5 Healthy Morning Habits That Will Change Your Life | #SelfCareSummer

What is the importance of self-care? In our latest summer blog series #SelfCareSummer, we'll be discussing the many reasons why self-care and self-love are so important to achieving a healthy & balanced lifestyle. We are going to be getting deeper in this self-care series, chatting about all things inner-beauty and tips & tricks that will greatly improve your overall life for the better. We're so excited to start out this series with 5 Healthy Morning Habits That Will Change Your Life.

1. Wake Up And Drink Lemon Water

Whether it's hot or cold, drinking a fresh glass of lemon water first thing in the morning is so cleansing for your body, as the citrus is great for digestion and will leave you feeling invigorated & refreshed…not to mention it helps speed up your metabolism for the day! Did you know that the smell of this citrus can also help reduce levels of stress? Next time you start your day, be sure to incorporate lemon water to your morning routine… your mind & body will thank you!

2. Get Outdoors

After you've had your lemon water or cup of coffee in the morning, go outside as soon as possible! For the most part, we tend to spend our days indoors, whether we're at school, work, or simply lounging around the house in our sweats (no judgment). That's why it is so important to reconnect with the outdoors as soon as we start our day- feel the fresh air on your skin, go for a run, do whatever you want.. But spending sometime outside in the morning before your day-to-day grind will help clear your mind, making you feel more awake and ready to take on the day (and who doesn't love a little Vitamin D)!

3. No Technology for the First Hour of Your Day

It's so easy for us to roll over in bed, grab our phones and start scrolling through Instagram as soon as we wake up. But a practice that I've been doing recently is keeping my phone across the room- so that I can get up, make my bed, and start doing other tasks that will significantly improve the quality of my mornings and overall lifestyle… and you'd be surprise with how much more free time you could have when you just put down the technology. I challenge you to be off of your devices for the first hour of your mornings… tackle the chores you put off yesterday, tidy up the house, or just simply enjoy your morning with more time to get ready for the day. Most of the time, our world is in our cell phones… so why not reserve some time at the beginning of the day for ourselves?! Such a life hack.

4. Practice Meditation

One thing that'll help you start off your day on the right foot is through meditation. Meditation is such a great way to unwind the mind & body first thing in the morning. After spending a few moments outside and after you've have had your glass of lemon water… I swear by this morning practice... you are going to start feeling like a new person throughout your day! Who doesn't want to be stress-free and calm before work or school (ummm, me)! Meditation also has a number of amazing health benefits including: promotes happiness, improves daily concentration and patience. Best part? It's absolutely FREE!!! There are a ton of beginner meditation videos/classes online, so just find one that's right for you, and enjoy a new blissful morning experience.

5. Minimalism & Limiting Your Choices

I recently read a quote from Barrack Obama that completely gave me a new perspective on the amount & quality of the decisions that I make throughout my day. He said,

"You see, I only wear grey or blue suits. I'm trying to pare down decisions. I don't want to make decisions about what I'm eating or wearing, because I have too many other decisions to make."

And I thought that this was remarkable and incredibly true… we make so many decisions throughout our day and throughout our lives… why spend them stressing over little things like what to eat or wear or how aesthetic our living space is (do I need more plants… maybe… maybe not), because we already have so many options! Having the discipline practice of limiting your choices will greatly improve your morning and you will find that by getting rid of the things you don't necessarily need or use, you are de-cluttering your life; one less purse or pair of shoes at a time. Narrow down your closet, clean out your fridge, donate books you don't read anymore… it really does transform your quality of life, especially when you're picking an outfit in the morning (;

I hope that you guys take these tips and apply them to your morning routine throughout the summer. If so, be sure to leave us a comment down below and let us know how your life has improved for the better! Till the next #SelfCare Summer blog post,

XOXO- GGDC