According to Ayurveda, health means not only the absence of disease, but also a positive attitude towards life - fulfilling our dreams and living a satisfying and joyful life. However, when we wake up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning and jump straight into the whirlwind of everyday responsibilities, we often just jump from task to task, and in the evening we find out that we have not moved an inch closer toward our dreams. This is the difference between a reactive and proactive approach. Instead of reacting to situations, try to actively co-create them. A well-thought-out morning routine will help you to do exactly that.
Waking up – an uncomfortable shock or a moment you look forward to?
Do you wake up fully recharged and full of excitement for the new day? Or are you stressed by the alarm clock ringing, and constantly hit the snooze button on the alarm? Does it take you a lot of effort to get out of bed? Does your day begin with procrastination and guilt? So, how can you wake up full of joy and ideally wake up even before the alarm clock rings? The morning actually starts the night before. Ideally, you should go to bed before midnight, when sleep is the most nurturing and your body regains the most strength from it.
We know that this is difficult, mostly because for most of us the most peaceful time to work is at night, when colleagues don't bother us with questions, and when the children are quiet and asleep. Or we simply want to enjoy the evening and just relax. And we are supposed to give up that precious time and go to bed? We all know that feeling. There is nothing that can be done though, the truth is cruel: yes, we should go to bed. The cycle of not sleeping, postponing going to bed and the subsequent all-day malaise starts off inconspicuously, but it is uncompromising and it marks the beginning of your undoing. Simply do your best to get to bed on time - that is, before midnight. Hopefully, you don’t need to be reminded that at least an hour, preferably two, before going to bed, it is not good to be exposed to any electromagnetic radiation. Good night and sleep well!
The moment in between - before your soul returns to the body
After the alarm clock rings, take the time to slowly wake up and look around. Set up your alarm clock to wake you up a few minutes earlier than usual. Just lie down for a moment and feel your soul returning to your body, your senses coming alive, noticing all the sensations and perceptions flooding in. Welcome the beginning of a new day. This is not wasted time. Waking up this way will help develop mindfulness and instill peace in your soul. You will see how you will feel much stronger and calmer after such a gentle start to your day.
Tip: Before the mind begins to become overwhelmed with thoughts, yogis recommend reciting a mantra or resolution for the day. For example: “Today, I will practice kindness”, or “Today, I will appreciate everything that comes my way”. You will see that these short positive words will become a significant source of support for you for the rest of the day. For example, you will see that people who usually bother you during the day suddenly appear to be quite pleasant to be around.
Exercise - pump it up!
Now it is time to jump to your feet and wake up your entire body. There are plenty of options – starting with an online yoga class or creating your own personal exercise sequence or simply dancing to some music.
Tip: Slacklining instructor and a physical therapist and Lifefood ambassador Tereza Panochová, always recommends including the following yoga asanas in your practice: downward facing dog, adhomukasvanasana, and warrior pose, virabhadrasana for their multiple benefits. Read more about her recipe for a healthy and happy life.
A small yogic tip for radiant health
Here’s a tip to add to your morning hygiene routine. In recent years many traditions from the East have been introduced to the western world and are definitely worth trying. Yoga and Ayurveda fans already know this one: a tongue scraper. A coating on the tongue containing bacteria is formed after each meal - especially overnight, and if we do not remove it from the tongue, we swallow this bacteria and it ends up in our digestive system. To avoid this, scrape your tongue in the morning on an empty stomach before brushing your teeth. Gently scrape the surface of the tongue from the root to the tip of the tongue, and repeat it 5 to 7 times.
The second yoga tip is "rinsing of the nose" - neti. Even in ordinary pharmacies, you can now buy a neti pot – a teapot, which you fill with salty warm water that you rinse each nostril with. The saline solution washes away inflammatory secretion, moisturizes the mucous membranes in the nose and helps regenerate them.
Then, while taking a shower, massage your whole body thoroughly with a loofah vigorously until the skin turns red. You can also add a cold shower - that will really get your endorphins going, and even sing from the top of your lungs! According to research, singing has a positive effect on our nervous system.
Breakfast – shall we have some prana?
The clean and fully awakened body is now ready for some new energy - air. Fresh air is really a form of nutrition for the whole body. That’s why one should try breathing consciously. Not only in yoga classes, but each morning as well: stand by an open window, on the balcony or in the garden and just breathe. Some people just breathe in the joy of a new morning, some others include practices like kapalabhati, or work with Wim Hof breathing, or do Buteyka, etc. Experiment to find which method suits you. Don't take it too seriously though, and make it playful! The main thing is to start breathing consciously.
And now let's proceed to real food – a breakfast of champions
How can you manage to fit all the necessary nutrients into one meal? How do you not forget anything? And where to get new food inspiration? Not surprisingly, in Lifefood, we have solved this for you and have come up with a breakfast mix that will kick your day and give you everything you need. It contains fruits (nutrition and antioxidants), nuts (quality oils, nutrition for the brain), seeds (vascular system, bones, skin and hair) and a good dose of superfoods (reach your full potential!).
It is important to look out for the actual quality of your food and that’s why out products are always ORGANIC and, of course, RAW. Underestimating food quality really does not pay off since junk food does not saturate the body, and therefore you'll end up needing to eat constantly - and then the extra pounds just keep adding up. So that you don’t fall into a boring routine, we came up with four different breakfast products. Two kinds of porridge and two kinds of granolas - so crunchy and delicious, that you can eat it by itself without any additions. Proper food in the mornings works wonders - with your waist, skin and sharpness of mind.
Be proactive – planning is not a bad thing
Many of us subconsciously resist the words plan and discipline. We feel that with a strict plan we are blocking all flow, intuition and inspiration ... but it's just the opposite! Have you noticed how exhausting your current agenda can be? Buy this, order that, call, go there, get that… and the day is suddenly over and you realize you’ve just been reacting to the demands of others all this time. Just stopping for a moment in the morning before getting swept up in the hustle and bustle of life will allow us to sort through our thoughts and clarify what we want to devote our day to. Our time is our most valuable resource. Handle it with care.
Write down the schedule for the day, what you would like to manage, what awaits you. Be careful not to make it a to-do list, you've already tried that and it doesn't work. Something different works for everyone, but the worksheet should always contain a balance between the activities we simply have to do (because of bills) and those we perceive as something that can still wait, but that nourish our souls – from starting your own business, calling friends, to finally getting that nice toy for your baby. It's much easier to follow your own plan this way and not let yourself be swept up in every day demands. And believe me, thanks to a good plan, you will feel lighter and therefore will be closer to being in flow.
