Start prioritizing our 3 M’s in your morning routine and you’ll find that you have a more peaceful, energetic, and intentional day.
Meditation
Brooke loves starting her morning first thing with meditation. It’s as simple as downloading an app and letting someone guide you (Brooke’s favorite is Insight Timer). Spend 5-10 minutes connecting your breath to your body. Slowing your heart rate down, turning your amgadala off (fight or flight brain) and noticing that you are not your thoughts. You are merely an observer of your thoughts. When your mind strays from your breath, notice it and bring your awareness back to the breath. This is what builds our awareness muscle and helps us be present in the moment. It’s called mindfulness, but it’s really mindlessness.
Benefits of meditation- boosts your immune system, improves depression, anxiety, sleep, mood, neuroplasticity, digestion, chronic pain, ability to focus, productivity
John Kabat-Zinn, a leader in the field, defines mindfulness as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.” We experience the present moment with curiosity, openness, and acceptance. We decide what thoughts are actually true and what we attach meaning to. We can let our thoughts go and not let them alter our state of being.
When we practice mindfulness we’re practicing being in the present moment. When we’re present, we’re not thinking about what we didn’t do or what we need to, we’re simply being. Mindfulness helps us be where our feet are. When we’re present we can align with what’s important to us. We are human beings not human doers and we need to get back to a state of homeostasis. Meditation allows us to quiet the outside noise to allow us to reflect on who we are and what’s important to us, so that we can then take actions that align with our values.
Movement
Andrea starts her morning right away with exercise and the benefits of it may inspire you to too…
Heart disease is the number one killer in the world. A lot of people start their health journey with the desire to live longer. Exercise helps you not only live longer, but also have a higher quality of life. It improves your mood thanks for the endorphins it provides and gives you more energy to do the things you love with the people you love. Exercise is also a great confidence booster. It makes you challenge yourself and you notice that you feel better and keep pushing yourself. The belief in yourself increases and you start to want to move more and in return you feel even better. You prove to yourself that you can do hard things and that you can keep the promises you make to yourself.
Benefits of exercising in the morning–
o Less barriers
o Beat the heat
o Sets the tone for choices
o Affects hunger cues- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise did a study on a group of 35 women who exercised in the morning for 45 min vs. later in the day- stronger response to food photos so hunger cues when they did not exercise in the morning
o Most favorable blood pressure and glucose changes were with morning exercisers
o Better sleep- Light exposure early in the day may help increase melatonin levels at night.
Mental Health Benefits–
Wendy Suzuki, Neuroscientist says that exercise is the most transformative thing you can do for your brain. The immediate effects are mood/energy for 2 hours and quicker reaction time.
Long term effects include:
o Brain changing effects of exercise
o Long-term memory
o Focus, attention improvement
o Better mood and energy
o Protective effects on brain- bigger and stronger hippocampus and prefrontal cortex which are most susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline in aging. 30 min 3-4 days/week to get these effects
The more you exercise, the bigger your brain.
Movement is medicine.
Follow the Gold Ivy Health Co. Youtube channel for our free 10-15 min, no equipment needed, workouts.
Mapping
There is no such thing as time management, only self management. With the never ending to-do lists and the overwhelming amount of information we have to process, it’s no doubt that we need to be intentional with our time.
The brain dump has been a game changer for both Andrea and Brooke when it comes to organizing their to-dos and staying focused and present. The brain dump was created by Brooke Castillo and basically what it is writing down everything you want to accomplish for the week and then scheduling it into your calendar. Once it’s in your calendar you throw the to-do list away. When it’s scheduled in your calendar, you know exactly when it’s going to get accomplished and you can be fully present in what you’re doing because you’re not worrying about what you need to get done, you already have it scheduled in. This also helps you map out how you’re spending your time. Are you doing things that align with your values and the life you want to create? Andrea and Brooke plan out their day hour by hour and have noticed that the more structure you have the more spontaneous you can be, without any guilt or shame tied to it. You have a plan, you are organized, and you make sure you are getting done the right things at the right time, in return helping ease stress. All it takes is some time to sit down and plan ahead of time. The time spent planning will only make your life easier. Learn more about the brain dump in The Life Coach School podcast listed under resources below.
Another way to map is to set your intentions for the day every morning. Get clear on how you’re going to be spending your day. Write out your top 3 priorities. Make a to-do list. Run your day instead of your day running you. It doesn’t matter how busy you are- it matters if you accomplish what you intend to. Fail to plan, plan to fail. In addition to setting intentions, start your day off with gratitude. When we seek good, more good comes. Our brain pays attention to what we tell it to. No really it’s a part of our brain.. the reticular activating system- look it up.
Mapping helps put you into a flow state. It helps you plan out what you need to get done to help align with what’s important to you. It’s about adding more value to your life and living a life that is “on purpose”. Mapping is unique to everyone. Mapping is anything you can do to be more intentional to help reduce stress and feel like you’re in the driver seat of your life.
Mapping Tools-
- 5 Second Journal
- Brain Dump
- Hourly Calendar
- To-Do List/Priority List (what Brooke calls her “Yes I Can” list)
- Food Planning
- Finance Planning
IVY UNLEASHED
Andrea & Brooke dedicated an episode to their favorite part of the day: the morning. Gold Ivy wants to share their 3 essential ingredients to creating a bulletproof day that makes you feel in charge and full of energy. By owning your morning with these 3 M’s, you will begin to own your day, creating an intentional and fulfilling life you love.
Behind-the-Scenes Video
Piece of Gold
The energy and mood of the morning carries through the day, so making life more meaningful begins there.
Jay Shetty
Resources–
Meditation App-
Brain Dump – Brooke Castillo Life Coach School Podcast
Gratitude/Affirmations Journal-
We thank you for joining us in the fearless pursuit of self-discovery and growth and hope that you transform our lessons into your gold.
Listen to your truth and go chase your gold.
– Gold Ivy Health Co.
