“Start every day with something good in it.”

Do you start your day jarred awake with an alarm, then immediately check your phone for messages? Do you shuffle off to the shower like a robot and eat breakfast without even tasting it? Many of us do. The morning often sets the tone for the rest of your day. So enjoying your morning is important, even when you feel like you’re too swamped with other stuff.

As we’ve discussed before, we have the opportunity to make choices about our lives. So for the next few days make the choice to start your morning mindfully, and try on new ideas that may form habits that bring doses of joy into your day. Here’s a list of ideas to start your morning off right.

Express gratitude. At the moment you open your eyes, let the first thing that comes to mind be gratitude… gratitude for anything: sleeping well, the adventure of a new day, good health, being loved, your pet, your family, that you have a roof over your head. Express appreciation for anything big or small.

Breathe deeply. Take a moment to breathe deeply 10 times. Focus your attention on the sensations of the breath your body as you inhale and exhale. Allow your body to relax deeply, letting the muscles soften.

Engage with nature. Listen for the birdsong sound of breeze in the trees outside your window, look for a spot of green either outside or inside you have potted plants. Do you see any flowers outside. What does the air feel like on your face? What does the sunrise look like, or the clouds in the sky?

Give yourself extra time. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier so you have a moment to express gratitude, breathe deeply and engage with nature. And if you have enough time, consider setting your alarm early enough so you can spend time in the morning in meditation.

Regardless how you choose to do it, make a point, moving forward, of starting everyday with something good in it. And notice how the rest of your day goes from there.