August 27, 2024 • 18 mins
Hey , Mama!
Today marks the beginning of our four-day bonus episode series, leading up to our exciting community morning routine challenge. Today we will explore some of my favorite strategies to find joy amidst the chaos of motherhood by establishing morning routines that set a positive tone for your day.
Don't miss out on our special morning routine challenge starting September 1st in our free Facebook group. Join us for accountability, encouragement, and the chance to win free one-on-one coaching and wellness tools. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/divinedesignwellness.
Tune in tomorrow for a bonus episode on habit stacking to help you build these practices into your routine. Let's transform our mornings together!
💕Caroline
👩💻Coaching- www.divinedesignwellness.org/coaching
👩🏻🤝👩🏽Community & Education- https://www.facebook.com/groups/divinedesignwellness/
🎁Become an Insider- www.divinedesignwellness.org/insider
🤝Connect- caroline@divinedesignwellness.org
✨Inspiration- https://instagram.com/divinedesignwellness?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng==
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to episode 42. Today kicks off
the next four days of bonus episodes in preparation for our community morning
routine challenge with some of my favorite ideas to help you find joy in the
midst of the chaotic and busy seasons of motherhood through building morning
routines that lay the foundation for the rest of your day.
(00:21):
Be sure to listen for more details on how to join our challenge.
Hey Mama, welcome to Divine Design Wellness, where we're putting down deep spiritual
roots and embracing our identity in Christ through holistic health.
Do you want to love your body and feel confident in motherhood?
Music.
(01:38):
If you haven't joined our free
private Facebook group yet, I want to invite you to come check it out.
We will be having a special morning routine challenge going on all September.
This group is for moms just like you looking for a holistic approach to motherhood
and wellness and accountability and encouragement for the journey ahead.
(01:59):
Come join us and get your morning routine adjusted or rebuilt to create the
best start for your day and get the chance to win free one-on-one coaching as
well as some of my favorite wellness tools.
You can find us on Facebook forward slash groups forward slash divine design
wellness or by using the link in the show notes.
(02:21):
I have been on a mission over the past year to really fine-tune my morning routines
and just make the most of my mornings.
There are several things that I have found over the years that really keep me
grounded and focused all throughout my day, whether I'm home all day,
homeschooling, working from home,
(02:44):
or if I'm out and about running errands and meeting up with people.
This intentional practice of crafting a morning routine that I love helps keep
me on track with my goals,
and it's really just been very transformational for me in just my personal growth.
I will say it has been a long time in the making.
(03:07):
I didn't just magically develop the discipline and habit of this routine.
In fact, at times it has felt overwhelmingly Overwhelmingly frustrating and discouraging,
I have failed so many attempts at building this habit and spent a lot of wasted
time in seasons of doubt thinking that I wasn't ever going to actually be able to figure it out.
(03:32):
I want to encourage you, if you're finding yourself in a season of chaotic mornings
with no grasp on how you could possibly have a morning routine for yourself
and your family, don't beat yourself up.
It literally has taken me years and years of bouncing around,
trying different things, going from complete chaos to, you know,
(03:58):
trying to implement all these different morning routines to giving up and the cycle goes on.
However, I do want you to consider what you could start doing now to find that joy in your mornings,
to really ground yourself self in the middle of this crazy season of motherhood
and start working towards a morning routine that will take you from overwhelmed
(04:23):
to grounded in peace and purpose.
One of the first things I have come to prioritize in my mornings is quiet.
Now this could look so many different ways,
but just finding a way to get still before the day starts and you're caught
(04:46):
up in all the busyness of the day,
it's really powerful because there's so much that can be experienced in silence
and stillness without those constant distractions that life brings.
Now, I know as moms, this may feel like an absolute impossibility,
especially if you have tiny ones who are demanding your attention before the
(05:10):
sun has even thought of rising.
And believe me, I have been there.
So even if this looks like taking those moments of early morning feedings where
you're just savoring the stillness and the beauty of giving life to a tiny human,
even that is just so powerful to set the tone for the remainder of your morning.
(05:34):
And I have found that the more busy my days have become,
the more I really need to get still and silent to just be and observe before
I get sucked into all the doing and problem solving.
So if this is something that you just feel like you don't really know how to even implement,
(05:58):
I encourage you to even just set a one minute,
maybe two minute timer for yourself whenever it makes the most sense in your
morning and just start practicing stillness and quiet without any distractions.
I know it's so easy to wake up and just immediately reach for your phone or
(06:25):
whatever that thing is that just kind of, I guess we could call it our security blanket.
