Five Positive Ways to Start Your Day

How I start my day on a positive note

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Since my last birthday I have been focusing on setting some healthy and positive habits. My goal: to elevate my life in small ways that enable me to be more positive, productive, and make the most of each day. I certainly am not perfect at it (yet anyway). And I am still tweaking my morning and evening routines. But I have seen a lot of positive changes in my life even when life itself has not been going according to plan. I don’t sweat the small stuff (as much, anyway). And I can usually find a lesson or positive lining to even some dark and difficult situations.  So for those of you looking for ways to maybe have a bit brighter day, here are my 5 positive ways to start your day.

Start Your Day on a Positive Note – Literally

Find a source of daily motivation and inspiration. One way I do this is with a daily inspirational calendar. I keep it on my desk but you could also place it next to your bed so each morning you wake-up and get a beautiful sentiment or quote to start your day. Here is the one I am currently using.

If there is a specific quote or mantra that really resonates with you, write it out and post it somewhere (like a bathroom mirror) that you will see it regularly. And if you aren’t one for inspiring quotes, another good way to start the day is with a few moments of quiet reading. It will get your brain going and not in a way that is overwhelming.

Journal It Out

For years I have used a journal to clear my head or sort out feelings on a situation. While not always the most consistent with journaling, over the last 18 months I really committed to doing it as close to every day as possible. My personal journal practice is now a combination of several recommended approaches:

• Brain dump – I start with literally just a stream of conscious dump onto the page. Some days its can fill up a lot of space. Other days it is just a few sentences. It always is a good way to just clear my mind before I really dig into the day.
• Check-in – Different journals and coaches will call this step different things but basically it is simply writing down how you are feeling that day – specifically what emotion is the strongest. One day it might be fear or anxiety the next it could be excitement or confidence. What ever it is identify it and then decide if this is the feeling you want to carry with you for the day or not. If it isn’t, write down how you want to be feeling and then write out the thoughts you need to think to feel that way.
• Gratitude – I always write down at least 3 things I am grateful for each day. It is a good reminder to stop and smell the roses and be thankful for your blessings. t. Gratitude is a great way to change your mindset.
• Goals for the Day – Currently I am following Tonya Leigh’s School of Self Image Daily 3 practice. (Check her out here if you aren’t familiar.) But even if you don’t follow a formal approach, it is good to outline a couple of key goals for the day either Thought goals, Surroundings, Career, etc.

And that is my personal practice. But feel free to google other ideas. Some people recommend the morning pages approach. But there are a lot of options the big thing is to just start.

Move Your Body

This has turned out to be a big one for me. It also is the biggest change in my daily approach in this last year. I am not someone that really likes to workout. I have never been athletic and doubt I ever will be. But with that said, I do feel so much better when I start the day moving. At least 3 times a week I do get in a formal workout using weights in my home. But every day I make it a goal to average at least 7,000 steps. I know a lot of people say you need 10,000, and if you can get that amazing. I do some days. But I also know real life can get in the way so my goal is to average 7,000-8,000 each day. Typically I am to get a good chunk of that knocked out in the morning. But fit it in when you can and you will feel better.

And its okay to work your way up to a higher number. The key is really to just move in some way even gentle stretching each morning. It gets the muscles and blood moving and does release some good endorphins. For me this has really been a key to a positive start to my day.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

After what is hopefully 7+ hours of sleep, your body is dehydrated and so it is always good practice to start each day with some water. My good friend @danyeldoesitall is a huge proponent of this (just watch her daily Instagram stories). And I agree! Many nutritionists and health coaches that I have worked with recommend getting at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day. So that means if you weigh 140 pounds you want to drink at least 70 ounces of water. I personally always feel better and more energized when I am on top of my water consumption. And many days if I am feeling more tired or off I realize at least part of my problem is I am behind on my water intake.

So find yourself a fun water bottle or cup (a remember the size of it) and get drinking!

Find Your Self-Care Routine

This one is going to look different for everyone. But you should have your personal daily hygiene and self-care routine. It likely is at least two parts (morning and evening). And it is important to give yourself the time to do it and not rush through it and on to the next thing. Successful people all follow their own daily routine and honor it. That is the biggest difference for many. It is a non-negotiable.

In addition to the daily routine though. I also recommend and make time for at least one hour a week of “me time”. For me it is usually a Saturday or Sunday morning when I get up earlier then the rest of the house and have time for me. Use the time for something that is important to you but you don’t get to do often enough. Maybe that is a bath or taking a walk. Maybe its reading a fun beach read or just sitting quietly outside and drinking a coffee alone. It’s about doing something purely for you. And my “me time” looks different each week depending on how I am feeling and what has been going on in life.

Additional Recommendations for Starting a Positive Day

These are the five things I try and do each day to get my day off to the best start. They also are common recommendations from a lot of people. Some additional ideas for anyone looking to have a productive start to the day:

• Breakfast – I know a lot of people are into intermittent fasting. And I am not a nutritionist or doctor but I have worked with both over this last year to get my health in order. And for me, being consistent with my eating habits – three meals and some small snacks – has been a game changer for me in getting to and maintaining a healthy weight. I prioritize protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains and it does help energize me throughout the day. But check with your own doctor or professional nutritionist for what might be best for you.
• Reading Daily – This year, I am trying to be better about making time each day to read. I love books but I also find it is one of those things I don’t make time for when I am busy. But a lot of highly successful people all claim to make time to read each day.
• Sleep – Sleep is so important to our bodies. They need time to rest and recover. So I highly recommend starting with getting enough sleep. And listening to your body when it is feeling down and depleted.

That is the approach I have taken over the last 12+months as I have gotten into much better health, physically and mentally. My biggest advice though is to do your research, consider working with a professional to get you started, and be open to finding your own path. I have altered and changed my routines until I found what works for me. But what works for me, might not work for you. So use this as a possible starting point and then search out what is best for you.

Some of My Key Items in My Daily Routine

Here are some of the items I use regularly in my own daily routine: (Note some of these are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you purchase via my link – it does not change the price for you.)

• Daily Inspirational Calendar
• Blank Journal Notebook
• Hand Weights / Dumbbell
• 20oz Water Bottle

And for more tips on having a positive start to your day – check out my recent blog post on finding your confidence source.