Cultivating a Joyful Morning: The Key to Successful Days

What if your morning routine could be the secret to a happier, more successful day?

I'm going to share seven transformative habits that can make your mornings brighter - and that positivity can impact your entire day. From embracing a sense of calm to practicing gratitude, these habits are easy to incorporate into your routine.

Plus, we're exploring the power of positive affirmations, and how they can shape your mindset for the better. We also explain the benefits of relaxation techniques and the simple joy of basking in the morning sun. Trust us, these changes could make a world of difference to your day.

Have you heard about morning pages?

We're discussing this powerful tool that can kickstart your creativity and clear your mind for the day ahead. Join our experiment and try it for yourself - you might be surprised at the results.

I want to hear about your experiences, so share them in the comments or join my Facebook group for further discussion.

Remember, I'm here to inspire, motivate and empower you. Make sure to stay tuned for my next episode, where we'll continue this fascinating journey into the world of positive thinking and the power of the mind together.


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Transcript

Behnaz: 0:00

How you start each morning can have a significant impact on your mindset, productivity and happiness throughout the day. If you've ever had one of those days where you got out on the wrong side of the bed and things continue to go downhill from there, you already know how true this is. The good news is you can change this. You have more control than you may realize, but you need to start with a plan. Get ready to be inspired, motivated and empowered. Welcome to the whole happy, successful podcast, where we will talk about positivity, mindset and different tactics and strategies to be more happy and successful. I'm your host, Behnaz Vala, and I'm on a mission to help as many people as possible to be more successful through a positive mindset. Whether you're looking to improve your career, strengthen your relationships or find more happiness and fulfillment in your life, you'll find the guidance and inspiration you need right here. Join me in this fascinating journey and become more home, happy and successful. Welcome to the beautiful world of the power of mind and positive thinking. Let's start our journey together. To help you get started, here are seven easy to adopt habits that can help you make over your mornings for better, brighter days. Habit Number one embrace the calm Whenever possible. Allow yourself to ease into each day slowly and calmly, rather than waking up at the last minute and scrambling to get out of the door. Plan ahead to give yourself a few minutes of stillness and calm every morning. This will allow your mind to quietly embrace and contemplate each brand new day before jumping right into it. For this habit, all you need is a few minutes of stillness when you first wake up. Give your mind a chance to gradually become more conscious of your surroundings as you navigate the transition from sleep to being awake. Avoid jumping out of bed in a frantic rush to meet the day head on. Instead, simply embrace the quiet of this moment as a positive way to start the day. One great way to claim this time for yourself each morning is by placing your phone away from your bed while you sleep. For this to work, use a regular alarm clock or one that emulates the sunrise instead of the one on your phone. You don't want to have to jump out of bed to turn off a blurring alarm across the room when you wake up. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, keep it on. Do not disturb, so you don't see notifications immediately when you look at it in the morning. Give yourself this time to wake up slowly before facing whatever notifications or messages you received throughout the night.

Behnaz: 3:13

Habit number two use positive affirmations. Consider using positive affirmations each morning as a way to start your day. You can choose to repeat one affirmation every day, select different affirmations each morning or use a combination of several affirmations each day. Here are a few examples of positive affirmations you can use to get started. I am worthy. There are always new opportunities. I allow myself to learn and grow. I love myself unconditionally. Life is a blessing. Embracing affirmations such as these each morning can help you adopt a more positive and abundant mindset, as you believe, with hope and faith, that everything in your life will work out as it should.

Behnaz: 4:08

Habit number three practice relaxation techniques. There are many relaxation techniques you can use to start your day Morning. Meditation is a great example because it can calm your mind and body by allowing you to shift your focus from your thoughts to whatever you choose. Instead of random thoughts and worries dictating the direction of your day, meditation allows you to choose what to focus on instead. Breathing exercises such as box breathing can also be an effective way to experience a calm and tranquil morning With box breathing you inhale, hold, exhale and pause, each for a count of 4. This rhythmic pattern is set to reduce stress, improve focus, release muscle tension, regulate emotions and calm your nervous system. Not convinced, consider carving out 5-10 minutes each morning for a week or two to see if it works for you. Mindful walking, when you stay present and in a mindful state during an early morning walk, is another great option. In addition to the physical benefits of walking, you can also develop a greater sense of self-awareness and peace with this practice. Although it may take some practice to quiet your mind and focus your thoughts while you explore these relaxation techniques, they offer a great way to get your day off to a good start.