There's so many different things that we can reach for, but if we can just start
practicing being still and quiet and leaving space for our thoughts to work themselves out,
for God to be able to come in and speak to us,
(06:46):
it is just so powerful and it's such a great way to start the day.
The second thing that I think is really, really important for starting the day is sunlight.
We were made to be in the sun. We start to wither just like a plant without sun and water, right?
(07:08):
This is something I actually had no idea how much the lack of it was affecting me.
And when I began to start incorporating early morning sunlight into my daily
routine, I started to see shifts
in my physical, mental, and spiritual wellness that just blew me away.
(07:28):
And honestly if I could just pick one
of the things I'm talking about today to practice it would
be this there's just really no replacement for getting that natural sunlight
and there's not any artificial things out there that's going that are going
to give you as many benefits and just to name a few of these benefits there's
(07:51):
quite a lot of things that we get from the sun,
but the most obvious ones is improved mood, focus, and productivity.
Our bone health is improved, our immune health.
We can experience reduced risks for certain disease by getting more sun.
And of course, our circadian rhythm is going to be regulated better,
(08:15):
which is going to help you get that really restful night's sleep and all of
the right triggers to help you get to sleep when you need to,
and to wake up when you need to.
So really, if anything else is,
you know, you're not sure about doing it, do this one because you can honestly
(08:38):
combine this with quiet and you will be so amazed what it does to change your day.
The third thing is presence. So So this is
something that I've really been working on practicing more over the past couple
of years because it's so easy to get caught up in just being reactive rather
(09:02):
than proactive in how we're being in different environments.
So when I think about presence, it's really just like paying attention to your
environment, which is internal and external, the people around you, as well as the.
Reality of all the things that have been given to you.
(09:25):
So a lot of times it's so easy to think about like, oh, this didn't happen the
way I wanted it. And I don't have this.
And I, you know, we can be so quick to complain and count all the things that are not going well.
But how often are we really paying attention to all of the blessings,
all of the things that have gone our way, all the ways that God has completely
(09:50):
protected us and provided for us and made ways for us that, you know,
have led us to where we are.
Now, this may come more naturally to you than others.
I can be a very internally aware person, but that can also leave me blind to
things going on outside of me.
(10:11):
And you might be someone who's incredibly in tune with the needs of those around
you, but be completely clueless to what's really going on with you and what your own needs are.
So, you know, wherever you find yourself on that spectrum,
choosing to spend time every day just actively checking in with yourself,
(10:31):
as well as those around you and with our creator who provides for all of our needs day in and day out,
regardless of our attention and gratitude, it's a really beautiful way to cultivate
that presence of mind and spirit for every circumstance we find ourselves in.
This could look like anything from creating a journaling layout that addresses
(10:56):
each area or a prayer that stems from gratitude and then seeks the growth of
others as well as ourselves.
So this is just kind of a little idea for you to start considering,
like how you could incorporate any of those things to just start practicing
that presence of mind in your day to day.
(11:18):
The other thing that I have found that has really helped me in the daily chaos,
especially with homeschooling and working from home and just having like all
of the things going on all of the time in our house is to just set out with
(11:39):
a purpose in mind in the beginning of the day.
No matter how trivial the tasks for that day might seem, when I think about
the bigger picture and like my bigger purpose, those tasks don't seem so trivial to me anymore.
They gain a whole new purpose in the reason why I'm doing them.
(11:59):
So this could look like a single sentence that sums up your overarching goal
for life that you seek to pursue every day and speaking it over your day.
Or it can look more like a very specific purpose and goal for that particular
day that will allow you to show up in the best way for yourself,
your family, and your circle of friends and community.
(12:23):
So even just something as simple as like a post-it note that you have on your
bathroom through a mirror or wherever it is that you like start getting ready
for the day and doing all that stuff.
Just having some sort of reminder of what your purpose is.
It can be really helpful to keep your mind and your heart focused on that when things become chaotic.
(12:45):
And then the next thing is to energize yourself. Get your body moving in a way
that fills you and challenges you.
Now, I know personally, a lot of the times in my health journey over the years,
I have found myself saying like,
oh, I just wish I had more energy to do the things I want to do to pursue all
(13:10):
these goals that I have, but I just don't have the energy and I don't see how
it's even possible for me to do those things.
What I didn't realize was that energy is the result of taking action,
not the other way around,
which it's easy to think that we can't do anything without energy,
but really, we need to take action in order to generate energy.
(13:34):
And the more I have seen this play out in my life, the more I believe it to be 100% true.
So the next time you find yourself wishing you had energy to do the thing,
whether it's working out, cleaning the house.
