How many times have you woken up wondering what your day is going to be like? Given the current scenario, your thoughts are clouded with the pandemic, infections and to top it off the pending office work, assignments, presentations and meetings you probably don’t want to attend. In the turmoil of these menacing thoughts, the thing you forget to focus on the most is being positive!
All the thoughts perceived as negative spike your cortisol (the hormone that leads to bad stress) levels. If your day starts on a negative note, it is certainly guaranteed that the rest of your day is going to be the same. What you do and think during the first few hours after waking up can impact your mood, routine and productivity.
It is important that your morning routine starts on a good note. Follow these simple strategies when you wake up and you’ll be all geared to be positive and happy!
1. Rest Well To Be Positive & Happy
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety. Sleep is just as important as eating and drinking water. Despite this, millions of people do not sleep enough and experience insane problems as a result.
The way you feel while you’re awake depends partly on how you have slept or what kind of sleep you have had. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain functions and maintain your physical health.
2. Prayer & Meditation to Facilitate Clarity and Abundance
Once you wake up after a healthy 7+ hours of sleep, prayer and meditation are crucial for orienting yourself towards positive thinking.
Nothing can be better than meditating for 10 min in a day for a healthy mind. Meditation can transform the mind. It doesn’t mean that you have to sit in a particular posture and focus on any single point. The definition of meditation is different for different people. If you ask me, meditation is the art of focusing our attention (100%) in one area.
MRI brain scans of people who meditate has shown an increase in activity around areas that control metabolism and heart rate. Some studies on Buddhist Monks have shown that meditation produces long-lasting changes in the brain activity in areas involving attention, working memory, learning, and conscious perception.
3. Sniff Your Way Awake
Most of us start our day with a morning wash which helps us open our eyes properly. Similarly, the scent you wash with can have a big effect on your mood, says Art Markman, Ph.D., the author of Smart Change. Research suggests Lavender can help you relax, mint can stimulate your brain, and citrus can reduce stress. Scrub and sniff away.
Over and above, a cold shower is more beneficial. Cold water immersion radically facilitates physical and mental wellness. Regular use of Cold water for shower provides long-lasting changes to our body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that improve our quality of life.
4. Get Up & Move More!
Exercise is extremely important for a healthy lifestyle. If you’re healthy, you can devote a 100% to any task. Kickstart your day with some good physical activity. Exercise decreases your chances of depression, anxiety and stress as it helps your body release endorphins which are good for you!
5. Take 2 Mins to Thank Someone
There is no harm in thanking someone for their presence in your life. People are magnets. When you’re grateful for what you have, you will attract more positivity and good. Gratitude is contagious. Gratitude may be the most important key to success. It has been called the mother of all virtues. Begin your day by putting yourself in a position of gratitude, you will attract the best that the world has to offer.
6. Listen to Something Uplifting
Everyone loves music! It’s one of the best ways to boost your mood. Personally, I love listening to old Bollywood or Sufi music and whenever possible, I use an alarm that actually plays music.
Music helps you find some relief from stress and if you start your day with such a great medicine – think how the rest of your day will pan out. If you listen to inspirational/uplifting material right when you wake up, then you will eventually condition that message into your mind and connect it with waking up in the morning.
7. Lighten Up The News
I personally try to avoid news channels in the morning in order to avoid any negative content I may come across. If you start your day with negative news, you may think about it for the rest of the day. Try something more motivational or positive. If you read stories that inspire you or make you happy, you’re guaranteed to have a fabulous day. Try creating a bank of motivational videos and begin your day with them.
This has been my personal experience and it has never led me astray! Try these very simple routines and gear up for success. Most importantly, begin your day with a smile!
Hope this helps! Do share your thoughts in the comments below! For more on mental health and emotional wellness, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from your coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr
#BeTheForce
As COVID is raging all around us, I see a surge in stress levels on HRA scores, indicating that people are not managing stress effectively. I also receive messages like “This is too hard for me to cope with”, “What will happen in the future?” showing higher than usual levels of general anxiety and stress amongst us all. During a crisis like this, it is common for everyone to experience increased levels of anxiety and distress particularly due to social isolation, fear of the unknown and concern regarding the health of oneself and a loved one.
The impact of COVID-19 and the measures taken by organizations to contain it were unprecedented. Work from home, following guidelines, and a hybrid working model were few of the changes that we saw in our work life. With offices slowly opening up, additional measures need to be taken to ensure that employees are safe and healthy. 
Many of us are worried about the impact of the ongoing pandemic on our elderly and physically vulnerable relatives. To top it off, the economic impact it has had around the world, right down to individuals being unable to work and ineligible for sick pay is huge. All this coupled with shortages in shops, cancellation of planned holidays and events have all caused some level of anxiety and distress. As these mental and emotional issues pile up, there’s a good chance that one might go over the edge. To avoid that, something must be done. During these trying times, there is something you can do to improve your mental and emotional wellbeing. That something is meditation! 
