How Your Routine and Mindset Affect Waking Up Positive — Hills Edition
By: Hillary Witney Torres
Tags: Waking Up, Positive Thinking, Routine

Positivity is not an easy task to accomplish. It takes work to lift yourself up, especially if you are going through a rough patch. When things are going low, going high might be the scariest thing to do. Understanding how your routine and mindset can affect waking up positive is the first step to starting a healthy habit.

As someone who writes about wellness for a living, I often get the question, ‘how do you wake up happy every morning?’ My response is always: hard work.

A positive attitude starts with a positive mindset. Our minds are incredible machines that provide us with an understanding of the world and a perception of our very own. How we perceive things is totally up to us.

I like to take advantage of this ideal because it gives me a sense of confidence and power. If I can control my emotions and thoughts (which is not as easy as it sounds here) then I can control my outlook on life. Thus having a routine and a mindset that affect waking up positive is crucial.

But how did I start?

Schedule Time for Yourself

In the past, I always worked two to three jobs to make ends meet. I owned a nice car and a nice apartment and other leisures. Don’t get me wrong, I also took a vacation every year and made time for music festivals or concerts. I enjoyed my money and still do.

I managed to make time for myself even after working a lot. Now that I’m a few years wiser, I realize that the time I was scheduling for myself was not enough. The bills were paid but I was always exhausted from work.

You know how people say work hard but play harder? Yeah, I was not doing that right. But I learned to put myself first and you can do the same.

Practice More Self Care Techniques that Contain Routines

Scheduling time for yourself wouldn’t mean jack if you don’t use that time to take care of yourself. If you don’t utilize that time wisely, it’s really a waste.

Watching Netflix on the couch was my relaxing time most days off. Once I started working a lot, I stopped taking care of myself by not doing activities I loved. I would use my days off to sleep if I wasn’t on vacation. Yes, it’s great to get rest but I still felt restless.

One Sunday I read a post about ‘Self Care Sundays’ and realized that I was burning myself out. That’s when I decided to take up my hobbies again. I was already writing poetry but I started making candles, soaps, body scrubs, and oils. On top of that I started spending more time outdoors.

That is my self care.

Practice Positivity for a Healthier Mindset to Wake Up Positive

Now it’s time to practice positive living. Practice is like a routine and a routine alongside mindset affects waking up positive in the mornings.

Practicing positivity means looking at the positive aspects or outcomes of every situation. Going through rough patches will make leading a positive life more challenging, but not impossible.

Create affirmations that guide you towards positive living. Some of the ones I like to use are:

* I am whole, I am loved, and I am healthy.

* I will overcome all things in this life.

* I am strong and I am able to surpass this challenge.

By engaging in a positive lifestyle, you start distancing yourself from negative thoughts. Practicing positive affirmations each day will eventually turn to habit.

Create a Healthy Routine to Wake Up Positive

Routines really weren’t my thing until I realized that my routine did not have to take up my entire day. I could have a morning routine that took five minutes if I wanted to. Routines adjust to ourselves and how we want them to be.

I started by having a nightly routine and a morning one. I’ll start with my nightly routine because how I go to bed the night before has great influence on how I wake up.

At night, after checking my emails and schedule for the following day, I like to wine down with a hot shower. Before I do all of this I’ll wash my face and brush my teeth. I’ll either watch an episode of the current TV series I’m hooked on or I’ll read a book. I try to read and watch informational things only. This makes me feel productive.

My morning routine consists of waking up and lying in bed for five minutes. I don’t get up right away because the morning is a great time for me to think. If you’re the type to fall back asleep, I suggest getting up. Every morning I have a cup of tea and I read the newsletters in my inbox.

Making time to start your day smoothly really prepares you mentally for the rest of the day. By having a restful sleep the night before and going to bed feeling stress free, your morning becomes pleasurable.

A Good Nights Rest for a Routine and Waking up Positive

If you’re not getting enough rest then you’re going to wake up in a bad mood. It’s super important to get a good nights rest for the next day. Your mind needs to rest in order to continue processing the tasks of tomorrow. Remember that routine and mindset affect waking up positive.

Drinking a glass of water before you go to bed is very helpful for a restful sleep. Drinking water in the morning helps you feel more energized and ready for your day.

Waking up positive every day is not something that comes to us without work. We must work for happiness every day and in doing so we choose positivity in our lives. To wake up with a positive mindset in the mornings, you must engage in healthy living. You can accomplish this by having healthy routines and changing your perspective on life’s outcomes.