My New Morning Routine

Not sure if it can still be classified as ‘new’ since I’ve put this into practice over the last 8+ weeks, but here we are! If you’ve read a little bit about who I am and my story you’ll know by now that I have become much more comfortable speaking about my anxiety. Mental health is a concern on both sides of my family spanning everything from panic attacks and generalized anxiety to addictive behaviors - so for as long as I can remember, I assumed how I ‘dealt’ with stress and anxious feelings was totally normal.

But over the last year, through some deep internal work and soul searching for lack of better words, I’ve come to the very frank realization that stress and anxiety does NOT equal success. Being overly booked and busy does NOT mean I’m performing at my peak. Having the overwhelming need to control and plan does NOT mean I’m being efficient. Instead, it typically results in heightened cortisol, poor sleep, migraines, bloating or digestive distress and worst of all, lashing out at the ones I love most…aka my husband. Thankfully Michael loves and accepts me and all my personality flaws and has been so supportive in helping me work through this.

But you know what else has helped? Completely transforming my morning routine.

The attitude in which we greet each new day says a great deal about what the day will be like.

If you instantly reach for your phone and start reviewing emails you’ll likely start to feel your to-do list build, increasing stress.

If you then click open your Instagram app and begin scrolling you’ll likely spend a) way too much time still in bed and b) fall into that awful comparison trap with pangs of jealousy creeping in because he/she has a better body/is more productive/is always on vacation/has a better wardrobe, etc.

Here’s what I do to feel good each day

These are the simple, easily adoptable practices I’ve implemented to make sure I start each new morning feeling GOOD:

No more hitting snooze - ask Michael I was BRUTAL when it came to the daily alarm, aka 5 alarms spaced 5-10 minutes apart. WHY do we do that to ourselves? Set your alarm for the time you must get up and commit to banishing the snooze button.

Slowly open your eyes and take in the quiet - My alarm goes off at 4:30am, which is currently about an hour before my husband has to get up {he’s up by 4:00am in the summer, golf pro life} so it truly is dark and serene when I wake. I have made it a daily practice to only touch my phone to turn off my alarm, then it goes right back on the bedside table or tucked below my pillow until I’ve taken a few moments to stretch, breathe, give my puppy a kiss and just feel my heart beat.

Shannon Kaiser’s Find Your Happy

Trade in scrolling for gratitude - As I mentioned I was v guilty for checking emails and Insta as soon as I woke up, oftentimes this led to me staying in bed for another 15-30 minutes which not only delayed me in getting on with the rest of my morning routine but also would illicit stress because now I was running late. Rather, as I get out from under the covers and place my feet on the floor I start running through a different mental list…a few of the top of mind things that I am truly grateful for. Don’t put pressure on yourself to have some monumental script in your head, just let the gratitude flow freely. Typically for me it’s a lot of the same thoughts like the opportunity to have another day; the ability to go to the gym and train because it’s something I love; my family; my incredible husband and best friend; a job that allows me to comfortably live. Sometimes it’s super specific funny little things too like the cup of coffee I’m about to brew or the glow of the moon in our backyard.

Lay it all out ahead of time - to make my morning run that much smoother I have my pre-workout meal portioned out, my supplements and vitamins waiting on the counter and my coffee mug waiting at the Keurig. All I have to do is heat and brew. I also make sure to have a full water bottle each night so I can start hydrating as soon as I’m up.

AM workout fan? Lay those clothes out too - Same as above, I have everything from my leggings and sports bra to socks and sneakers laid out in my home office {aka getting ready room lololol} I could literally get dressed in the dark if need be. No thought, just routine.

#Bible App, available for iOS

Give my brain a spiritual boost - Now I’ll admit, this isn’t always daily but certainly a few times a week, before I head out into the kitchen I grab either my bible or my absolute favorite, most beloved book of daily mantras and affirmations, Shannon Kaiser’s Find Your Happy. Having some inspirational words to set the mood for my day has been very therapeutic for me. I also have the #Bible app downloaded via the Apple App Store set to deliver me a daily bible verse each morning at 6:45am, which is strategically about half way through my workout!

Now I know what you’re thinking…

Wow Kell, must be nice to wake up feeling so damn positive and refreshed, this won’t work for ME!

Believe me, I get that. I feel that, HARD. Really putting all of these strategies into practice took some time and I didn’t feel the effects overnight. This is a whole new way of living and BEING for me too. It takes conscious effort and a little fake-it-till-you-make it {especially in the gratitude department} before it all starts to click and flow naturally without effort.

But trust me, feeling good and thinking good must come first. It must be a priority for you because whether you realize it or not it dramatically impacts the rest of your day.

What do you do to feel good each morning? I’d love to hear more about YOUR morning rituals!

Leave a comment and let me know how you start your day - whether it’s your favorite tea, journaling, reading, meditation or just snuggling the crap out of your fur babies, I want to hear it!

If you don’t have a morning routine in place yet, or you think your current wake up call can use some work, then today I encourage you to choose one of my strategies above and stick to it for at least 14 days. It takes 30 days to form a habit, but I won’t be greedy here ;-)

Be sure to tag me on IG, @thekellycollopy, and let me know how it goes because babes support babes, and I’m here for you!

-Xo Kelly