Practice embracing the A.M. with these 3 tools
1. Welcome the weather (snow, rain or shine!). “Keeping a routine morning mindfulness practice can help awaken the brain and bring stability and focus to your morning,” says sleep psychologist Shelby Freedman Harris. How? Well, simply opening a window does wonders for a sleepy brain. Try greeting the day with these five gentle steps.
2. Create your own morning ritual. Taking a few minutes in the morning to intentionally set the tone for our day with a soothing activity has numerous health benefits, writes Pilar Gerasimo: For example, she says,“It builds your “savoring” muscles—helping you develop the neurocircuitry for experiencing and registering positive, pleasurable experiences and harvesting the downstream dopamine rewards.” Explore her highly customizable guide to making your own Three-Minute Morning Ritual.
3. Set an intention for how you will move through your day. Both mindfulness and neuroscience support the practice of consciously choosing an intention. “Doing so can change your day, making it more likely that your words, actions and responses—especially during moments of difficulty—will be more mindful and compassionate,” writes Parneet Pal. Try this 5-step practice for starting your day with a purpose that fuels your flame.