Start Each Day with a Grateful Heart

This is one of my favorite sayings, but as a ‘not-so-morning-person,’ I can tell you that it’s much easier said than done. And that waking up cranky rarely leads to gratefulness.

To make sure I start the day off right, I began implementing a few morning habits that have significantly improved my attitude and how I feel throughout the day:

1. Getting sunlight right when I wake up to get my body on a healthy sleep/wake cycle.

2. Drinking water to replenish the hydration I lost during the night (and for a treat, adding lemon or fruit to my water bottle the night before).

3. Thinking about 3 things I’m grateful for to develop a healthy mindset and more positive attitude.

As soon as I wake up, I grab my water bottle and head to the balcony. If I have extra time or if the weather is inviting, I’ll take some deep breaths, pray and/or do some light stretching. But I always try to spend a minute or two outside on the 3 things above. The best part is that all of them can be done within a couple minutes! And they provide a moment of enjoyment before moving to the less fun, ‘getting ready’ part of the morning.

Identifying 3 things that I’m thankful for has made a world of difference not only in my attitude but how I feel throughout the day too. And now, even if I wake up a little cranky, I can adjust by starting the day with a grateful heart.