Morning routines seem to be one of those things that EVERYONE likes to talk about – including me. Y’all responded really well to this post on morning routines (which I’m still pretty proud of TBH, so if you haven’t read it yet, please do). And it’s a topic that I see everywhere – from talking with people in my life to articles I read, etc. Everyone is so interested in morning routines! Which means that we should be talking about them more on BTD, right?

Instead of going into #BrightonBrain mode and getting really deep (also I kinda already did that here), let me sum up a few things I’ve learned about morning routines over the years:

• They’re really freaking important. If you think about it, it’s literally setting the tone for your day and putting what you want first…first!
• Humans naturally have the most focus in the mornings, so your morning routine should be something that keeps that going. It should also not take so long that you’re burnt out from the morning routine. If something like exercise drains you, it might be better served in the afternoon or evening.
• They look different for everyone! What works for someone might not work for you, so definitely keep that in mind (read more here). They also don’t have to look the same every single day if that’s not what works best for you.
• Before you check your phone, do your dang morning routine. Phones kill morning routines! True story.
• It’s really helpful to prep for your morning and morning routine the night before – more about that here! I like to plan my morning routine and then know what I’m doing immediately (usually something tough, here’s why) after my mornings for the best use of productivity.

Obviously there’s lots more info, but those 5 bullets are what I always come back to, and what I think has the most impact. So now that we know that, I wanted to update y’all on what my current/Fall morning routine has been looking like. I really think morning routines need to ebb and flow depending on what’s going on in your life, what your goals are, and what season it is! Doesn’t that make more sense? It does to me!

Lately, I’ve been traveling A LOT, and with the holidays coming up, that’s not going to slow down anytime soon. I won’t lie and say I’ve been doing the best morning routine ever, but I also feel like I’ve gotten a couple things down. I’ve been doing a couple things for months and months now, so they’ve become a habit in my mornings. I always like to try something for a couple weeks before seeing how it really affects me and whether I should keep going with it or not. So far, these are some things that have stuck:

• Journal (even if I just write down the date and the 3 top things on my mind)
• Quick prayer
• Drink lots of water 

This takes me 30 minutes or so, but when I’m traveling, that’s sometimes all I have. The important part is to keep it up – which I have been, YAY! When I’m at home and not traveling so much, I usually set about an hour away for my morning routine and love to go for a walk while listening to a podcast, because this really gets me clear and going at the same time. Plus, it gets my body moving. It’s probably what I’ve been missing most, but now that it’s getting colder, I’m not sure this totally makes sense – I’ll have to test it and see! Either way though, I  need to figure out how to move in the mornings, because that really serves my body and mind to get it done.

If y’all are looking to change up your morning routine for Fall, I thought it’d be fun to throw out some ideas I’ve read about, tried, or want to try. These all make sense for the season. If you haven’t been doing a morning routine, all I gotta say is, please try one! Set away thirty minutes to an hour (even if that means waking up a little earlier – here are my tips for getting more sleep BTW), and do it for yourself! Remember, you definitely don’t need to do ALL of these below – keep it simple. These are just ideas for Fall!

• Make a healthy, warm breakfast. Warm food is actually easier to digest and this is a great way to add some health in the a.m.
• Light a candle and journal.
• Dance! Hear me out. Now that it’s darker for longer, and cold outside, it might not be as easy to exercise outside – and your energy might be suffering. Putting on music for 10 minutes in your pajamas to get blood flowing and in a good mood sounds fun right?
• List out what you’re grateful for.
• Drink warm water with lemon. This is great for energy and digestion – plus it’s hydrating.
• Meditate or breath deeply, especially as life gets really busy around the holidays.
• Stretch while listening to a podcast.
• Drink hot tea while writing out an intention for the day.
• Read 10 pages from a book that inspires you.

OK y’all – would love to hear what your current Fall morning routine is. Do you switch it up season by season? Do y’all have a morning routine at all? Let me know!