Just about a month ago, my friend Karlie called me to tell me she had heard about a book called “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod and that she wanted me to read it and also try some of the concepts it teaches. Karlie is one of my closest friends and someone that who always impresses me with all that she juggles with motherhood, work, and life in general. We talk often about how hard it can be to balance everything in our lives and so I’m grateful that she invited me to read and implement the principles taught in the book! We all know my mornings previously weren’t very miraculous 😂
Hal Elrod starts off explaining that most people (a huge majority, I think he said nearly 95% of the population) would state that they are not living their best lives. I totally agree with this statistic. I mean, I’ve definitely felt beat down by every day tasks and routine enough to feel like I’m not living the life I dream about. He states that if we are to start living the life of our dreams, we need to start our days doing these six proven development practices:
- Silence (meditate/pray)
- Affirmations (Repeat to yourself I am ______)
- Visualization (Imagine your goals and what it will take to accomplish them)
- Exercise (get that heart rate going)
- Reading a self help book (I do this by listening to an audiobook while I walk)
- Scribing (journaling)
Obviously, 6 things to fit in first thing in my morning has required me to wake up at least an hour before I previously was. Before I started the “miracle morning” I was most often waking up at the same time as my toddler, trying to balance making breakfast, starting household tasks, and *maybe* taking time to try and exercise (which most often would come to a quick end with her trying to sit on my chest as I did sit ups…) I didn’t feel like I had any time to myself for the whole day, especially as a working mom who spends a lot of time communicating with clients and growing my business. I was turning more and more anxious and more easily frustrated with my little girl.
I haven’t been 100% with my miracle mornings since I’ve started but I have definitely given it my best shot (even with traveling out of town for a week). I can tell you this: it has made a HUGE difference in my life. Having a miracle morning has given me time for myself. Time for me to ponder, think, move my body, express my thoughts on paper, and time for me to visualize my goals and work on them mentally and physically. It has been an absolute game changer. I’m way less anxious, have more patience with my daughter, and feel like our days have more purpose because I am feeling better about myself. I am a lot happier.
I’m so glad to report that I feel like I’m making such great progress in so many of my goals and a lot of this has to do with the fact that I am choosing to take care of myself first thing every morning by practicing those 6 proven development practices. I can’t wait to see what will come in the next month, year, and decade as I continue to do these things!
If you’re feeling stuck, you can pick up a copy of The Miracle Morning here. I challenge you to read it, do the work, stick to it, and see the difference it makes in your life. I’m a living testament that it works!
xoxo
Nicole