“It’s another one of those days,” you tell yourself when you can’t seem to focus or run your schedule smoothly. The good news is that outside factors only control you as much as you allow them to. Beyond that, you have the power to direct your day. Following some simple steps can help you attain that top-of-the-morning feeling to give you the clarity to seamlessly navigate the day.
Preparing physically, mentally, and energetically is critical. Proactively approaching your morning with a sense of sacredness will channel your body and mind to respond as such.
Muscles contract overnight, and starting your day with tense ones certainly won’t help any energetic blockage. Use your body as a tool to leave behind yesterday’s baggage, and clear your mind for a new beginning. Yoga increases blood flow to organs and relaxes muscles and tissues. Performing basic forward- and backbends can go a long way.
Consume Soul-Nourishing Foods
Sattvic foods, including almonds, honey, and whole grains, are known to promote calmness and mental clarity. Food’s correlation with brain health means that a poor diet can make you feel less energetic and more depressed. How do you expect to bring your A-game to a Monday morning when energy flow is working against you? Fill up on sattvic foods and you’ll notice an improvement in these areas.
Incorporate intent and energy into your breaths to restart your mind. After all, the root words for breathing, or pranayama, mean “life force” and “control.” Sit cross-legged and place your right hand’s middle and index fingers on your forehead and your thumb on your right nostril. Inhale deeply through your left nostril and release the thumb, exhaling through your right nostril.
Picnic outside, walk barefoot on grass, pick some flowers. Even if it’s five minutes of sun exposure, it helps us feel one with the universe, and any thoughtful interaction we have with Mother Earth will help ground us. Reach out to nature—the most inexpensive remedy—because nurturing your soul is essential for a strong, clear start.
Be selective about who and what you let into your life and enforce this every day. Imagine a street light in front of you. Don’t permit negativity to enter your space. Put up the red light when you sense danger, bad intentions, and anything that may distract you from your desired path.
Ask Yourself What You Want
What do you want to accomplish today? According to ancient Vedic philosophy, “You are what your deep, driving desire is. As is your desire, so is your will. As is your will, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny.” Decide your goals for the day. Focus on them and don’t give up until you manifest them.
Letting go of something that happened years ago is important, but so is letting go of yesterday. Let go of your need to control the past, and don’t tie yourself to an object, person, or idea. Embrace the depth of your spirituality. You’re more than something fleeting and temporary.
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Monica Haider is a journalist, author, lawyer, and certified yoga teacher. Her work has appeared in Forbes, CNN, NBC, Yahoo News, Teen Vogue, and Thrive Global. Monica enjoys writing about health and wellness. For the past few years, she has served on the editorial board of a medical journal.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that Poosh, LLC (“Poosh”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the article are the views of the author only, and Poosh does not endorse or recommend any such content or information, or any product or service mentioned in the article. You understand and agree that Poosh shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.
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