Getting that to-do list taken care of that keeps nagging at you,
just remember this and say to yourself, just do it.
(13:56):
Like I know that sounds so cliche but it's one
of those phrases that I use as a trigger when I
catch myself telling myself I don't
have the energy and I just don't want to do something I just say just do it
and it's just that little bit I need to get one foot moving in front of the
other and that action generates more energy for the next step and that step
(14:20):
brings more energy and so on and so that That is why no matter how tired,
sleep deprived, and busy you are, which I understand being a mom is so exhausting,
I encourage you to prioritize exercise every day if possible,
however that looks for you.
(14:40):
And if not every day, at least like the majority of the days of the week.
So even if it's just five to ten minutes
of walking outside around your
neighborhood or a quick weight routine
while your kids are in the bath or something
I have done in the past is like I just made a deal with myself
that every time I was brushing
(15:02):
my teeth or getting in
the shower something like that that happens on a regular basis
that I was going to do you know however many
squats or however many leg lifts
or whatever so you can just kind of figure out what is it what is going to work
for you to just like help you move your body consistently without it being this
(15:25):
big huge commitment and that's just because you want to keep yourself moving
to keep generating that energy.
The last thing I wanted to encourage you to think about incorporating into your
morning routines is to record what you're doing.
So however you choose to structure your morning, making a habit of recording your progress,
(15:48):
your thoughts, or even just the ways that you have seen your routine transforming
your day, writing those things down or keeping track of those things is going to be super powerful.
Now, I know that sometimes it feels like even just the act of keeping track
(16:10):
of something is more work that you don't want to add.
I do really encourage you to do it, even if it's just for a limited period of time,
because there's nothing like visible results to keep you moving forward and
to kick your rear into gear when you've been in a slump.
And I actually have a whole episode on what doing exactly this for a year taught me.
(16:36):
It truly transformed my entire mindset and habits around working out.
So I encourage you to go check it out. That's episode number 30 and it's all
about what I learned through tracking my exercise habits for a year.
Okay, so to summarize today's episode, find a window of stillness,
(16:58):
get some sunlight in your eyes, bring up the practice of awareness into your
day, set out with a clear purpose.
Energize your mind, body, and soul with movement, and keep track of your progress.
Now, I want to challenge you to pick just one of these core foundations to an
awesome morning routine and start small.
(17:20):
Trying to build all of these things at once will just overwhelm and confuse
you and cause you to give up.
So that is why I want you to tune in tomorrow for a special bonus episode on
exactly how to do that with habit stacking.
And don't forget to put it in your calendar and start preparing for our special
(17:42):
morning routine challenge starting September 1st in my free Facebook group.
If you haven't joined yet, you can find us on Facebook forward slash groups
forward slash divine design wellness.
Music.
Welcome to episode 42. Today kicks off
the next four days of bonus episodes in preparation for our community morning
routine challenge with some of my favorite ideas to help you find joy in the
midst of the chaotic and busy seasons of motherhood through building morning
routines that lay the foundation for the rest of your day.
(00:21):
Be sure to listen for more details on how to join our challenge.
Hey Mama, welcome to Divine Design Wellness, where we're putting down deep spiritual
roots and embracing our identity in Christ through holistic health.
Do you want to love your body and feel confident in motherhood?
Music.
(01:38):
If you haven't joined our free
private Facebook group yet, I want to invite you to come check it out.
We will be having a special morning routine challenge going on all September.
This group is for moms just like you looking for a holistic approach to motherhood
and wellness and accountability and encouragement for the journey ahead.
(01:59):
Come join us and get your morning routine adjusted or rebuilt to create the
best start for your day and get the chance to win free one-on-one coaching as
well as some of my favorite wellness tools.
You can find us on Facebook forward slash groups forward slash divine design
wellness or by using the link in the show notes.
(02:21):
I have been on a mission over the past year to really fine-tune my morning routines
and just make the most of my mornings.
There are several things that I have found over the years that really keep me
grounded and focused all throughout my day, whether I'm home all day,
homeschooling, working from home,
(02:44):
or if I'm out and about running errands and meeting up with people.
This intentional practice of crafting a morning routine that I love helps keep
me on track with my goals,
and it's really just been very transformational for me in just my personal growth.
I will say it has been a long time in the making.
(03:07):
I didn't just magically develop the discipline and habit of this routine.
In fact, at times it has felt overwhelmingly Overwhelmingly frustrating and discouraging,
I have failed so many attempts at building this habit and spent a lot of wasted
time in seasons of doubt thinking that I wasn't ever going to actually be able to figure it out.
