Welcome to the 30 Days of Summer – Go-To Guide for Moms!
Day Fifteen
What does your perfect morning look like? If you anything like me it totally includes COFFEE – along with a few other elements that I know I need to get my engine started and my best foot forward for the day. I love that I’ve been hanging out with a group of ladies from the Hello Morning Challenge. We started about 5 weeks ago, agreeing to get up basically “get our acts together” before our family in order to be prepared and ready to fulfill our duty as moms. One main part of that is time with our Creator.
I’ve always been a morning person, but through different seasons my pattern changes a bit to ‘what kind of morning person’ I am! I can be a 5 AM morning person and then 6 months later I am a 7 AM morning person – but no matter what that time is for you, there are certain things that help you get off to the right start. I am going to share my tips and my routine in hopes that it might help you create one that works for you, or keep going with the one you already have in place.
Up Before the Rest
This is key. On those mornings where circumstances keep me in bed longer than I would like – oh maybe, a dog having seizure in the middle of the night or a sick kiddo or trouble sleeping, I can end up hearing my 3 year old calling to me, asking if he can get up. I know the day is going to be a bit different for me and I have to allow for that. When I do not get my quiet time in the morning, it is like a little piece of my puzzle isn’t put into place. I am missing just a bit of His strength to do my job. I always feel like I am playing catch up, can you relate?
Your Favorite Beverage
Once my feet have hit the floor, I am walking outta the bedroom to my trusty Keurig so I can grab that much loved cup of coffee. I absolutely love pushing one button and getting a steaming cup of coffee, my favorite right now is Tully’s Hawaiian Blend! Especially yummy! What is your favorite beverage? Tea, OJ, water – make sure you take the time to enjoy it and make it something you look forward to!
Quiet Time
I love silence – and the morning can be the only time to find it in our house! With four kids at different ages running in and out all day, I have to grab this time. I do take this time to pray, study the bible and listen to worship music. Sometimes it may be 5 minutes, other times it is 45 minutes. The most important thing is that I am prioritizing to make sure I get some time.
Shower/Dressed
I admit, this often gets pushed back in the morning if I plan to exercise after breakfast. But if that is not on my schedule I try to get in the shower and get dressed ASAP. This changes my outlook and tone for the day – I am ready to meet the rest of my day. I find if I am running around in sweats or my pajamas, I can get lazy and feel not as motivated.
Personal Needs
I have my little routine with my essential oils in the morning now that I am not taking medication for depression. I take time to use Joy, Harmony and also Lavender t0 help support emotional health. Since I am in the caring for myself groove, I also take my supplements – putting good stuff in my body. It is important to get this done first thing in the morning, otherwise it could easily be missed and forgotten.
I also drink a glass of water with a few drops of Lemon essential oil in it to help cleanse my body. I love this simple and easy step!
Quality Breakfast
Don’t skip breakfast! We moms are the worst with this one – we make sure our kids eat well, but often find ourselves just having coffee. I find that if I make time in my morning to sit with my family and eat, it works better for everyone. The time is more relaxed and enjoyable. We connect first thing and can talk about our day. Not only do I eat better, but so do they!
What is your morning ‘must-have’?
