My New Happy: Mindful Monday: Miracle Morning

Monday, January 30, 2017

Mindful Monday: Miracle Morning


I'm not a morning person.  But I'm also not a night owl.  Apparently I'm a "love my bed, just let me sleep" kind of gal. However, I also have a business to run, a family and myself to take care of, and a house to manage.  I need to get my butt out of that comfy bed and get moving.

Every night I told myself that I'd get up an hour earlier the next day.  Then morning came, and it was cold and dark. So much easier to snuggle back in.

I've tried a lot of techniques, and written about some of them.  Everything works, until it doesn't.

This year, in my quest to be a #bettermeby50, I committed to quit making excuses and start working on my mornings. And oddly, as soon as I made that decision, this book began throwing itself at me.  In my Facebook feed, on my Twitter page, and through a recommendation from a friend.  When I passed the bookstore and it was on display, I finally decided to buy The Miracle Morning.

I'm so glad I did.  

The basic premise is this: the tone of our morning has a huge impact on the rest of the day. If you hear the alarm go off and think "oh no, it's already time to get up.  I didn't get enough sleep last night, and I'm not ready to face the day", things are starting off negatively.  By setting an intention before you go to sleep to wake up with enthusiasm and purpose, you reset the tone to one of positive energy.


Once you're out of bed, Elrod shares six practices, called "Life S.A.V.E.R.S" that begin the day on a positive note. In total, they can take from five minutes to an hour, depending on the time you have each morning.

S is for silence, which can include prayer, devotions, or meditation.  A is for affirmations, the important self-talk that influences every area of our life.  V is for visualization, or creating mental images of the positive things that we want to happen.  E is for exercise.  R is for reading a book that offers help in some needed area.  S is for scribing, or writing in a journal.

The author goes through each practice in depth, with insights on how to customize them to make them most effective for you and your needs.  He also shares tricks and tips to train yourself to wake up earlier.

I've been doing The Miracle Morning for four weeks, and it really has changed my outlook. The first week I set my alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier, the second week 30 minutes, and the third week 45 minutes.  By last week I was waking up an hour earlier without needing an alarm at all.

By taking 30 minutes to practice the Life S.A.V.E.R.S., I've found that the rest of my day is positive and productive. I'm focusing on my goals and getting more things accomplished. I'll admit that I don't exercise until later in the day, since that works better with my work schedule, but I'm following the other five.

Will I ever be a true "morning person"?  Probably not.  But I'm training myself to be more positive about those early hours, and it's having a great effect on the rest of the day.

34 comments:

  1. I trained myself to get up earlier a few years ago. I agree that taking time for yourself in the mornings sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. I'm going to check out that book!

    Jill
    Doused In Pink

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    1. I'm really finding that to be true Jill. Now I just need to keep it up!

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  2. I love my early mornings before the kids get up...so peaceful and serene until they start screeeeeching through their day.

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  3. I loved hearing about the Life SAVERS practice. Early mornings are my happy place!

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  4. I've always been a morning person until recently... since I was able to start working at home I started sleeping as late as I could... funny thing is that I decided last night that had to change, I started by getting up 30 minutes early... I want to make it one hour too... I love the premise of this book, I will have to look it up and try it out... xox

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    1. It's definitely more difficult when you work from home, which has been my problem too!

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  5. How on earth have I not heard of this book? Obviously, I've been sleeping in on that front. Wow. Sounds like a gem. I'll check it out. Thanks, Lana.

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    1. Haha - that's the truth! I'd never heard of it, until I kept seeing it over and over again. Somebody was trying to tell me something!

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  6. Sounds like a book I need to check out. I am once again trying to get back in the habit of waking up early, as I know my day is so much better when I do. I liked your statement about past things working, until they didn't. That is so me. Thanks for sharing, Lana.

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    1. I figure if I keep plugging along, something will finally stick. This book seems to be it!

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  7. I have been getting up earlier and I just love it! I do make sure I go to bed by 10 p.m., though so I get a full 7 hours of sleep. I am going to check this book out, because I love reading about this sort of thing! Lol!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

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    1. That's the part I need to work on next - getting to bed earlier. I do my best writing at night!

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  8. Funny, because I was just responding to a comment you had left me almost a month ago when we talked about our sleep patterns!
    I think we're so similar.
    I will never be a morning person, but for the sake of my family and my work, I have to learn to be better.

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  9. Wow, that is excellent. I think when it is lighter earlier getting up and going seems a lot easier. Good for you.

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    1. That's for sure - I'm so glad it's getting a little lighter each morning.

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  10. I love this post! Such great info and how it's impacting your life is so encouraging to me. I need to check it out.

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  11. Seems you were destined to get that book. My mornings these days are waking to radio 4 and the first thing I hear every morning is the latest from the Whitehouse. Not sure how you'd call that as a start, especially as I'm in the UK.

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    1. I think you definitely need to change that channel :)! Thank you so much for reading today!

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  12. Years ago I tried, on various occasions, to wake up early just to move slowly and Get Stuff Done.
    Then I realized I didn't care when that stuff got done, it doesn't have to be first thing, and it is better for me to accept how my body and mind naturally flow. Which means ALL THE SLEEP! I'm better at night anyhow.

    Mornings are still not a rush for me at all, they are calm and quiet--even my daughter gets herself out the door with no trouble or stress. Calm is good. quiet is good. Simplify what has to get done. Sleep as much as possible! :)

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    1. Hi Jessica! You're right, sleep is still the most important. I've been getting to bed a little earlier so that I get enough. A stress free morning makes the rest of the day so much better.

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  13. I am a morning person and a night owl but lately I've fallen in love with sleeping. I find myself enjoying sleep more than anything even shopping! I love this quest #bettermeby50! You are such an inspiration. As a life coach most people talk about change, they want to change, but they don't facilitate change, they don't make changes, they just wait for change to happen then complain when it doesn't. I'm going to buy this book today! I'm always looking for ways to be more effective and efficient in the mornings. :)

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    1. You are so kind - thank you for the nice words! I hope you like the book - it has lots of helpful tips. I love sleeping too :)!

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  14. I used to be a morning person, but it's been a struggle lately! I need to read this!!

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    1. I'm up and down with mornings - but this book is so helpful. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  15. One habit I could never kick from being in the Air Force was getting up early, so I'm on board there. However, I love the idea of changing my mindset for the day by having positive thoughts about what I'll do for the day. Makes total sense, and one I want to focus on. Thanks so much for the awesome tips! Hugs...RO www.intheknowwithro.blogspot.com

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    1. That seems to be the most important part - starting the day with that positive mindset. So glad you stopped by today!

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  16. So glad to read this post and review. I am trying to get up earlier and accomplish more before I head out to work. Making a real effort to do a devotional, write in a workbook, get something figured out for dinner and pack our lunches. Trying to work in a few minutes of exercise, too. For all of the activities the SAVERS symbolize, I would think I'd have to get up two hours earlier. How do you budget your time? Do you spend only so many minutes on each letter - S - A - V, etc.? Do you use a timer? I am really interested in this! Funny how the spoke called to you from FB, store displays. And now it is calling to me through YOU!

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    1. Sounds like you're already doing a lot of this in the morning! I spend about 30 minutes on this routine - about 10 minutes for devotionals/prayers, 5 mins on affirmations/visualization, and 15 mins on reading/journaling. Right now I'm reading The Universe Has Your Back, and I journal as I read, then spend a little time journaling gratitude and intentions for the day. I exercise later in the morning after I've done a little work. There is actually a six minute section where he shares doing a condensed version. Let me know if you have more questions!

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