(03:32):
I want to encourage you, if you're finding yourself in a season of chaotic mornings
with no grasp on how you could possibly have a morning routine for yourself
and your family, don't beat yourself up.
It literally has taken me years and years of bouncing around,
trying different things, going from complete chaos to, you know,
(03:58):
trying to implement all these different morning routines to giving up and the cycle goes on.
However, I do want you to consider what you could start doing now to find that joy in your mornings,
to really ground yourself self in the middle of this crazy season of motherhood
and start working towards a morning routine that will take you from overwhelmed
(04:23):
to grounded in peace and purpose.
One of the first things I have come to prioritize in my mornings is quiet.
Now this could look so many different ways,
but just finding a way to get still before the day starts and you're caught
(04:46):
up in all the busyness of the day,
it's really powerful because there's so much that can be experienced in silence
and stillness without those constant distractions that life brings.
Now, I know as moms, this may feel like an absolute impossibility,
especially if you have tiny ones who are demanding your attention before the
(05:10):
sun has even thought of rising.
And believe me, I have been there.
So even if this looks like taking those moments of early morning feedings where
you're just savoring the stillness and the beauty of giving life to a tiny human,
even that is just so powerful to set the tone for the remainder of your morning.
(05:34):
And I have found that the more busy my days have become,
the more I really need to get still and silent to just be and observe before
I get sucked into all the doing and problem solving.
So if this is something that you just feel like you don't really know how to even implement,
(05:58):
I encourage you to even just set a one minute,
maybe two minute timer for yourself whenever it makes the most sense in your
morning and just start practicing stillness and quiet without any distractions.
I know it's so easy to wake up and just immediately reach for your phone or
(06:25):
whatever that thing is that just kind of, I guess we could call it our security blanket.
There's so many different things that we can reach for, but if we can just start
practicing being still and quiet and leaving space for our thoughts to work themselves out,
for God to be able to come in and speak to us,
(06:46):
it is just so powerful and it's such a great way to start the day.
The second thing that I think is really, really important for starting the day is sunlight.
We were made to be in the sun. We start to wither just like a plant without sun and water, right?
(07:08):
This is something I actually had no idea how much the lack of it was affecting me.
And when I began to start incorporating early morning sunlight into my daily
routine, I started to see shifts
in my physical, mental, and spiritual wellness that just blew me away.
(07:28):
And honestly if I could just pick one
of the things I'm talking about today to practice it would
be this there's just really no replacement for getting that natural sunlight
and there's not any artificial things out there that's going that are going
to give you as many benefits and just to name a few of these benefits there's
(07:51):
quite a lot of things that we get from the sun,
but the most obvious ones is improved mood, focus, and productivity.
Our bone health is improved, our immune health.
We can experience reduced risks for certain disease by getting more sun.
And of course, our circadian rhythm is going to be regulated better,
(08:15):
which is going to help you get that really restful night's sleep and all of
the right triggers to help you get to sleep when you need to,
and to wake up when you need to.
So really, if anything else is,
you know, you're not sure about doing it, do this one because you can honestly
(08:38):
combine this with quiet and you will be so amazed what it does to change your day.
The third thing is presence. So So this is
something that I've really been working on practicing more over the past couple
of years because it's so easy to get caught up in just being reactive rather
(09:02):
than proactive in how we're being in different environments.
So when I think about presence, it's really just like paying attention to your
environment, which is internal and external, the people around you, as well as the.
Reality of all the things that have been given to you.
(09:25):
So a lot of times it's so easy to think about like, oh, this didn't happen the
way I wanted it. And I don't have this.
And I, you know, we can be so quick to complain and count all the things that are not going well.
But how often are we really paying attention to all of the blessings,
all of the things that have gone our way, all the ways that God has completely
(09:50):
protected us and provided for us and made ways for us that, you know,
have led us to where we are.
Now, this may come more naturally to you than others.
I can be a very internally aware person, but that can also leave me blind to
things going on outside of me.
(10:11):
And you might be someone who's incredibly in tune with the needs of those around
you, but be completely clueless to what's really going on with you and what your own needs are.
So, you know, wherever you find yourself on that spectrum,
choosing to spend time every day just actively checking in with yourself,
(10:31):
as well as those around you and with our creator who provides for all of our needs day in and day out,
regardless of our attention and gratitude, it's a really beautiful way to cultivate
that presence of mind and spirit for every circumstance we find ourselves in.
This could look like anything from creating a journaling layout that addresses
(10:56):
each area or a prayer that stems from gratitude and then seeks the growth of
others as well as ourselves.
