A MORNING ROUTINE I SWEAR BY.

I’ve said it 934853874 times on the blog – mornings are VERY specific for me. They set the tone for your entire day, so make it good. I want to share a morning routine that I swear by lately.

Since becoming pregnant, there have been a few changes to my mornings. They’ve gotten even more specific. Some things have stayed the same, and others have changed.

I’m going to break it down by timing later on in the blog post so you see exactly how I do my mornings.

THE MORNING ROUTINE I SWEAR BY

~ 8:00 AM: Alarm rings. I stay in bed for 5 minutes and then get up and say a quick prayer of thanks.

~ 8:05 AM: Open up the blinds for light. I cannot stand a dark and dingy morning. I NEED natural light to function. When we bought our new house, I needed big windows everywhere for this reason.

~ 8:06 AM: Make the bed. This is huge because otherwise I feel like a mess when it’s not made. I like to see it clean with all my pillows stacked up nicely. Call me crazy, I don’t care.

~ 8:07 AM: 6 minute full body stretch. This is the video I’ve been following lately. It’s quick and my body feels amazing after.

~ 8:13 AM: Brush teeth and sometimes I shower in the morning. Lately I’ve been loving it. I use the Nécessaire Eucalyptus body washes and omigod, they are a game changer in the mornings. It wakes you up immediately! More on this below.

SKINCARE – My skincare has made a shift since being pregnant. I’ve been very cognizant about the products I use on my skin/body. Do you guys want to see a breakdown of the skincare I’ve been using? Let me know in the comments.

~ 8:30 AM: Head downstairs for breakfast, healthy tea, and coffee.

~ I like to start by making my healthy tea. { See below } Obsessed with this for a while now.

~ Then breakfast. I cannot do a morning without breakfast. { Read this post on 3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas }

~ Coffee is a must in my morning routine! I cut out coffee my entire first trimester, which was hard, but infertility was harder…LOL. So I was okay with cutting out coffee for 12 weeks or so. I had a few sips of Andrew’s here and there, but for the most part, no coffee. However, the second I hit 2nd trimester, I was back on 1 small cup of coffee a day.

~ 9:00 AM: I make my To-Do lists/Gratefuls. Making these lists give me clarity in the mornings. I love jotting down what needs to be done for the day. I like to prioritize and cross things off when I’m done. It’s a satisfaction thing for me. Gratefuls are something like doing as well. You can say them to yourself or write them down. 3-5 things you are grateful for daily. Get realllly specific.

~ 9:30 AM: When coffee has been had and I feel a bit more accomplished in the morning, I like to set aside time for a 5 minute meditation. This doesn’t always happen, but I try my best because it really is the BEST thing for the mind. I use the app Insight timer and pick either a guided meditation or just sounds of nature to clear my mind. { If you are interested in mediation, check out this post! }

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SOME MORNING ROUTINE SPECIFICS:

A EUCALYPTUS SHOWER:

Can I just tell you guys how OBSESSED I am with these Nécassaire bath products. They have become so essential in my morning routine lately. They’re a clean brand as well, which are safe to use during pregnancy. They smell amazing, and they wake you the fuck up. The smells Eucalyptus in the shower just makes you feel alive. I LOVE IT. I use a couple of drops right on my pink luffa and lather it all over. Trust me, it’s amazing.

Also, these body washes make the PERFECT holiday gift, since the holidays are right around the corner. These are especially great for moms and mother-in-laws who are harder to shop for. You really can’t go wrong with this luxury product. ANYONE would love this.

JOURNALING/TO-DO LISTS:

Something I’ve read over the past few years is that a lot of successful people journal and make priority lists first thing in the morning. I’m a list person! I cannot live without writing out things I need to get done. And not on my phone. Like physical pen to paper kinda lists. The satisfaction of crossing things out with pen, is unreal. LOL.

Once I’m up and my skincare is done, and I’ve got my coffee in front of me, I grab my notebook and start jotting down things I need to get done. I also look at the day before and see what I crossed off and what still needs to get done. I take everything from the day before and prioritize that.

My lists could consist of anything, really! Here’s an example of what my list would look like:

• Emails (but get specific: who do you need to follow up with today? Get back to? etc)
• Posts to social media (Instagram, Pinterest, FB)
• Organize weekly content
• Brainstorm for XX campaign
• Home chores that need to be done
• Mail out birthday card to XX

Somedays my lists can be extremely long and other days, not so much. But no matter what, this is a huge morning habit for me that I can’t NOT do.

Check out my post on How To Set Goals and Actually Achieve Them.

healthy tea:

I’ve talked about this healthy tea A LOT on the blog/Instagram now, so you all should be very familiar with it. I won’t go into too much detail, but basically it’s something that I NEED every single day.

• HOT OR WARM WATER (I usually boil water and throw in an ice cube to cool it down a bit)
• 1/2 A LEMON
• GINGER (As much as you want)
• A SPLASH OF CAYENNE PEPPER
• A SPLASH OF TURMERIC POWDER
• OPTIONAL: MINT LEAVES, HONEY

Guys, the benefits are endless. This is such a great morning habit to include in your life. Trust me on this one! Do this before you have your coffee or mid-day for some additional water intake. It’s a great way to spice up your water.

Read the full blog post here.

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Somethings I would like to add to my morning routine:

• Morning hike. I love fresh air and want to get my body moving more than just a 6-minute stretch.
• Working out. I would LOVE some yoga or pilates first thing in the morning.
• Meditate for longer. I would like to work up to a 10-15 minute meditation in the mornings.
• Read. I’ve heard amazing things about reading an inspirational passage from a good book first thing in the morning. Really gets your creativity going.

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What are some non-negotiables for your morning routine? Do you love a routine like I do? Or are you more relaxed and chill in the AMs?

Let me know in the comments.

Xx, kim

++ If you love a skincare routine, check out this post NOW!

+++ Oh, and make sure you don’t miss my Shower Essentials post. I’m obsessed with this list!

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