Day 23 for 31 days of May-keovers- 7 ways to begin your day on the right foot

What do you do when wake up? Is it a rush out of bed and searching for clothes. Is it deciding what to have for breakfast? I want you to be able to go through your morning with purpose and aware of what you are doing. I suggest 7 ways to begin your day right

1.Drink water and greet the day. By greeting the day I mean the following:

• create a wake up routine for yourself- stretching, getting dressed or showering.
• read scriptures, meditate or pray. You can also try writing morning pages to clear your mind.
• walk outside or open the curtains, depending on the weather. The reason to do this is to take notice that a new day has begun.  Think of all the wonderful things you will do.
• Greet each member of your family with a smile and hug. Pay attention to their body language. Are they tired, nervous, excited. Learn to notice your kids when they are fresh and rested....or sometimes not. You can guess if you are in for a rough day behavior wise or not.
• gather together as a family and hug each other. Next have a devotional and an activity to promote family unity. We need to slow down in the morning and notice our loved ones. Skills like attentiveness, listening and sharing re strengthened. They can learn to greet and give eye contact as well.
• Talk about what to expect for the day and what the children expect. Make this time with your family as routine as you can so they expect it.

2.The night before set breakfast the table and the tasks for the next day.

3. Open the windows up half way so that the lights greet you. This has been working well for me!

4.Save time and money on breakfast by:

• making muffins in batches
• preparing overnight oatmeal
• make your own breakfast sandwiches

5.Do things ahead so there is less prep work during the day

• fill left side of sink with soapy water too wash breakfast dishes
• make a breakfast menu
• cut all snacks ahead of time for the day

6. Teach and practice your child's morning routine so that they do not depend on you. Practice and practice some more so in the end their is no battle in the morning. A good start to the day or a bad one seems to carry through the day. They should get dressed, brush their teeth, make their beds etc....If they don't do it in a timely way they lose screen time or have to practice it over and over for one minute.

7.Even if you are rushing around find a moment to take some deep breaths. Each hour of the day is a chance to start over. Don't give up and keep trying to make it better! Your thoughts are powerful good or bad!