I'll be kicking off a new series, called "Mindful Mornings with...". We'll follow the morning schedules of leaders to learn what and how they fit mindfulness into their chaotic schedules.
Enjoy!
5:30am My mornings start at 5:30am. Yep, by choice! After I left the routine of my corporate job, I tried sleeping in because everyone told me how good it would be for me. Instead, it left me sluggish the rest of the day because I wasn’t honoring my natural biorhythms.
I heat up my hot water, turn on my fireplace, and head to my closet where I put on the workout clothes that I set out the night before. Once dressed, I head to the kitchen to pour the hot water into my favorite ceramic mug and I sit in front of the fireplace. I spend 10 minutes with my mindfulness practice and end by thinking of all the things I am grateful for… now off the gym.
6:00am. After living in NYC for so long, it always feels weird to drive but when its this dark its not safe to walk or run. I drive about 1 mile through the vineyards of Sonoma County to the gym where I teach a Pilates classes. I’ve been teaching since 2006, and I love starting my day with something I find truly enjoyable.
7:15am. After class, I run. I used to blast music during my runs, but I have since found that focusing on my feet hitting the ground, the birds, the colors changing around me as the sun becomes brighter is much more fun than my Spotify discovery list. Music alters your mood; being mindful allows me to pick my mood rather than my music altering it for me.
8:00am. Once I get home, it’s shower time. As a newbie entrepreneur and CEO, if I don’t get a shower now… there is a good chance it will not happen. I've gone 100% organic with all products and have removed plastics from my home. While I usually eat organic, I feel good about the choices I've made in the other parts of my home.
8:30am. Next, mealtime and journaling. Sometimes I’m hungry by 8am… and sometimes, I’m not. Being more mindful has allowed me to pick up on hunger levels and tap into what I’m craving. Overall, this has significantly helped me heal my autoimmune issues, unlike any health protocols I’ve tried in the past. For years, I ate hard boiled eggs and matcha with almond milk. Turns out I have an egg and almond intolerance which I picked up immediately after eating more mindfully. I’ve also noticed that I can’t drink caffeine. When I do, I end up eating sugar ALL afternoon. It’s really important to notice how what you eat impacts you, instead of listening to the latest fad diet.
9:00am. After a quick concentration or gratitude practice, I map out my daily deltas. I do not take morning calls. Instead, morning is the best time for me to focus on writing, creating workshops, and developing programs. For me, I need to focus on my #DailyDeltas right away or they will never get done.
The rest of the day cycles through purposeful and focused activities with mindful breaks in between so I can truly enjoy my work and life rather than mindlessly switching between the two.
I used to think if I didn’t have a stressful corporate job, life would be easy. But trust me, you have much more to stress about when you own your own company without a reliable paycheck!!!
Truly, “10% of life is what happens to you and 90% is how you react.”
I am just like everyone else, and each day I make choices that lead to a more mindful life, instead of reacting to it.