Morning wood: your morning essentials to get your engines going in the am
Sorry all, that really should have read "morning would". My bad. But now that I have your attention...let's talk about your morning WOULD. We all have them: things we would do in the morning if we got up earlier or were a "morning person".
Quite a few people have asked me about my morning routine. As this newly installed bohemian-ish, woo-woo bird (this, for clarity, is the Australian/British word for woman which i HEART), it seems I am the resident expert on all things ritual and routine. I am flattered that you all think I don't just roll out of bed growling as I crawl to my computer. I used to, but not any more.
Honestly, I am glad you asked though. Mornings are incredibly important to how your whole day unfolds. It is in the first 5 minutes of your day that you can set yourself up for an amazing day orrrrrrrrr a shitstorm from hell day. I remember when I was a lawyer running on 4-5 hours of sleep, with nothing in my tank to get me started, mornings were something to be endured, certainly nothing to be enjoyed. Yick.
That all changed, not just because I quit my job, but because I made conscious choices about how to live my life with positivity and intention. To make the most of every day and commit to treating myself right from the moment I open my peepers.
This, of course, is not news, but maybe, just maybe by sharing my quickie morning 1-2-3, this may give you a point in the right direction, sometimes it just takes someone else making a suggestion to hit the reset button. So here it is, how jazz-er-cise the crap out of your morning:
1. Set your alarm clock to a song that makes you feel good, amazing, sexy or hot
Shut up. Just do it. You asked for help, so here it is. I do this every day, most nights I pick a new song...but the default is Beyonce, Love On Top. Can't go past it. Also, I put a link to Push Up below, if that doesn't get you out of bed and bopping around, nothing will. I am also not opposite to bogan rock. AC/DC specifically. #nojudgment
its blissful not hideously irritating and homicide inducing.
2. My personal preference is that whilst I am still shaking off my sleepy head, I drop onto my meditation cushion and just breathe.
It's as simple most days as listening for my breath, not forcing it, just watching what's happening and scanning my body for sticky bits and blockages and sending them some energy love. Energy flows where attention goes - so they say - so if you notice a spot that is feeling out of sorts, envision sending some golden light right there. It may shock you how this can work wonders. I found really key piece of advice was not to grit your teeth. Seems obvious? Might have just been me.
Even if I only give it 5 minutes (most mornings it is anywhere from 5 minutes to a half hour). Sometimes I do some advanced tricky-dicky moves like mantra chanting or manifestation visualisations, if I'm in really in flow and feel to do it, but that's a little scary for beginners. Let's ease into this morning business - breathing, to begin with, is fantastic. We have loads of time for something more advanced. Now, if you find you can't get your mind to settle, as a backstop, rather than beat yourself up and spending the whole time gritting your teeth (see? told you), manifest baby. Thinking of how your best life would look like - in vivid technicolour. This is absolutely better than getting cranky at yourself and wasting the moment entirely. Go easy, it's all good, maybe you'll nail meditation tomorrow. Maybe not. Who cares? No rush honey - let's continue to cruise into your day. Next up is the best bit ;-)
3. Sensual self practice.
You heard me. Yes, sensual practice. Now, here's the bit you are going to scoff at, but frankly scoff away, anyone that has seen my skin and my glow lately can now choke on their laugh. This is a non-negotiable for me. Yes, a personal sensual practice is absolutely amazing for boosting body-confidence and fostering connection with your sensual self. It keeps you honest about where you are at, and gives you nowhere to hide if you are a little out of kilter.
Lest I be misunderstood, sensual practice does not mean you have to parade around the house like a stripper, doing a naked slut drop every 3 paces, traumatizing your unsuspecting flatmates. No. Sensual practice is simply about acknowledging yourself as a sensual being; taking a moment for your own joy and pleasure. That's it. It need not be any more complex than this, and this is for GUYS AND GIRLS.
