How I Changed My Morning to Change My Life #LevelUp

Pop quiz, chicas! Answer the following question:
When I first woke up this morning, I _____________.
a. hit the snooze button (several times) and mentally declared, “I can’t and won’t adult today.” #FirstIDrinkTheCoffee #ThenIDoTheThings
b. immediately resumed worrying about ish I need to do, don’t wanna do, or did and now feel bad about doing.
c. checked IG, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, CurlyNikki.com, my 3 email accounts and replied to any and all the I-responded-in-my-head-but-forgot-to-respond-for-real-tho text messages.
d. all of the above. I can’t do mornings.
This foolery right here will keep you right where you’re at.
If your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of your day,  kicking things off the same way (with negative or low energy), day in and day out, and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity.  #EinsteinTho
Every morning you get a do-over.  You get the opportunity to begin again with fresh energy and a new perspective to set you on a path to a happy and productive day — which sets you on the path to a happy and productive life!
Remember, you don’t become what you want; you become who and what you are.  So how does ‘You, version 2.0’ think? How does she feel? How does she respond (or not respond) to certain situations? Or, to make it real easy-like, how does ‘You, version 2.0’ start her day?  She definitely doesn’t wake up annoyed, frustrated and uninspired.
Below, I’ve included a list of some simple morning rituals you can try in place of the phone-checking and #WoeRunning.  Adopting just one can have a huge impact on your life!
Wake up 30 minutes earlier to pray, meditate, say affirmations or use the extra time to do any of the below:
Find a theme song. If you must set an alarm to scare you awake, let the ‘noise’ be great… like ‘Lift Off’ #WatchTheThrone
Give thanks. Instead of allowing your mind to wander to the dark side, focus on gratitude; give thanks for all that you have (the seen and the unseen).  You are loved and blessed beyond measure; you just forget sometimes. (I give thanks every night before falling asleep.)
Pre-party. I vividly remember the moment I got the call from my publisher that ’Better Than Good Hair’ had become a best-seller (#Major).  There was a surge of energy, and the next thing I know, I was all …
Try this (you will feel silly): Set your phone timer for 1 minute, close the bathroom door for privacy, and jump up and down while mentally yelling, “Yes!” It gets your energy up — and your heart rate too!  “Yes!” is something we yell or say under our breath when life is going our way, so say it now, prematurely, feel that “yes” resonate through your body, feel the energy, and watch those ‘Yes!’ moments come rolling in.   #DontBelieveMe #JustWatch
-Smile. Just like saying, ‘Yes!’, smiling for one minute can shift you into a positive mood and reduce stress.  Every time you remember, crack a smile. Pretty soon, life may be serving up more things for you to smile about.
-Move your body. I do a 4-minute sun salutation routine on my Yoga Studio app as soon as my feet hit the floor.  Gia does it with me.  We have it memorized, and now she yells out the poses before we do them!
-Drink all the water. I try to drink half a liter of room-temperature water as soon as I wake up, before I eat anything.  It can flush your body of toxins, increase metabolism and make you feel good about yourself ;)  Plus, if I drink the other half a liter before 5pm, I can have a glass of Riesling.
Start the day off right, y’all.  Change your morning to change your life.  Results can be immediate.
Later Gators,
Nik
What does your morning routine consist of? Do you need to make some changes? Can you start tomorrow?
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