The Power of Habits Part 4: The Morning Routine that Changed My Life
You've undoubtedly heard about the importance of a morning routine, but does it work? I can honestly say that my morning routine and habits changed my life drastically for the better. I have more energy, am more productive throughout my day, and feel… happier.
All of that from a morning routine? Yep! What you put into your morning hours is so important. You could get up early, scroll on your phone for an hour, and start your day more fatigued, comparing yourself to others and merely wasting the most powerful time of the day.
I refer to my morning routine as my "power habits." They are the things I have consistently done that have gotten me healthier – spirit, soul, and body.
Last week we discussed the importance of an evening routine to help you wake up early. You can read that here. Again, it doesn't matter how many good habits you put in your morning if you need more sleep. So, go to bed around 9:00 pm to get up at 5:00 am. Psalm 63:1 declares, "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." Our days will get tremendously dry and thirsty without going to the well that never runs dry!
Master Your Schedule
Unless you purpose and plan to have a morning routine, it won't happen. Plan your time with God like the important appointment that it is. Think about it as if Jesus is sitting in your living room at 5:00 am. Are you going to leave Him waiting by Himself? I don't think so! So, give Him the honor He deserves by dedicating the first part of your day to Him.
The Power of Praise
I like to begin this precious morning time with praise and worship. Often, I put in my earbuds and listen to a worship song to bring my focus and attention to Jesus. Then, I spend a few minutes thanking Him for the blessings in my life and giving Him the honor He deserves.
The Bible says in Psalm 100:4, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." We come into His presence when we give Him praise and thanksgiving. It's such a sweet and precious place to be.
I'm flexible with this portion of my routine. Sometimes I will sit in His presence and let Him hold me. Other times I am more vocal and active with my praise – lifting my hands to Him in worship. By the way, if you have never tried lifting your hands in worship, I suggest you do it!
Read the Word
The number one way God will speak to you is through His Word. Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
We need our minds renewed by the Word of God daily. The Word will "wash our minds" and begin to transform and sanctify us as we allow it to teach and change us. We hear so much garbage throughout our days that we must first know what the Bible says.
If you need help figuring out where to start reading, we provide a weekly reading plan for you. Sign up for our weekly newsletter guide by pressing the button below. Your reading plan will be delivered to you every Monday morning.
Along with the reading plan, we have also created a devotional journal to walk you through this precious time with God. It includes daily prayer prompts, a section to write your praise and thanksgiving, and a step-by-step guide on how to get the most out of your Bible reading. You can find that free resource below.
Prayer and Confession
The entire morning time with God could be considered prayer because I'm fellowshipping with God. There are mornings when I spend more time reading and studying the Word and other times when I spend more time in prayer. This routine isn't meant to be a rigid checklist of things you must do – like a formula to gain God's blessing for the day. It's about a relationship. Just like there are times with my husband when we are deep in conversation and other times we are content to sit in silence, it's okay to "Be still and know that He is God" (Psalm 46:10). Remember that prayer is a two-way conversation. He has wisdom that He wants to share with you when you are ready to listen.
Exercise
The last habit of my "power five" is exercise. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and are to take care of this flesh we are living in until the day we are handed our glorious bodies. God isn't going to make us take care of our temple. We do it as a "living sacrifice" to help our spiritual growth.
I recently came across a quote on Instagram that said, "You will make time for what is important to you, or you will make an excuse." How true is that? There are a million and one excuses people come up with not to exercise or eat healthy and life-giving foods. As we discussed a couple of weeks ago, it starts with being intentional. You will never "feel" like working out. However, you WILL feel so much better when you do. Exercise gives you more energy and releases the "feel good" chemicals in your body that help with mental health. The benefits of exercise will help you be happier and more productive – sounds like a win–win to me!
Healthy Habits
"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:27
Be careful about consuming substances that change your body – drugs, alcohol, too much caffeine, etc.
Get 7-8 hours of sleep
Good nutrition – cut sugar and processed food. Garbage in, Garbage out!
Build the intention – your reason to make healthy choices
Last Words on Exercise
Have an accountability partner – a friend to traverse this health journey with you. Exercise is much easier when someone is counting on you to show up! I also want to recommend faithfulworkouts.com. There you will find faith-based exercises for every fitness level and time frame, healthy recipes, and more, all for free.
Do you have a morning routine that you love? Let me know in the comments what your morning routine is or if you're inspired to begin!