Five Tiny Practices To Keep You Positive and Grounded
By: Mercy Wolf
Tags: Happiness, Productivity, Sleep, Meditation, Positivity

I’m a big believer that the way you begin and end your day has a huge impact on the way things pan out in between.

And yet what a struggle it can be to spare even a few precious minutes for yourself to get started on the right foot. Which is why I came up with this very simple five minute routine that will bring more peace, presence and clarity into each and every day.

The best part of this routine is that you can do the whole lot in bed: the first four when you wake up and the fifth one just before you go to sleep.

1. Stretch your body.

I discovered recently that all animals instinctively stretch upon waking. Most of us humans on the other hand jump straight out of bed — and into our heads — the moment our eyes crack open.

As well as limbering up your body, stretching increases the flow of oxygen through the body and has the effect of getting rid of sleepiness instantly.

Take 30 seconds to a minute to stretch your whole body from top to toe, taking a few deep breaths as you do. Roll out your wrists and ankles. Spread out your fingers and toes. Open your eyes and mouth as wide as they’ll go. Stretch and roll out your neck and shoulders.

2. Connect with your body

As you stretch, focus your attention on the sensations in your body. Allow your dreams to gently filter back to you, resisting the temptation to be taken over by thoughts of the day ahead.

3. Meditate for a minute. Or three

Every tiny moment spent in stillness and presence is beneficial. If you don’t have time for a 10 or 15 minute session, try for three. Or even one.

Seriously, you don’t need any secret mantras or special knowledge. Sit up on your pillow or stay lying down, and tune into what’s going on around you, and inside you. Feel your breathing, listen to sounds, and feel your body. And don’t try and be good at it.

Meditation isn’t about tuning out, it’s about tuning in. So focusing your attention on something — anything — will help you begin your day with clarity and stillness.

4. Ask for help and guidance

While we can’t control how the day will pan out, being aware of how you’d like things to flow is a powerful way to give your day a positive direction.

Reflect on what you may need help with. If you know your day is crammed for example, you might ask that things flow smoothly and that you stay calm and clear. If you’re battling a tricky toddler or a grumpy partner, you might ask for inner strength and patience to help you through the day.

Ask for more of what you want, and empower yourself to feel more joy, patience, clarity, self care, focus, luck, or positivity.

5. Give thanks

Some days it feels like all I manage to do is pay bills, sit on hold and reset passwords. How easy it is to dwell on the many frustrations of the day and how little you achieved.

Studies on happiness show amazing benefits however of being thankful, from improved health to fewer worries, to increased opportunities. Whether you speak it aloud, thank God or simply be aware, feeling appreciation for the good things that happened in your day paves the way for more good things to come.

As your head hits the pillow at the end of each day, find some appreciation for three things that happened, or three things you can feel good about. Allow yourself to dwell on those aspects and let your worries go.

I’ve discovered too that reciting the good things out loud makes it difficult to keep my eyes open which is even better! Aside from just getting a good night’s sleep, ending the day on a positive note makes for a far better tomorrow.