In the past month, I have turned my life around with a very simple practice – the creation of a morning ritual. My morning ritual looks like this:
- I wake up at 5:30 AM.
- Drink about 16-20 oz of water.
- Sit and read a portion of A Course In Miracles for about 30 minutes, followed by the daily exercise in the book.
- Make coffee.
- Start on top business tasks of the day.
Let me preface this by saying that I am a mom to a one year old, and up until I made the decision to begin my new year with this ritual, I was staying up til about midnight reveling in parent-free time with my husband. The problem became, I was finding myself with less and less time to complete my business tasks, less and less energy throughout my day, and less and less connection to Spirit which is the practice that grounds me the most in my life.
So, I made a radical decision.
I had known for years that the most successful people wake up hella early and start their morning with a similar ritual, or with fitness; something to get their mind in the game and set the tone for their day. Realizing that the only way I was going to get extra time in my day was to add it to the front end, I decided to go for gold with my 5:30 AM ritual.
The first few days were brutal.
In order to be able to get up at this time, I HAD to be in bed no later than 10:30 PM. This meant ending ALL activity sharply by 10, showering if I had not, and putting myself to sleep whether I felt tired or not. And, even with this done, the first few days I felt I was dragging myself out of bed with sloth-like momentum.
What I discovered after a few days of this practice, however, radically altered my days, my business, and my well being.
That first Monday morning, by the time my son woke about 7:40 AM, I had grounded myself in my spiritual practice which felt enlivening, written out my vision for 2017 with stark clarity, completed our weekly meal plan, finished half of my daily business tasks, and made breakfast for the family. I had become a MACHINE of productivity.
And, perhaps MOST importantly, when my son and husband finally woke up to join me, I felt a renewed sense of joy to connect with them that had, apparently, faded over time. Instead of feeling sort of resentful and exhausted at the thought of caring for my son all day, I felt joyful and happy to play with him. I felt joyful to see my husband and to make breakfast for our family.
It was in that moment that I realized the secret of most successful people was in locking in that early wave of, what can only be described as, ‘magical energy’ that happens in the morning. It’s a wave of energy that increases your productivity and thinking 10 fold. By capitalizing on this time, they set the tone for the rest of their day ensuring they would have a productive and positive day.
I was MIND blown.
Needless to say, I’ve kept up this habit with remarkable ease considering the call time. I look forward to reading A Course In Miracles EVERY morning as I allow my semi-asleep, still subconscious mind to soak in every truth, actively re-wiring my mind to come closer and closer to alignment with our highest TRUTH as spiritual beings on this planet. It is a time I cherish, a quiet time of just me, my spirit, my dreams, and my work.
Time for me, before I become a mother, a wife, and all the other roles I’ve accepted in this life.
I’ve always felt that we cannot give, what we do not have. A Course In Miracles insists that having and being are one and the same. So the truth then becomes that I cannot have or give what I AM not. Suddenly, my life feels full, organized, loved, purposeful, and full of God. And I KNOW that’s because I am full, organized, loving, purposeful, and full of God.
May you also find the inspiration (and the courage!) to BE what you dream of having and giving in your life for the sake of local and global impact. <3
Sincerely,
Shakti