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Do you ever wake up already dreading the day?
Those racing thoughts about everything you need to do and the desire to just go back to bed and escape?
I know this all too well.
There was a time where I was working an overtime job managing 3 branches in the rental car industry.
It was a soul-sucking job and it almost brought back feelings of a deep depression that I hadn't felt in years.
I remember a point of it where I actually asked myself "what the hell am I doing?"
"Who am I?"
"What is this life of mine?"
I lost myself in this routine of taking care of the company that hired me, sacrificing nearly all of my time to take care of myself.
The only thing I had at the time was exercise for my stress, however, it felt like I wasn't growing physically or mentally.
I felt like I was deteriorating, experiencing a state of entropy.
I couldn't live like this.
I told myself: since my time was limited (for now), I'm going to make time for a better me, even if it is only one hour out of my day.
And in this, I discovered something powerful: a simple system that transformed my mornings and uplifted my mood.
I discovered a purposeful morning routine.
Your morning sets the tone for the entire day, and is the part of the day you have the most control over.
How we spend the first hour of our day has a huge impact on our mental state for the entire day.
This means that when you start your day in a negative state, your brain will be more primed to see the negative parts of your day.
Couple that with depression and anxiety, it can feel like it's almost impossible to drift towards a more positive state.
However, here's what most people miss about morning routines: they don't need to be overcomplicated and sexy.
They need to be so simple that we don't require willpower to push through.
Combine that with understanding neurobiological triggers that naturally lift your mood, you can create a powerful morning routine to propel you forward.
So in this post, I'm going to share with you a simple morning routine that leverages your body's chemistry to uplift your mood and well-being.
No more complicated routines, no hour-long meditations, no Saratoga water ice-cold face baths. ;)
Just a simple sequence that works for your biology - one that can be done in as little as 15-30 minutes.
Let's get into it!
When most people try to use a morning routine they find on the Internet, they approach it backwards.
They read about the cold plunges, the lengthy mediation, the 500 recommended tasks - and try to adopt these habits overnight.
These morning routines then become a test of motivation rather than the science of habit formation or discipline building.
The typical approach to morning routines is fundamentally flawed because it ignores one crucial truth: motivation and willpower are fleeting.
Trying to overcomplicate the routine just sets you up for failure.
What if instead of relying on willpower, you can leverage your body's natural mood-enhancers?
What if you can craft a morning sequence that triggers a constant momentum of mood-lifting chemicals?
Let me share with you how to do so.
Before I share the routine with you, let me start by explaining why it works well, especially with those dealing with depression and anxiety.
Your mood is regulated by the following neurochemicals: dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin.
These neurochemicals don't just make you feel good: they directly counteract stress hormones (cortisol) that may fuel your anxiety and depression.
The problem with most morning routines is that they actively suppress our mood-boosting chemicals by flooding you with stressful and unnecessary steps to lift your mood.
LIFT Your Morning Mood reverses this pattern by strategically triggering the release of chemicals like serotonin in a specific sequence that creates an upward spiral of positivity.
Here's the step-by-step formula that I constantly use to lift my mood every morning:
As soon as you wake up, take 60 seconds to perform this breathing pattern: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, exhale for 8 counts.
Repeat this 3 times.
This pattern, known as the 4-7-8 technique, activates your parasympathetic nervous system, immediately reducing cortisol and creating a state of calm alertness.
If you've seen Ted Lasso, you know what I'm talking about.
It really works.
The key is to do this before getting out of bed and reaching for your phone.
These first moments of consciousness are crucial.
Just this alone can set the tone for everything that follows.
Next, grab a tall glass of water.
After hours of sleep, your body is naturally dehydrated, and replenishing fluids is essential for brain function and our energy levels.
Even mild dehydration can have a large impact on our cortisol and serotonin levels.
By hydrating, you are more likely to gain more benefits than not, setting yourself up for a more productive and energized day.
It also helps keep your mind and body going!
From personal experience, starting your day off with water makes it easier to habitually drink water throughout the day.
Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!
Expose yourself to natural sunlight as soon as possible after waking up (the first 10 minutes of waking).
Sunlight helps regulate your body's natural sleep-wake cycle, boosting your mood and energy levels.
Specifically, morning light exposure increases serotonin production while regulating cortisol.
In addition, when sunlight hits your skin, your body produces Vitamin D which regulates serotonin synthesis.
This is why it is essential to step outside when the sun is rising and get that sun exposure.
So just go for a walk, or read a book outdoors.
Seeing the new day will always get you prepared.
Bonus points if you can incorporate the following step with it!
Here is where the mood LIFTING comes in.
Do some kind of physical activity for at least 10-15 minutes.
This could be a short walk outside (ideally while getting your sunlight exposure), or a full-blown workout with weights.
Exercise is a powerful mood booster and stress reliever, releasing serotonin that will help set a positive tone for the day.
Commit to moving your body in some way each morning, even if it's just for a few minutes.
Consistency over intensity here.
Just 10-15 minutes might be all you need for a lifted mood to start.
You might find that overtime, you like morning workouts.
I personally love my 6AM morning Jiu-Jitsu sessions: being able to train hard and drive home with the windows down and the sun rising is pretty uplifting.
After your movement session, fuel your body with a nutritious and protein-rich breakfast that will sustain your energy and focus throughout the morning.
Your brain needs amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to aid in the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.
Couple that with healthy fats like Omega-3s, and you set your brain up for added positive momentum for the day.
Omega-3's like EPA (fish oil or fish) have been shown to aid with depression and anxiety symptoms.
Your high protein breakfast can be eggs and egg whites, oatmeal with protein powder, and more.
For those short on time, a quality protein shake with some complex carbohydrates (or fruit) can be an effective alternative.
The beauty of this system is its simplicity: it can take less than 30 minutes and requires little to no preparation or motivation.
Let's recap:
The key to this method's effectiveness is that each step builds on the previous one, creating a neurochemical momentum that carries you forward.
By the time you finish the sequence, your body has naturally produced your mood-lifting chemicals - no motivation required.
What makes this approach uniquely powerful for those dealing with anxiety, depression, and chronic stress is that it works even on your worst days.
You don't need to feel good to start it: the sequence generates the positive feelings that have been eluding you.
Over time, the mood-lifting neurochemicals enhance your brain's baseline functioning throughout the day.
You'll likely notice:
Remember, this isn't about transforming your entire life overnight.
It's about creating a small pocket of control in your day: a reliable sequence that gives your brain and body an uplifting start.
Start tomorrow morning.
Don't wait for motivation or the "perfect" time to begin.
This sequence works because it doesn't require you to feel motivated.
Simply follow the five steps, in order, without overthinking or overcomplicating the process.
Trust the sequence.
And give your brain the chemical support it needs to lift your mood naturally.
You don't need more willpower.
You just need to leverage your brain and body.
Take this, and make it your own.
I can't wait to hear about your experience and how it transforms your mood and well-being.
Until next time!
In this more hyperactive and information overloaded world, discipline is needed more than ever before.
With more distractions being thrown at us, it's no wonder many of us feel like we lack discipline to do the things we need to do.
There was a time in my life when my self-esteem was non-existent.
I would actively avoid social situations, second-guess every decision, and constantly seek validation from others.
The good news is that I found a way out.
These past few years have been stressful as hell.
While we can’t always control external chaos, we can control how we take care of ourselves.