6 Things Happy People Do Before 9am

Maybe it’s because we’re bona fide morning people, but we believe the AM hours are some of the most important ones of the day. Why? Because what you choose to do during that time sets the tone for the rest of your waking hours. If you start off feeling calm, refreshed, and joyful, you’re more likely to sustain that positive vibe as the day goes on.

On the other hand, if you wake up and immediately feel rushed or sluggish (or worse — both!), it can be tough to snap out of it even when you really need to. So, if you want to make sure you’re waking up on the right side of the bed? Try incorporating one or more of these into your morning routine.

1. Move

Please notice we said ‘move’, not ‘exercise’. While some people love to jog before the sun rises or go to a 6am spinning class, formal exercise isn’t the only way to benefit from morning movement. Something as simple as a 10-minute stroll or even just some light stretches when you get out of bed will wake up your body, get your blood flowing, and help you feel more refreshed as you start your day.

2. Breeeeeeathe

Why? Because taking slow deep breaths changes our energy from tension to relaxation. So the next time you feel yourself getting stressed, take a couple of minutes out and focus on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, until you feel calm again. About two minutes should do it.

3. Don’t check your phone

We’ll admit that often the first thing we do in the morning is reach over, grab our phone, and check Facebook and email. Sad, right? But, plugging in as soon as we wake up puts us in ‘go mode’ way too early. Before our feet hit the floor our minds are already cluttered with messages we need to respond to and Facebook statuses we need to like – which almost guarantees our lives will feel jammed the rest of the day. So, next time your 6am iPhone alarm beeps, try turning it off and putting it down without looking at it further, and see how that affects the rest of your morning.

4. Eat breakfast

Giving your bod some proper fuel within an hour of waking is key to feeling energized throughout the day. And no, a cup of coffee by itself does not count as proper fuel. Soz. The ideal morning meal will make you feel full and satisfied but not weighed down, plus when you eat healthy from the get-go it makes it easier to make good food choices the rest of the day.

5. Express gratitude

Every new day leads to a new way to say “thank you” for being alive. Everything we experience and are capable of experiencing is something to be grateful for. Our life situation may never be ideal in our eyes, but at any point on our path we can stop and be mindful of what we appreciate about our lives. Feeling like it’s difficult to find something to be grateful for? You can always get down to the basics… “Thank you for this breath that gives me life.” Say it or feel it, it doesn’t matter how you show that you’re grateful, as long as the intention is there.

6. Smile – just flex the muscle

Smiling is one of the best free life hacks we have. Yep, really. You might not feel like it, but getting your grin on for a minute or more is a surefire way to perk up. Why? Scientists say it’s because your brain can’t tell when you’re faking, and smiling tricks the body into releasing happy hormones. 60 seconds of a full-on, toothy grin are what’s needed to get you smiling for real. Best plaster a grin on, so.

By Jennifer Conway

• hack
• happy
• life
• morning
• positive
• Wellbeing