For my frequent readers, you may notice this is a revised post. For the remaining of 2023, I’ve selected and revised some of your favorite blog posts while I work to complete my first book! Many of you have been excited and reached out about my book, Psalm 119: Stringing Pearls. More updates coming soon!

What’s your morning routine like?

No matter the specifics, we all have our morning rituals. It could be that first cup of coffee, a stimulating shower, or just rolling out of bed to hit the floor running. These are just some steps many of us take each morning before stepping out into the world.

We often resort to mundane morning routines out of habit and lack of intentionality. Not because we’re ignorant or lack knowledge, but because we might be uninspired, discouraged, or lacking purpose. I want to remind us (both, you and me) that we don’t lack purpose, we just need to adjust our focus and intentionality, clarify our goals, and commit to the process.

Let’s dive into why intentional morning routines matter, then how to create intentional morning routines. Morning routines are not just about setting up a successful day, they also lay the groundwork for our future. Even if we don’t realize it now, our daily actions shape various aspects of our personal growth and maturity in the long run.

Intentionality Breeds Purpose

Intentional morning routines matter because they set us up for success in the long-run. Intentionality breeds purpose. When we implement intentionality in our mornings and treat every day with careful intention, we cultivate a lifestyle of purpose. Even when the mornings really do seem mundane, the practice of sticking to the routine leads to further creativity, energy, and intentional preparation.

When we implement an intentional morning routine, it gets our creative juices flowing. By starting off our day with something mentally stimulating, we “work out” our inspiration. Not just for the day, but for our lives. The opportunities that lay before us are endless, and doing something creative from the start helps to carry that inspiration with determination and diligence into the rest of your day. My creative go to right now is journaling.

Next, energy has a lot to do with our attitudes. When you get up on the “wrong foot” like many of us experience from time to time, it’s hard to maintain motivation. Until we realize and admit to being grumpy, we can’t expect to have a good morning, let alone a great day! Poor attitudes are draining. You’ll spend twice the amount of energy on something when you’re in a bad mood. So, it’s essential to become energized shortly after we wake up. To adjust our attitude means to adjust our energy levels. It’s important to kick that off in the morning because, well, who doesn’t want to be happy AND successful throughout the day? Something I do is I take a few moments to stretch, make my bed, and hit the gym for at least 30 minutes.

Finally, in every way possible, the way we lead our morning routines prepare us for the day and also the future. From getting ready to look nice for the day, to preparing to be nice during the day, our moments in the morning are vital to prepare us for whatever comes our way. Spending a few minutes in prayer or meditation is a way to prepare spiritually. Journaling or reading helps prepare us mentally. And exercise and breakfast prepare us physically.

Intentionality breeds purpose. Purpose breeds a satisfying and fulfilling life.

How to create an intentional morning routine

There are three keys to creating an intentional morning routine. The reason I keep calling it an intentional morning routine is because mornings are where most of our habits form. The way we leave our pillows and beds shows up in our actions and habits later on. That seems like a stretch, you might say. But I’m convinced that most people stay grumpy because of what happens morning after morning. Let’s look at these steps.

The first step to creating an intentional morning routine is to adjust your focus and intentionality. Begin by setting a clear intention for how you want your mornings to feel and look like. What do you hope to achieve? This might look like imagining a calm and productive start to your day, or envisioning specific activities that contribute to your overall health and wellbeing. By honing in on your intentions and adjusting your focus, you pave the way for a purposeful morning routine that aligns with your goals, values, and the life you want to lead. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects, adjust your perspective to focus on the results and rewards that come from productive mornings.

The second step to create an intentional morning routine is to clarify your goals. Again, consider the specific outcomes you hope to achieve through this routine. Do you want more time? Increased creativity? More energy? Less anxiety? These goals could involve your physical health, mental clarity, personal development, or a combination of these and other areas of life. Take the time to write down your aspirations, making them as clear as possible and actionable. This step provides a roadmap that guides your morning activities towards meaningful progress and ultimate intentionality. It ensures each action contributes to the lifestyle you’ve imagined and desired. By clearly defining your goals, you empower yourself to craft, not just a morning routine, but a lifestyle that propels you towards more purposeful and fulfilling days.

The third and final step to creating an intentional morning routine is to commit to the process. My husband and I like to say “put your head down and work.” That might sound harsh to some, but it helps us get in the right mindset. Instead of over-planning, overdoing, and obsessing about not reaching your goals, committing to the process looks like dropping all analyzation, putting your head down, and doing the work. Our culture is obsessed with talking about how to set goals and implement habits (don’t get me wrong, I love it all), but there comes a point where we just need to stop talking and start doing. I think about an analogy about a stonemason hitting a rock to break it. It takes a hundred hits to break through the material, but if it wasn’t for the ninety-nine prior, the hundredth hit would still only be number one. Commit to the process, hold yourself accountable to the goals you’ve set, and acknowledge the progress, no matter how small. Create a sense of ritual around your morning routine, emphasizing its importance in your daily life. Remember, it’s this steadfast commitment that will ultimately transform your mornings from a mundaneness into a purposeful and empowering routine that sets a positive tone for your life.

My Routine

I try to revamp my morning routines regularly. For the last several years, my routine has changed based on the season of life I’ve been in. There have been a lot of changes which required various adjustments. As of this writing, I will say that most days there was a battle between prioritizing physical exercise or spiritual development. My ideal routine contains both, but in some seasons, that just isn’t possible. Right now, here is my routine:

• Wake up & stretch: Stretching in the mornings helps loosen any tense muscles, wakes me up, and kick-starts motivation for my day.
• Wash up & hydrate: After a few sips of water (still forming this habit), washing up and moisturizing my face help me stay awake! I also change into workout clothes to be ready for the gym.
• Gym/Rest Day: I spend at least 30 minutes at the gym 3-4 times a week or try to do longer stretching on rest days. (I also want to take walks in the morning on rest days to maintain consistent wake up times).
• Coffee & Journal: I’ve stopped drinking coffee so, decaf or hot lemon water, please! I make some breakfast and spend time with God for a few minutes. Sometimes it’s 20 minutes, sometimes it’s 5. During this time, I eat breakfast, journal, and meditate.
• Eat the Frog: I aim to tackle the biggest project of my day!

Your Routine

In conclusion, intentional morning routines serve as the cornerstone of a purpose-driven and fulfilling life. By infusing purpose into our mornings, we pave the way for a day permeated with creativity, energy, and intentional preparation for goals, dreams, and current reality. Engaging in creative pursuits, like journaling, ignites our inspiration and carries it through the day’s endeavors. Energizing ourselves sets the tone for a positive attitude, ensuring that we approach challenges with alertness and enthusiasm. In return, this contributes to a happier and more successful lifestyle overall.

Moreover, our morning rituals prepare us holistically for whatever lies ahead, involving spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical aspects. Through these intentional actions, we not only embrace the day at hand but also lay the foundation for a future overflowing with purpose and fulfillment.

As time goes on, I’m sure your routine will change and improve. Mine changes from season to season, yet these three steps keep me motivated and help me re-create intentional morning routines no matter what season I’m in!

Do you have a morning routine, and if so, what does it look like?