admin In the rush of modern life, it seems like once the day begins, it can quickly fill up with tasks and responsibilities. That makes mornings a prime time to front-load the most important activities, the things that help us to live our best lives.
Laura Vanderkam is a time management expert and the author of What Successful People Do Before Breakfast. She states, “Even before the rest of us are eating breakfast, successful people already have daily victories in their favor that help them to achieve the life they desire.”
Making time for our practice is important to many of us. Mornings can still be difficult for some. Here are six tips to help you build a morning routine if you tend to have lazy mornings.
Play the Gratitude Game
My yogi-friend says that she expresses gratitude to all of the people in her daily life before even stepping on the floor. This is what I call the “gratitude game” (which can be a great activity to do with kids).
This is what we call santosha in yogic philosophy, or being content with the present. Name five things you’re grateful for each morning, lying in bed.
The challenge is to try and name five items each day that are unique without repeating anything from the previous days. This game will make you think of all the ways you’re blessed. And the best part? You don’t have to open your eyelids to play!
Activate Your Lungs
In general, our inhalation tends to be more energizing and activating than our exhalation. A great way to end the day is by focusing on your exhale. Add the opposite energy into your morning routine. Practicing dirgha breath is a great way to achieve this.
How do you practice Dirgha Pranayama or the three-part breathing? Take a few deep breaths. Then, focus on your stomach. Imagine it as a balloon filling, and then draw your inhale to this space. Bring your attention next to your ribcage. As you breathe, notice how your ribs contract and expand. As you breathe in deeply, let your attention rest on your chest.
You can combine these three breathing techniques into one breath, taking a full, deep breath in your chest, ribs, and belly. Dirgha breathing is a way to increase the depth of your inhale. You can do it while lying down in bed or sitting comfortably.
Practice Bed Yoga
You can absolutely do Yoga in bed. Focus on the spine’s possible directions for a bed-based simple routine. Start with a supine turn, lying flat on your back. Allow your knees bent to fall to either side. Sit down and do a few gentle side stretches.
Lastly, you can do some Cat/Cows while sitting on your hands and knees or even lying down. In just a few moments, you will have relaxed your spine and relieved any tension that was held from the previous night.
Be Prepared
Spending a few moments the night before preparing a practice area is another way to fit in some Asanas the next morning. One of my teachers said that she keeps a mat by her bed so that when she wakes up in the morning, she can go straight to it.
Set a mat and a notebook next to your bed. Write down five poses or practices that you would like to do the following morning. Your training will be waiting for you when you wake up.
Make It a Family Affair
Some of you laugh at the thought that you could have a few moments to yourself each morning because your children are in bed next to you and ask when they can eat breakfast. When I teach students who are parents, I encourage them to stop seeing family and Yoga as separate concepts. All Yoga is the same.
Yoga is about teaching your children how to be present and give them a solid foundation in spirituality and well-being.
All the above exercises can be performed with your children. If you want some time for yourself, try getting up before your kids or ask your partner to watch them while you practice in the morning.
Create a Ritual
When done with a positive attitude, habits can be beautiful rituals. In a journal I bought for myself, I write three words that represent the energy that I want to cultivate for my day. This is one of my favorite rituals.
I will then diffuse some essential oil, play some positive music, place some crystals near my journal, and pull some angel cards. Then, I will sit down for a few minutes.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy the occasional day in bed, reading the news, or watching the morning show, but I am motivated by this positive routine to get out of bed and create the energy I want to be surrounded with that day.
