Today is day 8 of this challenge I’ve accepted to write a post a day for 30 days. Most days, I struggle with what to write, and how to continue this new routine. The urge to maintain my goal is in conflict with the difficulty of doing something new. And yet this is something that I ask from many of my patients every day. First, I want to honor those of you who have felt the same resistance. I get it! I want to also honor those of you who have made it through the first little steps to creating the future you want for yourself.

That is what it is all about, after all. Right? It’s about creating the life you want, whether that creation is in the form of health, art, business, emotional well-being, fun or all of the above.

I’ve been reading a lot of books and blogs written by people who I consider successful. By successful, I mean people who are happy, inspired, emotionally aware and simply engaged in life. As a side effect to achieving their desires to do what they love, yes, they also end up being very financially successful.

If I had to pick one thing that they all have in common, it is that each of them tout their morning routine. They stand by it religiously, and it has proven to be one of the things to which they attribute their successes.

So here is what “they” do (and honestly, when I do these things, I have MUCH better days):

  • Be grateful – whether you run through your list in your mind, say them out loud, or write them down, spend a few minutes really thinking about what you are grateful for.
  • Spend time with your spiritual practice – pray, read your bible, meditate, do yoga, walk through your garden. Do whatever it takes to help you feel connected.
  • Make a list – be sure that this is a list of what you will do ONLY that day. We all have those never-ending to-do lists, but what from that list could you do this day? You can challenge yourself, but you also want to get to the end of your day and feel accomplished.

Now, that is what “they” do. It’s what I did this morning to get out of the block I was in. What do you do?