Photos via Pinterest and Free People.

What do you do first thing in the morning?

For a long time, my mornings have looked like this:

wake up to phone alarm
snooze 2-3 times (10 minutes each)
quickly check notifications – mostly Facebook and emails
roll out of bed, get dressed, wash face
start pot of boiling water for French press coffee
sometimes spend 5 minutes putting on makeup or styling my hair
make coffee, and sometimes breakfast (egg and toast, yogurt, smoothie, or juice)
pack a lunch
drive to work, singing in the car on the way

While I do love that I have a low-maintenance morning routine, I often find that I start the day feeling frazzled because I’m in a rush. Instead of starting off the day in a mindful way, I hurry to work.

Today, instead of rushing out the door, I managed to wake up a little early to give myself time to make a fresh juice. I sat on my patio to drink it, and a feeling of such peace came over me. It was an open-eyed meditation: just noticing the air, the sunlight, any noises around me, my breath, the feeling of calm in my body.

I also took a little extra time putting on my mascara and styling my hair, which always makes me feel good about myself. I try to approach this not from a place of ego, but of general self care and having confidence about my appearance – being an empowered woman! :)

I’m hoping to shift my morning routine in the next few months, implementing these changes:

buy an alarm clock, so the first thing I experience isn’t a screen, and so I have a chance to connect with myself before I get pulled into conversations (detaching from my smartphone, woohoo!)
get up after the first alarm, instead of snoozing (getting to bed earlier would help with this)
start the day with 2-3 minutes of writing; this could be setting an intention or doing my gratitude list
do at least 3 sun salutations every morning
add a juice or smoothie to my daily routine (alongside the coffee)
download new music every week or so I can mix it up while I’m driving

Are you a 'morning person?' What is your morning routine?