April 9, 2021

Mindful Mornings

By Ali Carvajal

I have learned that there are few feelings that beat waking up to the sound of Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” while opening the windows to the bright morning sunlight and crisp morning air. Throughout high school, the morning was the most dreaded part of my day. I would hear my monotonous alarm clock sound daily at 6:45 a.m. sharp, abruptly reminding me that I would have to repeat the day before all over again. I felt that way about a lot of things during my high school experience– everything seemed basic and boring, and I constantly found myself aching to get through the day. This is most definitely a horrible way to start a day. And I wondered why I was always cranky . . . 

My morning routine was painful. I would wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face, grab a granola bar, and speed out of the house so I could find a parking spot, leaving my sister behind because she couldn’t get ready fast enough.

It was not until my second semester as a freshman at the University of Michigan, that I decided to embrace the early hours of the day and start every day with a smile. I did not know where to start, though- I thought that maybe I just was not cut out to be a morning person.

After doing some reading and listening, I decided to try to implement some new habits to make my mornings more enjoyable.

For starters, I created a morning playlist that I would play each and every morning, filled with uplifting, feel-good music, that would make me excited to just be alive. (Check it out, @peacelove272 on Spotify)  As silly as it sounds, I promised myself that I would dance to one whole song every morning. This not only wakes me up, but makes me laugh as I watch my awkward dance moves in the mirror. It helps me to not take myself so seriously. It is not until after this that I choose to open my windows because I don’t want my neighbors to see me busting out my dance moves. Talk about embarrassing! When I do raise my shades, I feel an instant ray of warmth, as the sun peeks through my window. This always makes me feel that it is going to be a lovely day. I then turn to my glass of water that I leave out every night, because drinking water first thing in the morning cleanses and alkalizes your body. After that, I move on to my skin care routine, because self-love is the most rewarding and important part of my routine! I have experimented with a variety of products and have found that gentle products with the shortest list of ingredients work best for me because I have very sensitive skin. I give myself a facial massage every morning with my absolute favorite tool, the gua sha. It de-puffs and de-bloats my face, and I feel it ties my whole routine together. Next, I turn to my morning journal. I find it so helpful to get my thoughts out in the morning, so I can start my day with a clear head. In my journal, I write my dreams, goals, fears, plans for the day, and really anything that is on my mind. I love keeping a journal so I can look back and see my progress over time. I normally read daily affirmations before I write, which spark certain thoughts or ideas for me to write about. After I get my thoughts down, I sit in silence for a minute and practice deep breathing. This grounds me and gives me a clear focus before I proceed with my day. Having this be the final step in my routine is pivotal- I end it all feeling calm and collected.

I am truly so grateful that I have been able to master this routine, even though it is ever evolving. I find my mental state to be so much better, and I have so much clarity when I start every day with a purpose. I have seen only positive results from this practice, I am happier, more energetic, more confident, and so psyched to be romanticizing my life. I do believe it is the little things like this that make all the difference!

Edited by Amy Halperin