Do You Rise and Shine? – Setting your morning intention

When you first wake up in the morning, and are just remembering where you are and what time it is, what crosses your mind?  Do you think about how tired you are or how you wish you could sleep more?   Maybe your mind  jumps to those things you are NOT looking forward to in your day.   If you are like most people, the strong negative bias of your brain can easily start you off with a less than positive outlook.  But we do have other options.

Here are a few suggestions to try.  Set your alarm 5 minutes before you actually need to get up.  Spend that time thinking about things you are looking forward to or things you’re grateful for.  If that’s hard, make a list the night before and put it next to your bed so you can read it first thing in the morning.  If that doesn’t work, read over your list during breakfast or post a few notes on your bathroom mirror.  The goal is to set a positive tone for our day with intention instead of letting our brains default to their usual negative focus.

I love my sleep.   It seems like I’m always feeling warm and comfortable when the alarm goes off.  It can be so hard to get out of bed in the cold and dark.  When I remind myself of something I want to get done, something I am looking forward to, or some of the things I am thankful for, I find it really does help energize me to get moving with an upbeat attitude.  Give it a try and see if you notice a difference.

Tina Hallis, Ph.D., is a professional speaker and consultant for The Positive Edge, a company dedicated to helping people and organizations fulfill their true potential using strategies from the science of Positive Psychology.