How to start your day the happy way
I have a question for you…What was the first thought that ran through your head when you woke up this morning? Would you say it was positive or negative? Was it more or less the same thought you had the day before, and the the day before that?
We all have thousands of thoughts every day. Experts say that as many as 80% of them are negative, and a whooping 95% are repetitive. I want to reject those numbers, but if I start checking in with my thoughts, it seems like the experts might be onto something. If it is true that a huge percentage of our thoughts are negative and repetitive, awareness is the first step to change. So let's look at how this might start first thing in the morning, and what we can do to rewire our morning thoughts to start the day out with more positivity.
Imagine you wake up in the morning and your thoughts go something like this.
I have to get up.
I didn’t sleep well.
I was up with the baby three times in the night.
I’m still so tired.
I slept in and now I’m running late.
I have so much to do today.
My weight is up again.
I have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear.
I wonder if you’re finding yourself a little discouraged just reading those sentences? Can you identify with some of those thought patterns? Don’t worry, I think almost everyone can, and I’m going to show you how to recognize those little nagging thoughts and calm them down, leading to more happiness and calm throughout the day.
Identifying Negative Thoughts
It’s harder than you might think to recognize negative thoughts because, as I mentioned earlier, many of them are just repetitive and habitual. It’s especially easy to get into the same thought patterns when our surroundings and routines are the same each day. That’s why vacations are so nice, they break us out of our daily routines and give us a fresh perspective on life.
But since most of us can’t go on vacations all that often, let’s talk about what we can do to make our daily life and thought patterns a little more productive. With a little more mindfulness, we can start the day out on a good note and build from there.
First of all we have to notice the negative thoughts we might be having. There are actually some physical signs of negative thinking. Here are 3 physical signs that can help you identify negative, frustrating thoughts that can sap your energy and enthusiasm.
Eye rolls.I like to remind myself to “Identify the eye rolls.” Eye rolls are a sure sign that something is bugging me and I might not even be aware of it.
Sighing. Sighs can be a sign that you are tired or overwhelmed. Raising awareness of your unconscious sighs can help you clue in to tiring thoughts that might be sneaking in under the radar. (I tend to sigh a lot when I’m tired and my husband brings it to my attention.)
Grunts and groans. Sounds like grrr or ahhh…😖 Anytime these kinds of sounds just come out without even thinking about it, there’s probably a negative thought lurking somewhere beneath the surface.
Take a minute now to think about how you react to your negative thoughts. What are your physical responses to thoughts about being tired, frustrated, or overwhelmed?
Alright now let’s go back to our first-thing-in-the-morning thoughts and see if we can start the day off on a better note.
How does your day begin? Do you start the day with the kids waking you up? Do you set an alarm? Maybe you have a hard time sleeping in the early morning so you are frequently awake before you want to be. What are your thoughts about the way you wake up? What do you want your thoughts to be?
I recently heard Oprah say that when she wakes up in the morning, the first thing she does is say THANK YOU! And then her next thought is “I’m still here!” Wouldn’t you agree those are great thoughts to start out the day? It’s hard to argue with the success and happiness Oprah has had in life, so maybe we can all take a page out of her book and start the day with gratitude and optimism.
So if your morning usually starts with a thought like I didn’t sleep well enough or long enough, I recommend setting the intention to wake up with a cheerful thought. Here are just a few thoughts and ideas to get you started….
Set an alarm that says something like “Best Day Ever”, or a quote or affirmation that makes you smile.
If the kids often wake you early, find some positive thoughts about your kids that help you greet them with a smile. This will help set a positive tone for your home for the day. It’s such a blessing to be a mom. If you have kids to wake you up everyday, you have something to smile about. Rather than resisting what is, going in and hugging those kids can start your day and theirs on a more positive note.
If you wake up before your alarm because you are just hard wired that way, try asking yourself what could be good about that. How could you use that time to your advantage? You’re awake anyway, so maybe you could read, exercise, get a head start on breakfast, or get going on the things on your to-do list for the day.
Movement creates energy. This is one of my favorite thoughts and my husband and I often say this to each other whenever we are feeling sluggish and having a hard time getting up and going. It really is true that once I stop resisting and start moving the energy comes.
If I really needed to sleep I would be sleeping, This is another of my go-to thoughts for mornings when I wake up super early and can’t get back to sleep. I have really found this to be true and sleep always catches up with me at some point, even if it’s just a quick power snooze or a long Sunday afternoon nap.
I could go on, but if you use your imagination I know you will be able to identify some fresh thoughts to start each day. Morning thoughts are a great place to start to find ways to be more positive each day.
As moms we set the tone for our homes and our own positivity can be infectious to the other people in our family. You’ve all heard it said “If mom ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Let’s be those kind of moms that lift others and help them start the day in a happy way. Our example of waking up and choosing to be happy is a great way to influence our families for good.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Drop a comment below and let me know what your morning thoughts are and what ways you’ve found to start the day on a positive note.
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Take care, Mommas!
(*Note: A serious and ongoing lack of good sleep is a health risk and is not going to be solved by thinking better thoughts in the morning. If you are dealing with this problem, please get medical attention or do whatever you can to make sure you get adequate sleep. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that good sleep is essential for every mom! )
XOXO
Rachel
