Does this sound familiar?
It’s 6:30 am and your alarm goes off.
Do you hop out of bed with a bounce in your step? Or do you hit the snooze button a few times?
Then, by 7 am you literally drag yourself out of bed, into the bathroom, as you keep thinking “I am so tired. I just want to go back to sleep.”
Perhaps you have a cup of coffee first as you scroll through your phone and check your emails. But not before checking Instagram and Facebook to see what you have missed since you checked it just before dozing off to sleep last night.
Then it’s off to the shower to get ready for work…again. Same old humdrum pattern day after day.
Of course, there are variations to this scenario. After all, everyone is different, but you may notice some parallels in your own life.
You may also notice that you wake up worrying about the day to come. You may find that you run through your busy day in your mind, wondering how you will get everything done and get it done well. You may just find that you want to pull the covers over your head and never come out as self-doubt starts to creep in and your self-confidence isn’t at its best.
Mornings don’t have to suck
Some people actually love mornings. They are what you might call a “morning person” but did you know that a very large percentage of people have a hard time getting up and feeling motivated in the morning? With or without that first cup of coffee.
I happen to fall in the latter category of someone who does not love getting out of bed in the morning (but of course I do, because I have lunches to make and kids to get off to school as well as a full-time job). I decided many years ago that I would not let mornings suck. I was going to figure out a way to own my day to the best of my ability and find a way to create an intention of what my day would look like.
How cool would it be for you to be able to determine the trajectory of your day?
You lose so much of your own power when you assume this is going to be a bad day, an exhausting day, a scary day filled with all sorts of busyness, responsibilities, and things you don’t want to do.
It doesn’t matter if you are going off to work or if you are a busy mom or dad at home with your kids all day. You do have the ability to decide how you will feel throughout the day regardless of what you have planned.
Even if you get called into a meeting at the last minute and you are not prepared. Even if you are on your way to work and you spill coffee all over yourself. Things happen. Stress happens. Unexpected delays happen, sickness happens. Traffic happens. Sh*t happens…but you can still be ok.
Wouldn’t it be amazing and empowering to decide how you will feel today?
How can today be different?
There is a great quote from Henry Ford, “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.” I love this quote because it demonstrates that all one has to do is create a thought and this can become your reality.
I believe this to be true for anything you put your mind to…even making a plan for your day.
If you start your day with worry and endless possibilities of what can go wrong, chances are the rest of your day will be filled with anxiety and dread about what comes next.
There are a number of things you can do to create something different today. The basics consist of things such as:
Get out of bed when the alarm first goes off.
Don’t hit the snooze button. Research has shown that we are more successful during the day if we get out of bed before starting a new REM cycle. This confuses our brain and we can end up waking up groggy and tired with this old pattern.
Eat a well-balanced breakfast
Figure out a healthy breakfast that feels doable for you to make in the morning. Or prep it the night before.
Exercise
Or find a way to move your body for 10-30 minutes. Body movement first thing in the morning not only boosts your endorphins which will improve your mood, but you may also feel more energy and less stress throughout the day.
Avoid your inbox and social media first thing in the morning
In other words, avoid picking up your phone before you even get to the bathroom. When we do this (I too, can be guilty of this), we are letting others determine our thoughts first thing. All of a sudden we are giving our attention to other people and possibly their needs before our own. Take some time for YOU in the morning. Even just a couple of minutes of quiet time can be all you need to jump-start your day.
And of course… EFT Tapping to help you get motivated for the day ahead!
Every morning I find a way to fit a few minutes of tapping into my routine. You may be thinking that you don’t have time to sit down and tap but the truth is, it will be worth it to you!
Tapping is a way to help settle your nervous system especially if you are feeling resistant about the day ahead. Whether you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, burned out, anxious or just plain stressed around what’s to come, a few minutes of tapping on your body can create a whole new outlook on the beautiful day ahead.
Ready to tap with me?
First, take a seat. We will do this in five minutes or less and you will see for yourself how good this feels. You won’t have to just take my word for it! You will soon discover that YOU have the power to shift your thoughts and your energy pretty darn quick.
