How do you start your morning?  What is the first thing you do?  Do you groggily open your eyes, roll over in bed to reach for your phone, check your Facebook, Instagram and weather apps, stumble into the bathroom to wash up and then find yourself in the kitchen where you begin to pour yourself a large mug of caffeine?

If this is your typical morning, I am here to tell you that it can be SO much more.  You can change the frenetic pace of your day and start off feeling organized and peaceful.  Each morning does not have to be a sudden jolt out of Sleepyland into Caffeineville.

I’m going to avoid the word “meditation”, because that word has the tendency to freak people out.  No, I’m not asking you to meditate.  I’m asking you to take 5 minutes each morning to sit quietly, breathe, give thanks, and set a daily intention.

Start out by finding a peaceful, clean place to sit.
I recommend setting a 5-minute timer (especially if you prefer lying down during this exercise) so you don’t drift off and miss your train to work.  You can either sit on the floor on your yoga mat, on a pillow or in a comfortable chair.  Just find a place that is away from the daily noise of your life.  No catalogs, bills, permission slips for school, chapstick, tissue boxes or other visual clutter.  I prefer sitting near a window because I love how I feel when natural light is pouring into my house.

Express gratitude
Next, close your eyes and say a simple prayer of gratitude.  Whether or not you believe in a higher power, it is an important exercise to acknowledge and give thanks for everything in your life.  Does it really matter if it’s a blessing from above or a matter of good circumstance?  No.  You are fortunate, and by actively recognizing that each morning, you will start the day on the right foot.

Breathe deeply
Once you’ve expressed gratitude, move on to an easy breathing exercise.  Here is my favorite breathing technique that I learned during my yoga teacher training:  Inhale deeply through the nose for a count of eight, hold the breath in the lungs for a count of four, and then exhale through the nose for a count of eight.  In my mind, I count like this:  Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.  Hold, 2, 3, 4.  Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.  Repeat this count over and over in your mind until you are breathing in this manner without having to count in your head at all.

When your 5-minute timer buzzes, slowly open your eyes, and set an intention for the day.  It doesn’t have to be an elaborate plan—it can be as basic as, “Today, I will welcome each challenge as an opportunity to grow.”

Starting each morning with peace, gratitude and a positive statement can make all the difference in the trajectory of your day.  Give it a try, and let us know how it goes.