Many people don’t like mornings. Getting out of that comfy bed can feel like a chore. But, with a well-practiced morning routine, it is possible to start the day with a completely different mindset. If you want to transform your mornings and start your days off on a productive note, the Miracle Morning routine could be just what you are looking for! In this blog, I’ll share my personal take, on the Miracle Morning technique.
Why Is a Morning Routine Important?
A stable morning routine can help us to look after our mental health. It can also set the tone for the day ahead and fire up our productivity. Although I use flexibility and change my days around depending on my health needs, having a stable morning routine is a key part of my daily self-care.
I struggle a lot in the mornings, especially since I swapped to taking mirtazapine after a terrible experience with sertraline. Although the mirtazapine is much better, it does make me very sluggish in the morning. No matter how bad I feel when I wake up, I always feel better after doing my morning routine. On days I don’t do it, the sluggishness stays with me and I find I can’t get into a flow of work at all. Pushing through my tiredness and resistance to my morning routine, means I am far more productive in a day.
Hal Elrod’s Miracle Morning Routine
I began a morning routine with earnest when I entered recovery from addiction in 2010. Now and then my routine slips or gets a bit tired and I change it up. Recently, on needing to refresh my morning routine I discovered the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. This book is inspiring and transforming and it has injected new life into my morning routine.
Hal’s Miracle Morning program proposes six components to include in an effective morning routine. These six components are called S.A.V.E.R.S, the letters stand for:
- Silence
- Affirmation
- Visualization
- Exercise
- Reading
- Scribing
You can choose varying lengths of time for each of the S.A.V.E.R.S, making your routine as long or short as you like. And, the Miracle Morning can be easily adapted to suit any lifestyle.
My Miracle Morning Routine
After experimenting over the last few months, I now have found the perfect Miracle Morning combination for my needs, as follows:
Silence – Ten Minutes
I start my miracle morning routine with ten minutes of silence by using meditation. I learned to meditate many years ago, back in 1998 (wow now I feel old!). However, it wasn’t until I entered recovery in 2010 that it became a daily routine.
I often switch up how I meditate. Sometimes I just sit in silence and other times I listen to a guided meditation. The two apps I use are Insight Timer and Buddhify. If I am just doing a length of sitting mediation, I use the insight timer and If I want a guided meditation, I use Buddhify.
I like to meditate by sitting on the floor. I used to sit cross-legged, but I tried a meditation bench and I absolutely love mine now. It makes sitting to meditate for extended periods much more comfortable.
Affirmation/Visualisation – Ten Minuets
When I first began the Miracle Morning routine, I felt a little lost as to what to do for the affirmation and visualization part. Initially, I wrote some affirmations but reading them out wasn’t having an impact and the visualization part didn’t feel quite right. After experimenting, I now combine the two, reading my affirmations, and then listening to a guided goal visualization audio.
After completing my meditation, I remain seated on my meditation bench. Then I read my goals for the month, which I have noted in my journal. My journal plays a big part in my miracle morning routine. There are many ways to write a journal, which I recently wrote a blog about.
My preferred journalling method is a bullet journal, which I find works perfectly with the Miracle Morning. Each month, I create a plan for the month ahead, containing my goals, intentions, and inspiring quotes. I take a few minutes to read this page, slowly and mindfully. Next, I listen to a six-minute guided visualization. My current favorite place to go for guided affirmations is The Daily Positive.
Exercise – 20 Minutes
I experimented with doing exercise last, but it works better for me to do it this way. Currently, I do two forms of exercise in the morning. I do a ten-minute HITT workout, followed by a ten-minute yoga stretch.
Starting the morning with HITT is great for firing up your metabolism and it keeps you in the burn state for longer. My metabolism needs all the help it can get, as I have hypothyroidism. I’m currently using a ten minute guided HITT workout by 4by4Circuits. Its an older one of his but I really like it!
Next, for my cool down and stretch, I move onto yoga. Yoga is fantastic for calming the mind, and for a really good stretch. My anxiety causes me to hold a lot of tension in my neck and upper back. A short yoga stretch is a wonderful way unknot muscles and to soothe anxiety.
