Right now it’s settling in for all of us that Covid 19, our global response to it, and the ramifications of the virus itself and the ways in which we are trying to cope with it, are trying, challenging, confronting and hard at the best of times. It is ok to be upset. It’s ok to lament all that isn’t happening this year for you that you had planned. “Chin up” Is just about the worst thing to say to someone who feels down, we know that.
We can go down rabbit holes, start having heated debates about things with strangers online, sure, it’s a possibility, but it will achieve precisely nothing and we’ll just feel mentally worse off, angry, perhaps more fearful of the situation… I take the energy I bring as the leader of the low tox community very seriously. It doesn’t mean I’m shying away from the ‘big issues’ it just means that when we operate from the biggest issue there is in the face of a new virus in town: Our personal health and that of our family’s, then we are empowered, we’re not waiting inside in fear until it passes, and we actually have an opportunity to come out of this pandemic in better shape than we started.
So, here’s to celebrating what we do have, the little things we can be grateful for and starting our day from a place of calm and centre (where possible!).
Enter stage left “The Miracle Morning”.
What is it, I hear you ask? Well, firstly please do NOT this is not another THING you need to be doing or adding to your day (or not in some cases) to make you feel guilty. Oh no, this is just a beautiful and easy way to create a little bit of much needed time for you.
The miracle morning routine comes from Hal Elrod, author of “The Miracle Morning,”. The concept of this practise is to dedicate between 30 and 90 minutes to a six-part morning routine of silence, affirmations, visualisation, exercise, reading, and scribing. The belief is that this dedicated practise can improve our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual help.
Before you scoff and scroll past, I am NOT asking you to do this. I too have found myself in a moving house, on-demand for every family member while keeping the wheels turning on Low Tox Life. Right now a good 10 minutes would be a win!
To that end, yes, no doubt starting your day with a full 60-minute self-care practise would be incredible. All that I am suggesting is you trial commiting to, 1-3 of any of these on the list that you can commit to doing before the day runs away with you.
Here are some suggestions to inspire you…
- 5-10 minutes of silent meditation
- 1 chapter of a book you’re dying to read
- A cup of tea and some quiet time
- 5 daily gratitudes
- Journalling 1 page of thoughts for the day
- Writing your goals/ tasks for the day
- Stretching
- Gentle yoga
- Deep belly breathing
- Intimacy with your partner
- A walk around the block
- A 10-minute exercise session
- Dedicated time to work on a passion project
- Diffusing oils
- Dry body brushing
- Washing your face
- Reading your affirmations
- Lighting a low tox candle
- Sipping a coffee
- Eating breakfast in silence
- Anything else that lights you up!
As Hal says, ‘discipline creates lifestyle’.
Give it a go, and let me know in the comments below if it’s made any shifts for you!
Low tox. Happy bodies. Happy planet.
