Your Morning Routine Should Contain These Key Elements
A morning practice involving meditation and visualization sets your day for experiencing successful outcomes. This morning routine, in addition to your Positive Thinking journal, is catered towards mental health, well-being and manifesting a better life.
If you can incorporate just 15 minutes of morning visualization, you can begin seeing changes in your environment.
Visualizing meditation has its key elements that will make it effective, though, so here’s the main ones.
Meditate with Visualizations
Visualization meditation is a type of meditation that involves actively utilizing your imagination. In contrast with other types of meditation, the visualizing brain is somewhat active and alert. Some people even refrain from using the term with “meditation”, because while both require discipline, it is a very different type of active discipline.
Regular meditation has its place in morning practices; however, visualizing is special because it utilizes our talent of imagination. Picturing events and feelings in your mind also enances intution and builds these skills over time.
Visualizing also has the potential benefit to increase the achievement-oriented motivation levels and decrease stress/anxiety/depression levels.
Manifesting
Meditating each morning is part of something we call the practice of manifestation, a widely used term I prefer because its popularity. Manifesting is the practice of picking what you want and getting it.
Whether you understand its spiritual side, or you prefer to stick to tried positive thinking ideas, manifesting by visualizing is a technique worth trying.
To manifest, you can use various techniques, including journaling. In this article I outline my easiest to understand printable journal, 7 Days of Positive Thoughts. Other printable journals like the Abraham Hicks Worksheets Bundle are also available.
Visualization vs. Meditation
In my opinion, it’s best to utilize both practices in your mornings. Meditation and visualization meditation both have their functions. It’s best to quiet your mind for a while, but then also actively engage in imagining your day.
Below I outline a certain practice that uses visualization from the very beginning of the day.
In essence, it’s not enough to just imagine. You must engage in the emotions of gratitude, love, joy etc.
Additionally, you also want to organize your day to support your morning practice, for example by getting enough rest (and sleep!) and some sort of exercise.
Jump to Section
1. Morning Visualization Before Getting Up
2. Feeling is the Secret: Feel the Emotions of Success / Love / Health / Joy
3. Practice Gratitude
4. Strengthen Your Beliefs
5. Embrace Challenges while Accepting Current Reality
6. Be Consistent
1. Morning Visualization Before Getting Up
The best way to start your morning routine for manifesting is to begin before being fully awake. Set aside at least 15 minutes each morning to visualize how you want your day to unfold.
Before you even open your eyes, picture everything you imagine your day would be, and picture the best outcomes.
Imagine Your Perfect Day
How do you like your day to unfold? What do you want to manifest today and what is the best outcome?
What do you want to do today? How do you want to feel?
Connect with Your Authentic Self
During this keystone practice, visualize expressing your unique gifts and being fully yourself. Many of us like to hide our authenticity; however, expressing ourselves is actually a key part of self-development.
By being authentically you, you become a magnet to others. Consequently, you attract the right people and opportunities during your day.
Each one of us is an unique expression of something far more greater than our tiny egos. It is in the process of self-discovery that we get to contribute our gifts into the world.
Picture a Supportive Environment
As part of your visualization you can picture yourself surrounded by places, people and objects that support and enhance your vision.]
At the end of the day, loved ones, friends and family is what enhances our human experience. So picture yourself being surrounded by good, supportive people.
Imagine an Active, Healthy and Restful Day
In conjunction with the supportive environment there’s also the visualization of an active day filled with healthy activities and challenges.
You also want to envision yourself well-rested, healthy and vibrant during the day.
Finally, don’t forget to star your practice the previous day by getting enough sleep.
Best Brain State to Visualize
As you slowly wake up, your brain is still in this weird state before being fully awake, so it’s more prone to accept suggestions and picture visions. Use this moment for your practice to instill in your mind visions of success.
By doing this visualization practice for at least 15 minutes and right after you wake up, you calmly shift your brain waves from a sleepy Theta state into a more alert Alpha state.
By doing this visualizing morning routine right after you wake up, you utilize your natural brain wave shift from sleepy Theta to a more alert Alpha state.
What If I Fall Asleep If I Don’t Get Up Right Away?
I am one of those people who, too, struggle to not fall asleep and oversleep, if I try to visualize before physically getting up. If that’s the case, it’s best to postpone the theta-to-alpha brain wave state practice for when you are more experienced in visualizing in general.
Luckily, the same principles outlined in this article apply for morning meditations in a sitting position. Do these techniques in your morning meditation in your favourite chair, after getting up and having your usual routine of your choice.
The same principles outlined in this article apply for morning meditations in a sitting position.
But Isn’t This Denying Reality?
