Your New Morning Routine for Success

When you wake up the morning do you immediately start focusing on problems? Do you instinctively grab your phone and check your social media or read the news? If you're like most people, the answer is yes.

So many of us fall into this trap. We don't run our mornings, they run us. It's like we are on autopilot, simply reacting.

Try this simple routine to take control of your mornings, reduce stress, and set a positive mood for your day!

Your brain's natural tendency is to focus on problems. But you can retrain it. The trick is to do it first thing in the morning.

Before your brain has the chance to focus on problems and negativity, write down three things that you're grateful for.

Oh no, you say. Not another gratitude exercise! Yep, gratitude, the potent antidote to pessimism and negativity.

You see, the problem with most gratitude exercises is that people try them for a few days, then give up. They don't understand the power of repetition.

If you commit to trying this exercise for two weeks, you'll start to see a positive shift in your morning mood.

Write down 1-2-3 on the top half of a sheet of paper. Next, write down 1-2-3 on the bottom half. Do this the night before, and have it ready in the morning.

First thing the next morning, write down three things that you're grateful for. They don't have to be profound, just write down something. Then, spend a minute or two reflecting and appreciating them.

Next, write down three things that you want to accomplish for the day. Keep them simple, and totally doable. They could be task-oriented, such as doing something at work, or people-oriented, like calling a friend.

Before you go to bed at night, look at your gratitude list again, then check off the three tasks you accomplished. If you didn’t get them done, that's okay. Try again tomorrow.

This exercise primes your day for positivity and sets your intention on what you want to accomplish. You are actually programming your subconscious mind, telling it that you are in control of your day.

Do this routine for two weeks, and your mindset will start to shift toward the positive. You'll still get plenty done, perhaps even more, but your attitude will be less of "I have to" and more of "I get to."

As easy as this routine is, you will feel like quitting. That's because your brain likes old routines, and you gave it a new one.

But if you persevere, your new morning routine will become your new default. Two months is typically when a new routine becomes a habit. Push through. Even if you miss a day, get right back to it.

Personally, I've been doing this powerful morning “priming” for over a year now. I can attest to its power. Have I missed days? Sure. But I get right back to it. Five minutes is all it takes. Give it a try!