My morning rituals have evolved over time. I wanted to share what has helped me to find the space to give over, really listen, and to grow. I try to wake up before my kids but that doesn’t always happen. My dog will bark or be super velcro-y. I just won’t feel grounded enough. But it doesn’t matter. I do it anyway. Meditation is a practice. It doesn’t have to be perfect or look like anyone else’s. None of that matters. I do it anyway. I wake up, get out of bed, and splash cold water on my face, tongue scrape, brush my teeth, slam a glass of water, and grab a cup of coffee. I head to my workshop, light a candle, and plug in the twinkly lights. I put on background music - either Spotify or Insight Timer. I might dab some essential oil on my wrist. I open up a book - something meaningful - and read. Lately it is a book of devotions. Then I journal. I start with gratitude. I literally write down Gratitude, underline it, and then write what I am thankful for. This can be simple or profound, a word or two, or endless paragraphs. And I really try to feel that gratitude in every cell of my body. Next I write Prayer, underline it, and then write what I need in my life. Prayer is defined as an earnest hope or wish. Prayer can be to God, to Mother Earth, to the wise one inside each of us, just to the universe. My prayers used to be more vague but I have gotten more specific and asked for exactly what I need, big and small. Here is specifically where I ask for negative thoughts to get out of my head. Those self-limiting, hold you back, make you doubt yourself kind of thoughts. Because no matter how much positivity I try to pack into this brain of mine, there are still those sneaky shitty thoughts that can derail my best intentions. Next I settle in and do a hybrid Wim Hof and James Nestor breathing exercise. I close my eyes and deeeeeeeeply inhale through my nose, exhale slowly and fully until there is legit nothing left to exhale, and repeat ten times. On that final exhale I hold my breath for as long as I possibly can, then inhale, hold that for fifteen seconds, then let it go and settle in. Now not only have I exercised my lungs, but I have grounded and prepared myself to go into meditation. Then I meditate. I just focus on my breath and the background music and I try to clear my mind. I suck at that part but I am getting better. After I have given over, I listen. Meditation is where I listen for the answers to those prayers or at the very least listen for the next right step. Lastly, I manifest. I call on what I have learned from Dr. Joe Dispenza and I imagine attaining those things for which I am praying. I think of it like a movie playing in my head of actually experiencing whatever I asked for - abundant health, immense joy, a vacation, whatever. I put myself there and I FEEL it. What I feel creates the emotions that I experience and this translates to the chemicals and hormones that circulate throughout my body. I bring myself back to awareness if I was lucky to have lost it in the first place and I write down anything that came to me during that time. Then I thank myself for taking that time. In all, this whole process can take like ten to twenty minutes. Small investment with big returns. If any of this speaks to you, try it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Do it anyway.