I have learnt for myself how important a morning routine really is. It sets the tone for the rest of your day.

So my ideal morning routing looks like this: I wake up and before anything else I pray a prayer of gratitude for the new day and for protection over my family and loved ones. Then I like to get up and make my lemon water and celery juice. Drinking the lemon water first then a 15 minute guided meditation before I drink the celery juice. Because I need to have a minimum of 15 minute intervals between the lemon water, the celery juice and actual breakfast. I then ideally try to do some sort of morning exercise or movement before I take a shower and have my breakfast. Now please remember I said this is my ideal morning routine. Sometimes I don’t get through everything, but I try to do as much as I can depending on the time I manage to wake up. I forgot to mention journaling, if there is enough time, journaling before the day begins and just planning out my day before I leave the house is ideal, but doesn’t always happen so I try to get it done first thing once I’m at the office, if I can before the crazy starts.

So obviously I’m human and I get back into old habits sometimes, so I skipped the lemon water, celery juice and movement for an entire week. Can I tell you how sluggish I became and even through I still took care of my mind , I definitely neglected my body and I felt the negative impact of this choice. This morning I went back to the lemon juice and celery routine and within that half and hour period my energy picked up really quickly, despite not being able to sleep very well last night and waking up feeling like a bus had hit me. I now feel like I had the best nights sleep ever.

The lesson for me is to prioritize my mornings if I want to have an optimal day and I want to be energized and get the most out of my day.

Then there is the night time routine. I struggle with this one and I barely get any of it done. I’m not here to pretend like I’m perfect, because I’m not and it’s a daily struggle and effort for me to improve my habits. I’m not sure where my block is with the night time routine, but I am working on it. So ideally it should look like this: a shower, cleanse my face, brush my teeth, sort out my hair and settle in my room. This part is not where I struggle, it the next bit that gets neglected. Reading a little, journal about the day, looking at where I could improve and what I could have handled better, and also giving myself a pat on the back for the things that I accomplished and did really well that day. Before I sleep, prayer and time with God and then finally some sleep.

Taking account of my day makes me more aware of the things I need to work on and the things that I do really well , it builds up my confidence and guides me on on what I need to strengthen. However, I rarely get through a good night time routine, mostly because I find myself watching TV till late and then after a shower or relaxing bath I go straight to sleep. I feel really good about myself when I do get through a good night time session because I love reading, I love spending time with myself and I know that it is what is good for me. But bad habits seem to win 9 times out of 10 here.

Balance really is the key to everything and I can’t really understand why I fall short of what’s best for me. I learnt recently that we all have an emotional home that we live in and my emotional home is one of frustration, I always seem to find my way back there. this could be my reason. My Ideal emotional home however is calm and peace and these routines seem to keep me there. It’ s a battle between my past habits and my new habits and it’s a battle that my new habits have to win. Only because I see the damage that living ignorantly can do to ones life. It can switch you off from reality and before you know it years have gone by and you have accomplished nothing.

For me I know that I have eyes that are watching me, and its so important that I lead by example. I want my daughter to see that you don’t have to stay in a negative space, and if you put your mind to it you can make the changes you need to make to improve your life. Starting with simple habits like a morning routine and a night time routine. SO even though I’m not perfect, it’s good for her to see me try, to see me struggle and to see me succeed as well. It teaches her that you don’t always have to be perfect, but you do always have to try.

Obviously we all have different needs and my needs may not be yours, my routine may not work for you. But what I suggest is that you try something new, try something out, do some research. I have recently learnt a tool called priming, that I try to slot into my morning routine and boy oh boy does it do amazing things for me. I haven’t managed to do it on a daily basis as yet but when I felt down and negative a few days ago I sat my butt down and primed for 20 minutes, and it helped me to remember that I am loved and that I am love. It put life back into perspective for me and reminded that I don’t have to live in a negative space, I can focus on the positive things in my life and give life to those positive thoughts and memories instead of dwelling on negative ones.

I’m trying not to be too hard on myself. I know that the goal is to make these routines a daily practice, but for now if I can do some and aim at getting to all every day then that’s what I will do. The lemon water and celery juice are by far my favorite and not doing them really takes more away from me than I am willing to lose. So I definitely wont go through another week without my morning magic juice combo.

Thank you for being here and for sharing this journey with me. Hopefully soon I will have it all together and begin to add some new amazing habits to my day.

Sending love and light to as always.

Tammy