What Morning Routine is Right For You?
So you want to start a morning routine for your mental health, but you have no idea where to start, what to include, or what to even do.
Take this quiz to find out which routine is right for you.
We've all heard the wellness wizards tell us "have a good morning routine" and “morning routines are the key to my mental wellness!”
But no one actually tells us how to build a morning routine, let alone how to create one based on what we are actually moving through on a personal level.
I have been practicing a morning routine for almost 4 years now, and I can attest that when I regularly practice my morning routine, I am much healthier in heart and mind than when I don’t.
Because I’ve been practicing a morning routine for so long, I’ve developed many different routines based on what I’m working on in my life.
For example, if I’m struggling with anxiety, my morning routine is going to focus a lot more on finding calm and presence than if I’m struggling with self-love and need to focus on building confidence.
Just like a fitness routine, a morning routine can and should be personalized based on your goals.
I have created four separate morning routines that you can adopt based on what you are working on/struggling with.
You can absolutely combine or switch routines, there are no rules here—it’s just what feels best for you.
Based on your needs/goals, each routine has a different order of exercises and type of exercise to accommodate what you’re working on.
I highly recommend you take this quiz to find out which routine is right for you before reading on!
How To Practice and General Recommendations
Each routine is designed to take about 10 minutes.
My recommendation is to do this first thing in the morning (you can go to the bathroom and have your coffee first, I’m not that strict!)
Find a comfortable space where you feel safe and cozy, put on some soothing music, light a candle, and turn your notifications off on your phone so you won’t be distracted.
Below, I’ve outlined each routine so you know what exercises to do, and in what order. Each routine has a list of exercises as well as examples for each exercise.
Each routine comes with a graphic that you can download so you can easily access your routine from your device daily!
Ready? Let’s dive in!
The Four Morning Routines
1.Seeking Stability
If you struggle with anxiety, tend to overthink things, or are generally stressed, this routine is for you.
Anxiety can wreak havoc on our emotional, physical, and relational wellness. Whether it’s diagnosed anxiety, stress from your life, or a tendency to overthink, a busy brain can make it difficult for us to accomplish tasks or find social satisfaction.
This morning routine will help you find a sense of calm within your mind, ease stress, and release some of the anxiety you may be experiencing.
A morning routine for someone who is seeking stability should focus on:
Getting grounded and connected to your physical body
Releasing thoughts, to-dos, or worries on paper.
Coping ahead for potential stressors
Affirmations to counter what you may feel stressed about
The Routine:
Grounding Exercises
Meditation (try any guided meditation for getting into your body or reducing anxiety)
Body Scan (close your eyes and visualize every part of your body from your toes to your head)
Mindfulness (you can try naming everything you see for one minute, or the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique)
Journaling
Braindump (let yourself write freely without filtering yourself, and focus on what is causing you stress or anxiety. Try to be nonjudgmental about any thoughts or feelings you have about the situation.)
Lists (let yourself make a running list of anything you think you have to do or want to do, or anything that you’re worried you’ll forget).
Cope Ahead
Make a list of what you plan to/want to do today and manage your expectations about the day (I have a whole article on this skill here)
Affirmations
Write 4-6 affirmations (pick one topic daily that counters anxiety, like affirming your abilities, your skills, your sense of calm, or your inner peace. For more tips on affirmations check out this article I wrote)
Save The Image Below to Your Device!
2. Highest Self
If you are ready to tap into your inner wisdom, power, or simply do some deep self-discovery work, this routine is for you.
Sometimes in life we reach crossroads where we are fully prepared to jump into the next version of ourselves, but for some reason we struggle to actually get there. Whether there are mental roadblocks at play, external factors preventing you from becoming who you want to be, or lack of clarity/direction with the becoming, it can feel frustrating not to feel like who you know you’re meant to be.
This morning routine will help you focus your intentions and ideas, connect to your inner wisdom, and tap into your highest self.
A morning routine for someone who is looking for self-discovery should focus on:
Connecting to a higher power or consciousness
Brainstorming and letting creative juices flow
Affirmations for inner wisdom, power, or divinity
Manifestations for becoming your highest self
The Routine:
Connection
Meditation (try any guided meditation for reaching your spirit guides)
Tarot (use tarot cards to tap into your intuition and connection to source)
Prayer (ask your guides, higher power, or god for guidance or support with prayer)
Journaling
Visualization (write down what your highest self looks like, where your highest self lives, or qualities of your highest self.)
