I think every mom needs a few non-negotiables when it comes to your morning routine. I’m not much of a morning person anymore… I seemed to have become a night owl. Despite this, how you begin the day DOES MATTER!
Oh how I wish I could wake when I desire, journal, meditate, slowly get ready, flow through some yoga and effortlessly float out the door… but those elaborate routines are a thing of the past and future. Presently, I have paired down my morning non-negotiables to the essentials to function and maintain health, but these are vitally important and even my girls have begun to recognize when I miss them!
Do you have morning non-negotiables? If not, maybe one of these will inspire you! I promise they are pretty basic…
Non-Negotiable #1…
Take my temperature. Yes, I do this as a form of birth control but I also do this as a way to be in tune with my cycle. Before this was a routine, my cycle was more or less a rough sketch in my mind that didn’t seem to hold any distinct pattern. About 2 years ago I began taking my temperature before I go vertical every morning (well nearly every) and log it in my “Natural Cycles” app (download here ). Slowly, over the course of the first year distinct and informative patterns arose and my ability to flow with my cycle has emerged. I feel more in tune with my body than ever before and it all started with a closer attention to my subtle body cues.
Non-Negotiable #2…
Meditation. It isn’t always the same but it always happens. This is the one my girls will notice when it goes missed. I sit up in bed for 10-15 minutes every morning. Sometimes I listen to music or a guided meditation on Insight Timer (Download Here). Other days, I just sit focusing on my breath and a simple mantra. This time sets a tone for my day, prepares my system and has become a key ingredient to my morning routine.
Non-Negotiable #3…
Scraping my tongue. This is an ancient Ayurvedic practice for cleansing and massaging the body. On the cleansing side, by scraping the gunk off your tongue every morning instead of swallowing it, you are helping remove stuff your body doesn’t need or want. On the massaging side, our tongue areas correspond to our internal organ systems, so by gently massaging our tongue through the scraping motion we are waking up our internal systems. A good example of this is when you scrape the back of your tongue, you’re activating the colon thereby helping stimulate your bowel to release more toxins in the morning 😉 ! Here is the one I use.
Non-Negotiable #4…
A green drink …some days it’s more of a green lemon water while other days it’s a green smoothie. I start my day with a green drink to kick off my eating for the day on a good note and to re-hydrate my body. I have used a variety of green powders from a basic Amazon powder to matcha and Athletic Greens but lately I’ve been loving Daily Elements (HERE – use code HILARY96502 for 20% off) for its simple ingredient list and high nutrient density. It is made from microgreens and packs the equivalent of ~7cups of greens in a tiny little scoop!
Here are my recipes
Green Lemon Water:
12 oz cold water
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
½ – 1tsp Monk Fruit Sweetener
¾ tsp Daily Elements
Combine all ingredients in a shaker cup. Shake and enjoy!
Green Smoothie:
1 small green apple- sliced but not peeled
⅓ cucumber- sliced but not peeled
Handful of spinach leaves
½ cup pineapple- usually canned but fresh is yummy-est!
1 tsp ground flax seed
1 – 1 ½ cup Milk of choice
½ tsp Agave
¾ tsp Daily Elements
Optional Add ins: Yogurt, chia, hemp seeds
If you don’t have pineapple try banana or frozen strawberries
Blend and Enjoy!
In Health,
Hilary
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