It’s no secret I’m a bit obsessed with my mornings. So much so that I wake up at 4:30am to soak in as much of them as I can. I shared with y’all all my best tips on how to wake up earlier and feel great doing it, but you still continue to ask what it is I actually fill my mornings with. 

I’m currently in a season of trying out some time blocking techniques, and because of that some of my mornings during the week look a little different. Some are condensed and efficient so I can get out the door early. Some are long and drawn out so I can soak in every bit of intentional time I can. But, even as they differ, every morning has some of the same things in it. Six things, in fact. The six things I make sure every morning includes, regardless of what else they are filled with: My 6 Morning Non-Negotiables. (The adorable Jules from Om & The City shared her 5 Morning Non-Negotiables and it inspired me to think of my own.) Here they are!

1 // Water

The first thing I do after I step out of bed every morning (after I pee of course) is chug water. Lots of it. Usually at least 20 oz of it. Room temp, Berkey filtered water. 

Rehydrating in the morning is essential to health. I mean, think about it. You’ve just spent 33% of your day (or if you’re like me and a total sleep princess, hopefully even more) on your back, not moving, breathing through your mouth, asking your body to digest and your brain to regenerate and your cells to work hard. Without ingesting anything. Your body dehydrates overnight. Dehydration can cause headaches, sluggishness, impaired detoxification, weakened immune response, and even weight gain. So naturally, staying hydrated can do the opposite: support the immune system, increase detoxification and cleansing in the body, reduce headaches, increase energy, even boost your metabolism. (I like this article from Dr. Axe with some of this research.)

So rehydrating in the morning is a necessity. It wakes your cells up, it livens your tissues, and let’s be real, we all know it gets the digestive system moving. 

Hydrate before you caffeinate, y’all! Seriously, if the first thing you do is reach for that cup of joe (with bulletproof superfood creamer, of course) every morning, challenge yourself to down some H₂O first. Even if you just start sipping some water while it brews, I bet you’ll notice a major difference in your energy and hydration levels throughout the day. 

But it’s absolutely crucial you make sure you’re rehydrating with the right stuff: quality, clean water. 21,000,000 Americans drink water that violates U.S. health standards! Insanity! When I learned about all the microtoxins and bacteria and inorganic materials that were hangin’ out in my “safe drinking water” we bought a Berkey Water Filter and I can say easily it’s been one of the single best investments I’ve ever made for my health. 

2 // Gut Shot

This beautiful green babe is so special it’s already gotten its whole own blog post. It’s definitely one of my morning must-haves. You can read the full post for all the details on the superpower ingredients packed into this tiny little shot, but it’s basically all the pre- and probiotics my gut needs for proper functioning and dozens of greens and plants of nutrients breathing new life into all my cells. 

I love taking it as a shot because I can prepare these little glass jars on Sundays and then store them in the refrigerator door for completely mindless access at 4:52 am. 

Starting my day with this is one of the ways I tell myself “I am choosing to nourish my body, fuel it well, and give it what it needs to thrive.” I find taking the pre- and probiotics on an empty stomach is the most effective way to improve my digestion and my gut, and immediately giving my system a boost of superfoods in the morning helps wake things up well. 

Watch this video for more on this amazing little shot:

(Truly, it’s one of the few supplements I stand behind and boast as one everyone should commit to. Snag it here and use MOLLIE for 10% off.)

3 // No Phone

I really do notice a massive difference in my energy and my mood if I have the discipline to follow this one. By not picking up my phone, by not checking email, by not responding to texts, by not scrolling my feed, I’m actively choosing to say no to all the inputs and demands of the world. I’m instead consciously choosing to spend the first few minutes of my day with myself and with the things that fill me and lift me and encourage me. It’s the simplest way to resist the anxiety-inducing pressures of the world, and by having the discipline to do so in the morning, I’m really prepping myself to be more tuned in and stronger to resist those stressors throughout the day as well. 

And y’all, for real, on the mornings when I do grab for the phone: it is insane how much I find that impacts the rest of my day. It’s usually just when I’m waking up tired and seeking a quick fix of something fun, but I notice an immense difference in my energy levels, my ability to respond well to stress, and just my overall thought patterns throughout the day. I’m so much more resilient and creative and positive and joyful when I don’t. So I don’t. 

(Check out this post with more details on the tech boundaries I have to protect my mental health.)

4 // Scripture

But just like saying no to my phone is choosing what not to fill my mind with before dawn, what I choose to fill it with is equally important. Starting my day in prayer, in scripture, in truth is essential. Filling my mind with things above and not worldly things, choosing to say no to lies and yes to truth: it’s an act of surrender that primes my heart for faithfulness and kindness for the rest of the day. 

I like to read in my Jeremiah Study Bible, flip through the day’s devotional in New Morning Mercies, pray for my husband with this amazing scripture-based guide, and if I have time, meditate with whichever topic stirs my heart in the scripture-and-prayer based meditation app Abide. 

5 // Gratitude

Because we’re currently in our one-bedroom apartment, I have to take Gunner out on a leash every morning. Sometimes it’s raining. Sometimes it’s 90 degrees of Texas heat even at 5am. Sometimes it’s so freezing I can’t feel my face. But it’s become my quiet little 3 minutes of gratitude. I use it to say, sometimes out loud, what I’m grateful for. I just continue to list off a string of thankful words as they flow from my heart. 

“I’m thankful for this body that works so hard for me. I’m thankful for my husband asleep upstairs and the ways he fights for me. I’m thankful for this fluffy little furball for making our life so much sweeter. I’m thankful for these clothes on my body. I’m thankful for the clean water and fresh food I have upstairs.”

It’s just an intentional way to direct my heart towards gratitude, which I 100000% believe is the answer to a happy life. 

Some mornings, I actually journal these things out, which I love as well, actually seeing them on paper. But I also just love those quiet few moments with Gunner outside – choosing to take an easy spot for me to complain about the inconvenience of apartment life (and picking up my dog’s poop) and lust unsatisfactorily toward our old home or a new one, and instead infuse it with the choice to be grateful with what I have and where I’m at now.

Whatever it looks like, I really do make sure, within the first 20 minutes of my day, I’ve actively chosen gratitude and thankfulness. 

6 // Movement

This one almost didn’t make the list because although I do get a serious sweat on most mornings, I don’t necessarily workout every morning. Some days, after the above 5 items, I sit down at my desk for 3 hours straight and crank out really deep-focused work and I don’t even change out of my pajamas until 10am. Some days, I don’t workout at all, or some days I wait until the afternoon to do so. But if I’ve learned anything from work-from-home life it’s that getting my body moving and my blood flowing in the morning is absolutely a non-negotiable. And guess what – you don’t have to sweat for 60 minutes in a hot yoga class or bust out a 45 minute HIIT workout to get the benefits of movement! Even just a few standing stretches to flush out my muscles, or a 5-minute session with my booty band, or even just a handful of arm raises with my 5-lb weights absolutely changes me. (Check out my list of favorite at-home quick workouts for some inspiration!) It gives me energy, it helps me focus and it makes me a million times more clear-headed and focused to actually be efficient in my work. 

So if it’s a morning where I’m not heading to the yoga studio or to the gym or out on a walk, I still find even just 4 minutes to move my body, get my heart rate up or my muscles stretched out because it is a game. changer. 

Do you start your day with any of these? Are you going to add any of them to your current routine? What ways can you say no to the stresses and yes to the right things in your morning? I’d love to hear your own tips! Share them below!

Cheers to our brightest lives (especially before it’s bright outside in the mornings)! xx, molls

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