5 Ways to Have Your Best Day Ever

Lately my schedule has been really erratic. I’ve been staying with friends and traveling over the last two weeks and my typical, nourishing daily routines took a back seat. But, the one thing I stick to as much as possible-no matter where I am- is entering the day intentionally. 

Why? Because as a self-care evangelist for the last 20+ years, I’ve learned that how I “enter” the day is how I “do” the day. The state of BEING I cultivate first thing in the morning has an enormous impact on how I connect, lead and relate to others throughout the day!

Do you flop, race or ease into your day? If we take a bit of time to make conscious choices, our morning time can set the course for how creative, positive, productive and happy we are in the hours to follow. How we begin our day is key to everything.

Here are five simple things I try to do each morning to support a great start (note: if your current a.m. routine includes a large dose of news and a carafe of Starbucks –be gentle with yourself; start with baby steps):

1. Ditch screen time and become comfortable with silence (or classical music). Be judicious about your media diet and who you allow into your head–at least for the first hour of the morning. Often we get our best ideas shortly after waking; give yourself some time to ease into the day without added mental clutter and unwanted noise. This can feel strange at first, but over time you may crave this quiet.
2. Stretch or do some gentle yoga before you get out of bed. Every morning I lie on my back and fold my right knee gently into my body, then alternate and bring in my left, stretching the opposing leg while taking deep belly breaths. Then I bring in both knees and gently rock side to side (great for the kidneys, adrenals and digestion). Want more? Read Why I Do Yoga.
3. Drink a cup of hot water with lemon shortly after waking. This practice aids digestion, hydrates, flushes out the lymph system, helps to detoxify your body and boost your metabolism. Even if you’ve got to have your java jolt, try starting with warm lemon water. Read more about the many benefits of this practice here.
4. Pause and enter your day intentionally. I believe this is the MOST important tip. Whether you meditate, pray, read an inspirational passage, journal about what you’re grateful for or choose a one-word intention that calls to you, taking time to enter your day thoughtfully and with intention has huge pay-offs. The benefits will be felt for hours to come (read Why I Meditate).
5. Give and receive morning hugs. Making a conscious choice to choose love, benefit from hugging (read more) and express this to your friends, pets and family members in the form of warm, safe touches and hugs has an enormous impact on your physical and emotional well-being and stress level. This is one of the fastest way to release oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) and to feel more connected to those you love. 

We are creatures of habit. It’s easy to keep doing the same things over and over again and remain in a rut.  Perhaps you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired and are ready to experience more well-being and joy? Author Robert Puller says, “Good habits, once established, are just as hard to break as are bad habits.” For me, it always comes back to the question, “Renee, how bad do you want to feel good?” 

Note: This week I’ll be working on some exciting new, regional, safe in-person NC women’s groups, retreats and workshops. Subscribe here to be the first to receive an invite! 

HOW CAN I SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR TEAM IN FINDING BALANCE & RESILIENCY? HERE ARE SOME IDEAS!

•  *NEW 2021 Upcoming Events!*~ learn more. Plus check out Wild Souls Nature Adventures!  I moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains last year and I am in the process of creating magical, wild Western North Carolina-based nature/mindfulness experiences designed to reconnect you to wilderness and yourself. Learn more and sign up for my Wild Souls mailing list here).  
• My 2021-2022 speaking calendar is filling up! Schedule me to create a balanced living workshop, keynote or personal retreat to help your team, organization or employees feel less stressed and more resilient, creative and focused. For 20+ years I’ve been working with companies/organizations such as Women in Conservation, the Council on Family Violence, Merrill Lynch, the Center for Women in Law, the Hewlett Foundation and more.  Email me, I’d love to discuss how I can support your team or organization. Learn more here.

Subscribe here to Live Inside Out, a weekly blog written by life balance coach/author/speaker and self-care evangelist Renée Peterson Trudeau. Passionate about helping men and women find balance through the art/science of self-care, her work has appeared in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, US News & World Report, AARP, Spirituality & Health and more. She and her team have certified more than 400 facilitators in 10 countries around the globe to lead self-renewal groups for women based on her pioneering work. She’s the author of two books on life balance including the award-winning The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life.  She and her husband live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Austin, Texas and are enjoying a new empty nest. More on Renee here.