Tuesday Tea | Little Rituals For Winter Mornings

My morning rituals bring happiness into my day. My morning tea, my morning meditation, and just recently starting to eat breakfast again in the mornings. Rituals are all around us from our morning routines to our weekly gatherings and our annual traditions. However, we often do not think of our daily routines as rituals. Grab yourself a lovely cup of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee so we can sit for a minute together and discuss the beauty of morning rituals, especially in the cold winter months.

Rituals go beyond “me time.” They are the things we do to take care of our bodies, our minds, and each other. Sometimes it is just doing what we “have to do,” while other rituals are intentional forms of self care. Something as simple as washing the dishes can become a ritual. Rituals are part of our routines that we are also mindful and intentional about. We are paying attention to the present moment instead of letting our minds drift away.

In winter especially, our mornings can be more dreary or less motivational. When it is cold it is hard gathering up the energy to get out from under the covers. -Unless you have a morning routine that ignites the joy in you, even in the winter time. Little rituals that we look forward to each day can alleviate a bad mood or set a positive mindset to start the day. It cannot always remove the winter blues, but it can help you to find some calm and coziness in a blue winters day. Having morning rituals that bring happiness to your day can be the key factor to making the most of a long winter season.

In today’s busy world it can be easy to skip out on a ritual because there is never enough time. I believe that is a mistake because rituals bring us joy and tranquility. They are the little things that we look forward to and the simple pleasures that add to our wellbeing. They keep us organized, healthy, happy, and give us a moment to simply be. Cherish the present with a ritual in your life. It does not have to be big, but you must commit to make it into a habit.

This winter some rituals you may want to consider would be starting your day with a morning meditation, stretching, tea or coffee, a simple sit down breakfast, a morning walk, a morning shower or bath routine, a mini work out, yoga, a daily passage in a book, writing down three things in a gratitude journal, reading a chapter in your book, picking up a favorite magazine or newspaper, write a letter to a friend, journal, write poetry, or any number of self care or joyful activities that can fit into your morning routine.

How to rearrange your morning to make room for rituals:

One. Get plenty of rest the night before. A good morning starts with a good night.

Two. Create a morning routine that works for you. If you are not an early bird and never have been, why force it? Start at a time that is right for you. If you have more energy in the evenings and prefer your work outs then, you don’t have to do them n the morning. Know yourself and know your energy so you can crate a morning routine that you love, enjoy, and truly works for you. Your morning rituals should uplift your day, not wear them down. If you’re a parent or caretaker there are plenty of rituals that you can do to include your loved ones or honor your individual needs and energy.

Three. Try new things. Have you always wished you had a breakfast routine? Now it the time. Have you always wanted to spend your mornings doing a certain hobby such as painting, journaling, a morning skincare routine, or morning walks? Try it to see if it is something you want to do for yourself each morning. Once you figure out what works for you it is time to include it in your daily routine.

Four. Stick to it. To create morning rituals, you have to make it your new routine. Reward yourself by keeping to it each and every day. You deserve the best start to your day each and every day.

Five. Notice the positive changes.