I know what you’re thinking, so I’m quick to explain. This practice isn’t about denying reality or pretending everything is perfect.
Instead, it’s about choosing where to focus your energy and creating a compelling vision that pulls you forward.
By starting your day with visualization, you’re setting a proactive tone, not merely reacting to your circumstances. More importantly, by imagining the day as you want it to be, you are then easily compelled to perform the actions that would bring your desired outcomes.
In a way, during the day you will be inspired to follow the path you outlined in your morning practice.
But I Don’t Have Time to Visualize In the Morning
The argument for that is pretty simple – you don’t really have the time to live an unsatisfactory day, if you think about it. It may be motivating to try to set aside a few minutes to wake up earlier, to see if that makes a difference in your day.
Visualize & Feel to Manifest
While visualizing what you want to manifest in your day, focus on the feelings that you want to experience. When you visualize your day unfolding perfectly, feel the emotions of success, joy, and gratitude as if they are happening now.
This sets your subconscious mind to align with your goals, creating new neural pathways that change your brain’s structure and help manifest your desires.
While visualizing what you want to manifest in your day, focus on the feelings that you want to experience.
Gratitude Printable Journal: The Power of The Consistent Morning Routine
Consistency for morning routines is key; you won’t have results, and likely won’t manifest, if you practice meditation only when you feel like it.
That’s why I designed my very simple printable 7 Days of Positive Thoughts gratitude journal to be easy to print and re-print. All you need is to promise yourself to use it every day for seven days.
Only after that you can access how you feel and decide if it’s worth it to reprint it for another 7 days. The 7 Days of Positive Thoughts journal printable is available only as a digital download on Etsy.
The 7 Days to Manifest Printable Journal also comes in other editions
Check the other editions of the 7 Days of Poitive Thoughts manifesting journal: botanical green edition and the Spring Flowers
2. Feeling is the Secret: Feel the Emotions of Success / Love / Health / Joy
It’s not enough to mentally picture events – for a successful visualization, you actually have to feel the emotions you will experience once your manifestations become reality. You feel ahead of the actual event.
Feeling is the key for successful visualization and probably a somewhat tricky part for many of us. It is one thing to train our brains to visualize an event of success, yet a whole different thing to feel the emotions associated with this event.
So, while visualizing the outcome that you want, for example the success that you envision, feel the emotions of success in your body.
It Is Why Your Visualizations Don’t Work
Because many people visualize and affirm without the feeling component, it’s easy to understand why their visualizations won’t work.
Often the reason why visualizing and affirmations don’t work is not the lack of positive thoughts, but the lack of the emotions usually attached to these thoughts, in any given practice.
Feel Your Feelings
Once you realize this, you can shift your attention to your feelings at the moment. Do you visualize a happy relationship, but a painful sensation in your chest emerges every time you picture your future partner?
This is an indication to pay attention to what you feel and try to shift it positively.
Notice Resistance to Positive Emotions
During this practice, if a negative emotion persists, shift your attention towards it and try to notice the dissonance between your visualization and the feelings you experience.
Perhaps you have a limiting belief about the topic. First step to understand that limiting belief is to notice it.
If the negative feelings persist, it may be time to probe into their root cause with a therapeutic approach, something IFS Therapy can help you with very effectively.
Understand Your Emotions and the Way They Affect You
You can start to understand better your emotions through tools like the Emotional Guidance Scale printable. Check the list of emotions here for reference.
So, while practicing your morning routine, focus not only on your visions, but in particular on your feelings of joy, love, success, health and well-being.
Thinking Consciously is Shaping Your Reality
Every single day you have the power to shape your reality. Your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are not just floating around in your head; they’re creating your life moment by moment.
Thus, choosing your thoughts consciously is crucial to manifest what you want. You can’t let your thoughts roam around your head, because they will do just that.
The monkey mind will do what it does if you don’t guide it with the intention you have chosen. This intention is about feeling good, one practice at a time.
Tools like the Emotional Guidance Scale are designed to access your feelings and are especially useful when you don’t have a ready understanding of them.
While practicing your morning routine, focus not only on your visions, but in particular on your feelings of joy, love, success, health and well-being.
But What If I Have Negative Emotions?
You simply acknowledge them, give them space and sit with them for a while. Then let them the negative emotions go and pick the emotions you have chosen instead. Sit with those too.
This practice isn’t about ignoring our negative emotions or experiences. Positive thinking is way different than burying your head in the sand.
We Can’t Control Life, But We Can Control How We React
Remember – we can’t control many of the circumstances and events in our lives. But, we do have the control over how we react, to a certain extent. Utilize this power.
Pick your battles, show compassion for yourself when you overreact, and decide to think consciously, not just reactively.
