The 5-Minute Morning Investment

Do you ever feel like you're just reacting to your day instead of truly owning it? When burnout and fatigue take over, it can be tough to find a positive outlook. In this powerful, short episode, Dr. C reveals a simple, scientifically-proven 5-minute morning exercise designed to flip the script on your day. Discover the four key questions that listeners have been asking for since the "Windshield Wellness" segment.  

The "Morning Investment" is a small daily step that has been shown to not only increase happiness but also improve physical health. Learn how to intentionally inject optimism, gratitude, and focus into your morning, empowering you to take control of the 995 minutes that follow.

If you're ready to move from reacting to thriving, this is the episode for you. Join Dr. C and take the one-week challenge that could change the way you start every day.

Transcript

Hola and welcome back to the LIFE podcast. It's Dr. C and I am so glad you're here with me today. 

First, I just want to say thank you so much for tuning in and downloading our episodes. 
Keyword there is downloading our episodes. It helps us gain more presence in the podcast world and reach out to people that are on the same wellness journey as us. 

I've been so happy with all the positive feedback and requests for specific wellness topics since we went live last week. 
So keep those requests coming because we are working hard to bring you the content that you said is important to you and things that you want to learn about more about. 

I'm so truly grateful to you all, but I'm really excited that you're here today. And I can't wait to dive into today's conversation because it's a doozy. 


So many of you reached out last week after the windshield wellness episode was released and asked, what were those four questions that the CEO and I asked each other during our morning investment together? 

Well, today, we're going to focus on those exact questions. We call this exercise the Morning Investment, key word - INVESTMENT! A small daily step that is scientifically proven to profoundly enhance your well-being. 


Okay, So let's get into it. Let's be real. We all have those days, don't we? 
Where it feels hard to muster up a positive outlook, where your motivation just is not there.

Well, when we lose that sense of positivity, burnout and fatigue can quickly follow. And it could feel like we're just reacting to our day versus, you know, instead of owning it, instead of thriving in it. 


So it's time to challenge that status quo and flip the script. Okay. 

Today we're focusing on proactively and intentionally investing in our own well-being, every single day in just five minutes. So it sounds simple, but the effect of a consistent positive practice is anything but small. 

In fact, there's fascinating research on this. A study compare groups of health care providers -- nurses and doctors over a 10- month period. 
One group was asked to journal their responses to these specific prompts each day, and the other group did nothing. 

Well, the results were incredible for the journaling group. At the end of the 10 months, not only did they report being happier, but they also reported being physically healthier than the group that did nothing. 


So think about it. A simple writing exercise had a measurable impact on their physical and emotional wellness. Yes, this is the power that we have. 
Right? 

This tells us that we have the power to literally inject positivity and optimism into our day, and our bodies and minds will thank us for it. 

Now, this isn't about ignoring challenges or pretending everything is perfect, hunky dory. 
I have no issues. Nope. It's about consciously choosing where to place our focus, to build resilience and to start our day from a place of strength.

So, what is this powerful five minute exercise, Dr. C? Tell us. 

Well, it consists of four simple prompts. 
You can find the questions in the show notes, but for now, just listen and reflect.

Every morning, before the chaos of the day begins. Take five minutes to write down your answer to these questions. 

The first one is, "I will focus on...."

This is so critical, because our lives are full of with endless could-dos and should-dos. So this prompt helps you carve out your will dos. It trains us to be intentional and declare what truly matters to us today. 


See, we are not focusing on tomorrow or worrying about next week week. We are focusing on taking one day at a time and being present, giving us a sense of purpose and direction from the very start of your day. 

The second prompt is, "I am grateful for..." 


This is a powerful mental shift. It helps you reflect on your blessings and your assets instead of your troubles and deficiencies. You see, gratitude grounds us. 
It reminds us of the good that already exists on our lives, creating a foundation of abundance to build our day upon. 

The third is, "I will let go of..."

This is your chance to release what is not serving you. 
We all carry baggage, a worry, a frustration, a past mistake. We're very critical about ourselves. 

This prompt prompt helps you name it. 
And in naming it, you take away its power. What are you letting go of? It's a conscious decision to release that weight so that you can move through your day a little lighter. 


And the final prompt is, "I will dedicate 15 minutes to..."

See, this is about accountability and consistency. Maybe you'll dedicate 15 minutes to that book you want to read, or dedicate 15 minutes to walking without any distractions and just enjoying nature. Or dedicate yourself to not working through lunch and actually enjoying a meal away from your desk completely unplugging. This step helps you develop consistency in the small actions that align with the person you want to be. 

So when you think about it, we are only awake for about an average of 1,000 minutes a day, that's it, just a thousand minutes a day. 

And this exercise is about taking back control of those minutes, right? 
So if we can consciously invest just five minutes to inject optimism, gratitude, and intention in every morning, we empower ourselves to take control of the remaining 995 minutes. 

So here's my challenge to you. Try this for one week, just one week. 


For five minutes each morning, answer those four prompts. See how it feels. Notice what shifts. 


And I would love to hear from you about how the morning investments have enhanced your wellness or how you've tweaked the process to fit your lifestyle. 

So that's it for today. We're just taking those four questions and we're just going to start investing five minutes every morning to set our day intentionally. 


Thank you so much for taking time for yourself today by joining me. And until next time, keep on learning. Stay inspired, continue to flourish, and never stop evolving. 


I'm Dr. C, and this is the LIFE Podcast.