for nearly 5 years. My dad died when I was young so I know through personal experience that waking up each day isn’t guaranteed. I try to keep this gratitiude at the forefront of my mind, even if my day is hard it gives me perspective. There is a huge amount of research into gratitude and there is a proven link between being grateful with well-being and physical health.

Senses

I take deep breathes in the shower, I hear the water, I feel the warmth, I smell the shower gel. This is a very simple grounding technique that takes 30 seconds.

Light

I walk past the breakfast dishes and all the other stuff I should do and I go out to get some day light- even if it’s a quick walk around the block in the rain. Getting morning sunlight helps your circadian rhythm to sleep better at night - it works even when it’s cloudy and rainy.

Dance

I put a song on which has a happy association for me- usually a dance track from my twenties. I dance around to it so I feel energised and ready for clients. The movement feels fun and encourages the flow of feel good endorphins and serotonin.

Which one could you try this week?