5 Things I Do Every Morning

Mornings...either you love them or you strongly dislike them. Which category do you fall into? I am the one who loves mornings. I haven’t always though. It used to be very hard to get up and be alert. Over time, I learned to really enjoy my mornings. In fact, I now look forward to them. There are 5 things I do every morning to start my day off well. Here are the five things and how they help me.

1. Pray 

First, I start off my morning with prayer. I take time to talk with God and receive His forgiveness for the things I did to break His heart the day before. Next, I pray on the Armor of God which is found in Ephesians 6:10-17. Praying on the Armor reminds me that I am not alone in the battle of life. It also reminds me that I am victorious in Jesus. 

I also pray on the fruit of the Spirit which is found in Galatians 5:22-23. The reason Jonathan and I started praying on the fruit of the Spirit is because we wanted to have this fruit in increasing measure. We want to reflect Jesus in all we do. Praying it on each morning reminds to walk in the Spirit instead of the flesh.

Lastly, I surrender my day to God. I praise God for guiding my steps. I thank Him for His wisdom, strength, and peace that is readily available to me throughout my day.

2. Exercise

Another part of my morning is exercise. This is another one of those things I haven’t always loved. Exercising is hard work. It takes time. Some days I much rather skip it and sleep more. But, every time I exercise, I learn that it is so worth it! I always feel better and more alert. I also know that my body needs exercise to stay strong both emotionally and physically.

Over the years I have done so many different forms of exercise. My current routine is three days of running and Faster Way to Fat Loss workouts. The FWTFL workouts have been incredible for my body. I love how I feel afterward and I know I am so much stronger.  Click HERE for more information on the program. 

3. Affirmations

About a year and a half ago, I learned about affirmations. At first, I wasn’t too sure about them because they seemed a little fruity. But, now I see the importance of them. What is an affirmation? Simply stated, an affirmation is a positive statement that you state out loud each day to help you overcome negative thought patterns. 

Affirmations help you fill your mind with God’s truth instead of the enemy's lies. An affirmation also helps you to train your mind to think about what you would like to become. Another name for affirmations is vision declarations. 

Here are a few of the affirmations I say in the mornings:

I am powerful because the Holy Spirit lives in me. He gives me peace and wisdom no matter what is happening around me. 

In my marriage, I selflessly put Jonathan’s needs above my own, and he is my priority after God.  I intentionally speak Jonathan’s love language and choose to believe the best about him.

I am a Mom who embraces every moment with our kids and speaks value into their lives.

I am a positive person. I choose to focus on what went right and the blessings.

I am purposeful, vulnerable and fully present in my relationships with family and friends.

4. Read the Bible 

Each morning, I spend time reading God’s Word. The Bible is my lifeline. It is what I turn to when I am struggling and when I am not. Time in God’s Word is an anchor for my mornings. Why? Proverbs 30:5 states it well  “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” God’s word is truth. It’s flawless. I can depend on it no matter what.

Currently, I am reading in the book of Daniel with the First 5 app. I am learning so much as I do this study. The First 5 devotional writers are a huge blessing. Each time I read a devotional, I am challenged in some way. If you are looking for a Bible reading plan, I encourage you to check into First 5. 

5. Gratitude Journal

One other thing I do every morning is write down ten things I am grateful for from the day before. It really helps me to think back on the day and see on the blessings. Some mornings I struggle to come up with ten different things. As I do this journal more, I am training my brain to be looking for things to be grateful for. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about the 5 things I do every morning. I must add a disclaimer. There are some mornings I do not do all five things because I slept in too late. But, on the days I do all five things, I notice a huge difference and feel more focused. Another strategy that has been helpful for me is on the mornings I do have less time, I will still work through all five things but the time for each is shorter. 

Which of these five things do you already do in your mornings? Which one was a new concept to you? Which one do you want to add to your mornings? Please comment below. I would love to hear from you!