The morning is our favorite time of the day. We’ve always been early risers, beating the sun up most of the time. Sleeping in was never something we enjoyed. For years, I would pour a cup of coffee and then pore through hundreds of news feeds to see what was happening in the Great Wide World. The problem was that much of the news was negative, and it often rubbed off on my attitude, which I carried into the rest of the day.
Recently, we have been working to craft a more intentional morning routine. “Carpe Mane” (Seize the Morning) revolves around the idea that starting our day with positive actions sets a productive and optimistic tone for everything that follows. It emphasizes using the early hours to build momentum, foster a positive mindset, and align our actions with long-term goals, rather than reacting to negative news or the demands of the day.
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
– Marcus Aurelius
Our morning routine includes meditation, prayer, journaling, reading, and exercise, lots of exercise. My favorite thing to do in the morning is to go for a nice, long bike ride, but if I did that every morning, I wouldn’t get anything else done, so I settle for one or two long rides per week and mix a few short ones with some time in the gym. Vickie’s not as fanatical about biking as I am; she prefers running, so our cardio choices allow each of us to have some morning solitude out in nature.
We both enjoy walking and getting a few miles in together at some point every morning, usually behind the dogs. Being out in the sunshine every morning has become a ritual that we rarely miss. The morning sun plays a key role in setting our Circadian Rhythm, which we have discovered is vital for health and happiness. Eating the evening meal before dark and turning off blue light-producing devices an hour or so before bedtime is important, but not nearly as important as getting up early and getting out in the sunshine.
“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.” ― Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hydrating is big, too. We almost always drink a 16-ounce glass of water with some electrolytes first thing in the morning before doing anything else (like drinking coffee). We love coffee; it’s a fun part of our morning celebration and a cherished ritual. But hydration comes first. We do breakfast together on Saturday, but the rest of the week we have different ideas about breaking fast. Vickie likes to eat early in the day, and I don’t get hungry until 9:00 or 10:00.
During garden season, I like to have a pre-breakfast of fresh juice. Beet-Apple-Ginger is my current go-to, and I have enough beets in the garden for another month or two. Fresh-made vegetable-fruit juice provides exceptional hydration along with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. There is no digestion required. The body is able to spin up to maximum output rapidly without wasting energy. Then it’s off to the gym, to loop the dogs a few miles, or a fun-filled morning out on the dirt roads.
“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” – Henry David Thoreau
Morning sets the stage for the rest of the day, and a strong start makes all the difference. The first thing we do every morning is to thank God for being blessed with another exciting opportunity in the Great Wide World. Here’s our list of a dozen ideas and actions to help you “Seize the Morning.”
“Carpe Mane” – A Dozen Things
- Create a Morning Routine
- Wake Up Early
- Thank God
- Hydrate
- Leave Your Phone on the Shelf
- Go Outside (in the Sunshine)
- Move (Exercise)
- Nutritious Breakfast (Protein)
- No News (Be Positive)
- Attitude of Gratitude
- Morning Mindfulness
- Set Goals
