Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash

"We are what we do over and over again." This phrase often resonates in my head. And that's one of the reasons I chose to call my podcast "Positive Habits". Positive habits are, in my opinion, those that make us happy and allow us to achieve our goals. Negative habits, on the contrary, are those that pull us down.

By definition, these habits, whether positive or not, are rooted in our daily lives. These are things we do without really thinking about it, because we've been doing them for a long time and they don't really require our thinking. They are sometimes so entrenched that it's unthinkable for us to change them, because we've always done it that way, and that's it. Still, rethinking these habits every now and then can be really beneficial and can make a real difference in everyday life.

This is particularly the case for morning habits, the famous "morning routine" which has been flooding Youtube for several years. It's not just a trend for me. Having a daily routine is important. It sets the tone for a day and helps us reach our goals.

Why adopt a more positive morning routine:

The morning is an important time, and the most opportune in my opinion, to set up positive habits. And our state of mind at that time is important for the rest of the day. It was through Hal Elrod's book "Miracle Morning" that I learned to initiate a positive ritual upon waking up.

Getting up with a negative state of mind, repeating to yourself over and over again "I don't want to go to work, I prefer to stay in bed" is a bit like saying to yourself "I don't want to go to work. get up to live the opportunities that life has to offer me ". It is rather demotivating.

Delaying waking up in the morning and falling back to sleep a few more minutes in the morning is not necessarily good. Even if it helps to scratch a few minutes of sleep 😅, it is not very positive for morale.

When we manage to change that morning mindset into something more positive, we are bound to see things differently. And we attract more positive events. And even though there are always struggles during the day, we don't see them the same way anymore because our point of view has changed. It's all a matter of point of view actually 😏 (if I had known ... 😆).

If your morning routine is more positive - that is, if you do something you love when you wake up - you'll want to get up in the morning more. Maybe you'll go to work a little backwards because sleeping was still a lot of fun, but you'll already be motivated to get up and you'll be in a better state of mind to start your day.

Do things that you enjoy doing in the morning that are positive for you. You will start the day by having taken care of yourself and that feels good. Making your well-being a priority is super cool for morale.

Don't give yourself excuses, because we all have our obligations. Some people have more obligations than you and manage to take this time for them. It is a matter of priority. Do not see it as a burden but as a way to succeed in being good with yourself, well in your head, well in your body.

Four things to do in the morning to start the day at the top:

1. Wake up away from the phone

No matter what you like to do when you wake up, do it away from your phone. Leave your phone in airplane mode at night and wait until you have finished your ritual to check your messages or go to social networks. Tell yourself that your brain needs an intermediate phase between sleep and wakefulness. Try and you will see that it feels good.

2. Take The time To Say Thank You For What You Are Going Through

It has been my favorite positive habit for almost four years. I use a gratitude journal in which I write three things every day that I'm grateful for, then the three things that I want to experience today, and finally I write a positive affirmation that I try to repeat myself several times a day to always stay focused on my goals. Again practicing gratitude is not just a trend but a habit that actually increases the level of happiness. It's scientifically proven.

If you want to learn more about the practice of gratitude, I dedicated an episode of my podcast to it here.

3. Visualize Your Day

Take the time to visualize your day, that is to say to imagine how it will unfold. Visualize your ideal day. Imagine having a great day. Imagine yourself feeling joy. The brain does not differentiate between the real and the imaginary. If you imagine that you are feeling good, if you feel happy about starting this new day, you will probably feel joy during the day.

If you have any doubts, try experimenting with this method for several days and see if it works for you. 😉 If you believe in it, you will have a better chance that it will work.

4. Eat a Good Breakfast

If you have an appetite in the morning, eat a good breakfast with things that you enjoy and that give you energy. If you can, skip the quick meals, the hasty croissant or the coffee on the bus. Give yourself time to eat. Personally, I enjoy having breakfast while listening to an audiobook. It keeps me from turning on the TV.

You may like to do other things. If you have time in the morning, it can be an opportunity to read, play sports ... in short, do things that help you feel good. This will inevitably have an impact on your day and on the achievement of your goals.