For the single girls amongst us, sans someone else to rope in, this can involve something as simple as putting your lingerie on slowly underneath your work clothes (even Bonds boy shorts can be sexy if you do it right), dancing in front of the mirror to your favorite song, putting on moisturizer languorously. Nice and slow honey, let your mind have a little mental wicked wander if it suits you. That's right, just like that ;-)
Now, what this does, nay-sayers, is put you in touch with your body, it reinforces your physical connection to yourself and your embodied feminine and or masculine.
As I said above, that's right this is for the BOYS too. Maybe not the lingerie part, or maybe it IS. #nojudging. It's all welcome here folks. Dudes for you I would recommend something like taking your time in the shower to lather it all up, touching all parts of your body (if you need some inspo I recommend the Instagram account Hot Dudes in the Shower), watch yourself get dressed in a full-length mirror (if you only knew how hot this is - oof), or something more tactile like stroking your skin with your fingernails in your sensitive spots. Not that skin. Seriously, you guys are incorrigible. But really, men are visual creatures, watching yourself can be as appealing as being watched by someone else. But, I don't have to tell you lot that.
#boyscanplaytoo
Now, boys and girls, feel free to take this as far as you like. I think a good 5-10 minutes is perfect, but hey, if you have a spare hour...have at it.
For those in a couple, the options are endless. But I think it's awesome if you can involve your partner and make it fun for both of you. Riff off each other as it were. They (your partner) don't have to be an active participant, in fact for this little piece of your day I would encourage them not to be, but most importantly remember this, when you are doing YOUR sensual practice, it's primarily for YOU, this is not about creating a LIVE SHOW for THEM. That can come later if you like, consider this the warm-up.
For these practices to have a long-term effect, to keep you in touch with your beautiful body, you need to be in your own body when you do them, not busy wondering how hot your partner thinks this is. Tip: I think you'll know pretty quickly ;-).
Remember folks, I said sensual, not sexual. There IS a difference, and they can be mutually exclusive, in fact this is a great discipline to practice.
4. Affirmations
Affirmations are statements of fact/intention that you say to yourself, preferably audibly, it is (as it says) self affirming, and can be incredibly effective in changing your perception of yourself AND of attracting better things to you. An affirmation goes something like this..."I AM (something)". For example: I AM WEALTHY. I AM WORTHY. I AM BEAUTIFUL. I AM LOVE. I AM BLISS. I AM JON SNOW'S LOVER. What? Don't judge. Don't ask don't get folks...
Now look, I get it, affirmations are well #totesawks in the beginning. The first time I did them I wanted to crawl up inside myself and die. Urgh. I can still feel that feeling. #skincrawler But it DOES get easier, and they are fucking miraculous insofar as the impact they have on your subconscious. Even do a minute of these 3 (or similar) - "I am worthy. I am loveable. I am exceptional". Aaaaaaand repeat. Next up: degree of difficulty increases: in front of the mirror, looking yourself in the eye. If you are up for an Olympic challenge, do it naked. Yeah. Thought so. Only on REALLY good days for this one.
Yup, your skin will for sure shrink the first 10 or so times, and then you'll be adding all sorts of things; I am the sexiest b*tch in this whole building. I am a millionaire. I am a self-confidence guru. You say it enough times, your mind will be blown how your attitude changes. This is especially so when you are feeling low. This when you feel like doing this the least, but damn this may just be your day's gamechanger.
5. Stop laughing at my ridiculous suggestions and just TRY IT. You can thank me later.
If I protected myself for getting out of my comfort zone by laughing off every woo-woo suggestion that may be life-changing, well I wouldn't be spending every morning dancing around the house naked yapping at myself in the mirror now would I? I also wouldn't haven't any idea what extraordinary things I am capable of if I just stopped caring what others and my judgmental self thinks. See what I did there?
Now, get to it and have yourselves the most incredible morning. Seriously, Eric Northman. I'm done, I'm going back to bed ;-)
#yourewelcome
LOVE YOU!
Miss Cook xoxo