Guest Blog

I run a business helping very busy moms eat better and raise healthy kids. I spend a lot of time talking about dinner because it really can solve a lot in a family — from food to happiness.

But today I want to take a slightly different angle for the mom entrepreneurs out there, and talk about breakfast.

I absolutely loved listening to Patty’s class on time management because with two businesses, three kids, a house, and all the responsibilities that go with these things, time management is so important in my life.

I find that there are days that go better than others when it comes to getting through my lists. I can blame that on hormones, the kids or too little sleep, but really the good days are directly related to breakfast and the things that happen before and after — my morning rhythm.

So now let me back up six years, and introduce myself in a bit more depth….

Six years ago, I had a thriving graphic design business, three children under 5, and I was a good 75 lbs. heavier than I had ever been. I was also overwhelmed and always tired. I knew I needed to change, so I started with the most measurable thing, my weight.

I found a mentor, and was so desperate for change that I did just what she said without much question. I was a very logical person, so the fact that overnight I started eating all raw, doing a daily yoga practice, and listening to recordings on the Law of Attraction, was kind of unexpected.

I had about 3 months of total focus, where I lost the weight, experienced more energy than ever before, and felt more connected to myself and the universe than I ever knew was possible. But…

One day I woke up and remembered that I was part of the amazing family I had created. They were so excited by my increased level of happiness that they were content, but I knew I had to do better for them. You see, up until this moment, they had the healthiest mom in the world who was still making them mac and cheese.

And was in the next few months that I developed my morning routine….

This 60 to 90 minutes has literally changed my whole day, from food to work to how I show up for my family. What I have found is that through repetition, I don’t even have to think, so by putting healthy into my routine, I up my chance of having a fabulous day!

(On days I do this, I can follow through with systems like Patty’s time management system…. Without it, 6:00 comes around and I am frustrated!)

Each of our mornings will look slightly different. The act of thinking it through and writing your routine down is huge. My goal is to include a spiritual practice, a self-care practice, a food practice, a movement practice, and a connection practice.

Life also changes, so you may have to reevaluate from time to time.

Here is what my morning routine includes:

Meditation
I have listened to meditations, tried to sit Indian style and clear my mind, but they both had aspects that prevented me from getting to them, so now I lay in bed and simply focus on a breath pattern for 10 -30 minutes. You may have your own meditation practice, a prayer practice, or if you are newly adding this aspect, I started with a gratitude journal.

A huge glass of water
I know we need 8 glasses of water a day. I know how good I feel when I do this, but I also find it hard. I am way more likely to succeed if I drink a huge glass of water first thing. I am sure to do this because I fill it before bed!

Time with each child and my husband individually
On weekends, I have the blessing of more time, but on weekdays, this may just be a five minute back rub, a hug, help packing a school bag. It just makes sure I have connected with those I love before we start our days….

Kids breakfast and lunch
I add kids food to my morning routine. This was just a reframe of something I have to do everyday. But when I focus on the big picture of wanting healthy kids (less sick days) who grow up to be vibrant adults, I can’t help but get excited about creating great food everyday! (note: it does not need to be complicated, just healthy).

A walk, run or yoga, depending on my work day
I used to love taking a lunch break to do a yoga class, but I found that some days I would get caught up in work, and skip it. When I start the day with exercise, I feel so much better, and I get so much more done. If I decide to go to a lunch class, I still go for a 20 minute power walk in the morning, so if I miss class, I still have my walk! I also have a whole list of options, so I can’t skip this. For example, if someone is home sick from school, I can stretch, hula hoop, or jump rope. If I find myself solo parenting one weekend, I can run behind biking kids, or go biking with the older ones.

Shower and mouth care
This is a 2015 addition to my morning routine…. I found myself at my computer in yoga clothes most days after a walk, so I started making an effort to shower and get dressed. Sounds obvious, but I hope I am not the only mom who forgets to shower or use her closet full of clothes! I still love comfy clothes, but ones that make me feel like I made an effort to show up for my day! I also oil pull every morning (you can Google this)…

A green smoothie
I start every day with greens. If you can make one change to your morning, this is the one I recommend starting with. My favorite is at the bottom of this post….

Dinner on a sticky note
I usually plan my whole week the week before and shop on Sundays, but a lot goes on in a week, so I always write down dinner on a sticky note in the morning. That way if I can move dinner forward during a work break or need to get a component from the store on the way to get the kids, I know…

And with these things done, usually by 9:00, I can show up for my day in a whole new way! I feel happier and healthier, and I get a lot more done!

I would love to hear about your morning routine! What is one thing you do each morning that sets you up for success? What is one thing you want to add?

Tropical Kale Smoothie

Ingredients

2 cups Kale

½ cup Cilantro or Parsley

½ Cucumber

1 cup Pineapple

1 cup Mango

½ Avocado

1 Banana

1 Lime

2ish cups Water

Directions

Mix in a high-speed blender.

Mia Moran

Mia is founder of StayBasic, creator of the PlanSimpleTM System, and an International bestselling author. She believes food has the power to heal the body, mind and spirit, and moms are the only ones who can change the current food system. She empowers moms to change their lives one meal and one doable change at a time. You can find your next healthy strategy by joining Mia at www.staybasic.com and following her on Instagram @StayBasic.