Morning Ritual

Have you ever stopped and thought about all the things we do to prepare ourselves for daily ‘life’?  I have and I wonder sometimes how I got to this place where I now find myself.  It’s been a long and sometimes convoluted journey.  I’m not OCD about anything but there are certain things I do that just make my day go smoother.

First, I must tell you one truth about myself that has never changed.  I am NOT a morning person.  Early morning has always afforded me my best sleep.  My Fitbit can verify that.  Paradoxically, I find that I am most productive in the morning.  That, no doubt, is from years of having to be on the job early and meeting the needs of the others that I worked with.  So, to prepare myself for the day, my first task is to actually get out of bed!

Next, of course, is to let the dog out and make sure he has food and water.  He’s not a morning creature, either.  Sometimes, he needs a little nudge to disengage himself from his warm nest of blankies.

After my morning ablutions – hot bath, daily vitamins and supplements, make-up, hair, real clothes (not pjs!) and shoes (not just socks) – I’m ready for food.  I spent years denying that the body needs breakfast, but I have come to value the correct fuel my body needs to be healthy.  If I’m at home, it’s pretty simple:   a Special K dark chocolate protein drink or Belvita breakfast bars with some fruit and black coffee.  If I’m at a friend’s house, we may make breakfast together, but I keep it simple.  Or we may eat out.  Whichever, there are no artificial or refined sugars for me.  That makes me sluggish and makes me want to crawl right back into bed and sleep the day away!

With all that done, I’m ready to begin my day.  It might be Church, shopping, visiting with friends or sitting down to write.  My morning ritual only takes an hour or so, but it sets the tone for the entire day.  It makes it better.  I feel grounded.  And I can be productive.

I’m curious.  What is your daily ritual?  What are the things you just can’t do without?