“Accept – then act. Whatever the present 
moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. This will miraculously transform your whole life.” – Eckhart Tolle
Every day, life is going to throw you curve balls. It’s highly unlikely that you will ever have a day in which every minute, or every event goes according to plan. This is why it’s so important to spend a small amount of your morning setting yourself up for the ability to rebound and manage the unexpected. Here are the five things I strive to do every morning to begin my day in a place of strength.
1: Set your mindset. What kind of attitude are you taking into the day? It’s your choice. Whatever is on your agenda, it’s going to happen regardless of your mindset. So set your mindset to “positive” and move into the day from a good place. It’s very hard to get into a good place mentally & emotionally when you start out with a negative mindset. Time required: 1 minute.
2: Practice gratitude. In my family, we each write in a gratitude journal every day. You can order the journal (The Five Minute Journal) we use here. Time required: 5 minutes.
3: Exercise. I admit that my two primary drivers for my morning exercise are sanity and vanity. I know that my exercise routines keep me mentally strong & healthy, and I also refuse to age gracefully. Exercise time in the morning is a perfect way to kick start your mind, body, and spirit, and get you set up for the day. It’s great to know I’ve already accomplished a daily goal by 6:45 AM, and I’ve accomplished it alongside others with the same goal (both in my online communities and fellow gym members). Minimum time required: 20-30 minutes.
4: Laugh. Find some way to laugh. If you have to, schedule it! Read the comics. Pull up a video. Subscribe to the Jimmy Fallon video channel here. (If you haven’t seen Steve Harvey leading a game of Family Feud on The Tonight Show, you have to watch it. It’s 12 minutes – and PG13 – but worth it! It will make you cry from laughter.) Time required: 5 minutes.
5: Tell someone you love them. Start the day with I Love You… Your spouse, your kids, your dog, your parents, your siblings, your nieces/nephews, a friend. I send texts or 30-second video messages to my friends to let them know. It’s great for everyone. Time required: 1 minute
That’s it. Remember that every day is potentially your best day. And even if it’s not, it can still be a great day.
Call to action: Starting this coming week, can you commit to doing 2 of the 5 ideas presented? If so, please post the two you will do on the Successful Culture Facebook page where I will post this blog. Tell me your two actions in the comments section of the post, and I’ll give you daily encouragement!
In next week’s column, I’ll share five things to do to wrap up your day.
What morning habits do you have that get you started in the right frame of mind? Please share in the comments section of this post.
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About Successful Culture
We work with business owners, CEOs, and leadership teams that want to achieve their greatest personal & organizational potential. Through coaching, strategic consulting, retreat facilitation, and workshops, we equip leaders & emerging leaders with the mindset, tools, strategies, and processes they need to excel.
Ready to move forward? Email us today at [email protected].
Connect with me on Instragram, Facebook, and Twitter. Engage with me during my morning Periscope sessions as well (@marissalevin).
Please check out my Inc. Magazine columns on my Author Page too.
– In my latest Inc, article, I share The Essential Guide to Avoiding Workplace Text, Email, & Social Media Disasters.
– Learn about the 9 Leadership Behaviors that Lose Employee Trust & Respect here.
~Marissa Levin
CEO, Successful Culture
“Taking Leaders from Triage to Transformation.”
photo credit Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net
photo credit stuart miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net
