Morning Rituals
Morning Rituals
I’m a morning person. I wasn’t always this way. In fact, before my son was born you’d be lucky to find me awake before one in the afternoon, but these days I cherish those early hours of the day. It’s that time I have to myself, before the little one wakes and the hustle and bustle of getting us all ready and out the door on time begins. It’s a time to reflect and prepare myself for whatever I may face throughout the day. It’s the time I figure most of the things floating around in my head out. It’s MY time.
My Morning Ritual
6:00 a.m. I like to get up at least 30-45 minutes before my children do.
6:00-6:05 a.m. Put the kettle on and make my Lemon-Cayenne Water to jump start my metabolism. Try it! (recipe and benefits below)
6:05-6:15 a.m. Sip and reflect. Be present. I ask myself: “What are your goals for today?”, “What do you want to accomplish?” Be positive. It sets the tone for the rest of the day.
6:15-6:45 a.m. Finally, I do a light yoga sequence, just to fully wake up my body and mind.
Your Morning Ritual
I challenge you to try this, or find your own ritual to do, every morning for the next week. Maybe you might want to incorporate the last 20-30 minutes to meditation, some stretching, or a full on at-home workout. Whatever it is, give yourself that time where you don’t have to worry about anyone but yourself. I promise it’ll make such a difference. You might just end up keeping your morning ritual forever! Give yourself that time. You deserve it, mama!
Lemon-Cayenne Water
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup hot (not boiling) water
In a cup, or mug, combine lemon juice & cayenne pepper, followed by hot water. Stir.
Benefits of Lemon-Cayenne Water:
Digestion
Since lemon juice is atomically structured similarly to the digestive juices found in the
stomach, it tricks the liver into producing bile, which helps keep food moving through your body and G.I. tract smoothly. Daily consumption of lemon water treats numerous indigestion problems such as, bloating, gas, heartburn, and constipation.
Vitamin C
The vitamin C found in fruit, like lemon, is important because our bodies aren’t able to produce vitamin C on its own. It stimulates white blood cell production, which is vital for the immune system to function properly.
Antioxidants
Lemon’s antioxidant properties fight damage caused by free radicals, keeping your skin looking
fresh.
Energy
You can skip the morning Joe and start your morning off with a cup of lemon water for a boost of energy, minus the caffeine crash.
Lose Weight
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which keeps you full longer and reduces cravings. While cayenne pepper raises the temperature of your body, kickstarting your metabolism, which is so very beneficial to weight loss.
