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Moving with loving and kind awareness
Coping With Grief: A New Morning Routine
Transform Your Mornings:
A New Routine to Embrace
Grief can be a powerful, overwhelming emotion that makes even the simplest tasks, like getting out of bed in the morning, feel like climbing a mountain. However, it's important to remember that it's okay to feel this way. Grief is a natural response to loss, and everyone experiences it differently. It's a process that cannot be bypassed, but should be witnessed with tender loving care.
If you are currently grieving, I want to suggest a different way to start your day.
This daily routine has helped many of my clients find a sense of peace they didn't think was possible during such a difficult time. They’ve found that creating a new, morning routine can bring about significant changes. It helped gain new insights and perspectives, brings new focus and energy.
This daily routine has made a difference in many people's lives, and maybe it will for you too. You can try one step at a time or all at once - the choice is entirely yours.
Remember, we all have different abled bodies, living conditions, and access to things. So, the routine may need adjusting to fit your circumstances. That's perfectly okay. The most important thing is to make it work for you.
A Four-Step Morning Routine
Here's a four-step routine that you can follow when you first wake up in the morning:
Hydrate with Intention and Focus on the Body
Reach over to a glass of water next to your bed and sip it slowly. Hydration is crucial for your physical health, and the action can also serve as a gentle way to wake your body up.
The intentional, slow sip helps rewire the brain to focus and create familiarity with pausing.
The pause is critical, to discern our next action, and giving automaticity a well, pause.
Breathe
Practice focused breathing.
Breathe in while counting to three (1-2-3).
Breathe out while counting down from three (3-2-1).
Repeat this pattern anywhere from three to ten times.
This exercise can help ground you and bring your thoughts back to the present.
Connect with Nature
Rest your attention on something from nature. It could be the view out your window, a tree, the sky, the lawn, a plant in your room, or a photo or painting of a natural scene.
Nature can have a soothing, calming effect on the mind.
Allow nature to help your nervous system regulated.
Salute the Day
Look out the window to greet the day.
On sunny mornings, close your eyes and let the sun wash over your face.
On cloudy days, watch the clouds move across the sky.
On rainy days, listen to the sound of the rain.
On snowy days, rest your attention in the stillness and silence of the snow.
On foggy days, rest your awareness on all that you can see and not see.
This is a moment to acknowledge the new day and to appreciate its beauty, regardless of the weather.
Rather than focusing on how you wish the weather would be, focus on what is here and greet it.
It is a practice in allowing what is here already, what we cannot change and to greet it.
This morning routine is intended to be a gentle, calming start to your day. It's a way to give yourself permission to refocus when your grief feels overwhelming.
So, which step would you like to try tomorrow morning? Feel free to share in the comments.
Remember, grief will take time, patience, love, and kindness.
It might feel like a heavy burden at times, but it's also an important part of the healing process. Alongside this, it's crucial to give yourself room to breathe and space to heal.
My hope is that this new routine can provide a sense of calm and spaciousness, helping you navigate your grief with a little more ease. But always remember, it's okay to reach out and ask for help when you need it. You don't have to walk this path alone.
In moments of grief, remember to allow the shift in perspective and take a pause when needed.
Remember, you're not alone in this journey.
With peace and love,
Yasemin 💚🩵
