Everyone approaches their morning differently. I have friends who bound out of bed at the last minute, shower, drink a cup of coffee and rush to the office. Others who get stressed watching the morning news. What I want to share here is a routine that developed over many years that fits my nature. Perhaps this will inspire you to create the ideal morning routine of your own.
- Meditation, first. Oprah Winfrey starts her morning with 20 minutes of meditation, which she says fills her with “hope, a sense of contentment and deep joy.” When I read her words, I identified completely. Put on some music, sit quietly and gently let your mind relax. It can be awkward at first, but after a few days, it will become the time and place you will yearn for each morning.
- I start the day by reviewing what made me stumble yesterday. I ask myself: What caused yesterday’s tension? What made me frustrated? What were the curveballs that interrupted my day? What can I learn from yesterday? When you take a look at life’s little annoyances with an objective mind, they shrink in power. Usually, I’m left thinking, “none of that is really important. It’s just life.” By clearing out the negatives, positivity has a place to enter.
- 20 minutes being grateful. Gratefulness means you’re an observer of your own life, noticing what you value. Sometimes the gratitude is for small, everyday things like a laugh you and your staff shared. But often it’s thankfulness for the people in your life or your passion about things you most love to do.
- 20 minutes reading something new. I have a wall of books and, although they are not arranged in any particular order, when I need to learn about something or gain better understanding, often my eyes land on just the right book. You don’t have to read for long – even a few minutes of someone else’s great thinking can be a day changer.
- 20 minutes exercising. It’s no secret that in addition to keeping your body in good shape, exercise can get your head right. Our chemistry does that for us. 20 minutes of exercise can help you feel relaxed, alert and energized.
- Expect the unexpected. It’s been said that uncertainty is the only certain thing and as much as we try to control everything around us, it’s an illusion. Endo2Endo coaching programs are all about increasing efficiency and satisfaction. What I have proven to myself is that starting the day in a positive mindset makes me much more effective as an endodontist, a business owner and a human being, ready to enjoy the day and be able to catch any curveballs thrown my way.
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