Here's my morning and night routines right now.
It may seem like a ton to you. I have been building up for all summer to have everything on this list. I love that it is on a separate piece of paper and the feeling when I can check things off. Some are simple and easy to check off. Others take me a bit longer. It may seem like a daunting list. Don't you worry! I have two things that will make it so much easier for you. I do highly suggest having your own list for the week of your two simple things I am going to teach you.
There are two things that would start your morning off right. You can do them in either order.
#1 Make your bed.
"Why make your bed when you are going to mess it up again?" A phrase my husband proudly used to say. I've always loved the idea of making my bed in the morning. It always made me feel more put together somehow. There are many reasons to make your bed first thing in the morning.
1) It fills you with a sense of accomplishment. If I can make my bed I can handle the next things I need to do. I love starting the day immediately checking off something off my list. It also fills me with accomplishment energy to do more.
2) It organizes your mind. Your bed is a lot like your mind. If it's a mess you will feel like you are a mess.
3) It makes your bedroom feel clean. It's true, just having a made bed even if the rest of your room is a mess just feels better. You feel like your life is put together. I know making my bed actually keeps my room clean because I don't want to make a mess in it. I want one room that's my clean place.
4) It shows respect for your relationship and yourself. Treat your room like it is your oasis. It's where you spend a large majority of your time. It's a symbol of your relationship with your spouse. If you are single it's a symbol of how you treat yourself. Clean room=more love for yourself.
5) Better night's rest. What does your room tell your subconscious when you sleep? Do you think a clutter room is good for a good night's rest? The more organized the room the better the sleep. Making your bed symbolizes that you care for this place your spend a lot of time in. Caring for the room means better rest.
6) It's a great wake up. If you are like me you are not much of a morning person. I have been trying to get myself up early to rejuvenate myself before the day. It's not easy. Jumping up out of bed and making it wakes up my brain. I may start sluggish but by the end I'm awake and ready for the day.
There are probably tons more that you can feel from making your bed but these 6 hit the nail on the head for me. How freeing it is start my day accomplishing the easy goal of making my bed.
#2 Kneel to pray.
Starting my day with kneeling to pray seems simple but unfortunately it's not simple for me. I forget. I want to hit the ground running. Taking the time to kneel to our maker can make all the difference. There is millions of reasons why you should kneel to pray first thing. Here's just a few.
1) Start your day with the one who knows your day. He knows the battles, struggles, ups and downs of your day. He knows what you need specifically. Praying to your Heavenly Father gives him the in he needs to guide you along the path.
2) Mediation is powerful. Mindfulness is now a common word in our culture. When I think of mindfulness I think of prayer. I am not good at clearing out all my thoughts but taking time to talk to God of our universe is something I would like to be amazing at. Taking time in your busy day to slow down helps your brain to function better.
3) Taking time to ponder, visualize, communicate first thing creates a deep connection. It creates a connection with yourself and with your Heavenly Father. Talking about your dreams, goals for the day, and simple things. It may seem unimportant to you but it is not to your maker. He created you to live your life fully and to be happy. He wants to know.
4) He answers prayers. Starting your day with a question. From a simple one, "How can I help my son when he throws fits?" to a huge one, "How are we going to pay our mortgage?" He answers. You will find yourself hearing answers at unappointed times during the day. Asking questions results in answers. No matter how big or small the concerns.
5) He loves you. He desires to hear from you. Kneeling to pray first thing allows you to feel his love more deeply and more clearly. You chose to put him first.
These 5 reasons are just a few that make a difference to me. I am now going to challenge myself to have deeper prayers and learn to connect deeply with my Father in Heaven. What a way to start a day.
I hope you enjoyed these five reasons and that they are eye opening to you. I want you to know I was very prompted to write this page down. I hope it changes someone like it has helped shape my life over the past couple weeks. I challenge you for one week to start your morning on the right side of the bed.
