What time do you usually wake up? What makes someone a ‘morning person’ and what are some benefits to enjoying early, calm and quiet mornings.  How can doing this can influence our default attitude during the rest of the day? 

Our lives have different variables, components, responsibilities and rhythms, so the time that works best for you may not be the same as what suits someone else. That’s okay. If you’re in a tough home living situation, carving out quiet time for your mind in the morning may look like a few full breaths, a prayer, listening to anything from this playlist and tuning into a devotional community. That is still something and it can help ease your journey, remind you of the love were were made with and fan the flame of hope for beyond where you might be right now. Been there, sis.

What we feed our mind with first matters and can influence the words we feed others when we start speaking. Anytime I’m quick to be impatient or antsy, it’s often on the days I haven’t taken in quiet time in the morning. 

Our mind is like real estate that surpasses any monetary value.

The joy that comes in the morning can overflow into our approach to the afternoon and evening. 

itsJoywithin.com

What does an early calm and quiet morning mean to you? If quiet time is something you’re called to be more conscious about, take a moment to consider what could be standing in the way? Too many late nights – screen time overload – feeling sluggish in the morning?  Keep “forgetting” to set the alarm or have a habit of turning it off and rolling your eyes before rolling over? 

Write about it in your journal.

While a calm and quiet morning cannot guarantee a completely lovely day, it comes first in chronological order so can often set the tone for the rest of the day. If you happen to be rushed one morning, that doesn’t mean the whole day will be that way. This isn’t about setting an alarm for a time that’s so early, you’d be exhausted by 8am. It could be your same wake-up time now but with some purposeful quiet moments to start your day.

What’s it like where you are early in the morning?

Have you ever heard a lot less road traffic or noticed the birdsongs are much more clear – easier to define, and you observe a lot more things about the magnificent detail in beautiful creation whether you’re on a light walk, watching the sunrise, sipping a hot drink on the balcony, looking out the window of your writing room or tending to tomato plants.

This slow and gentle process of being fully present first thing in the morning is so nourishing for the mind. Deeper breaths mean increased clarity in thinking and better health in general.

Did you know that most of us revert to ‘shallow breathing’ after breathing from the diaphragm when we’re sleeping, at rest or relaxing? Once the pace picks up, we have a tendency to forget what a gift breath is and how to breathe well – fully. Let’s not even mention ‘posture’ because that’s a whole topic and a necessary reminder.

Next time you go to one of your favourite places to relax or see a beautiful view, notice how you instinctively take a full breath, without any external prompting.

We subconsciously know how to breathe well, but very often once the day gets packed like a purse with things to tend to, we have a tendency to zip through the day in a way that draws energy instead of refreshing it. 

Purposeful breathing during calm and quiet mornings is like ‘setting the bone’ and inciting muscle memory, so your brain is re-wired and resets – reminds your ribs how to expand and lungs how to breathe well for larger pockets of time. 

Calm and quiet mornings can start with or look like: 

• spending time in the Word
• giving thanks for the day
• deep breathing from the diaphragm during a stretch series or light workout 
• enjoying serene moments watering the indoor plants or tending to the garden
• doing your skin- care routine while listening to worship/inspirational music softly playing in the background 
• renewing the mind before you say a word 
• calmly mapping out the top to-dos for today (without yet checking inbox)
• studying
• writing, sewing, or drawing something 
• chilling in your cosy room or doing light tidying up

Do any of those moments from the list above sound inviting to you? Maybe you already do more than a few and have some extra encouragement to share with someone (reading this post) who wants to be more purposeful with their gifted quiet mornings.

Your quiet mornings may look like 10 purposeful minutes in prayer or a pocket of time pouring out on paper. Somebody else’s might be a couple hours of devotional time while for another, it might look like cleaning the kitchen and making breakfast while listening to something uplifting. (Washing machine off so it’s an even more quiet morning.)

Lots of love.

I appreciate y’all for joining the joy journey, for liking, commenting and sharing links you like with people you love.

Related post: 5 Quiet Time Ideas For Busy-Bodies | Refreshment & Refreshing Your Morning Routine (For A Productive Workday At Home)

Disclaimer: The info on breathing exercises shared here is not intended or designed to replace or negate sound medical advice by trained health professionals. Tips shared here are based off of 10+ years vocal coaching speakers, singers & busy CEOs, incorporating best breathing techniques into the training experience.