I never used to have a morning routine and it’s really shifted and changed over the last couple of years. It’s something I can’t live without now, rather than starting my day with my mobile phone and just ‘getting ready for the day’, I now really dedicate some time first thing everyday after waking up to enjoying a both relaxing and inspirational start to my day, it’s something I really look forward to and I know it’s a huge support to me when times aren’t going so well such as the beginning of this pandemic or after my brother died, and at other stressful moments it’s made it so much easier, but on a day to day basis, I find it so therapeutic, necessary for both my mind and body. I do all sorts in my morning routine, so I can’t spend too long on each thing!! Of course mindfulness Pilates is an essential element of my morning routine, in my book I Talk to angels I talk a bit about morning routine ideas and evening routine ideas. I loved reading a book last year by Hal Elrod called the Miracle morning, highly recommend a read. I’ve played around with my routine and as different inspirations come along I’ve shifted and changed it. I’ve noticed it has a big, positive impact on absolutely every area of my life.
I always recommend my clients start their day with 6 minutes mindfulness Pilates, to either enjoy before breakfast or first thing, this includes a 1 minute relaxation with some gorgeous breathing and relaxing, I also recommend they pick a positive affirmation card like I pick everybody in class as mindset is just as important as looking after the body, well they’re completely interlinked! The other thing I encourage is to enjoy regular 1 minute relaxations/ meditations, whatever you like to call it incorporated into your lifestyle. You can simply close your eyes and breathe in and out 10 times, sitting, standing or lying down. A quick re -charge can really make your life and work go better. The other thing that clients find makes a huge difference too is to enjoy regular or daily 5 minute relaxations. It doesn’t have to take long to relax, breathe and re-charge the batteries. What’s important and makes all the difference is doing it regularly, having some sort of morning routine is such a nice way to start the day, it makes it retreat like, ‘me time’ every single day, now who doesn’t want that?
Here are some of the things I love to do in my morning routine, I love starting the day with lemon in some water then I swiftly move onto one of my favourite herbal teas, current favourite it the classic yogi tea! Since reading the Artists Way by Julia Cameron, I’ve really been into doing what she calls the morning pages, basically writing about anything you like for 3 pages. So I love curling back in bed and writing for half an hour or so, the alarm goes off at 6.15am these days and after 8 hours ish sleep that works for me, but something I think one of my friends was surprised about is that I don’t wake up refreshed!! It takes me a while to ‘come round!!’ What I have done is turn myself into a morning person, the hot and cold shower wakes me up, I say a positive affirmation silently to myself with the cold shower, only 30 seconds and no I will be honest it doesn’t get any easier at all!! Yet I do it because it turns me into a morning person! And puts me in a good mood, find it really ‘wakes you up’.
After getting dressed I head over to my ‘mindfulness pilates studio’, basically my mat in the lounge!! My studio is now in the comfort of my lounge, dining room as teach worldwide on zoom now which I’m so grateful for. Anyway…. I do my 6 minutes daily pilates, which is exactly the same as I give my clients to do which starts off with a 1 minute relaxation, meditation. Then onto the pilates bit, because I’ve had so many past back problems, My body needs more than that, so do extra back stretching, core and back strengthening too.
Then I head out for either a walk round the block or a walk to cycle to the woods which I LOVE. I love hearing the sounds of nature in the morning, such as the birds singing, seeing pretty clouds in the sky, the light and the fresh air, really sets me up for the day.
When I get back, over breakfast, I journal a bit more, always pick a page from my book, pick a positive affirmation and other oracle cards and have a little daydream about my goals at some point before I switch my phone on. For me it works, I’m grateful I no longer have the school run which allows me so much more time before I start my working day.
I cannot recommend it enough, so whether you start your day with 6 minutes for you, or more, you decide. Craft that time out and you’ll never ever regret it. You’ll be glad you did, it doesn’t matter what day of the year it is, I love it. In fact on the weekend and holiday time it’s so nice to indulge in a bit longer, but you choose.
Hope this inspires you to take more care of you in body and mind and love to know how you get on with your morning routine, although make sure you get plenty of sleep for you, however much that needs to be, because that makes it so much more enjoyable.
You can make your mornings magical, start with 6 minutes and banish the phone for the start of your day! You’ll be glad you did. It’ll light up every single day.
Love Bev
Beverley Densham BSc (Hons)
Pilates teacher of 22 years
Reduce back pain and feel good with mindfulness pilates
