Hello! In an effort to stay in better touch over here on the site, I thought I’d do a little check in and share a handful of things that really get my day going in the right direction. These are probably redundant, but I always find morning routines and tips super interesting. It’s the foundation of the day, so I really do strive to start it off on the right foot!

 My dress is by Thierry Colson. A major splurge, for sure, but I don’t regret it!

1. Waking up with plenty of time to spare. There is no such thing as waking up before my children in my house. I know that’s a sacred mom hack and I wish I could say I do it, but I don’t. I build in extra quiet time for myself in the evenings to offset the fact that my children wake up when it’s still dark outside. We are all up at 6am thanks to Watson’s new school time of 7:15am! Seriously, who starts school that early? I digress. My point is… I try not to ever snooze my alarm, but instead pop right up and get the day going. Starting my day off in a hurry is a recipe for disaster for me. If I’m anxious first thing, it sets the tone for the entire day.

2. Coffee first. I’ve got to have it. Like, first thing. I’ve ground really fine coffee beans and pressed my coffee with a Le Creuset french press. I’ve used my Nespresso. But what I keep going back to is this specific type of coffee in a Keurig. (This is the one we have and it’s currently under $100.) Honestly, the convenience of it makes my day so much better and I have to say I prefer it to my Nespresso. But a note on the coffee: I honestly do not care for other types of coffee in a Keurig. It’s just so weak tasting. But this coffee we use is amazing and has that rich, dark taste! I also use the “strong” setting on the Keurig. However, I do hear that this coffee maker will change the game but I don’t know if I could ever spend so much on coffee! Let me know on Instagram if you’ve tried one before!

3. Listening to music or a podcast in the mornings. Whether I’m helping the kids in the morning or I’m getting myself ready in the bathroom, I usually always have some sort of music or a podcast on. I shared my Spotify playlists right here and my favorite podcasts here!

4. Spending some time outside. The simple task of feeling the air outside makes a big difference for me. Especially if my day is going to be spent behind a computer. Brownie points if I can enjoy the outside while having my coffee. Even more points if I can go for a walk barefoot to spend time grounding myself with the Earth. I know this sounds woo woo, but I truly believe that 10 minutes a day where your body can connect with the ground makes positive impacts in the body, as stated here. Benefits listed are support of anxiety/depression, chronic fatigue, chronic inflammation within the body, sleep disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

5. Exercise. This is a new one for me, but I’ve realized that I do my best exercise in the morning hours. The longer the day goes, the more my energy drains and the more excuses I can come up with to skip out. I love a good fasted walk—it makes me feel so good. I also love going to my heated power yoga classes and doing at home workouts with my new FORME Studio. Mentally, this makes a huge difference for me.