Behnaz: 5:47

Habit number 4 Enjoy the morning sun and fresh air. This habit can have a huge impact on your overall mood and outlook. Each morning, whenever possible, open your curtains and windows to allow the sunlight and fresh air into your home each morning. If you live in a colder climate, bundle up and step outside to enjoy the natural light and crisp air instead. There is something almost magical about reveling in sunshine and fresh air first thing in the morning. As the sun hits your skin, your mood begins to lift, and breathing in fresh air is a wonderful way to wake up your senses in a gradual, soothing way.

Behnaz: 6:33

Habit number 5 Utilize self-care. When it comes to self-care, there is no one-size-fits-all definition. You get to decide what self-care means to you. Start by considering small things you can do each morning to make your day better and brighter. For example, you could set 15 extra minutes each morning to practice your faith, read, stretch, make a healthy breakfast, meditate or simply enjoy your coffee in peace. There are no set rules when it comes to self-care, other than it should be something you do only for yourself. If your favorite part of the day is when you spend a few minutes outside in your garden, can add this to your regular morning routine.

Behnaz: 7:23

Habit number 6 Practice gratitude. An easy way to instantly boost your mood in the morning is to give thanks to what you have. This allows you to focus on the abundance blessings in your life rather than on what you wish you had or what you think is missing in your life. To get it started, pull out a dedicated notebook or journal each morning and write down a list of things you are grateful to have in your life. At times, you may feel like you are writing out the same things every morning, but before you know it, you will find more and more things to give thanks for as you start each day. Life has a way of giving us more to be grateful for the more we acknowledge and give thanks to what we already have.

Behnaz: 8:13

Habit number 7 Journal your thoughts. This advice is not new and you've probably heard it before, but it is worth repeating here. When it comes to starting your day in a positive note, journaling is one of the best things you can do. Why? Because your mind is often overwhelmed with a rush of thoughts, plans, goals, worries and fears when you get up each morning. Morning journaling, in the form of a brain dump or a stream of consciousness, helps you get all of these conflicting thoughts out of your head in a way that helps you organize and make sense of them later. All you need to do is write out anything that is running through your mind at a time. Your thoughts, feelings, worries, fears and future plans are all fair game, so don't worry about editing or censoring yourself. What you choose to write about can be good, bad, anxiety inducing, exciting, happy or sad. Just get it all out of your head by writing it down If you are due to journaling, keep it short and simple by using a timer for 5-10 minutes or setting a goal to fill up 2-3 pages in your journal. For practice, this morning journaling routine will become second nature and you will find it allows you to move on with your day with a sense of peace and calm.

Behnaz: 9:46

Ok, now let's talk a little more about morning journaling. You've probably seen people post about the use of morning pages on Instagram or Pinterest, but have you tried it yourself? Creating morning pages is a simple practice that can be added benefit to not only your morning routine but your day as well. Creating morning pages is the act of writing around 3 pages of free-flowing thought by long-hand. You are probably thinking isn't that journaling? Yes, yes, it is. However, morning pages are done first thing in the morning and without any premeditation as to what will be written. The benefits of this practice are vast. The process will allow you to clear the revolving ideas of your mind, open up to new ways of thinking and help lessen anxiety or negative thought patterns. Your mind naturally gravitates towards. The act of writing down in long-hand what is floating in your mind allows you to engage with your thoughts and surroundings in a way that typing does not allow. This is mostly because you are slowing down and can therefore take more notice of your thoughts, feelings and surroundings.

Behnaz: 11:07

Now that you know about morning pages, have you incorporated this into your morning routine? You will first need your preferred writing utensil. These can be a pen or pencil, as well as a notebook or blank loose paper. The next and final step is placing yourself with those items as soon as possible after waking up. In the morning, you can do your morning pages from your bed or kitchen counter, with tea or coffee or even a sports drink.

Behnaz: 11:40

At first it may seem challenging to sit and write 3 pages long-hand. Your hand may cramp, you may not know what to write, and 3 pages could seem like an eternity. The point is to stick with the process. If they won, you only write half a page. Be sure not to take a defeatist standpoint. Come back the next morning and try again. Remember that no one is going to read what you write. Your words do not need to be profound, thought-provoking or even grammatically correct. You just have to write Any thoughts, feelings or dreams that come to mind. Go on to the paper. You can even throw away your pages every morning when you're done.

Behnaz: 12:26

Morning pages can seem incredibly daunting, but do not let that stop you from exploring the benefits for yourself. Thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with your friends and family. I would also love to hear your thoughts and experiences, so leave a comment and share them with me. Also, join my free Facebook group Positivity Powerhouse and discover more. The link to join is in the show notes. Stay tuned for the next episode, where we'll continue to explore important topics related to being home happy and successful. I'm so looking forward to talking to you next week. Have the best, and the best will happen to you.