Yesterday, we explored the idea of living a new, more intentional life. Today, let’s dig into the first concrete step to make it a reality.
What all does this require?
Getting up an hour earlier to create a “Miracle Morning,” the title of Hal Elrod’s terrific book.
Now what?
After committing to this change, how do we structure our mornings for maximum impact across key areas: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual?
2: The design of our miracle morning is 100% customizable.
My miracle morning is different from the one Hal outlines in his book. Which will be different from what you decide to do.
Hal does, however, give us a handy mnemonic S.A.V.E.R.S., which will help us generate lots of ideas on how to spend this precious hour.
S is for Silence. Purposeful silence. Rather than start our day stressed and running behind, what if we instead set aside time to pray, meditate, or reflect?
A is for Affirmations. My note: This practice is not something I currently do. But I understand the potential value, especially if we suffer from A.N.T.s (automatic negative talk). Hal tells us we can change our programming by saying or writing affirmations in various aspects of our lives – health, finances, relationships, etc. In time, our subconscious minds begin believing and acting on it.
V is for Visualization. I do this practice in combination with my scribing or journaling practice below. This is a great time to review and reflect on our annual goals [hyperlink to last Thur’s RWD]. To actively imagine what it is we want to achieve and why. We can write about and visualize how to achieve our goals. What will happen? When will it happen? And how will it feel?
E is for Exercise. The idea here is to get our bodies moving. If we’ve blocked off one hour, we likely won’t have time to go to the gym or do a long run. Hal recommends yoga. I do a 10-minute exercise routine every morning that includes pushups, situps, a core workout, and some light weights. Again, lots of options.
R is for reading. What a great way to start the day! Self-development books fit nicely with the overall theme of personal development. That said, I use my reading time to read the Bible and pray. Ten years ago, reading the One-Year Bible changed my life. The bottom line? Whatever we choose to read, we will be surprised at how many books we can read in as little as 20 minutes each day. The key is consistency.
S is for Scribing, i.e., journaling – another topic I’m super interested in. Through the years, I’ve experimented with different types of journaling. For 10-plus years, I’ve written in my daily gratitude journal about something I found delightful from the prior day.
With so many options available, choosing what works best can seem daunting. Here’s how to navigate the possibilities.
But what about those mornings when we don’t have time for a full-hour miracle morning? Hal tells us to relax and fit in whatever makes sense. He shares a condensed, six-minute version:
Minute 1: Purposeful silence
Minute 2: Daily affirmations
Minute 3: Visualize our day going perfectly
Minute 4: Gratitudes
Minute 5: Reading
Minute 6: Move your body
_____________________________
Reflection: Which parts of my current mornings truly support my physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth—and which habits need to change?
Action: Choose a personalized S.A.V.E.R.S. routine for tomorrow morning, schedule a specific wake-up time, and commit to following that structure for at least the next 10 days.
What did you think of this post?
