Wake Me Up: Morning Positivity - Morning Routine - It Doesn't Have To Be So Hard

Episode Date: November 8, 2021

This morning, we take a few moments to pause and look at where we're heading in life, to make sure we're not making it hard on ourselves. 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

If you'd like to enjoy Wake Me Up completely ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content, check out the link in the show notes for the Wake Me Up premium feed. Hi there, and good morning. Welcome to Wake Me Up, the podcast where morning people are made. I'm Tyler, your host. Do you ever feel like you're on a treadmill? Going, going, going, going, slowly running out of energy, even though there's no end in sight.

Like no matter what you do, everything seems to be working against you. Well, to be honest, we all feel that way from time to time. And it's okay, because for the most part, it's all in our own heads and under our own control.

You see, we get so caught up in the day-to-day of life that we often forget to look up and see where we're actually headed Unless we take the time to look ahead, for all we know, we might be swimming against the current, in a direction we don't even really want to go. So in today's episode, we'll take a few minutes to pause and look up, to make sure that we're not making life harder than it needs to be. So let's get started.

Whether you're lying in bed or you're up and at them already, it doesn't matter. But let's all take a collective pause and a big breath. So inhale, filling all the way into your belly, hold it at the top, and then exhale. So feel free to start warming up your body by rolling around in bed, stretching yourself out, or just relax and listen. You should always feel free to enjoy these last few moments before the day begins. And while you do that, let's zoom out on life and take a 10,000-foot view. What receives most of your time and attention these days?

Work? A relationship? Or your family and friends? Is there something else you'd rather be giving your time to? What are the main causes of frustration for you these days? Those things that are causing the frustration, are they really things you want in your life? There's a difference in being frustrated by something you want and something you don't. Friends, what we put our time into makes us who we are. So consider, if you keep the status quo in your life, you keep your normal daily routines, where will it lead you in a few years, five years, ten years?

Play this out. See who you'll become. What will you be doing with your time? What will your life look like? Now, consider whether that future you just envisioned is one that you want. Are there any adjustments you'd like to make to that future? Is it ideal or close to ideal? If it is, then more power to you, my friend. But for most of us, we probably want to make some adjustments.

The good news is you totally can. And I recommend you start making little changes right now. Over time, small steps add up. You can start right here, right now, by taking a deep breath in, and as you exhale, rolling over in bed, and making your way to standing up. Now that we're all standing, let's do a couple quick stretches to warm the body. And as usual, only join if you're able. If you want to do a different stretch, then by all means, go for it.

If you're going to come with me, then stand up straight and let your hands hang down by your sides. We'll start with the right arm, drawing big circles all the way around your range of motion, like your arm's a windmill. Go nice and slow and feel that rotation all the way around your shoulder. Once you've done a few rotations in one direction, pause. and then go in the other direction. Let your right arm relax back down, and we'll switch to the left side,

drawing those big circles once again, just like a windmill. Keep it nice and slow, really feeling and sensing that stretch. And now, if you haven't already, pause and switch directions. Now let your left hand fall back down by your side. Take a big inhale and reach both hands to the sky.

And on your exhale, fold forward at the waist. Just let everything hang towards the ground. Relax your arms. Relax your neck. You can sway side to side here, or just sit still. Do whatever feels best for you. Now slowly begin to roll all the way back up to standing. And when you get there, roll your shoulders up and down.

Great. Now let's take a few minutes for a quick meditation. So, grab a sip of water and find your way to a comfortable seat. It can be anywhere in your home, just don't sit in your bed. In today's meditation, I'll stay out of your way. I've planted some questions in your mind already in this episode, so I don't want to overload you. There's something to be said for not overthinking things.

And I find that when I'm frustrated in life, feeling like it's unnecessarily hard, A few moments of quiet, just to myself, can provide a lot of insight into why I'm feeling that way and what I can do about it. So, we'll just focus on the breath today, and sure enough, thoughts will come up. Some of them might be related to the questions that I've asked you. Others may not. But whatever does come up, remember, these are just thoughts.

experimental firings of your mind. They don't have to define you, and you can do whatever you want with them. So by now, hopefully you've found a comfortable seat. And you're sitting upright, but nice and relaxed, not holding on to tension. Take a big breath in, fill all the way into your belly. And as you exhale, slowly close your eyes.

Take this first moment just to settle in. Get yourself comfortable. let everything relax your face your shoulders your arms and hands your back your hips and your legs

and feet you can breathe at whatever pace feels right for you the most important thing is that your breath feels natural nice and smooth and as you follow that breath your chest rising and falling, the air moving in and out. You'll slowly begin to draw deeper and deeper within.

And remember, as you sit here, just let your thoughts come and go. There's nothing for you to do with them right now. If you want to, you can act on them later. For now, enjoy just having a few quiet moments to yourself. And if you get distracted, simply bring yourself back to the breath. We'll be here for just another moment or so. And you can continue letting your mind unwind. All right, friends, slowly begin to bring yourself back to the room.

Notice your feet on the floor. Feel the chair beneath you. And notice any sounds going on around you. Take one last big breath in. And as you exhale, Open your eyes and just take a second to collect yourself. So perhaps you had some life-altering realization as you meditated today, but perhaps you didn't.

Solutions to our problems don't always show themselves immediately, but by taking time for yourself each day, solutions will reveal themselves in time. So if life feels hard right now, try to accept it for what it is, It's just one of life's difficult moments. Better ones will be around the corner soon enough. There's no doubting that life can be hard.

Certain things we just can't control. But almost always, there's something we can do to make life easier. And usually, we can do that by focusing in on two things which run together. First, focus your time and end. on the things and people that make you happy, that make you forget about your worries. Maybe that's a hobby, like running or making music. Maybe it's travel or spending time with someone you care about.

So often, we burn ourselves out. Certain things in life take energy, and other things give us energy. They make us feel alive and excited. By focusing in on the things that enliven us, we can swim with the current rather than against it. Second, cut out any excess from your life by saying no to things that are low priorities.

Oftentimes, it's the extra stuff we take on that causes so much frustration and difficulty. Tension builds up because we're giving time and effort to things that we really don't care about all that much. There's a subconscious sense of guilt because we're devoting ourselves to low priorities and things that take energy instead of high priorities and things that give us energy.

So if you're ever feeling like life is too hard, well, take that as a sign you should stop for a moment. Pause that treadmill and look up. See where all of your effort is taking you. And if it's not where you want to go, then focus in on what matters and use that to redirect yourself. Cut out things you don't want or need and put your energy into the things that excite you. There's no promise of a perfect life.

But if you do that, you certainly will be making your life easier. That's all I've got for today, friends. I really appreciate you tuning in and joining me here. I hope you're excited and energized for the day ahead. You know I love to hear from you all. Your messages and comments bring so much warmth to my heart. Feel free to contact me at any time through the website at wakemeuppodcast.com or on Instagram or TikTok at Wake Me Up podcast.

Send me an episode request or just say hi. It would make my day. I'll talk to you soon. And until then, go out and have a wonderful day. Thank you so much for listening today. If you're enjoying the show, I'd greatly appreciate you taking a second to rate it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

It does wonders to help spread the show. You can find links to do that in the show notes. Thank you so much for your listenership, help, and support.