Crafting a more tranquil morning routine

So...this week I've been on a quest to reform my morning routine, which has been in decline for some time. What used to be a leisurely two hours comprised of Morning Pages, yoga, tea, and a hot bath has become a 45-minute mad dash for the door. Partially, this is due to our commute (which means that I have to wake up earlier than I used to) and therefore, sleep has become a precious commodity. However, this week I've beenmaking a conscious effort to to make my mornings a bit more tranquil. I've been packing my lunch and gym bag the night before, choosing the next day's outfit before I go to sleep, and just generally trying to relax (and take deep breaths!) - even when I realize we needed to be out the door ten minutes ago and I've yet to brush my teeth. I've even been managing to drink a giant glass of water with fresh lemon upon waking, and for the past couple days, I've forced myself to actually sit down and eat something (usually multi-grain toast with some raw almond butter or natural fruit preserves) before running out the door. I've definitely noticed that, when my mornings are peaceful, I feel more calm and centered throughout the entire day. I would love to get back into doing my Morning Pages and at least a few minutes of yoga, but when the alarm goes off, I have such a hard time deciding between that and a few extra minutes of sleep...

What is your morning routine like? How do you make your mornings more tranquil?

Image via End of March.

Morning person

The lovely Carolyn of Hang On Little Tomato recently blogged about her July goals, one of them being to create a morning ritual. This got me thinking about my morning routine.

I've always been a morning person, but over the past year, I have purposely focused on creating a relaxed and morning routine. I started really implementing this when I was at my previous (stressful) job and thinking about ways to make my days more rejuvenating, but I've happily stuck with it since changing jobs and have found that it makes a HUGE difference in the quality of my days.

I love waking up slowly, allowing my mind to gently transition from sleep to wakefulness, and that delicious, half-awake feeling where you're still sort of dreaming yet sort of conscious. When the pillow is cool against your skin, but your toes are nice and warm.

Getting dressed to go for a run in the first moments after sunrise, hearing the occasional passing car or bus as the city comes to life, and running across the Ellington Bridge, admiring the sky still streaked with periwinkle and pink, and then returning to my apartment and running a nice hot bath or shower while I sip water and then green tea.

Taking my time with my hair and makeup (and maybe even squeezing in time for a face mask treatment or quickie pedicure if I'm ahead of schedule).

Eating a healthy breakfast and knowing I'm doing something good for myself (I used to never eat breakfast, but I have reformed my ways!) - usually oatmeal or whole grain cereal with soy milk and some fruit - while catching up on email and blogs.

Talking to my mom on the phone while walking to work (we talk almost every day), enjoying the sunlight on my face and the beautiful Dupont townhouses.

Are you a morning person? Do you have another favorite time of day? I would love to hear about it.

Photo by Flickr user anah na uwr.

This morning

Woke up early and lay quietly in bed for a few minutes, listening to birds chirping as the first rays of sunlight shined through my windows.

Went for a nice and easy 20-minute run (muscles are still sore from yoga last night).

Drank a whole liter of water post-run.

Put some Paolo Nutini on Pandora (perfect mellow morning music).

Ran a warm rose and chamomile-scented bubble bath and let myself soak for longer than usual.

Took my time getting dressed.

Ate a bowl of apricot and almond granola with soy milk.

Savored a mug of Yogi Green Tea Triple Echinacea.

I love mornings.

Photo by BlueIris2006 via Flickr.