My Morning Routine (Feb 2021)
Now that we've all successfully mastered our Nighttime Routines (right, we're all experts in that department now?? LOL), I thought it was time to dive into the bread and butter, the true icing on the cake, what overflows my little cup with joy...Drumroll Please...The Morning Routine!
I should also mention here, if you haven't already read my Nighttime Routine post, head over to the "Let's Talk" section of the blog and dive on in. As I mentioned in that post, I firmly believe that my nighttime routine (or ritual as I like to think of it) sets up my Morning Routine and quite frankly my next day for success.
I'll tell you it has not been a walk in the park to get to this place. I, like many of you I'm sure, struggled during the beginning of lockdown. Going from a fairly stringent routine Pre-COVID -- being in an office 5 days a week, having my life in order (or so it seemed in LA) -- to suddenly adjusting to the new normal of essentially NOT having a "normal," added to the fact that I was staying with my mom and no longer even in my own space in Los Angeles was a STRUGGLE. It still can be.
Just because I have a nighttime routine and a morning routine does NOT mean I have it all figured out. In fact, last week I had so much going on that my routines didn't even happen every day. And you know what? I felt the (negative) effects.
Whether my nighttime/morning routines resonate or connect with you is not the idea here. I'm not trying to get you to buy some product I swear by or give up something you're already doing that's working for you to buy into my routine "program." The point of this is to share something that has worked for me and helped me show up as the best version of myself. With both my nighttime and morning routines I am scheduling time for numero uno (it's me, I'm numero uno, in case you were wondering) for those things that fill me with joy.
I firmly believe that in taking the time to do those things that fill our proverbial cup - whether it be a face mask, daily journaling, nighttime arts and crafts, WHATEVER IT MAY BE - I guarantee that you will show up as a better version of yourself. With family, friends, at work, you will be engaged, you will be present, you will be the truest version of YOU. Because you took the time for YOU. You controlled what you could control in a time that feels overwhelmingly uncontrollable.
*Steps off soapbox*
Okay, let's do this! Here's my Morning Routine as of February 2021. Enjoy! And as always, should you have any additional questions, want to know more or perhaps need someone to help you establish your own routines (only if you want to!), please don't hesitate to reach out. You can email me at caseyk@almostfabulousme.com or message me on Instagram (@almostfabme).
During the week (Monday-Friday) my alarm goes off at 6am. As a result of my boyfriend working on CST, we're up early. While I could easily sleep in and wake up just in time for my 8am workout, I decided that waking up earlier gave me the perfect opportunity to ease into my morning, to build out time for ME. First order of business I'm out of bed and into the bathroom, brushing my teeth, all that good stuff.
By 6:15am I am back in bed and tackling my Morning Pages. As a reminder, Morning Pages are a minimum of 3 pages done in your journal, stream of consciousness style. Check out The Skinny Confidential's Post on her Morning Pages here to learn more. Personally, I love tackling them first thing in the morning, right when I wake up, as any thoughts from the night prior or from sleep that may have trickled over can now express themselves in my journal pages. It's important to note I do NOT look at my phone prior to completing the Morning Pages. I don't want anything I see via social media, my email inbox or anything on my phone to influence my writing. I want to write from the most pure, uninhibited space so as to allow my truest thoughts to express themselves.
It usually takes me 20-30 minutes to complete my Morning Pages at which point I pick up whatever book I'm reading and dive in.
Another reason I love waking up early is because I gift myself with that morning reading time. Once my day is officially off and running, I don't really have the chance to slow down and read so that morning hour of reading time is so very sacred to me. After about an hour or so of reading, I change into my workout clothes (laid out from the night before, remember?!) and tune in to Health House's live stream workout (Monday-Friday).
After the workout is complete, before I dive into anything else, I make my bed. As I mentioned in my Instagram stories, making your bed may seem so insignificant and pointless but it actually contributes to you setting yourself and your day up for success. Making your bed is an easy "win," an easy item to cross off that to-do list first thing in the morning.
Once my bed is all nice and tidy, I sit down to the computer with a cup of coffee and dive into any personal emails, blog work, etc. It's nice having the time to sit with a cup of coffee and cool down post workout too.
As part of this post workout cool down ritual, I like to browse Pinterest too. Pinterest has become a part of my morning routine because it brings such incredible inspiration and positivity to my day. From inspirational quotes, beautiful interiors and thought-provoking fashion, it helps me to engage my own creative space in the day ahead.
I'm usually hopping into the shower around 9:45am or so. I don't traditionally have morning meetings before 10am or 10:30am so I'm able to enjoy that cup of coffee and cool down time plus I do share a household with two other people who are often in the shower before me in the mornings. Don't get me wrong, there have been meetings when I'm still in my workout clothes but I guess that's the working from home reality now isn't it.
Post-shower I have a very curated routine as well. I'm a big fan of yummy smelling lotion which I apply all over my body in addition to some form of Aspercreme or CBD balm. My Health House workouts definitely leave me feeling sore during the week so Aspercreme has become my best friend when it comes to recovery.
I had a follower ask about this after posting my Morning Routine to IG stories and no I do NOT wash my face in the shower. Let me tell you why. I had eyelash extensions for a couple years or so so I got used to not washing my face in the shower. That being said, while I don't have my eyelash extensions any more, I kind of just got used to it so washing my face after showering has become the norm. I use CeraVe or Cetaphil traditionally to wash my face and follow it up with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream which I am obsessed with thanks to my boyfriend believe it or not! It's so lightweight and moisturizing I just love it.
Once I'm smelling good, looking good and feeling even better (shoutout to the transformative power of a good shower am I right?!) I take my daily vitamins. Every day I take Vitamin D, Hair, Skin & Nails, Fish Oil, Vitamin C, a Women's Multi Vitamin and a Probiotic. And yes, I take chewy vitamins because I can't swallow pills. Fun fact!
Finally, I traditionally sit down to the computer with my jade roller (fresh out of the freezer) and jade roll all my cares away. I wish it worked like that! But it does help calm down any inflammation from the night prior plus it feels really good on my skin coming out of the freezer and almost gives me an added boost of adrenaline, know what I mean?
As I mentioned earlier, my routines have been a work in progress - in fact they still are! There are some days where they're not executed as I would like them to be but you know what, that's life. You win some, you lose some. But I try my absolute best to execute my nighttime and morning routines each and every day during the week because I know the fulfillment it brings me. I know that I can put my head on the pillow at night knowing that I gave myself the time and space partaking in the activities that I need to infuse balance and JOY into my life and my days.
What can you do today, tonight, or even tomorrow to create space for yourself to fill up your own cup? If you have any questions, you know where to find me!