In adition to feeling the positive emotions of joy, love, success and health, feeling grateful is one of the key ingredients in a happy life.
To inspire you to be more grateful, I have a number of printable Gratitude art on the Etsy shop.
This printable gratitude poster illustration is available on Etsy.
Visit the CasuallyLuxe Etsy Shop
Check the shop for all products that are not on this site, and also check for promotions.
3. Practice Gratitude
If there’s one thing almost all spiritual teachings, and in recent years science findings, agree on, it is that the feeling of gratitude is the universal pathway to feeling better.
For some reason, when we feel grateful, a lot of things shift in our bodies and our minds.
So, as part of your morning routine, in addition to visualizing your perfect day and feeling the emotions you want to experience, feel the emotions of gratitude.
As part of your morning routine, in addition to visualizing your perfect day and feeling the emotions you want to experience, feel the emotions of gratitude
What Can You Be Grateful For?
You can be grateful for two things right away:
1. What you have and you know for a fact
2. What you visualize you have
You can also think of utilizing some sort of a gratitude journal, and focus either in the mornings, or in the evenings. For the evenings, a simple exercise is taking the time to write down 3 things you’re grateful for, that happened that day (that very day – no cheating).
What If I Don’t Have A Single Thing to Be Grateful At The Moment?
It’s tricky, isn’t it. Sometimes life truly feels as if there’s not a single thing to express gratitude about.
We all have heard the argument – think about the basics, the fact that you have roof over your head, or that you have something to eat, or that you live in a decent country. It is, however, pretty difficult to feel grateful sometimes.
It Is Worth the Effort
Moreover, for many of us these emotions are especially strong in the mornings and it feels like on the contrary, that everything and everyone are going against us.
It takes a lot of effort to shift this state, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Feeling deeply grateful for your health, loved ones, and opportunities can create miracles.
Gratitude Is a Magical State of Being
Consider that a mental exercise. Decide to put the effort, just to see how it feels.
For your morning routine, think about the easiest thing to be grateful for, and try to feel it in your body.
If there’s a single thing you get from this text, and if there’s a single thing I ask you to believe without a doubt – take the belief that consistent gratitude is the ultimate feeling to change your life, and that gratitude in your morning routine can do miracles.
Gratefulness Is One of the Highest Emotional States
Draw from the statement that plenty of religious and spiritual teachings regard gratitude as a special state of being; draw from the neuroscience findings. Gratitude is one of the highest emotional states you can be in.
Spend time each morning feeling deeply grateful for your health, loved ones, and opportunities.
This shifts your focus from lack to abundance.
Practice Gratitude for Seven Days: Gratitude Journal
This 7 Days of Positive Thoughts gratitude journal is designed for consistency. Even if you don’t have experience with positive thinking, you can try the journaling thechnique and check if you can maintain the practice for just seven days.
After seven days, you can access how you feel and decide if it’s worth it to reprint it. The 7 Days of Positive Thoughts journal printable is available only as a digital download on Etsy.
How to Print Out the Seven Days Gratitude Journal
4. Strengthen Your Beliefs
Now I ask you to do the work to build a positive set of beliefs. So in your 15+ minutes morning routine, make an intention to affirm your worthiness.
Set the goal to believe you are worthy and capable to create your reality. Strengthen your belief that what you want is possible and on its way to you.
The Belief that Everything is Unfolding in the Right Way
Maintaining a positive set of beliefs may be a key part in changing your life, or – as some people call it – practicing manifestation.
The belief that ‘everything is always working out for me’, for example, is key in the Abraham Hicks teachings. This affirmation can open up possibilities in your life, because the feeling of ease is palpable to others and makes them receptive to your energy.
Believing that You Are On the Right Path Reduces Anxiety
If you suffer from anxiety, this internal conviction that everything is fine and you’re on the right path (see my art with the Louise Hay’s affirmation that all is well) can help a lot. This inner conviction takes work to maintain.
So, in your morning, in addition to visualizing your perfect day, feeling the emotions of joy, love, success and health that you want to experience and feeling grateful, affirm your belief that you can manifest what you want. Or that things are happening for you, that they are near, that you’re on the right path.
In addition to visualizing your perfect day, feeling the emotions of joy, love, success and health that you want to experience and feeling grateful, affirm your belief that you can manifest what you want.
But I Don’t Feel Worthy
This is a part of the practice, really. Keep setting the intentions to believe you’re worthy of your success, and things will eventually begin shifting.
Limiting beliefs are a set of internal
Affirmations are a good way to set your intention to feel worthy; affirmations also reveal our resistance towards that same feeling. Thus, positive phrases help in focusing our attention to what prevents us from feeling deserving of success.
