We have heard countless motivational gurus talk about having morning rituals. For a while, I followed Tony Robbins, Hour of Power. Then, it was the Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. When I was following The Miracle Morning, I even had a kitchen timer that I would use to perfectly complete each of the ten minute tasks. When I was doing it I felt great, however on the days that I missed it, I would feel off and frustrated.
These programs each have great advice in them. Of course if you read, write in a journal, do affirmations, exercise, pray/meditate, and visualize; it will have a positive result on your life. And many have found this as they have followed each of these programs with some level success. One of the reasons people enjoy these programs is because it creates a feeling of accomplishment so that no matter what happens in the day, you feel that your day is a success. However, you can do the same thing in a few minutes by simply making your bed each morning.
More importantly, remember you already are a success, even if you do nothing today. You’re okay! You don’t need to be jacked up, amped up or anything more. You just need to be you. I feel we often go to rituals that other people have created for us in order to tell ourselves, “I have done this persons morning rituals and so I am allowed to feel good for the day.” If you don’t believe me try something. Create a checklist of simple mundane things such as brush teeth, eat breakfast, and shower. After each thing is done check them off, and when even those three things are finished you will feel a sense of accomplishment and it won’t take an hour, it will take less than 10 minutes.
We are beings of growth and progress, we love to feel that we are doing something productive or at least keeping ourselves busy. If you don’t believe me, look around at how many people are on their phones playing games all the time, whether they are playing angry birds, clash of clans , or even candy crush. Why do they do it? Playing the games give us a sense of productivity and accomplishment. We want to feel that we are successful in life, even when we aren’t actually doing anything productive.
We do not need experts to tell us what to do, we already are the experts of our own lives. We need to discover for ourselves what makes us come alive. I believe and teach people that they are Naturally, Creative, Resourceful and whole. The best teachers are often the ones that say the least and allow the student to make the discoveries. Most often what I do as a coach is to invite my clients do see the beliefs they have created differently.
I feel we are missing something though. We are still looking for answers of what to do outside of ourselves. We are looking for experts to model and follow their behaviors because we believe it will make us become like them. But we don’t need to be like them, I don’t want my clients or any of those who follow my work to be like me. The world only needs one Joseph Anderson. And it needs you! There is only one thing that I want to see in my clients be similar to me. I want to see “ALIVENESS” in their voices and face. I want to see them truly come alive. I want to see them light up when they are creating their impact in the world.
I want to help you break whatever rules you have created for yourself that are holding you back.
You are good enough, you are okay just as you are. You don’t need anyone else’s morning rituals to be happy.
Instead, try starting your morning off with a morning joy ride. That quite simply means, go do something that you love in the morning that makes you come alive.
What makes you come alive? and What brings you joy?
Take a moment and really ponder these questions, and if neither question resonates with you then just ask yourself, “What activity makes you feel as happy as a little child?”
What if you started off your day doing that?
For myself one thing that brings me joy is playing basketball, so often times in the morning that’s where you will find me. I usually follow that up by lifting weights sometimes while listening to a great book and other times while just rocking out to music. Prayer, meditation and scripture study also often make up part of my morning. Lately, I’ve also been adding in time to just express gratitude for the things that I have and also for the amazing things that are yet to come.
This is what works for me. And some mornings I don’t do it, and don’t even feel bad about it, and that’s okay. This morning is a great example of it. I stayed up late last night enjoying some video games and chose to wake up later. The funny thing is I am having a much more productive and focused morning then I did yesterday when I did wake up early and go to the gym.
You don’t have to be perfect. For myself as long as I wake up before my appts, I’m okay. You don’t have to beat yourself up when you don’t complete your morning rituals. If they are important to you, just get back to them the next day. And if they are not important to you, then get rid of them. The more you do what you love to do, the more energy, excitement and productivity you will experience.
Now if you swear by your Hour of Power or your Miracle morning I’m not here to dissuade you. Especially if its something that brings you joy, that’s great. Keep on doing it, but also simply ask yourself, is this what I love to do?
But if your not in love with your morning rituals, What if in the first hour or so of each day you focused on what brought you joy? How much more likely do you think you would be to not hit the snooze button.
So what brings you joy that you could do in that first hour or so of the day? What did you love to do as a child?
Quite simply, do something you love in the morning that makes you come alive and be happy.
Remember You’re okay, start doing what’s possible in Your life and you will create miracles!
- Joseph