When Patch Adams came to give a speech at my city, I really wanted to ask him about his morning routine, because for me it’s a great way to get to know better a person and get big insights about them. And since my morning routine is a big thing for me, in the sense that it made a big impact in my life when I turned committed to it; I always want to know about other people habits, because I can learn about them, especially if they are successful, healthy or infinitely happy human beings.
When I left Medicine School, I was trying to find my lifestyle, and sometimes being a freelance has been hard for me because I noticed I hadn't the self-discipline that was needed to be successful, or just to make a living like an artist. So, for me, it is crucial to have a routine and respect it.
It has been a process of trial and error and a discovery of what it works for me. I’ve tried to get up at 5 (definitely not for me!), running, meditation, cold showers, reading in the morning… and every action I found could make a positive difference in terms of health, productivity, creativity, and happiness; based on the research I’m continuously making through reading med publications, books and having deep conversations with interesting people. And I know that I will continue making modifications to my routine in my life, but I will share with you what works for me now, and the facts that support every habit I list.
1. Getting up early and keeping away from electronic devices as long as we can.
"Make a point to disconnect from your devices, for the sake of your sleep and your overall wellbeing. I have a specific time at night when I regularly turn off my devices—and gently escort them out of my bedroom." - Arianna Huffington
If we keep our electronic devices out of our bedroom, it will not only give us better sleep, it also will prevent us from using our smartphones as soon as we open our eyes. When we turn our electronic devices on first thing in the morning, we get bombarded with inputs, which scatters our focus, while also preventing us to experience flow.
This represented a challenge for me because I used to turn off the phone's alarm and then I was answeringWhatsAppp messages and scrolling down on Instagram for more minutes than I should. Now I always try to get asleep early, and I’ve found that the 90% of the time I don’t need an alarm to wake up which is fantastic for me since I'm not hating any sound or anyone in the morning haha, and then, I usually take a moment to hug my partner for a few minutes, take a deep breath or list some things in my head that I feel grateful for. I always try to start my day being mindful.
2. Tongue Scraping??... oh yes!
"If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the tongue is the gateway to the gut."
In Ayurveda (Traditional Indian Science of Medicine) tongue scraping is highly recommended as a part of our daily routine. While we sleep, our digestive system works to detoxify itself. The toxins are deposited on the surface of the tongue and the film developed is a good indicator of what’s going on inside our body.
Health Benefits of Tongue Scraping:
- Removing dead bacteria from the tongue, thus preventing the reabsorption of these toxins back into the system
- Waking up the organs each morning, as different areas of the tongue correlate with different organs
- Sparking the digestion
- Enhancing the taste buds
- Removing bad breath (halitosis)
This practice is kind of new in my daily routine because before this I was washing my tongue in my daily tooth wash and I thought it was enough, but now I can really notice a difference when I do it the first thing in the morning. I can tell you that I feel lighter in a weird way. In a few months, I will be able to tell you about the changes I have noticed in the long term with this practice.
3. Stretching our body gives us flexibility to our mind
The benefits of morning stretching are completely proven, like:
- improve posture
- less muscle or joint pain
- more energy
- lower stress
- increased blood flow
Ant that's not everything!, recent studies have shown that Stretching can help our memory, reduce our risk of Alzheimer’s and may even help us think more clearly.
I love to do some stretching in the morning because it warms my body, gives me a lot of energy and awareness of my body for the entire day. I usually start with soft rotations for the muscles that are tighter, such as the neck, shoulders, back, and hips. Then I do some stretching and if I have time I do a yoga routine.
4. A glass of water and lemon
I drink this like first thing in the morning since 2 years ago and for me it's perfect. I can notice that my body need to rehydrate itself by the morning, and adding slices of lemon to the glass of water helps me detox my body and improves my digestion. There are numerous benefits of drinking warm water with lemon in the morning, so if you wanna know more, check them here.
5. Morning Pages
This one is my favorite!!
I discovered this amazing exercise reading the book "The Artist Way" by Julia Cameron and since I'm doing this every morning, for one year or so, I can tell you that had changed my life.
In her webpage, Julia Cameron simplifies Morning Pages like: three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages–they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page...and then do three more pages tomorrow.
So that's it. For me it's like a mental vomit that easies and clarifies my mind, keeps my mind's judge away from my creative work, helps me to visualize my desires and dreams on the paper, gives me creative solutions for problems, and so on. Very often I find myself not knowing what to write and I use some of the pages to write positive affirmations and things that I'm grateful for, so I start the day in the right mood and feeling joy yeeeiii :)
6. Cold water at the end of the shower
If at this time I am not entirely awake, with the cold water I get like wooooaa full of energy and vital! I love it, and is really good for blood flow and keeps our skin and hair healthier.
7. Breakfast time!! <3
I am a breakfast lover and I really enjoy this time. The 95% of the time I eat very well at breakfast, that means I have a good source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats in it. That is soooo good for me, because prepares my body to do more exercise during the day (I practice a lot of aeroyoga, do some workout with weights and I climb one or twice a week) and if I skip the lunch, which I do some days of the week because of my job, I don't feel weak or tired, I just try to always bring with me a healthy snack.
8. Bonus: Exercise!
Sometimes I do exercise before breakfast, because it helps my body to maintain glucose tolerance in a good level. but generally if I want to do strong exercise during the morning, and not in the afternoon, I eat a light breakfast like some fruit with veggie milk (with cocoa powder to energize); and after the exercise, I prepare a protein smoothie with some green veggies.
Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. – Lao Tzu
So this is my morning ritual, I hope you find it useful for your life! I have seen good changes in my life since I do this regularly. I feel more confident, productive, energized, healthier and I feel the creativity flowing much better!
Being committed to it is the basis of a routine, but of course, life sometimes get us off the truck and we have to be flexible; it's important that we don't judge ourselves when this happen and be able to take it with humor.