Each morning is truly a fresh beginning. But the transition from sleeping to waking can often feel rushed and frazzled, especially for those with responsibilities, time obligations, and a looming to-do list. So rather than rolling right into what we need to get done and where we need to be, we recommend creating a morning routine that isn't just about checking off boxes — it's about allowing ourselves to begin the day with intention, peace, and confidence. We can even work our routine into our calendar... because isn't the time we give ourselves just as valuable as the time we give to others? Whether we have fifteen minutes or an hour, how we spend that time sets the tone for the day ahead.
Forming your perfect morning routine will take time as you explore what feels right for you — your body, mind, lifestyle, and schedule. A key to successful consistency is ensuring you set aside time each morning to devote wholly to yourself.
Inviting mindfulness and self-care rituals into our lives can help us begin each day with clarity, peace of mind, and intentional energy. After a night of rest, we can hold space for ourselves and ease gracefully into the morning.
Protect your headspace
Resist the temptation to look at your phone immediately after waking up. Beginning our waking hours with notifications, texts, and emails will have us responding immediately to the outside world, rather than tending to our own inner world. It can bring us into a state of distraction and even anxiety, skipping over the process of allowing our body's natural rhythms to shift us into wakeful presence. Because it can be challenging not to act on impulse first thing in the morning, when we first open our eyes and before our minds have fully engaged, it helps to begin our routine the night before. We suggest putting your phone on airplane mode if you use it for an alarm — or, consider using an old-school alarm clock, or white noise machine with one with nature sounds, and turning off the phone completely. It also helps our ability to rest well if we turn off wifi and Bluetooth devices before closing our eyes. If the urge to reach for the phone first thing upon waking is particularly strong, it can help to sleep with it in another room. Try your best not to look at your phone within the first 30 minutes of rising, to give your mind time to awaken with a sense of presence and peace.
Rehydrate with citrus water
Upon waking, we suggest drinking at least 16 ounces of water with a good squeeze of fresh lemon or lime, about 30 minutes before eating breakfast. This helps get the digestive system moving gently. And drinking lemon or lime water in the morning has benefits beyond aiding digestion — it will also help boost the immune system, balance pH levels, promote clear skin, hydrate the lymph system, and freshen breath. We naturally exhale about a pound of water vapor throughout the night, so our bodies are always glad for a hydration boost in the morning!
A mindful moment
Spend a few minutes in meditation. This can be sitting up in bed, on a pillow or yoga mat, or even sitting on a dining room chair. The meditation can be as short as two minutes or as long as an hour, depending on your preferences and how much time you have for the morning practice. You may choose to do a guided meditation through a meditation app — Headspace, Insight Timer, and Waking Up are all great meditation resources. You can meditate to music — playing a song, closing your eyes, and taking in the flow and energy. You may also choose to use a mantra or intentional statement to chant out loud or repeat in your mind throughout your practice — "I change my thoughts, I change my world," "I choose love," or "Om Shanti Shanti Shanti" (Sanskrit for peace of mind, peace of body, and peace of speech). If you would like to keep it simple, close your eyes, focus on counting your breaths, do a scan of your body to just notice where you might be holding tension, and then gently releasing.
Express your gratitude
You can journal about absolutely anything, in many different forms — creative writing, releasing thoughts and emotions, dream journaling, or manifesting goals for the future. Journaling is a form of self-expression without rules or constraints. A wonderful way to begin the day is with gratitude journaling. If you are new to the practice, try listing one or two things you are grateful for. These items of gratitude could be people, places, things, thoughts, emotions, ideas, situations, or possibilities. Expand on why you feel thankful for each. Starting the day with this acknowledgment of our gifts creates an energy shift that begins to shine through us and radiate outward to touch everyone around us.
If you feel blocked when it comes to expressing your thoughts and experiences, consider reading Julia Cameron's book "The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" to light your way.
Facial cleansing ritual
At Sageborn, we highly recommend a consistent facial care routine. We believe that taking care of our skin in the morning helps us put our best face forward every day, bringing us both wellness and confidence. We suggest starting with Sageborn's Purifying Facial Cleaning Oil, paired with our Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloth, to begin with a clean foundation. Our Refreshing Botanical Facial Mist helps tone and invigorate the skin. Finally, using Anti-Aging Carrot Seed Facial Moisturizer will hydrate and soothe, or Rejuvenating Facial Oil will help restore and protect the skin's natural vibrancy.
Find inspiration in your RITUAL
The final element of your morning routine should provide a sense of grounding and inspiration. Add a little supportive self-care motivation to your day by rolling your Sageborn RITUAL Dice. Each side offers a reminder to focus on one of six practices for naturally vibrant skin and overall well being: Eat Real Food, Moisturize, Calm Your Mind, Protect Your Sleep, Break a Sweat, and Hydrate. By making the RITUAL a part of your morning routine, these practices will become a natural part of each day.
Making time and taking time
Forming your perfect morning routine will take time as you explore what feels right for you — your body, mind, lifestyle, and schedule. A key to successful consistency is ensuring you set aside time each morning to devote wholly to yourself. This may mean going to sleep and waking up 30 minutes earlier than usual. Like any practice, your morning self-love ritual won't become habit overnight, but every action you take towards making it routine will make things feel easier in the long run, while setting you up for a successful start every day. Feel free to begin by incorporating just one or two of our suggestions and see what feels good for you. We promise that an intentional morning routine will make a world of positive difference in your physical, emotional, and spiritual body, and support a more restful and focused life.