6 ways to start the day more consciously
1. Stay away from the phone
Granted - when the cellphone's alarm goes off, it's tempting to keep our most loyal companion at hand. Maybe new messages have arrived overnight. You could also see what has happened in the world. But these very things distract us from ourselves. For the body and the mind it is more relaxing to reserve the time after waking up. Through messages or postings on social media channels only external requirements come to us. Or they put us in uncertainty. So, get away with it. Leave your smartphone in another room in the evening and wake up with an old-fashioned alarm clock.
2. Meditate
Only three minutes of meditation can calm the body for hours. You do not even have to get up for that. All you have to do is lie down in bed, turn your back and close your eyes. Then inhale through the nose and follow the air deep into the abdomen. How does the passage through which the breath penetrates you feel like? How does he come out again? A few minutes of mindful meditation can be more relaxing than a weekend trip. If you do not have three minutes, you simply take three deep breaths - the first intense moment of the day that you treat yourself. Here are instructions on how to find the right meditation for you.
3. Think of something nice
Is there anything you look forward to that day? Your favorite colleague coming back from vacation? The nice meal planned in the evening? The new season of your favorite series that you want to start? We tend to focus on the negative things in life. Do it the other way around and look forward to the beautiful. Thereby we perceive them more consciously.
4. Feel the body
For many people, the mind runs at full speed all day long. Therefore, it feels good in the morning to feel the body. Jogging in the park, Pilates in the living room or early swimming - not everyone has the time to exercise in the morning. But it is a way to realize that we are more than the head. If you have to be fast in the morning, because, for example, the children are already waiting at the edge of the bed, you should stretch for a while. Even small movements make a difference.
5. Learn from dreams
Dreams are like therapy, says the science author Stefan Klein. They help us cope with problems and sort out everyday life. Even if we have nightmares, there is a message in it that makes us realize how we can handle difficult situations. As we dream, we have eliminated all reason and deal with our feelings alone. The good thing is that you can learn to remember dreams. Put a dream diary next to your bed and write down your dreams every morning. The longer you do that, the easier it is for you to keep your dreams.
6. Be thankful
If you wake up in the morning and feel healthy, you can also say "thank you". That this is not self-evident, we notice at the latest when we are sick. Appreciating what you have is the best way to enjoy the day.
