Mornings - you either love 'em or you hate 'em.

Regardless, you probably know a good morning routine can still kick-start the rest of the day.  A consistent morning routine can help you take on every day; it can improve your productivity and even you outlook!

We were made to build habits and implement routine into our daily lives.  We do it everyday without even realizing it.  It's which habits and routines we choose to build that impact how our day is going to go, though.

Will you snooze your alarm for two hours, rush to get ready, and storm into your office, class, or other building without breakfast (that is actually me...sorry...)?

Will you get up at 5:00am for a yoga routine, run a mile, drink a whole bottle of water, and take a cold shower, then journal your plans for the day while you whip up a full-course breakfast?

More than likely, you want something in between those extremes.  Let's talk about how your can get to the morning routine you want.

actually start your day

This is most important aspect to any morning routine - actually starting it.  Don't be one of the many that struggle to get our of bed each morning.  Less than stellar habits that you may have picked up could include getting on your phone as soon as you open your eyes and endlessly scrolling through social media for the first hour you're awake before you finally start your day.

Make a conscious effort to get up from bed as soon as you're able to when you wake up. Stretch if you have to; be overly dramatic with it if you have to - what it takes to get your our of that cozy bed and in to starting your day off right.  No need to worry though; your bed will still be there when you get back in the evening.

Exercise, drinking water, and cold showers are all excellent ways to wake up for the day.  Exercise is known to stimulate energy and wake people up.  Cold showers improve circulation, and some cold water can certainly be wheat's needed to feel more awake.  Drinking water can help circulation too, among being important to stay hydrated and refreshed first thing in the morning.

brainstorm your ideal routine

Here's the part that you have to do yourself more so than go off a guide - While you could follow some exact routine you find online, it won't be genuinely crafted for you, so you're far less likely to stay consistent with it.

Ask yourself: What healthy habits do you want to build in your morning routine?

This part takes the most introspection out of any step on this list.  It'll take some inner-reflection, but that's what helps you find a routine that truly suits you the best.  For example, you may not have the ability to plan a routine for a set schedule every morning.

You can take it one small step at a time.  Jot down somewhere what you want to achieve each morning.  What are the most important things to you/  Once you look over the most important things on your list, laid out in front of you, it comes easier to visualize how you could fit all these things into one, consistent routine.  More than that, the list should look more like something you can see yourself genuinely putting into action.

Remember, this routine is crafted for you - what's unconventional to someone else may be exactly what you need.  Even if you don't have the ability for a set schedule each morning, you can still stay consistent by building daily habits.  Whatever suits your lifestyle the best is going to be the easiest thing to stick to. 

why build a morning routine?

A morning routine you can carry out each and every morning (or day) is more than just a handful of daily habits - it's a ritual.  It's something you can accomplish at the start of your day to set the tone for the rest of it.

There's some psychology to a morning routine; no matter how busy your day may get, you set aside just enough time to carry out this collection of healthier habits  No matter how bad yesterday was or how much you have to do today, you have a constant that you can stick with that's completely, 100% always about YOU.  Because even in the chaos of everyday life, that morning ritual can help you feel sane.

Plus, all the most successful people in the world always stress the importance of their daily routines - and that routine starts as soon as they wake up.  Humans thrive on consistency, so let your morning rituals help you take on every aspect of life.

building your morning ritual

You don't have to brainstorm what you want to accomplish every day alone.  There are some options to consider; and you don't have to do all of them.  In fact, it's easier to start with no more than 5 of these and work your way up.  You can customize each however you see fit.  just use the following list as a starting point to get your morning routine started the right way.

• Set an alarm for 5:00am every day - wake up when it goes off.  The snooze button is NOT an option!
• Be mindful of the very first thought that pops into your head; notice it, pay attention to it, and write it down or say it out loud so you don't forget - then, decide what you want your next thought to be.
• Drink water as soon as you get out of bed (or coffee, or tea, or whatever suits you).
• Do a short exercise session, just to get the blood pumping.
• Cook or prepare a fat or protein-rich breakfast.
• Enjoy a serving of CBD after breakfast.
• Go for a walk or run (yes, every morning).
• Take a brisk, cold shower (seriously, thank us after).
• Jot out the plans for the rest of your day in 60 minutes or less increments.
• Start a journal, does matter what kind - idea journal, gratitude journal, dream journal, you name it.
• Do some mindful or productive meditation.
• Read - a book, a blog post, an article, it doesn't matter; just put aside time every morning to read something of worth to you.
• Feed into your passion by learning something relevant to you.
• Review what you did yesterday; where you went, how much you spent, what you did.
• Listen to music.

Now that's a lot of ideas!  Make sure you don't overwhelm yourself by trying out too many at one time.  Pick out your favorites, tailor them however they'd suit to your lifestyle, and start building healthy habits that stay with you.  A morning routine can impact your life positively in more ways than you ever realize until you get started on one yourself.

breaking down your morning routine

There are certain aspects to a morning routine that you'll want to decide on.  Do you want to eat breakfast each morning?  Do you want to tackle the rest of your morning routine before breakfast or after?  Answering these questions can help you shape the rest of your morning ritual the right way.

Some people prefer intermittent fasting as part of their morning, so they skip breakfast.  This can make sense for certain routines, allowing one to take on other parts of their morning routine easier.  If you do plan for breakfast, make sure you set aside enough time in the morning to accomplish everything you want to achieve.  If that means waking up earlier than you currently do, then that may be your best choice.

One benefit to waking up earlier in the morning is that you do eventually condition your body to naturally wake up earlier.  If you're used to sleeping the morning away, you can change it if you want to badly enough.  It takes hard work and willpower, but stick to a routine that makes you get up at 5 or 6am every morning will eventually have you naturally waking up around the time your alarm is set to go off.

take action: start your morning routine!

We hope this guide is beneficial in helping you come up with a morning routine you can genuinely stick to.  Consistency is key, and no matter which habits you hope to ingrain in yourself, it gets easier and easier to accomplish those habits each morning.

Start your morning routine and work out the kinks later.  You can always change your morning ritual at any time as other habits suit you better or the ones you do stop being beneficial.  What's important is starting so that you can set the tone for the rest of the day.

Good luck!