I simply love my morning routine, and it’s something I look forward to every evening when I think about the upcoming day. It’s taken a long time to get my morning routine what it is, and not every day starts in such a peaceful and relaxed manner, though I try very hard to make this a priority each morning. I also very much realize that what works for me and what I love may be far, far different than what your ideal morning looks like or what it’s realistically like in your current season of life. Rob and I both work from home and work for ourselves (so we set our own work schedules), and we don’t have children yet (as much as we wish we did!), so I very much acknowledge that, in this season of my life, I have far more margin, flexibility, and time than most may have!

But I also believe that where we spend our time and what we invest our lives in impacts and influences us greatly, so I’ve long been mindful of and intentional about how I start my days. How my day begins sets me up for the rest of the day, so I try my best to fill my early mornings with things that are deeply filling to my heart, soul, body, and mind. I want to begin each day focused on what’s most important to me, prioritize what matters the most, and grounded in my faith and in truth. My morning routine has changed and evolved over the years, and over the last five or six years, my days begin like this.

Now let’s get to it: my morning routine! When I first became my own boss almost eight years ago, one of the first things I knew was that I didn’t want to have to wake up at the crack of dawn like I did my jobs in DC for many years – ha! I also love mornings and want to take advantage of them, so many years ago, I decided that 7:00am was my ideal time to wake up where I feel rested but can also enjoy my morning before starting work. In the spring, fall, and winter, after I wake up at 7:00am (and leave Rob sleeping a bit longer!), I hop in the shower and then get dressed for the day before heading downstairs. I love the act of coming downstairs, opening up all of the blinds, letting the morning light stream in, and making a pot of coffee for us. There’s something so routine and so soothing about this. I then settle on the couch in my favorite corner – my morning spot, every day. I just love curling up on the couch, watching the sun rise over our little lake, listening to the birds, and seeing the sunshine dance across our walls; there’s nothing more peaceful and quiet. I try really hard to stay away from my phone as long as possible and enjoy some screen-free time before the day really begins. I also keep everything handy and easily accessible on a little side table next to my morning spot on the couch.

My quiet time in the morning has really shaped my faith over the years, and there’s nothing more important to me. I start with my daily devotional: I’ve been reading the Jesus Calling daily devotional since 2012! I also love reading The Meaning of Marriage Couple’s Devotional and New Morning Mercies. I then write in my gratitude journal every morning, which I’ve shared about many times over the years. I’ve been writing in my gratitude journal every day for over 12 years now, and I can also confidently say that this practice has utterly changed my life. Spending just a few minutes writing down and thanking & praising God for his abundant blessings, even during hard times, is transformative. I then spend some time reading my Bible (usually what our church and/our Bible study is reading and studying, though sometimes it’s more random) and studying the passages I’m reading. Prayer time is sprinkled throughout all of this, because, to me, the two most important things are reading the Bible and praying. These two, more than anything, shape my life and help me to live my days become more of the woman God wants me to be – and glorifying Him in all that I do.

After my quiet time with the Lord, I spend anywhere from 5-30 minutes reading before I start my work day. As I mentioned last week in my blog post about when & how I read, I am a huge advocate of work-life balance, so I try very hard not to start work til 9:00am. Knowing this helps me to relax and enjoy my mornings – my “me” time! – and intentionally carve out time before work to do things that bring me immense joy and meaning, which definitely includes reading for pleasure. Rob typically joins me downstairs around 8:30am, so we chat together & drink our coffee on the couch for a bit before we start work.

A quick note: in the summer, I wake up around 6:30am to get my early morning walk in before it gets too hot! In the spring, fall, and winter, I typically walk after work, but in the summer, I wake up earlier to walk, so my morning routine and timing shifts a little. These are all non-negotiables for my days, so I just tweak the timing and flow of my day to accommodate these important, wonderful things.

I hope it’s fun or even beneficial to hear about how I shape my mornings and intentionally spend this time in a way that’s filling to me! I’m intrigued to hear if you have any non-negotiables for your morning (or if you’re just on survival mode with young kids taking your attention and time!). What does your ideal morning look like? What’s your preferred morning beverage?!