Rise, reframe, and reclaim: Morning routine and anxiety

Alongside Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT) sessions, routine can be very helpful in supporting change. I always advise my clients that as well as listening to their bespoke hypnosis recording, they also wake up slightly earlier than they need to and take on a structured morning routine.

6 ideas to help you design the perfect morning routine

I recommend that the morning routine includes the following: meditation, affirmations, visualisation, journaling, exercising and reading a self-development book. This routine doesn't need to be long. I explain that if clients are short on time, 30 minutes is enough. 

1. Meditation

People who experience anxiety are thinking of what will happen in the future as opposed to enjoying the present of being present. Meditation trains your mind to be present. You don't need to have to worry about having your mind empty of thoughts. We can't switch our minds off in the same way that we can't switch our hearts off. Meditation is a way of calming the mind, enhancing focus, and promoting a sense of inner peace and emotional resilience. Through meditation, you become an observer of your thoughts, not a slave to them.

2. Affirmations

In addition to listening to their hypnosis recording, I encourage my clients to incorporate their personalised mantra or affirmation from our RTT session into each morning practice. This reinforces positive beliefs and calms the mind.

3. Visualisations

This is done by setting a five-minute timer and then simply closing your eyes, starting off with compassion for your loved ones and then spreading that outwards. Then see your day happening the way you want it to step by step. This practice helps by further fostering a positive mindset, reducing stress, and enhancing confidence, setting a positive tone for the day.

4. Reading

If time is an issue, reading just 10 minutes from a self-development book is great. You could finish one book each month! By making time in the morning, before your day gets busy, you're promoting personal growth, boosting confidence, and cultivating a positive mindset for a calm start.

5. Writing in a journal

Morning journaling for gratitude eases anxiety by promoting mindfulness, shifting focus to positives, and fostering emotional resilience for a peaceful start.

6. Exercise

If you're new to exercise, you don't need to go to the gym or do a heavy workout. Anything that gets your heart pumping for at least 10 minutes is great. Be it putting on a song that you can dance to or going for a walk outside. It's all great! By exercising first thing in the morning, you are releasing endorphins, reducing stress hormones, improving mood, and enhancing overall emotional well-being for a positive day. 

At first, waking up earlier and following a structured routine may seem difficult because it's unfamiliar to you, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Research has shown that it takes at least 30 days to develop a habit which is why I recommend that my clients follow the routine for 30 days. In fact, many of them choose to continue well after the 30 days, because it becomes part of their day and they can feel the benefits.

Although RTT addresses the underlying cause of the anxiety that you may be experiencing, these simple daily practices can help you cope with the daily stress and build resilience which is invaluable in maintaining your mental well-being.