For as long as I can remember, I have had a morning ritual. Its the way I step into the sacred day before me, setting an intention for what the rest of the day will (hopefully) look like.
I do the same 5 things each morning for the same reasons I spend time planning/cooking healthy meals and exercising my body. My morning routine is another way to love myself and focus on what matters most.
So here are the 5 things I do ALMOST every morning!
First – Good morning kiss
I get up around 5am, kiss my sweetie on the forehead (usually more than one kiss because I simply love the smell and essence of him), and head downstairs to the kitchen.
Second – Green drink
I make myself a green drink using a scoop of Dr. Axe’s healthy powder, the juice of one lemon, a teaspoon of good quality honey, and 12 ounces of filtered water. Then I head upstairs to my art studio with my green drink in hand.
Third – Meditation, envisioning and gratitude
I position myself on my meditation pillow (located in my art studio), take a few deep breaths to quiet my chattering mind, and say out loud what I most want to manifest in my life as if its already here.
For the past 6 months, I’ve been envisioning the following….
I am in a creative, connected, inspiring, abundant livelihood that gives me tons of free time.
Then I spend about 5 minutes imagining the details of what this life could look like, without attaching to any of the details. This manifestation technique is a blog post all by itself, so stay tuned!
The last part of my meditation consists of me giving thanks for every part of my life, starting with my sweet husband, my family (I imagine each of them in my mind), my home, community and friends (imagining their faces), my amazing day gig and the abundance it provides, my calling with art, my radiant health (I see my body filled with sparkling white energy), and finally and most importantly, I give thanks for this life called Catherine Rains.
The third step takes only 15 minutes!
Fourth – 5 year journal
I sit down at my art table, drink my yummy green lemon drink, while writing in my 5-year journal (pictured here!).
Even if you have never written in a journal, or think it’s too time consuming or hard to write every day, the ease and fun of keeping a 5-year journal might surprise you. In just 6 short lines, I describe the highlights of what happened the day before, any significant “ah-has”, and what I might want to remember a year from now. This takes a whopping 3 minutes. Sometimes, I’ll take a minute to read what I was doing on this day a year or two ago, and ponder how far my life has come since then. Now in my third year of doing this, it has become my favorite way to track my growth and life journey.
Fifth – Art review
I review the 4-5 unfinished collages that are sitting at various places around my studio, and look for the one that that seems to be telling me to spend time with it today! I also do this while traveling for my day gig (my art and supplies are packed in my suitcase!), although this step usually happens after work on those days.
Honest truth – I don’t always do all 5
Doing these 5 steps takes about 30 minutes, and I often do them just as written above. And sometimes I don’t, especially when traveling for my day gig, or when my to-do list runneth over! Then I’m satisfied with just 2 or 3 of them. Not expecting perfection with my morning routine is also part of the ritual. It’s about being kind to myself, and choosing what fills my heart with joy and peace each morning. It’s not about pushing through another list of “shoulds” or to-do’s just because I made a commitment to a routine, or have a habit of doing things a certain way.
Listening to what my heart needs each morning is the most important part of my morning ritual, which on some days means ditching the standard ritual for a blissful nature walk or a connected conversation with my husband. The only morning routine requirement is that I connect with the deepest part of my self before I start the busyness of my day.
So what is YOUR morning ritual?
I would love to hear how you set your self up for good day. Or what you would love to add to your morning routine? Or anything in between! Please, inspire us all to connect even deeper to our hearts each morning!
In gratitude for leaving a comment below, and being part of my newsletter community, you will be entered into a raffle for a journal with a piece of my all time favorite collages on the cover. A simple hello will make you eligible! Drawing will be on Saturday April 23.
Best sharing yet! Love this great glimpse of your morning love ritual. I am not yet as healthy as you are, but hug my husband, give a treat to our two dogs, grab a Starbucks Carmel kcup with lots of delicious creamer and even whipped cream on top, read the paper and play a quick response on each of my waiting 2-3 games of words with friends. Will start doing some of yours. Best of all I love your beliefs listed on the side tab. I have been resisting, an know I need to curb that and focus elsewhere, Thank You!!!
Kitty, I am so honored that you are following along here. We may not have time to spend time in person, but its fun to share somehow/where! I think your morning routine is PERFECT – thanks for sharing it with me, and all else who stops by here. Glad that you resonate with my “beliefs”. One of many reasons we became friends! We are in need of a friend date soon!
Hugs, Cat
Catherine – My nighttime ritual is the one I have worked on. Saying good night to my husband and dog, thanking my Spirit Guide(s), Guardian Angel(s) and God for all the good I have in my life. I visualize good health coursing through my body. I express my gratitude for another day, and then I list as many individual “things” that I can think of that I am grateful for (above all – the people and animals in my life and their health and safety.) Then I list everything from the appreciation I have for every facet of my current life (from having gas in my car to reading glasses!) And then I say my prayers and hopes for things to be better, for anyone who is ill, for our country, for this earth, for the world . . . . But mostly I count my blessings!
Oh Hinda, I love this! As always, we have sooooo much in common. My morning ritual sounds like what you do at night! Thanks for sharing your special ritual with me, and this community. I am truly honored. Another reason why we were put together on this earth so many years ago. Much love to you.
Thanks Cathy!! I realized that I totally did NOT answer your question, but glad you appreciate what I wrote. I kind of wake up just looking forward to seeing how my day unfolds. I think that setting your intention is a great idea, but for me, it seems that my days are filled with so many unexpected experiences that I just wake up open to whatever the day will bring. And I am never disappointed!
I feel like since my early years were not ideal, maybe I paid my dues and now I get the gifts. I know it doesn’t really work that way, because so many people never get the payoff. Each day is precious because I know how fragile our lives are and how everything can change on a dime. But for right now, it’s really, really good. And I am really, really grateful.
BEST WISHES!!!
Oh Hinda, I LOVE how you spend your days. Actually, yours would be my ideal. It simply wake at whatever time my body deems perfect, and then float through my day, moment to moment. Since my to-do list runneth over with both a day and night gig, my version is to simply be as present as possible with each lovely to-do on my list. Thanks so much for sharing your sweet, perfect life with me! You indeed are reaping the benefits of a well-lived life my friend.
Five Things I Do Every Morning
1) Communicate with the Universe
2) Thankful for everything, no matter what
3) Remember that wherever I go, there I am
4) Email my daughter to remind her I love her
5) Close my eyes for a few minutes and Just Be
Namaste,
Kristina Raines
Thank you Kristina for sharing your scared morning routine on my newsletter. I’ve re-posted it here with your permission! Namaste my friend, Cat
Get up early so I don’t have to rush out the door. This gives me time to center myself. Read a passage from Jesus Today and write about it, my concerns, my hopes and most of all this blessed life God has given me. then everything speeds up and I get ready to meet the world at work.
when night falls, I stop taking calls by 9pm. Yes, my friends know this is my time to decompress. So I read for awhile once I snuggle into my bed and again feel thankful. I have learned by quieting down, I sleep better and dream better!
As you can tell, I am a morning person and so look forward to retirement when I can establish an inspiring routine like yours which will include meditating, walks with friends/group exercise, improving my photography skills (long way to go with this) and jumping head first into that To Do list so it de-clutters my house and ultimately my mind. 🙂
I LOVE your morning routine my dear friend! So similar to mine in many ways. Your night routine is something I’m shooting for, but definitely not there yet. Yours sounds so blissful, peaceful. No wonder you sleep so well. Your retirement sounds even better. Looking forward to spending more time together when we BOTH have more free time to deeply care for our body and souls. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and for following along on my journey to expand art in my life! Love you!