Wake Me Up: Morning Positivity - Morning Routine - Gratitude is the Attitude

Episode Date: March 1, 2021

Keep a positive perspective on everything going on in your life with this morning routine filled with gratitude. Enjoying Wake Me Up? Get ad-free access to the entire WMU catalog + bonus content by joining the WMU Premium Feed. Sign up and start your 7-day free trial at https://wakemeup.supercast.com/. Follow the show on Spotify - Apple Podcasts - Podchaser Say hi or request an episode at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/contact. And find the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. **Only partake in the physical movements suggested in Wake Me Up episodes if you are physically able and in safe surroundings. All movements are done at the individual's own risk. Be safe, and always consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.** Have a wonderful day 😃 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The best, most productive days start without distraction. And that's why I offer the Wake Me Up premium feed. It gives you access to the entire Wake Me Up catalog, completely free of ads and promos, plus monthly bonus content. Check out the episode notes or stick around after the show to learn more. Good morning, everybody, and welcome to Wake Me Up. I'm your host, Tyler. and this is the podcast where morning people are made.

Today, we'll be returning to one of our most beloved things on this show. Gratitude. I know that you all love it, and I love it too. It just makes you feel good. And it can really help us keep a positive perspective on everything that happens in life. Now then, we've got another great day ahead. ahead of us. Let's go ahead and get it started. And we'll begin like we always do by opening our eyes, if you haven't done that already. And then let's take a big inhale and a big stretch in bed,

and then release your breath on the exhale and relax from that stretch. Let's do one more of those, and this time take a big yawn while you do it too. So inhale, and stretch it on out, and then exhale and relax. So now, let's take one more moment here in bed. Just to let that morning sleepiness begin to sort itself out a little bit more. You can keep stretching your body, however it feels good for you, and keep taking some of those deep breaths. Sometimes it's nice to take this extra moment or two just to enjoy

the coziness of your bed in the morning. You've got nothing to do quite yet. Maybe you'll have a supremely relaxing day. Or maybe it'll be a crazy one. I don't know. But the chances are it'll be somewhere in between. That doesn't matter right now, though. What matters right now is that you have something wonderful to appreciate.

The warmth and coziness of your own bed. It's a safe place to rest and recover. And that's a really special thing. It's not a guaranteed aspect of life. But you've got it. Here, in bed, you can be yourself. You can be at ease. And you can feel safe.

that is truly something to be grateful for. So let's start this day with a very simple thank you. To the bed that supported you all night and still does right now. No matter what happens today, you have this bed to come back to tonight. And it will support you just as it did all night last evening. But we can't stay here all day. We've got a life to live, and it won't wait for us. So, on that note, let's take one more deep breath in,

and as you exhale, roll over in bed, and make your way to standing up. All right, now that you're standing, let's do a quick stretch. of course only join if you're physically able and if you'd prefer to do a different stretch then by all means go for it if you want to follow along with me then we're going to start by loosening up the shoulders

and today we're going to do that with some shoulder rolls so with your arms relaxed down by your sides begin to roll your shoulders forward and then up and down. And just keep that circle going. Take it slow and really focus on loosening your entire range of motion. After a few revolutions, you can pause, come back to center,

and then let's roll in the other direction. First to the back this time, Then up, forward, and down. And again, just keep those circles going. Nice and slow. Okay. Now you can stop with the shoulder rolls. And let your shoulders relax.

Take a deep breath in and reach both arms to the sky, reaching as far as you possibly can. And then on your exhale, fold forward at the waist, And just let everything hang towards the ground. Soften your neck, relax your face, and just let your arms dangle. Since it's early in the morning, it can be really nice to keep a little bend in the knee too.

Now slowly begin to roll all the way back up to a standing position. And when you get there, one more time, roll your shoulders up, back, and down. So if you'd like to do more stretches, then please be my guest.

Otherwise, we're going to get ready for our meditation today. So go ahead and find a comfortable seat anywhere in your home. Just don't sit in your bed. And if you want to grab a glass of water or use the bathroom or do anything like that along the way, then of course, feel free to go for it. Today we're going to do a fantastic little little bit of course little gratitude meditation.

And these ideas come from the Wake Me Up Patreon community. So they are all to thank for this one. There's an increasing amount of literature and science behind the benefits of gratitude. It can help you sleep, improve your relationships, and reduce your stress.

