How to Wake Up & Be Energized {Without Fail or Coffee}

I get asked all the time if I’m a morning person. And for good reason, because I get up in the wee hours of the morning most weekdays. Like by at least 6am, but 3 days out of the week creeping into the 3:50 and 445am time slots. A few of the days for work reasons (example – I teach a 4:45am Strength & Mobility class on Thursday mornings), but other mornings, for me. So I have the opportunity to begin each morning on my terms and the way I want to feel: grounded, connected and calm with clarity and energy as a compass.

Regardless of whether I’m getting up for work or for myself, my mornings start the same way with the same rituals. These get me out of bed in the morning and are my surefire way to be energized – without fail and without the need for coffee. They help me wake up, no matter the hour or the amount of sleep that preceded – and you all know my stories there! Morning {and Evening} Rituals are another one of my healthy living non-negotiables because I’ve found that without these (whether I do one, some or all of them), I don’t feel the way I want to feel. 

And that’s what it’s all about right? Any goal you set, at its core, comes from the desire to feel a certain way – and likely different than you do in this moment. For example, the desire to lose weight might stem from wanting to feel light in your body, confident and sexy in your own skin, with less stress + worry, bursting with energy and vibrancy. 

The problem with looking at things from the goal-side first and only, is that it’s not tied to anything meaningful and tangible in a I-can-do-this-everday-and-not-lose-motivation sort of way. And you’re also looking at your life from a perspective of lack (aka what you don’t have). If you flip the conversation though and create a strong WHY rooted in how you want to feel, all of the sudden day-to-day and moment-to-moment decisions become so much easier.

Using the feelings associated with weight loss as a continued example – it becomes a conversation of: “what food or activity or decision would make me feel light in my body right now?” versus things we think we should be doing or have to do to reach our goals. Because truthfully – I know you. Inside there’s a little rebel who doesn’t want to do what you’re told or stick to “the rules” all the time. And I agree. That’s such a boring, black and white way to live life. No thank you.

When I lead with how I want to feel, what might make me feel light is yes, eating a meal rich in color + real food {always}, but also: meeting a friend for happy hour and sharing laughs + meaningful conversation versus sitting at home binge-watching Netflix alone because I’m “not drinking or doing this diet right now”; waking up 15 minutes early to energize my morning versus hitting snooze and then rushing around groggy all day; or even choosing to take a walk outside in nature versus dragging myself to the gym for a high-intensity workout that’s going to “kill me”. 

Do you see the difference, my love?

Do you FEEL the difference between all of those options above? The former are all filled with ABUNDANCE, love, joy, grace and the desire to LIVE your life right now, enjoying each moment with the intention and goal of feeling how you want to feel. Which, of course, will also happen to take you exactly where you want to go. It always does. But makes the journey one that you WANT to be on while feeling the way you desire right now (and as you’re on the journey) versus after you’ve “gotten there” (if you do).

And I really need you to know this: contrary to {almost} everything the media, fitness or health industry sells you, the path to where you want to go doesn’t need to be restrictive, painful or isolating. In fact, if it IS, jump off that train as soon as you can, sister! Then, reframe your mindset to be this: HOW DO I WANT TO FEEL? {Danielle LaPorte’s work in her book Desire Map is a great place to start if you’ve never approached goal setting this way before}. And then follow your intuition. The answers to your most vibrant self don’t lie “out there” in the newest diet, exercise trend, book or supplement. First and foremost, they lie in YOU – and knowing how you want to feel first, then noticing if the actions you’re taking, thoughts you’re holding or beliefs you’re operating by are making you feel that way, or not. 

So, swooping back to mornings — how do you want to feel to start your day? And even: how do you want to feel throughout your day that’s often deeply influenced by how you start your day? And what can you do to always start your day off on the right foot – regardless of how much you slept or what the day holds?

For me, I turn to Morning Rituals to ensure that my day starts with intention and purpose. Finding rituals that work for me has been many years of experimentation and also involves paying attention to where I’m at in my cycle, where my life feels “heavy” or overly-focused at the moment and noting what actually shifts my energy – physically and emotionally to make me feel: calm, centered, energized, grounded, empowered, rested or light (to name a few feelings I desire). AKA HOW I’m able to get out of bed {at un-Godly hours} and feel amazing regardless of my circumstances (like when Will does on sleep strikes).

