Everyone seems clear on how to start their day off right: with meditation, intentions, and affirmations. We all got the memo that this is how we manifest the life we want, get centered for the day ahead, and call in the best of version of ourselves before we step out the front door. But what about an auspicious nighttime closure of the day? How do you bookend your day and bring the same intentionality and purpose to your evening routine? Here are some concrete ways to end your day right and set yourself up for a restful night’s sleep to recharge and reboot mind, body, and soul.
Day’s Review: where are you at in your inventory of the day?
By reviewing your day and learning key takeaways, you can become more of the person you know you’re meant to be. It moves the needle forward on the personal front one small, conscious realization at a time.
• Make a list of three things that went well and three that could’ve gone better. Do you owe an amends or apology to someone for a harsh word or action? (If so, plan to address that the following day.) This is about keeping your side of the street clean so you don’t carry anything over to your next day or really, the rest of your life. You’re current. There’s nothing like really starting your day fresh in the morning with a clean moral compass.
• Along those same lines, keeping a long-term gratitude journal is amazing on the “my-life-is-already-filled-with-numerous-blessings” front. Keep a small journal by your bed and write down 10 things you’re grateful for each night. You’ll probably find the first week to be easy, but by not repeating the same gratitudes over and over, you’ll slowly become more aware of subtle good things taking place in your day like, “My coffee was hot,” or “A stranger held the door.” The next thing you know, you’re walking through your day saying, “That’ll make the list tonight” and finding yourself actually noticing good all around you on the regular. Living that gratitude in the moment as it unfolds will elevate your quality of life. That’s gratitude in motion.
Soak off the day and anything you might be needlessly carrying around with you.
Run a bath and soak in CBD bath salts (Everyday Rebel makes a good one), or Epsom salts and essential oils. Sip a warm cup of Beauty Chef’s Collagen Inner Beauty Boost Supercharged while unwinding and listening to Poosh’s Meditation Playlist (coming soon) of relaxing and uplifting sounds. It’s the 1-2-3 punch that puts you in the zone for a wonderfully restful night.
Practice meditation or breath work to seal your day, quiet the mind, and connect with who you truly are outside of all the roles you played in your waking hours.
To recalibrate and connect with Source Energy, set a timer for 10 minutes of easy and intentional breathing. Watch your breath coming in and going out, counting to one on the inhale and two on the exhale, up to the count of 10. Then start over again at one (if you space out, just start back at one). This super easy meditation regulates the breath while keeping the mind occupied with counting, and the combo will put you in the zone. Presto! You’re a moon meditator.
Brain wave activity slows as you drift off to sleep, which is when your subconscious mind is most receptive to suggestion—and you can program it most for success. Here’s a nighttime power play to really line everything up and set your subconscious mind up for success while you slumber: repeat affirmations such as “I am safe. I am loved. I am happy. I am fulfilled. I am successful” on a loop until you drift off to sleep. You’ll wake up with happiness and success codes built into the blueprint of your day, ready for you to download to create the highest vision of your life!
Ryan Haddon is an ICF Certified Life and Spiritual Coach, a certified hypnotherapist, and meditation teacher. She works remotely with clients globally and does private and corporate workshops. Her next workshop, “Finding Your Center,” is in Los Angeles on November 9. To find out more, follow her on IG @ryanhaddoncoach.
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