So this is just kind of a little idea for you to start considering,
like how you could incorporate any of those things to just start practicing
that presence of mind in your day to day.
(11:18):
The other thing that I have found that has really helped me in the daily chaos,
especially with homeschooling and working from home and just having like all
of the things going on all of the time in our house is to just set out with
(11:39):
a purpose in mind in the beginning of the day.
No matter how trivial the tasks for that day might seem, when I think about
the bigger picture and like my bigger purpose, those tasks don't seem so trivial to me anymore.
They gain a whole new purpose in the reason why I'm doing them.
(11:59):
So this could look like a single sentence that sums up your overarching goal
for life that you seek to pursue every day and speaking it over your day.
Or it can look more like a very specific purpose and goal for that particular
day that will allow you to show up in the best way for yourself,
your family, and your circle of friends and community.
(12:23):
So even just something as simple as like a post-it note that you have on your
bathroom through a mirror or wherever it is that you like start getting ready
for the day and doing all that stuff.
Just having some sort of reminder of what your purpose is.
It can be really helpful to keep your mind and your heart focused on that when things become chaotic.
(12:45):
And then the next thing is to energize yourself. Get your body moving in a way
that fills you and challenges you.
Now, I know personally, a lot of the times in my health journey over the years,
I have found myself saying like,
oh, I just wish I had more energy to do the things I want to do to pursue all
(13:10):
these goals that I have, but I just don't have the energy and I don't see how
it's even possible for me to do those things.
What I didn't realize was that energy is the result of taking action,
not the other way around,
which it's easy to think that we can't do anything without energy,
but really, we need to take action in order to generate energy.
(13:34):
And the more I have seen this play out in my life, the more I believe it to be 100% true.
So the next time you find yourself wishing you had energy to do the thing,
whether it's working out, cleaning the house.
Getting that to-do list taken care of that keeps nagging at you,
just remember this and say to yourself, just do it.
(13:56):
Like I know that sounds so cliche but it's one
of those phrases that I use as a trigger when I
catch myself telling myself I don't
have the energy and I just don't want to do something I just say just do it
and it's just that little bit I need to get one foot moving in front of the
other and that action generates more energy for the next step and that step
(14:20):
brings more energy and so on and so that That is why no matter how tired,
sleep deprived, and busy you are, which I understand being a mom is so exhausting,
I encourage you to prioritize exercise every day if possible,
however that looks for you.
(14:40):
And if not every day, at least like the majority of the days of the week.
So even if it's just five to ten minutes
of walking outside around your
neighborhood or a quick weight routine
while your kids are in the bath or something
I have done in the past is like I just made a deal with myself
that every time I was brushing
(15:02):
my teeth or getting in
the shower something like that that happens on a regular basis
that I was going to do you know however many
squats or however many leg lifts
or whatever so you can just kind of figure out what is it what is going to work
for you to just like help you move your body consistently without it being this
(15:25):
big huge commitment and that's just because you want to keep yourself moving
to keep generating that energy.
The last thing I wanted to encourage you to think about incorporating into your
morning routines is to record what you're doing.
So however you choose to structure your morning, making a habit of recording your progress,
(15:48):
your thoughts, or even just the ways that you have seen your routine transforming
your day, writing those things down or keeping track of those things is going to be super powerful.
Now, I know that sometimes it feels like even just the act of keeping track
(16:10):
of something is more work that you don't want to add.
I do really encourage you to do it, even if it's just for a limited period of time,
because there's nothing like visible results to keep you moving forward and
to kick your rear into gear when you've been in a slump.
And I actually have a whole episode on what doing exactly this for a year taught me.
(16:36):
It truly transformed my entire mindset and habits around working out.
So I encourage you to go check it out. That's episode number 30 and it's all
about what I learned through tracking my exercise habits for a year.
Okay, so to summarize today's episode, find a window of stillness,
(16:58):
get some sunlight in your eyes, bring up the practice of awareness into your
day, set out with a clear purpose.
Energize your mind, body, and soul with movement, and keep track of your progress.
Now, I want to challenge you to pick just one of these core foundations to an
awesome morning routine and start small.
(17:20):
Trying to build all of these things at once will just overwhelm and confuse
you and cause you to give up.
So that is why I want you to tune in tomorrow for a special bonus episode on
exactly how to do that with habit stacking.
And don't forget to put it in your calendar and start preparing for our special
(17:42):
morning routine challenge starting September 1st in my free Facebook group.
If you haven't joined yet, you can find us on Facebook forward slash groups
forward slash divine design wellness.
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