Take a big deep breath in… and exhale.
Connect with the day ahead of you. What emotions come up? How do you feel about the things you have planned or the things you have to do? How much resistance do you have about getting these things done?
Rate the intensity or the stress level of how you are feeling about today, zero to 10. 10 is intense overwhelm or stress and zero is as though you are sitting on a beach someplace.
Chances are you are somewhere in the middle.
Let’s start tapping. All you have to do is follow along:
Side of the hand: Even though I am tired or even dreading the day ahead, I accept myself and I am open to shifting my energy.
Even though I am really tired and I can’t get motivated for this day. I have so much to do and no idea how I will get it all done… this is creating anxiety for me, I accept and honor how I feel today.
Even though I feel a pit in my stomach as I think about what lies ahead today. I am tired and don’t want to deal with anything! Self-doubt is creeping in. I choose to take a breath and know it will all be ok. After all, I have had days like this before and I am still here to talk about it. Things always work out somehow…REALLY!
Tapping through the points:
Top of head: I am so tired.
Inner eye: I don’t want to get up.
Side eye: I am dreading today.
Under eye: I don’t want to get out of bed.
Nose: Please don’t make me get up.
Chin: It feels dreadful.
Collarbone: My to-do list is a mile long.
Underarm: How am I going to get it all done?
Top head: No room for mistakes here.
Inner eye: And I don’t want to disappoint anyone.
Side eye: I just have so many responsibilities.
Under eye: I can’t let anyone down.
Nose: I can feel the tension and anxiety rising.
Chin: And I just woke up!
Collarbone: Not a great way to start my day.
Underarm: The dread is creeping in.
Top Head: Please let me go back to sleep.
Inner eye: How will I make it through this day?
Side eye: It is just too much!
Under eye: Too much to do.
Nose: I just don’t want to.
Chin: I am overwhelmed.
Collarbone: Tension in my body.
Underarm: I am tired.
Top of head: But now I am ready to make a shift.
Inner eye: I am creating an intention to feel better
Side eye: To go with the flow.
Under eye: I am breathing.
Nose: Getting still within my body
Chin: Feeling my body settle down
Collarbone: Getting more comfortable in my body
Underarm: Relaxing
Top Head: No judgments
Inner eye: Not right now
Side eye: Just being still
Under eye: This moment is for me
Nose: Relaxing the muscles in my body
Chin: Allowing my mind to settle down
Collarbone: Just noticing my thoughts
Underarm: And letting them go
Top head: Sometimes I forget who I am.
Inner eye: I tend to focus on my limitations.
Side eye: I worry
Under eye: All the things that can go wrong
Nose: Self Doubt
Chin: I lose my confidence
Collarbone: But I am putting that behind me today.
Underarm: Right now
Top head: I am focusing on the real me
Inner eye: The confident me
Side eye: The awesome me
Under eye: I can feel my energy lifting
Nose: I feel myself standing tall
Chin: Looking and feeling confident
Collarbone: I can handle whatever comes my way
Underarm: Even if things don’t go as planned
Top head: I have everything I need to have a good day
Inner eye: I have new feelings of confidence
Side eye: I am successful.
Under eye: I am alive.
Nose: I am magnetic.
Chin: I am abundant.
Collarbone: Everything is flowing for me.
Underarm: I am inspiring others today.
Top head: I am releasing worries and doubts.
Inner eye: I am remembering what is important today.
Side eye: I feel the energy moving in my body.
Under eye: I am making a difference today.
Nose: I am remembering how awesome I really am.
Chin: I am ready for a new day.
Collarbone: And I am shining my brightest light.
Underarm: I am ready for what comes my way.
PEACE
Take a big deep breath in…and out. See how that feels for you. You can tap along to this as many times as you want or need. This is a great way to take control of your day and get your day started!
Have a magnificent day!
I have over 200 tapping videos and demonstrations on YouTube and you can tap along with me anytime! Just go to YouTube.com and search Julie Schiffman. Be sure to subscribe to my channel for new videos that come out all the time.