Want to try experimenting with your own Morning Rituals or up the ante on your current ones? Below I’ve put together my tried & tested favorites {for myself and all my coaching clients}. Let me know which ones become yours!

• Get Your Flow On: As soon as I get out of bed, I “hit the floor”… and engage in some gentle + energizing movement flow to wake up my joints, connect to my breath and wake my body up. What I do changes depending on how stiff I feel, where I’m sore, how I slept or where I’m at in my menstrual cycle. Sometimes it’s 2 minutes, other times closer to ten, but by the time I’m done, my mind and body are aligned. Check out this follow-along video I created for and share with all my coaching clients and try it tomorrow: ENERGIZE YOUR MORNINGS.
• Create Headspace: Meditation can be hard. Or really, anything new can be hard, right? And sometimes awkward. Where we catch ourselves saying/thinking, “What the hell am I doing?” or “This is pointless!” Maybe you’ve tried meditation and it hasn’t “worked” or you think you don’t have time. But I bet if I asked you what you need MORE of in your life, it might sound something like: more calm, more space (and headspace), more clarity, more focus, more time, more energy, more purpose. Yes? I feel you – when your life is fast-faced, it’s hard to slow down or sit still. Relaxing or resting feels foreign and is undervalued in our modern world. But creating space {which is what meditation is, at it’s root} in your life is the gateway to all you desire. So if you’re new to the game, I encourage you to try these simple, timed meditations. It gives you an end game and something to do – which helps when you’re cultivating new habits!
  • Breath of Fire {3 to 6 min meditation with Gabrielle Bernstein} – set a time for 3 minutes and do breath of fire as shown in this video. When you’re done sit for a few regular breaths and set an intention for your day OR set a timer for an additional 3 minutes and sit with the vibrations in your body, connecting to your deepened breath.
  • 4-7-8 Breathing with Dr. Weil {set a timer for 3-5 minutes}. Counting your breath provides a great distraction for the mind, while simultaneously creating space. I love doing this one ANY time of day, even for just 5 cycles of breath.
  • This Healing Sound Bath Meditation by Laura Thompson Brady will give you shivers {click here to go to her website to download/hear it}. When I’m feeling the need to be in more stillness or connect to my soul, I listen to this – morning, noon or night. It makes every fiber in my being soften and “come home”.
• Warm Lemon + Ginger or Chlorophyll Water: After my movement and meditation {or beforeand ALWAYS}, I have water first, before anything else. Bare minimum, just water and 2 glasses. But ideally, one with chlorophyll drops {chlorophyll is a great natural detoxifier that helps boost oxygen uptake and is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties; it also has a yummy minty taste! You can grab it at your local health food store or on Amazon} and/or a glass with lemon juice and freshly grated ginger root {I shortcut the squeezing by using a splash from Santa Cruz’s Organic Lemon Juice in a glass jar}.
• Daily Devotions: I’m always reading some book – or 5. 🙂 They range in topic from spirituality, to self-improvement, healthy living inspiration to goal setting, hormones + connecting to my feminine power to parenting and beyond. And one thing I love to do with these books, to help them really sink in and to dedicate some time for stillness and reflection is what I like to call “Daily Devotions” – where I sit and read a paragraph, a page, a chapter {no set amount} and take notes + write my thoughts. I definitely don’t do this on the days I wake up in the 4am or before hour, but this is also one of my favorite things to do midday to refresh my mind + soul.

Did you love all the goodness and inspiration in this post? Make sure you never miss a post by signing up for my newsletter {click here!}. And I’m sure you’d love my Living Fully E-Cookbook too {Spring + Summer Edition} or the Fall + Winter Seasonal Meal Plan {8 weeks of grocery lists, recipes and meal plans plus weekly inspiration and themes to keep your holiday season inspired + healthy living simple — dropping next week! Email me to get more information!}. 

*Photo credit: the amazingly talented Kate Porter and myself*