Hi Friend,
Does the idea of a morning mindfulness practice energize you or make you roll your eyes because it feels impossible? No shame either way….I’m in both camps! I *love* the idea of doing something like Hal Elrod’s Miracle Morning routine, but I’m just not there yet.
Before having kids, I couldn’t imagine getting out of bed earlier because I’ve always been more of a night owl, sleeping in as much as I could (usually getting to work on the late end of the “on-time” window).
Now, as a mom with young children and a husband who leaves for work before sunrise, a morning mindfulness practice (really, any time to myself at that time of day) feels impossible. Aside from often being sleep deprived, I swear my kids can sense when I try to wake up early for any kind of personal time…and they seem to wake up extra early on those days, no matter how quiet I am.
However, I truly believe in the value of mindful quiet time, intention-setting and gratitude practices that are part of those elusive morning routines that never feel practical for me. So I figured out something that works with my schedule and I have a feeling it might work for you too. Here’s what I do:
After my kids are asleep in the evening, I take a few minutes to answer the following prompts in a journal:
What went well today
What I wish I’d done differently
What happened that day that I’m grateful for
Outline of my schedule for tomorrow, which includes my to-do list slotted in the appropriate time buckets – this makes it a plan and more helpful than a list of to-dos you may or may not have time for!
Optional: How I supported my “Circle of Life” area of focus for that week / month. (The Circle of Life is a tool I use personally and with my clients. It includes various categories for a rich and balanced life – the things that nourish us the most - i.e. home environment, physical exercise, relationships, joy, etc..)
Note: sometimes this is just single word bullet points; sometimes I write a lot more. Either way, this practice calms my mind and minimizes mental chatter at bedtime. It helps me remember large and small moments of goodness and accomplishments in my day. And it keeps my personal growth top of mind in a way that feels easy and gentle.
Most importantly, this practice sets me up for a great day ahead. Noticeably better than the days where I’ve skipped the night before. That’s why it feels like a replacement for a morning mindfulness routine. I would argue that a great day really does start the night before because of how important sleep is for our energy and mindset.
Sound doable? I encourage you to give it a try and share with someone who could use a fresh idea! Let me know what you think.
Wishing you a wonderful week. Stay well! XO
Jessica
