glow morning

Glow-Up Your Morning Routine : 9 Simple Rituals

When you align with your highest self in the morning, you see the world through a lens of love, allowing you to engage with others with more compassion and patience.

Mornings harbor the perfect opportunity to align your day with love & happiness. The roots you set in the morning can directly effect the rest of your day. I promise, I have tested this theory! Do you want to feel like a lush, blossoming flower? Let’s dig in!

 

B O D Y   B L E S S I N G  |  Every morning, before you even get out of bed or check your phone, place your hands over different parts of your body and bless them. For instance, place your hands over your breast and send them love, and say a little prayer of gratitude for them. Carry on this practice to the rest of your body or to where ever you feel called. If you enjoy this, I recommend that you look into a session with a reiki practitioner. Think of them as your professional, dialed in, body blesser.

 

M E D I T A T E  |  A devotional meditation practice has the power to impact one’s hormones, nervous system and brain chemistry. Truthfully, meditation is probably the most important addition to this list, as it is heavily researched and clinically proven to promote health and self-worth. There are so many ways to meditate, from Kundalini yoga to Zen Buddhist meditation. The journey into meditation is deeply personal, with no barriers to entry. Below I have included two helpful links. One is a basic sitting and breathing instructional, and the other is a beautiful video of a very basic, yet helpful Kundalini meditation guided by Guru Jagat about breaking bad habits.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-42/Meditation-Techniques-for-Beginners-5-Easy-Tips.html

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEWdlO6D5U0

 

G R A T I T U D E  |  Having a gratitude journal is so mainstream you may have even heard your mom and auntie talking about it. Though, there’s something to this popular practice. Gratitude can lead to greater health and a deeper sense of joy. Why not give it a try? Create a gratitude journal— one that is carefully selected and only used for this purpose— and every morning or night write down at least 2 things you are grateful for. I challenge you to write down something different each day.

 

C O L D   S H O W E R  |  A cold shower is a powerful ritual, rooted in science, introduced to me through my Kundalini yoga teacher, Guru Jagat. It has the power to ‘cleanse the circulatory system and even strengthens the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems’. If you are anything like me and don’t have a deep well of knowledge regarding biology, know that these are incredibly vital functions for your body that can be enhanced and invigorated simply by taking a cold shower. And, if health isn’t enough of a motivation for you, it is said to make you glow, too ;). Below, you can find a link with more details regarding this modality including step by step directions and more benefits.

https://www.3ho.org/3ho-lifestyle/women/radiant-health-and-beauty/cold-showers-radiant-glow

 

J O U R N A L  |  There are many ways one can journal, so do what works for you. Journaling allows the writer to merry language + the subconscious without judgement; you may just be surprised at what comes through you. You can follow prompts, write in a guided work book, or let it all out right before bed. One of my favorite journaling modalities is created by Julia Cameron, Morning Pages:

‘Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. *There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages* they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify,  comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page...and then do three more pages tomorrow. Something to remember: you can burn, rip, or even shred  your journals. So if you are afraid you words and deepest thoughts may get into the wrong hands, despair not, you can always get rid of them.'

 

W A R M   L E M O N   W A T E R  |  A daily ritual of warm lemon water has the power to detox one’s blood, intestines and liver, thus enhancing the body’s over all health. It is also very alkalizing, and an alkaline body is a healthy body. Need more inspiration? Lemons also contain tons of Vitamin C, which is wonderful nourishment for enhancing that natural glow.

16 ounces warm water

juice of 1/2-1 whole fresh lemon (I do 1 whole)

*Do this first thing in the morning (or before you put anything in your belly).

 

O I L   P U L L  |  This one’s a hot topic. I love research, therefore before I dove into this one head first, I wanted proof that this worked. I manifested just that in the form of a podcast with the amazing Dr. Karla Solis. Dr. Solis is a Dentist based in LA and founder of LA Holistic Dentistry.

According to Dr. Karla Solis, “This is yet another Ayurvedic practice. The procedure involves rinsing (swishing) 1 tablespoon of oil around in your mouth. In order for the therapeutic effect to kick in, a person must swish with the oil for 15-20 minutes each time. The oil ‘pulls’ the bad bugs from under your gums and in between your teeth as though they are being drawn to a powerful magnet. Do not gargle or swallow. And make sure you spit in a trashcan, otherwise spitting in the sink will clog your plumbing.”

I use unrefined, virgin coconut oil. Sesame oil can also be used. Do this before you drink your lemon water, scrape your tongue or brush your teeth.

 

P R A Y / S E N D   L O V E  |  This goes hand in hand with gratitude. We all know how to pray for what we want, now it’s time to practice praying for others. The power behind this practice stems from the desire to lift others up. This one is a bit woo-woo, so if it doesn’t sit well with you, simply move on. I’ve listed some examples of who you can pray for:

  • friends, family and loves

  • strangers in specific regions of the earth

  • perfect strangers

  • politicians (ones you like and ones you don’t)

  • individuals/ communities that are disenfranchised

  • enemies/ people you are arguing with

  • people you will see that day, including co-workers, people at store and other drivers

  • health, happiness, freedom, peace and protection of others

  • the earth

  • peace on earth

  • everyone to have food, shelter and safety

  • to see everyone through a lens of love

  • to have enlightened, high vibing convos with others

 

B R E A K F A S T  |  I love a good, nourishing breakfast. If you realistically don’t see yourself taking the time to create a loving, delicious breakfast for yourself, make it the night before. Food prep can be your vital friend. I love making chia pudding for the week. There are so many ways to season your pudding, from berries and granola, to cinnamon, cacao or honey, but the base is generally the same:

¼ cup chia seeds

1 cup (about) nut/rice milk.

I put mine in a tupperware/ mason jar, seal the lid, and SHAKE for about 1-2 minutes (it’s important that the seeds don’t clump). Then, I season it. Shake again to spread the seasoning. I'll make a few of these babies and stick them in the fridge at night to have a wholesome breakfast for the week.

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On a personal tip, I can honestly say these transformational rituals have upleveled my life. The time I take for myself always makes me feel like a goddess. When I feel loved and supported (especially from my own doing), I am equipped with the power to take on the day.

 

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carly trujillo1 Comment