Values (do a values exercise to re-discover what really matters to you. I have a values exercise you can try here).
Affirmations
Write 4-6 affirmations (pick one topic daily that reflects your inner wisdom, intuition, power, or divinity. For more tips on affirmations check out this article I wrote)
Manifestation
Write one manifestation statement daily (write down one thing you hope to manifest in the next month, then repeat it outloud in the mirror.)
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3. Rising Up
If you are experiencing depression, feel unmotivated/uninspired by life, or are lacking self-love or a sense of worth, this routine is for you.
Depression, lack of self-love, and generally feeling unmotivated happens to a lot of people, and sometimes it feels like there’s no real reason, which can often make it harder to move through. Getting the day started is often one of the hardest tasks, and a morning routine can feel daunting and even arduous if we’re depressed.
And, a gentle morning routine can often be the best support for folks dealing with depression.
This morning routine is designed to gently bring you back to your body, your sense of self-worth, and delight in life.
A morning routine for someone who is depressed or unmotivated should focus on:
Getting grounded in your physical body
Affirmations for self-love
Connecting to something greater than yourself
Gratitude and looking for the good
The Routine:
Grounding Exercises
Meditation (try any guided meditation for getting present)
Sun Salutation (perform 2-4 rounds of a sun salutation to get grounded in your body)
Somatic Shaking (jump, dance, or shake your body to get yourself directly connected to your body.)
Mindfulness (you can try naming everything you see for one minute, or the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique)
Affirmations
Write 4-6 affirmations (pick one topic daily that have to do with self-love, self-esteem, your personality, or your appearance. For more tips on affirmations check out this article I wrote)
Connect to Something Greater
Tarot or Prayer (use tarot cards or prayer to connect to a sense of spirit, consciousness, or higher power).
Mirror Work (say your affirmations to yourself in the mirror, or dance while making eye contact with yourself in the mirror as if you were dancing with someone!)
Butterfly hug (wrap your arms around your chest and put your palms on your cheeks)
Gratitude
Write a list of 5 things you are grateful for in your life (pick a category each day, whether it’s material items, people, lessons, nature, events, or anything else!)
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4. Let it Go
If you’re grieving, trying to move on, or struggling to let go of something (or someone, this routine is for you.
Heartbreak, death, and any big life change can make us feel as if we are stuck. We might be struggling with who we are, what direction to go, or how to move forward. Oftentimes, there is resistance to let go of the past because it’s familiar, and our brains equate familiarity to safety.
We latch onto past identities, behaviors, relationships, or choices because they feel safe. However, this can often lead to more suffering, and by not letting go we end up swimming in hurt instead of coming up for air.
This morning routine will help you move through the sticky, stubborn, and resistant space that is moving on.
A morning routine for someone who is working on letting go should focus on:
Getting present in the here and now
Radical acceptance/surrender
Releasing anger, emotions, or stories without judgment
Finding hope for the future
The Routine:
Grounding Exercises
Paced Breathing (count your inhales and exhales, focusing on a longer exhale than inhale)
Meditation (try any guided meditation for getting present)
Body Scan (close your eyes and visualize every part of your body from your toes to your head)
Mindfulness (you can try naming everything you see for one minute, or the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique)
Journaling
Braindump (let yourself write freely without filtering yourself, and focus on what you are letting go of. Try to be nonjudgmental about any thoughts or feelings you have about the situation.)
Resistance (write freely about the resistance you may have to letting go, or what you gain by not moving on.)
Mantras
Acceptance (write 2-3 short mantras about accepting the situation)
Surrender (write 2-3short mantras about surrendering control)
Letting Go (write 2-3 short mantras about letting go)
Somatic Movement
Dance to one song
Shake/Jump (imagine you are shaking any emotion out of your limbs)
Intense exercise (run around the block, do jumping jacks, or run up and down some stairs. Just keep it brief!)
Save The Image Below to Your Device!
I hope you found this helpful! I would love to see you practicing your routines, tag me on instagram @rachel_havekost and I’ll be sure to cheer you on!
Happy Routining,
Rachel
>Learn more about Rachel’s journey with Eating Disorder recovery, depression, divorce, & finding comfort in the discomfort of living in her memoir, Where the River Flows.
>>Subscribe to Rachel’s Substack publication, The Messy Middle to read honest stories of living with uncertainty, mental illness, & life in the messy middle.
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