Miracle Morning

My office this morning was overlooking the vast waters of Lake Superior.  As the waves slowly crashed onto the beach, and I sipped a freshly brewed hot cup of coffee from the local diner, there were no complaints to be had. Mornings usually aren't my thing.  It's a chicken and the egg type relationship because I love the solitude of a crisp morning, with the sun slowly coming over the horizon and being able to witness the world around me slowly wake up. But I also love sleep.  It's just the actual getting up out of a warm cozy bed that becomes difficult for me.  Knowing how much I enjoy the feeling of morning and the tone that it sets for the day, I went on a hunt to find out how to capture the early hours of the day and not let the snooze button win.  

A friend told me about a book called "The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod, so I listened to the audio book on my travels this week, and let me tell you it just might be a game changer.

I implemented it this morning, and had more accomplished by 7 a.m. than I would have thought possible. On less than 5 hours of sleep, I still felt refreshed and ready to take on the day. It will be a learning curve with the inconsistency of my work, travel, kids, and overall life...but this just might end up being the one consistent thing through it all. ✨

I ordered the hardcover book after finishing the audible version because I feel like it's one of those books you could go back on, reflect, highlight, take notes etc. If you have a vision or a dream, you'll figure out a way to make it work. You might not have it all figured out from the beginning, or learn as you go, but if there's a will there's a way. It's been a journey, but I'm slowly finding my way.  So what is it about the miracle morning that is so amazing?  Well, I think you should dive into the book yourself, but the cliff notes version is that you begin each day with your own routine of S.A.V.E.R.S., which I just might start referring to as life savers.  

The savers consist of:

S- Silence

A- Affirmations

V- Visualization

E- Exercise

R- Reading 

S- Scribe (or journaling) 

Imagine starting off your morning with peace and quiet. The ability to breathe in, breathe out, and becoming engulfed in the sound of silence.  

Wait, what? What's that?

With a husband, two kids, 6 dogs, 7 chickens and 6 ducks at our house, this sound is almost foreign to me.  Because of this, it may very well be my favorite part of the entire routine.  To be able to experience this, on the other hand, I need to get up before everyone else does as well.  Ahem, that means NO snooze button!  

From silence you move on to affirmations and visualization.  What do you want to accomplish throughout the day, or in your future?  Visualize this and commit to your ability to complete these tasks and goals with strong affirmations.  Yes, this can all be done with a fresh brew...no worries for my fellow coffee lovers! No worries.

Next you need to move your body.  Depending on how much time you have you may go through just a couple yoga stretches and sun salutations, or get after it and hammer out your workout for the day.  The choice is yours, but you have to get your blood and endorphins (those feel good chemicals!) moving throughout your body.  This could be last in your personal SAVERS routine if you would prefer to shower and get on with your day from this point.  

At some point in your Miracle Morning, however, make sure to fit in time for reading and journaling.  I take at least 15 minutes each day to read or listen to a personal development book.  It's been a transformative part of my life for a few years now, so this isn't something that is new to me, but it is definitely crucial.  Last but not least, journal. Jot down things that may be weighing on your mind that you need to release, thoughts of gratitude, anything. Just get those creative juices flowing to exercise your mind as well.

I can't wait to see what the future holds by continuing with the Miracle Morning routine and the life savers.  Let me know if you decide to read and implement the Miracle Morning into your day and routine! I would love to hear about your transformation as well.