Secrets In Your Psyche
If feelings of unworthiness persist during your visualizing and meditative practices, you may uncover something new about yourself.
For example, you may discover a large pond of unresolved trauma sitting inside your psyche that creates a set of beliefs that prevent your from reaching your goals. This trauma may be a result of childhood experiences, or even newer events in your life that left you feeling not enough.
Trauma Therapy & Manifesting
Shockingly, to reach your desired manifestations, you actually have to believe you’re worthy of them. If you don’t believe that you deserve good things, you won’t really push things forward, you will likely self-sabotage.
This begs the question whether some trauma is secretly lurking in the background of your mind.
If that’s the case, exploring your trauma through self-therapy may be a great approach in addition to your visualizing practice. For example, you can read about a slightly spiritual approach to uncovering generational trauma outlined here.
Using Therapy to Uncover Limiting Beliefs
A more science-based approach involves proven types of therapy. Again, first steps for you may be to explore the topic yourself.
A therapeutic modality worth noting is Internal Family Systems therapy, where you uncover components of your psyche that are very much like different persons inside of you.
If that’s not enough, there’s therapeutic sessions with a professional. A lot can be achieved through the help of another human being, and a lot faster as opposed to done alone.
Using Affirmations to Set an Intention
Affirmations are a good way to set your intention to feel worthy; affirmations also reveal our resistance towards that same feeling. Thus, positive phrases help in focus our attention to both the topic and adjunct limiting beliefs.
Surrounding yourself with works of art that affirm you deserve to achieve, succeed and be loved would make you tune into these feelings.
Alternatively, you may realize you need to focus on what’s preventing you from believing you deserve love, or that you are enough. What is the limiting belief and where does it come from?
Surrounding yourself with works of art that affirm you deserve to achieve, succeed and be loved would make you tune into these feelings
You Are Enough Positive Affirmations Poster Collection
Green Botanical Edition
5. Embrace Challenges That May Arise In Your Day & Accept Current Reality
Effective visualization involves imagining how you handle reality and possible challenges. So instead of denying the possibility that anything may go wrong in your day during your morning visualization, embrace the way you handle challenges.
This practice isn’t about imagining everything is perfect all the time. It’s about building a set of emotional anchors that make you the person that both manifests good stuff and tackles challenges with ease.
Be the Person Who Handles Challenges With Grace
In essence, the goal is to embody the best version of yourself who innately knows how to handle challenges. To picture yourself as someone who handles issues with ease.
So, in your morning routine, while you visualize your perfect day, feel the positive emotions you want to experience and feel grateful, while you affirm your belief that you are worthy, embrace the way in which you handle challenges with grace and ease.
While you visualize your perfect day, feel the positive emotions you want to experience and feel grateful, while you affirm your belief that you are worthy, embrace the way in which you handle challenges with grace and ease.
Accept Current Reality
Your current reality is the result of what brought you to this practice. So instead of resisting your present circumstances, embrace them.
Accept your situation, while visualizing desired outcomes. In this way you step closer to removing resistance and your current reality becomes a launchpad for growth.
Practice Letting Go
And while we’re at it, letting go of attachment to both outcome and what no longer serves you is another part of the work.
The topic is quite vast, but this book, The Power of Letting Go by John Purkiss, is a very balanced and pleasant read.
According to the book’s chapters, there are a few stages of letting go:
The stages of letting go:
- Be present and enjoy each moment.
- Let go of the thoughts that keep you stuck.
- Let go of the pain that runs your life.
- Surrender and tune in to something far more intelligent than your brain.
Your Challenges are Your Own Unique Tests
Everyone has their own set of daily obstacles and challenges, and they can vary a lot from person to person.
I believe that we subconsciously pick our challenges and problems to strengthen our characters and become more of who we are meant to be. Our psyche and soul lead us to better ourselves through the problems that arise.
So by picturing us being calm, compassionate, clear-headed and graceful in the midst of an issue, we focus our intention on becoming our better version.
I believe that we subconsciously pick our challenges and problems to strengthen our characters and become more of who we are meant to be.
6. Be Consistent
Finally, be consistent. When you pick a morning practice, just stick with it for a while.
A good idea is to decide on just 15 minutes of visualizing your day – either in bed or with the morning coffee. Set your alarm and go for it.
A Consistent Morning Routine
In these 15 minutes or so, sit still and visualize your perfect day.
Feel the positive emotions you want to experience and feel grateful, while you affirm your belief that you are worthy.
Embrace the way in which you handle challenges with grace and ease, and accept your current reality. Let go of whatever emerges that doesn’t serve you.
Finally, set your intention to do it tomorrow.