Yes, I’m sitting here listening to One Direction. Don’t judge. Those cute little things just make me want to DANCE. And then I want to put them in my pockets and feed them Cheerios. Is that so wrong?
I have not been in a set daily routine in so long now and am officially disgruntled with it. Mostly because it’s affected my sleep habits. Or lack thereof. In my working days (oh how I miss thee) I could hit the pillow at 10 p.m. and sleep a solid 8-9 hours with NO problem. Now I’m apparently playing a really neat game to see how many times I can wake up per night. And oh, oh…how long I can stay awake each time! And which animal will notice I’m awake and want attention. It’s all so FUN.
Now, don’t get me wrong, if I could I would be a total night owl. Ask my college roommate. She is the exact same way. The two of us could easily stay up till 4 a.m. every day and sleep till 2 p.m. Throw in the ability to drink as much Cherry Coke and eat as many chocolate chip cookies from JD’s Chippery we can without weighing 725 lbs. a piece and you’ve got the BEST LIFE EVER. However, we all know responsible adult society calls for something entirely different. And since I’ve been unemployed, daily schedule chaos has ensued. I’m now determined to start getting up and working out first thing in the morning. I ALWAYS felt better when I worked out first thing. Yesterday? I didn’t work out till 9:30 p.m. Have NO idea why I couldn’t sleep till after 1 a.m. and had to take four Melatonin pills. Plus, I know for a fact maintaining a general routine and habits each day keeps me mentally and emotionally balanced.
I personally start each morning with a Spark. That’s AdvoCare’s energy drink. It comes in eight great flavors (I keep a steady rotation of grape, mandarin orange and pink lemonade). A lot of people have misconceptions about energy drinks because of what is sold in cans at you local 7-11. Rest assured, Spark is not like that. It’s rich in vitamins, good juju and you won’t have a total energy crash afterward.
Once I sit down with my Spark, I pick up my Kindle and read a daily devotional. Right now I’m using Joyce Meyer’s The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Inspirations. I guarantee if you’re looking for a fantastic way to start your day, this is it. After Joyce I turn to Gaby. You’re going to hear a LOT about her. Right now I’m doing a second tour of duty through May Cause Miracles. It’s a 42-day meditation and pretty intense self-evaluation guide. I’m getting even more out of it the second time around. If you’re new to meditation or any practice of this kind, start with one of her earlier books, Spirit Junkie. This is the perfect combo, because as Gaby teaches, prayer is when we ask God or the universe (whichever you prefer) for what we desire and meditation is when we receive.
Once this is all over, I’m not ashamed to admit…I watch talk shows. I can’t help myself. The Broadcast (a Dallas version of The View), The Chew and Bethenny. I’ll make a heck of a housewife one day, y’all.
What’s your morning ritual? I challenge you to add one or two little things, like I have my Spark and my readings, to incorporate on a daily basis. These are special to YOU and should put a little smile on your face.
Xo, Nikki
Note: photo from The Dallas Voice. So pretty!
Yes, You're Lovely 