HELLO HELLO!

It’s officially the end of summer vacation. Brb crying.

JK. I’ll make a post soon recapping everything I knocked off my summer bucket list, but for now, I was too excited about this post not to share it with you.

In January 2020, I shared my morning routine which was super fun to do because I love aesthetic lifestyle type posts.

Recently I wanted to implement a better, healthier, more intentional morning routine, so here’s what I came up with (and have been loving)!

These pictures were actually taken July 30, 2021, but this is still the same morning routine I will follow into August!

When I say “today” I refer to the day these pictures were taken.

Upon waking

WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACEY.

I’m shooting for a wakeup time of 7 AM, but my circadian rhythm is currently out of wack so that doesn’t happen. XD I have to slowly adjust myself.

Regardless, once I wake up in the morning I help myself to breakfast and COFFEE, DUH.

I’m SUPPOSED to exercise first but I’m still easing myself into this routine and my circadian rhythm has not yet adjusted so I feel like death in the mornings and there is no way I’m about to walk around my block twice, sorry pal, give me the coffee.

I’m supposed to listen to instrumental stock corporate/productivity music while I do this but as of now I just tiredly hop on Discord and check notifications.

Not a morning person. Trying to be. :’)

After breakfast

After I’m done eating and drinking MY BELOVED COFFEE I take some supplements and vitamins.

Then, after I muster up the courage (but preferably by 8, on my ideal schedule) to get off the couch, I pick out my outfit for the day and grab my shower towel.

Shower time!

I shower every single day because I really can’t stand feeling oily and greasy. I just can’t. I love to feel fresh and clean so I can be productive instead of slimy and gross. :’)

During my shower, I set my phone on the shower shelf and play some music that helps me feel alive and fresh.

I generally go for stock corporate music OR my playlist “Brave”, full of songs that encourage me to face my fears and go for it! But recently, it’s been this absolutely beautiful instrumental celtic track.

My morning shower time is generally not enjoyable for me because that’s usually when my health issues are at their worst and I’d rather crawl back into bed (hence the Brave playlist!).

*takes a moment to feel proud of myself for tackling my morning anyway*

So, in addition to doing some extra health treatment exercises around my shower time, I’ve been trying to implement said music to make it more enjoyable, along with…

Cold showers! I have recently become fond of cold showers — something I never thought I’d hear myself say.

I usually don’t have my water cold the entire shower (since warm water and soap works best for cleansing) but after I’m done washing I turn the hot water completely off and the cold water completely on.

I then stand under that water for a few minutes, putting my head back, putting my face into the stream, rotating so the water hits all of me, really letting my body feel that coldness.

There are lots of benefits to cold showers like increased concentration, etc., and I don’t know, maybe it’s placebo but it just helps me feel more awake and alive and ready to start my day. XD

After shower

I continue to play the music while I get dressed and brush my teeth.

Then I go to my desk to finish getting ready for the day. Yes it’s messy, we deal with that later.

I turn on my fairy lights because AESTHETIC.

You may have noticed I put on a different shirt. That’s because this day I tested out a new deodorant and I didn’t want to stain my favorite shirt. :’) So I slipped on some random T-shirt.

To finish getting ready, from left to right, I:

1. Put on lip balm. My lips tend to get dry and chapped easily so I stay on top of it by applying lip balm every morning and evening.

2. Apply lotion to my hands, face, and neck. My hands also get dry easily, and I want my face and neck to not dry out and wrinkle when I get old. :’)

3. [I’m just smiling in this photo after properly hydrating my lips, hands, face, and neck, there is no relevance]

4. I do my hair. Usually I just brush it, part it down the middle because trendy, and leave it down, but today I did a half-up half-down with a scrunchie also because trendy.

5. Most of the time I don’t put on earrings but I did today because I felt special.

6. Another irrelevant smiling photo. Almost ready for the day!

If I’m feeling particularly fancy (which is pretty much never unless I’m going out) I put on a bit of makeup. Usually just foundation and mascara.

Today I only did mascara. And voila! I’m all ready for the day.

After that, I spend a little time with God. Usually it’s prayer and some Bible reading.

I actually read using the Bible app on my phone because it’s easier to keep track of. Today I read a chapter of Genesis and a chapter of Psalms.

I quite liked one of the verses I read (Psalm 3:4) so I scrawled it on a piece of pink paper and added it to my wall — which is FILLED with other inspiring quotes, Scriptures, artwork, designs, etc. :’)

After my time with God, I try to get in another health treatment exercise, then I make my to do list for the day!

I generally use the app Things, but I have also simply done a checklist in my notes app, or used other free apps like Done, or wrote them down in a Google doc along with my online friends and raced to the finish.

Do I ever get it all done in a day? Uh, literally never except one time recently for the first time in three years, but :”’)

Then I clean my room for 15 minutes.

I tidy up my desk, pick clothes off the floor, throw trash away, etc.

My room started out pretty messy, but after a couple days of following my morning and evening routines (15 minutes of cleaning in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening), within like three and a half days there was nothing left to clean. :’)

Clean desk! Not very organized because I have a bunch of clutter but hopefully I can use my 15 minutes every morning and evening to organize now.

While this actually isn’t on my morning routine list (and should be), I’ve taken up the goal of hydrating more often.

Peep my GORGEOUS pink water bottle (yes pink and teal are my favorite colors, could you tell?).

It honestly really encourages me to drink more and I’ve shocked myself by how much I subconsciously reach for my water bottle and find it’s empty. Like this was one of the easiest habits to build.

So I try to make sure I fill it up and drink some in the morning for morning hydration!

So if you know me, or you’ve been on this blog for any minuscule amount of time, you know that I ABSOLUTELY ADORE SWINGING.

While listening to music in my huge bass-adjustable headphones.

It’s my happy place. :’)

Every morning after I get ready for the day, I head out there for a swing. Rain or shine. No literally, I will swing when it’s thundering and lightning-ing, did I ask the weather for permission to do what I wanted to do? I THINK NOT.

(Although sometimes I’m really not in the mood to get wet so I usually skip out if it’s pouring heavily)

I swing so often and so regularly that my favorite music artist (the one who made my favorite song that this blog is named after) once said it was like I was a dog and I was walking myself every day. XD

After I have officially swung myself, I’m ready to get started on my day and to do list!

I finally put on the clothes I actually planned to wear, which were my new favorite shirt and some trendy mom jeans. Did I mention I like being trendy 😀

Well… that’s it fam.

I still have lots to share like recapping my summer bucket list accomplishments and thoughts on being an adult now (bruh I just signed my first consent form), but I really wanted to post this because fun, aesthetic and productive morning routines am I right?!

I actually just got back from a week at youth camp (YO, WOULD YOU LIKE A POST ABOUT THAT) but this is still the same morning routine that I will be doing every day as school starts.

What about you? Do you have a morning routine? Which post of the above mentioned would you like to see next?

Love,

Madi