My Morning Lists
Apr 28, 2020
Now, more than ever, my morning routine is vitally important to set the tone of my day. Each morning, I spend 10 minutes planning my day. I make three lists:
✅ 5 things I am grateful for
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✅ 10 dreams I made happen (thanks to Rachel Hollis for this idea!)
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✅ 5 things I am looking forward to today
What's so important about these lists? Because I’ve learned that what I focus on, I create.
When I start from a place of gratitude and set my sights on great expectations, my day ahead is abundantly better. Even if my schedule is overly booked for the day. Taking time to set the intention that there is much to look forward to actually changes my outlook for the day. I look for the good. Even when my day is overly booked with appointments.
My gratitude list may include big things like a promotion, or nailing a work presentation, or watching a friend’s child graduate from high school. Or they can be small things like 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, or a great hair day, or Mike bringing home dinner so I don’t have to cook.
Of the three, the list that seems to be most important right now: 5 things I am looking forward to today. Why? Because the days are starting to run together. Because it is sometimes easier to focus on what you can’t do right now instead of what you can. Because if I’ve ever needed a quick shot of optimism to start your day, the time is now, more than ever.
These don’t have to be big things. In fact, it’s better if they’re not. They can be simple, routine things:
🔸 Grocery store trip to buy food for a week’s worth of healthy meals
🔸 Walk with dogs
🔸 Zoom call with friends
🔸 Shower and deep conditioned hair
🔸 Surprising the mail carrier with a note of gratitude
🔸 Family dinner at the dining room table...with real pants on
It doesn’t matter what’s on my list because no one else will see the list. No one is going to judge me for what’s on the list. The list is only for me. And the gold isn’t in what’s on the list. The gold is in looking for things to be grateful for and things to look forward to in everyday situations. On good days. On bad days. Maybe especially on bad days.
And how about this: physically writing the list has its own unique benefits. For real! Science has proven that gratitude changes your brain. How about that?! A gratitude practice actually rewires your brain. Positive psychology research has proven that a gratitude practice is consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude is the springboard to people feeling more positive emotions, relishing experiences, improving health, building stronger relationships and dealing with adversity. Win-win!
When you choose to find excitement and anticipation in the small parts of your day, you will have a better day. Guaranteed. And when you do this practice in the morning, you are programming your brain to make it a great day. Because you have things to look forward to.
It’s simple: the more you’re able to find excitement and fulfillment from the small, simple, everyday things, the happier you will be.
And I think we could all use a little of that. Now, more than ever.
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