But you don't need to read a scientific study to see why you should always try to find something to be grateful for. I think you'll be able to see for yourself over the next five minutes or so. By now, hopefully you've found a nice comfortable seat, and you want to be seated upright, but make sure that you're nice and relaxed, too. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, slowly close your eyes. As you begin to settle in,

Make sure that you're comfortable. Let your face soften and let your shoulders relax down. Let's take one more deep breath together. So inhale and hold it at the top for just a second before you release. And you can let your breath fall back to your own natural rhythm now. Whatever that pace feels like. The most important thing is that it feels like

is that it feels effortless and smooth, just like velvet. And for the first minute or so, you can just follow your breath as it rises and falls. And over time, each one will take you a little bit deeper. All right, now that you're settled in,

bring to mind someone in your life who seems to have a way of making your day brighter, not by doing anything over the top or extra special, just by being kind, genuine, and caring. Maybe there's a barista who knows exactly how you like your morning coffee, or maybe you have a neighbor who always waves and wishes you a good day. Think of someone like that in your life. visualize them in your mind.

Notice what they do to make you feel good. And appreciate here and now how special those little acts of care and kindness really are. Send out a silent thank you to them. All right, you can let the image of that person go. And now, bring to mind something that's causing you a little bit of trouble. in life. Maybe it's a tough decision you're facing or a conflict in a relationship. Maybe you've realized something about yourself or your path in life that you want to change. It can be anything that's a bit of a thorn in your side or a source of discomfort. And once you've found it,

focus on this thing, whatever it is. And if thought, surrounding it begin to pop up, that's okay. You can let them come. With your mind settled on this thing, notice why it really irks you, why it causes that bit of discomfort, and recognize that despite the tension this thing might cause, you are so lucky that you have the opportunity to experience it in life. That is, You have the chance to learn from this, to grow from it, and appreciate that maybe, just maybe, by showing up and working through this thing, you have the opportunity of a lifetime. And perhaps this challenge is one that you'll come to value in time, that having overcome its trials and tribulations,

you will be an even better person than you are today. Chances are that many people in the world would pay to have your problems instead of their own. Some people would give everything to have this be the thorn in their side, but they don't even get the opportunity to try it. Though it may be uncomfortable right now, all pain is temporary and all of it is created within our own mind

so no matter how much you might not want to send out a silent thank you to this thing right now whatever that thorn in your side is thank it for providing a challenge for the lessons it has taught you and those you're still yet to learn. And once you've done that,

you can bring your focus back to your breathing for just a moment while all of those thoughts settle down. Now slowly begin to bring yourself back to the room and back into your own body. Notice the chair beneath you and your feet on the floor. Take a deep breath in

and as you exhale, take a second and just gather yourself. What if we could all bring that bit of care and kindness to everything we do? How much better would the world be? What if we all approached our problems with open arms rather than a closed fist? After all, a problem can't exist without someone to experience it. and it can't be fixed without someone to resolve it. So I hope that by enjoying this very simple meditation, you are filled with those good feelings

and that you take an extra ounce of energy to pay it forward. We can all use a little positivity in our lives, and you can be the source of that for someone today. You never know. Perhaps tomorrow they'll wake up and appreciate the little things that you do for them. Just as you have here this morning. It's time for today's send off. Gratitude is the attitude, my friends.

It's what's gotten us here and it's what will move us forward. Whenever you're facing a problem or a conflict, one of the best things you can do is to thank it. Thank that person or thing, whatever it is, no matter how dumb that might sound. There's always something to be grateful for, regardless of the circumstances. At the absolute minimum, you can be thankful for the chance to face the challenge and learn from it. And usually, there's so much more to appreciate than that. Gratitude has an amazing ability to do that.

disarm anger, to calm anxiety, and to heal pain. It's a way to resolve conflict, a genuine recognition that all things share some common ground. And the more we do it, the more we recognize, that we all have far more in common than we typically remember. But this doesn't mean gratitude should be reserved only for resolving conflict. It's in fact what we should be most grateful for that we most often overlook. So don't be frugal with gratitude. This isn't a scarce resource.

You will never run out of things to be grateful for. And best of all, it's completely free. So share it with others. Give it out like candy at Halloween. because nothing in life is accomplished alone. All of us are a team. You and me, your friends and family, your rivals and adversaries.

We're all in this together. The ground we walk on is common to each and every one of us. We all have something valuable to give and share, a lesson we can teach to others. teach to others. So my friends, whatever your day brings, whether it be crazy or calm, dull or exciting, I encourage you to approach every minute of it with appreciation. Because the best attitude is always gratitude.

Well, that's all I've got for you today, friends. I really appreciate you tuning in and joining me here today. I'll talk to you all soon, and until then, go out and have an absolutely fantastic day. As a wake-me-up listener, you know the value of a great morning routine, free of distractions. That's why you need to know about the Wake Me Up premium feed. It offers ad-free listening to the entire Wake Me Up catalog, plus monthly bonus content. In just a few taps, you'll be listening distraction-free in literally, any podcast player.

You can try it free for seven days. Check out the show notes and follow the link for the Wake Me Up premium feed to learn more and sign up now. I really appreciate your listenership, love, and support. And I hope you have a great day.