The moment you wake up you have a choice. You can either jump out of bed and make the best out of your day, or you hit the alarm clock, pull the covers over your head and dread the day ahead.
We all know that the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, but it can be difficult to start your day on a positive note and be happy and excited about what lies ahead, especially if you are not a morning person.
However, whether you had a fight with a friend last night, a stressful day at work ahead or simply have an off day, there are certain things you can do in the morning to improve your mood and get that extra spark you need to meet the challenges of the day ahead.
Here are our TOP 10 tips to get more energy, boost your mood and lower your stress levels to make sure you have a positive day.
#1 Wake Up Early
As hard as it may seem to drag yourself out of bed, making it a habit to wake up early and get a jumpstart on your day ahead can make all the difference in your day. Tune out that inner voice that tells you to sleep just a few more minutes and get up right away because those few minutes could cause you to miss out on amazing opportunities like a major business deal, promotion or job offer. Also, getting up early allows you to have the time to indulge in your morning routine without rushing and with that you set yourself up with the right mindset and energy to tackle anything the day throws at you.
#2 Remember Your Dreams
No matter whether you want to analyze your dreams later on in the day or simply use them to entertain yourself like a funny video that plays in your head, remembering your dreams is a fantastic way to feel more positive about the day ahead. Make sure you get enough sleep and keep a dream journal next to your bed, so you can write down your dream as soon as you wake up. If you make remembering your dreams a daily routine, it will become a lot easier over time and you will get great insights into how they relate to your life.
#3 Consider What Makes You Happy
It’s really quite simple. Happy thoughts create happy emotions, so simply giving yourself a few minutes to think about the things that you love to do, the people you enjoy spending time with, an opportunity at work or an impending travel plan, has the power to make you happy. You don’t actually have to do anything, just the act of visualizing yourself doing something that makes you happy will create feelings of happiness in return. Should you get caught up in a cycle of negative thinking, spend a few minutes on being grateful about 3 things or people in your life and you can immediately shift your mindset and brighten your day.
#4 Stay Off Social Media
If you are one of those people who jump out of bed and immediately check their emails, news and social media, stop that right now! Each morning that you stay away from watching the news, scrolling through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and reading texts and emails is a lot more joyful, relaxed and peaceful. If we aren’t bombarded by the constant inflow of information and messages, we give our mind the opportunity to just be. So enjoy the silence or listen to an inspiring podcast, watch a motivation movie or read an empowering book and you will see a huge difference in your day.
#5 Meditate & Exercise
Take some time for yourself and give yourself a chance to step away from the negative thoughts and feelings you may have woken up with and think about what you want your day to be. Think about what you want to do and achieve to make this the best day of your life and set an intention for yourself. Then sit or lie down and meditate on your intention. This will help you to develop the strength to get through anything and achieve what you set out to accomplish. And after exercising your mind, make sure to give your body a chance to wake up and rejuvenate. Whether you stretch out at home, go for a run, take a yoga class or visit the gym, working out will do your body and mind a world of good and you have a much better chance of having a positive day.
#6 Take a Cold Shower
It may not sound too tempting to you, but taking a cold shower comes with a number of benefits that you don’t want to miss out on. If you are still a little drowsy and can’t seem to wake up, cold water will snap you right out of it. And did you know that cold showers can give you a positive boost to your mood and spark creative thinking? And let’s not forget, cold showers help in vasodilation, which improves blood circulation and is great for maintaining healthy skin and hair, making you look radiant when you tackle your day.
#7 Have a Healthy Breakfast
Think about the word breakfast. It means we are breaking the fast of not eating for several hours, while we were sleeping. So opting for a healthy breakfast is the way to go and besides giving you all the energy you need to take on the day, it will also help you boost your mood and maintain your weight. Remember, healthy eating doesn’t include a box of cereal and a glass of processed fruit juice or pancakes dripping in sugary syrup. Those choices will do you more harm than good. Instead have a green smoothie, oats with fresh fruit, an omelet with wholegrain toast or a Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and nuts. It’s also a great choice to add chia seeds, pumpkin seeds or flax seeds to your breakfast.
#8 Appreciate Yourself
The constant stressors of the day, juggling several projects at the same time and dealing with difficult people can easily make us feel anxious, stressed out and incompetent. But finding faults in yourself isn’t going to turn the day around. To avoid having these self-sabotaging thoughts ruin your mood, take a few minutes in the morning, look into the mirror and appreciate yourself. Think about five qualities that you are proud of. Fall in love with yourself. Remember all the good things about yourself. This way you start the day on a high note and spend the day with confidence. And while you spend those moments on self-love and self-appreciation, make sure you smile at yourself, which will help you to keep smiling all throughout the day.
#9 Pump Up the Music
Multiple studies revealed that listening to music can boost your mood, reduce stress and even help lower blood pressure. Music is extremely powerful and has the ability to change your attitude, so create a playlist that will put a smile on your face whether you are working or working out. And if you want an even greater boost to your mood, dance to it like nobody’s watching and make your day a lot more enjoyable.
#10 Smell a Lemon
A quick and easy way to de-stress and lift your mood is to turn on your sense of smell. A study from Japan found that the substance linalool, which is found in lemons, has the ability to dial down the classic ‘fight-or-flight’ response to stress and calm you down in an instant. If you don’t like the smell of lemon, try lavender, basil or juniper instead, as research shows that all these scents have the ability to lower stress.
Bonus Tip: Give Someone a Hug
Giving someone a hug has the power to lower your stress levels and positively affect your mood. When you hug someone, you stimulate the pressure receptors in your skin, which in turn lowers cortisol levels, which is our stress hormone, while at the same time increasing the production of oxytocin, which is the bonding hormone that makes us feel connected to another person. If you live on your own, give yourself a self-massage and simply rub your hands, neck and forehead and you can lower your heart rate and reduce the levels of cortisol in your system.
Whenever you have a day where you wake up and just want to hide under the covers and don’t come out, apply the above tips to get you into the right mindset and enjoy every single day as it comes. Remember, you have a choice and whatever you do in the morning will dictate how your day will turn out. So enjoy your morning, smile and walk out the door with confidence.
BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY IN JUST A FEW MINUTES
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked