good mornings
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or many of us, mornings aren’t
a time for mindfulness. Quite
the opposite in fact – by the time
you’ve been jolted awake by your
alarm, dressed, showered, got
the family out of bed or bolted down some
breakfast, any small stresses you’ve
experienced will already be accumulating.
Starting the day in a rush can mean that
we end up feeling tired and grumpy before
we even reach work. If you snapped at your
kids/partner/flatmate... you might be feeling
guilty and low. If they snapped at you (after
everything you’ve already done for them this
morning!) you’ll be feeling tetchy. If you
decided to skip breakfast, you’ll feel lethargic
and if you try to boost your energy levels
with sugary cereals, pastries and caffeine
then you’re in for a blood sugar crash
mid-morning.
None of us want our mornings to be this
way, but the myriad tasks we have to
complete before we are ready to leave
the house can make every morning feel
somewhere between a military operation
and a battle zone, and convince us that there
isn’t time to do things any other way.
And yet... wouldn’t it be lovely to enjoy
some quiet time before plunging into your
day? To leave the house calmly and in plenty
of time. To say goodbye to loved ones having
not argued or raised your voice. To find timeFrom the moment we wake, the way
our morning unfolds impacts the
day that ensues. A few simple
morning rituals can help you to
start the day as you’ d like to go onWords: Sarah Ormefor a nourishing breakfast. All of these things
are possible. Okay, perhaps not perfectly so
every day, but achieving some of these things
most days is good enough for us.
Surprisingly, and reassuringly, the changes
required to make this happen are small,
simple and achievable – no matter how
busy your morning is at the moment.
Psychologist and yoga teacher Suzy
Reading and nutritionist Christine Bailey
have put together a set of simple morning
rituals and energy-rich, nutritious breakfast
ideas to help you create a calmer morning
routine for happier, calmer days.
“How we greet the day has a tangible
impact on our clarity of mind, outlook and
energy levels,” says Suzy. “A morning routine
that uses all your senses and anchors you in
purpose will help you head out with a real
pep in your step.”
Suzy recommends trying this new routine
for a minimum of 14 days, and if you can
manage a month, even better. Research has
found that it can take up to 60 days for a new
routine to become a habit so the longer you
commit, the more positive the outcome is
likely to be.
Before you start, pull-out your free
Morning Rituals wall planner (on page 34).