Mental Exercises To Prepare For Your Day

We wake up in the morning to a whole new day; another chance at a fresh start.  We all know the usual rush rush rush, stress stress stress mornings.   How much better it could be if we built in a few minutes to psyche ourselves up to greet the day with our best self.  We’d feel better and do better.

It really doesn’t take too much.  You just need some interest, a few minutes and some action steps.

So how can we optimize our day?  How can we give ourselves the best shot at a good day?  How can we start our day feeling strong, capable, focused, confident and ready to take it on? 

Here are 6 ways to prepare yourself for the day:

Breathe – sit or lie down and take a few long deep breaths.  This is a natural calmer to our internal system.  Our cortisol levels go down.    Be sure to do diaphragmatic (belly) breathing.   

Meditate – or just sit in silence and watch your breath as it goes in and out for a few minutes.   Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response is powerful and quick. 

Gratitude – think of a few things you’re grateful for and really feel them.  Let the warm emotions of appreciation well up.  This brings up our positive emotions; as Barbara Fredrickson calls this – “heartfelt positivity”. 

Posture – practice sitting and standing with good posture.  It helps create a good state of mind and affects our internal mood.  Amy Cuddy, social psychologist, studies the effect of body language on how  we  perceive and feel about ourselves.   Spend 2 minutes in a high- power pose.  

Smile – think of something that makes you smile and yes, smile.  Keep your mouth turned up into that  smile for a minute.

Best Self – focus on your strengths and make the intention to use and bring out those good parts of yourself into your day.   Take the character strength survey and see how it matches up with what you think your strengths are.   

Ask yourself the question: What can I give/bring to life today?  All too often we’re focused on what life is giving us.  Bring your best self out in service and goodness to others.

Our behaviors affect our attitude.  So try a few of these behavioral practices.  Do it daily for a couple of weeks and see how you feel.    Start to create a morning ritual {of a few minutes} of mental and attitudinal strengthening.

 

So glad you stopped by.  Do you have anything to add here that you do in the morning?  Let me know if you try some of these and how it goes.