A Magical Morning Ritual for Health, Happiness & Inner Harmony

Somewhere along the line, life got busy. People to see, places to be, things to do, bills to pay, thoughts to think. At some point, most of us stopped making one-on-one time with ourselves to recharge, rejuvenate and reflect—yet, taking a few moments just for you could be the most important part of  your every day: for your health, your happiness and your inner-harmony.

While booking in for an hour-long massage each week is a sure-fire way put a spring back in your busy step, you don’t necessarily need to spend much to start feeling good. There are so many at-home treats we can give ourselves to foster a little inner zen.

Early morning is a magical time to create a self-care, self-love ritual. It’s a new day, a new beginning. Even if it means getting up an hour earlier, making the initial effort to change your routine can not only make you feel better, it can also bring your energy levels up, which can lead to happier thoughts, better-feeling emotions. And if you believe in the law of attraction, feeling so much better can literally bring magical experiences into our life. Suddenly, we’ve got more energy to cope with the busy-ness and a positive outlook where we actually expect good things to happen to us.

As a stay-at-home mama to a happy, curious and determined 11 month old, I’d be telling a little white lie if I said I managed to fit in my complete morning ritual every single day. These days, it’s weekends where I get more time to pamper up, stop, breathe more deeply and really take stock of how I’m feeling.

The point is, it’s not about giving yourself more things to do, and feeling bad if you don’t do it. It’s about feeling good about making time to look after you—whether it’s one minute or one hour.

When I do make time for me, this is what’s on my Magical Morning Ritual Menu…

1. STRETCH

Sure, hanging out the washing may result in a little leg stretch, but it can’t compete with taking five minutes out to really limber up every part of your body. I love to lie flat on the floor with my arms above my head and my legs outstretched first thing in the morning, breathing deeply as I clear my thoughts. Point your toes, wriggle them about, flex your fingers and breathe deeply into your stomach. A yoga Child’s Pose is also a great way to stretch, breath and feel grounded.

2. LEMON JUICE IN WARM WATER

Hydrating first thing in the morning is one of the most important things you can do. It gets your digestion going, the lemon does a clean sweep of your insides and warm spring water hydrates the cells. This small habit can do wonders for not only making you feel better, but can also make you think better. Most of us go through every day in a dehydrated state, which can lead to discomforts and dis-eases.

3. FRESHLY COLD PRESSED VEGETABLE / FRUIT JUICE

Yep, this one can take a little more time, but the health (and beauty) rewards make it worth every minute of chopping veges, feeding them into your juicer and cleaning out said juicer. I say juice “press” because these type of juicers, although more expensive, keep the health-loving enzymes in tact more than a traditional juicer that uses a spinning blade to extract the juice, thereby heating up the juice and killing some of the enzymes. My juicer of choice is The Champion.

4. DRY BRUSH

As the body’s largest organ, your skin does an almighty job of getting rid of toxins, but it can always do with a helping hand. Dry brushing every morning before you jump in the shower get the blood flowing, helps you detoxify and makes your skin feel good. It can also add a healthy glow. Start at your feet, working your way up the body in circular motions. Always be sure to brush towards your heart.

5. BODY SCRUB

Forget fancy and expensive body scrubs. Instead, mix a good handful of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt (make sure the grains aren’t too large) with organic olive oil and work over your skin just before, or while you’re in the shower. Again, it helps to slough away dead skin cells and works with your skin to detoxify, while also hydrating thanks to the olive oil.

6. TAPPING

Out with the old, in with the new. Tapping is as much part of my life as brushing my teeth. It’s one of my regular rituals that literally makes my life better, helping me to clear out emotions that really don’t serve me. Whether it’s feeling sad for no particular reason, or you’re wanting to improve your financial situation, tapping may be able to help. If you’re new to tapping or EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), I’m going to be sharing a how-to-tap guide on the blog soon. In the meantime, check out www.thetappingsolution.com and start exploring how this incredible, and oh-so simple technique, can help you.

7. COCONUT OIL INFUSION

With all that washing and scrubbing, it’s important to put some moisture back into that hard working organ, the skin. Extra virgin cold pressed coconut oil is not only super hydrating, it’s also anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory, which means double duty if you’ve got skin issues from rashes to fungal infections. Mix it up with a little organic lavender oil to bring about a sense of relaxation to start your day off right. Use it from top to toe.

8. MIRROR LOVE

This one may sit at number eight, but it’s actually the most important step in your daily ritual. Whether you choose to do it in the morning, while parked at the traffic lights or at night in the bathroom mirror, it’s an incredibly powerful yet simple action that can change your life for the better. Once we accept ourselves and send love to every part of us, magic actually begins to happen. We stop beating ourselves up for the imperfections we may have otherwise seen. Start on the body part that you feel most negatively about. Send it love directly from your heart. Then look into your own eyes and tell yourself you love you and how grateful you are for you. It may feel uncomfortable to completely awkward at first, but the benefits of doing this little exercise is immeasurable. Just ask Louise Hay.

9. HERBAL TEA

I love herbal tea so much, I actually dream of opening a boutique tea shop one day. While I love a good cup of green or white, I adore herbals for their healing properties, because there’s no caffeine and it’s a great way to hydrate if you’re not keen on slugging back eight glasses of water per day. Right now, licorice root is at the top of my tea list. It’s wonderful for digestion and has antioxidant properties.

10. GREEN SMOOTHIE

Kale, cucumber, spinach, apples, pear, dates… there are some incredible, health-boosting ingredients you can add to a morning smoothie that can bring your energy levels up, foster clear, glowing skin and make you feel like you could take on the world. What I love so much about smoothies, besides their power-packing nutrients, is how much goodness you can fit into a glass. Put the same fruit and veges on a plate and it’d take a lot of crunching and munching to get through them all. Also, blending breaks down the plant cell walls, meaning you don’t have to chew for as long and hard to make the most of all the nutrients. Even so, it’s a great idea of chew your smoothie to get the saliva and digestive juices going.

Do you have a favorite morning or daily ritual? I’d love to hear about it, so please feel free to share in the comments!