I particularly love the YouTube channel, Yoga With Adriene. The video I am currently using of hers is this one for the neck and shoulders.
Reading – Ten Minutes
With my mind and body now wide awake, next, I move onto reading. The reason I like to do it in this order is so that after my exercise I can relax with a hot drink, whilst I read.
My morning cuppa of choice is matcha green tea. Matcha has all the benefits of green tea, but in a more potent form as it uses the whole leaf. I find it is a great way to boost my sluggish metabolism and give me a list out of the early morning slump I get thanks to my antidepressant medication. I love it as it feels like I am drinking coffee!
Once my matcha tea is made, I sit and read for ten minutes. In miracle morning sessions, it is most effective to choose a self-development book. This as Hal wisely puts it, is like having a talking too by a life coach first thing in the morning. Reading something positive and inspirational helps to fire up my drive and determination for the day ahead.
Scribing – 10 Minutes
Finally, I take 10 minutes to write in my journal. I reflect on how I’m feeling and what I would like my intentions to be for the day. Additionally, I take time to complete my goal tracker that forms part of my Miracle Morning monthly spread. I have each of the S.A.V.E.R.S as a goal, as well as a couple of other goals for the month.
If you want a great book to help you with goal setting, I really recommend Habit That by Jamie Hope. I read Habit That soon after I finished the miracle morning and they go well together.
Just One Hour To A Whole New Mindset!
And that’s my Miracle Morning routine! In just one hour, I have transformed my mind and body from sluggish and resistant to awake and motivated. And, I have given some time and space to my entire wellbeing, my body, mind, and soul.
I would love for you to give this a go and let me know how you get on. Or, perhaps you already do the Miracle Morning routine. Either way, I’d love to hear your experiences, so please leave me a comment in the section below and feel free to share this around!
If your day started out OK, but then turned sour, check out my blog on how to restart your day in 4 simple steps!
I love the SAVERS technique. I’m definitely going to give it a try! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for reading! I love this approach to mornings, I cant imagine a morning without it now!
Love this most! Having a morning routine is so important, my productivity increases so much when I start my day off with a healthy breakfast, fresh air and exercise!
[…] I hope you find this tool as helpful and transformative as I do. If you give it a try, please do let me know. Pop a comment below, it would be great to hear your experiences! And, if you are looking for more tools to help you improve your day, you can check out my Miracle Morning Routine. […]
Since the beginning of lockdown in the UK I’ve tried to have a morning routine. I’ve really enjoyed taking the time to start my day off the right way/
I feel the same! Its good to have a least one thing we can control, isnt it!
I’m one of those people who used to hate mornings, but I’m slowly becoming a morning person. I have not heard of the morning miracle routine before but it does sound like a great way to start the day. Your routine sounds wonderful. I will have to work on setting up my our routine based on this to make my mornings more enjoyable.
I still dont like getting out of bed, but once Ive done this routine, I feel much better abou the day ahead! Good luck starting your routine, Id love to hear how it goes!
I normally end my day journaling but never thought to start my day doing the same. It definitely worked this morning for me lol
Glad it worked for you! I like to start with a few words, helps me to set my intentions!
I haven’t heard of a meditation bench! This would help me so much, because of poor circulation and my legs falling asleep.
I have heard of the Miracle Morning Routine, but have yet to put it into practice. Maybe I will get the book.
Oh seriously, the bench transformed my practice! I have the one with the legs that are hinged, so its easy to store away and take away with you. Love it so much! Sometimes you have to play with the height of them, adding a cusion on top for example, but once you use one you wont go back! I did a weeks silent retreat a couple of years ago. No way I could have managed that much sitting without the bench! And I love the Miracle Morning. It so adaptable. Id really recommend reading hiw previous book, taking life head… Read more »
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Thanks so much!
I love the sound of this routine. I might give it a go tomorrow. I’ve been really lacking in routine lately, mostly because my fur-children think it’s okay to wake me before 4am most mornings, meaning I end up crashing at around 9am.