Rituals {in the morning}

A morning ritual is something I have always sought out.

My perfect morning begins with an affirmation, followed by yoga, then breakfast and a hot cup of lemon tea. It's full of calm, gentle and slow.

It rarely happens. The last time I was pregnant with my second child. She's now 18 months.

Instead I squeeze in glimpses of that morning. A little each day. In-between rushed and chaos.

Sometimes I just say the affirmation. Other times I wake to my two gorgeous girls sleeping beside me, and holding them and watching them as they sleep is meditation enough.

Then there are the mornings where I get woken by a three year old who is screaming and pointing to the window: "Mummy wake up! Look quick! Look outside, it's the morning! See the sun is up Mama!"

Or it's miss 18 months tugging on my fingers pulling at me as fiercely as she can. I take her hand and she leads me to the fridge, a smile on her face.

These times {and most mornings} I find myself bounding out of bed before I want to. My body startled from sleepy to active in a matter of seconds. Bounding to make the three rounds of breakfasts my hungry little people require.

The only real constant on those mornings is sitting {sometimes standing} to eat breakfast. A good healthy one that I give thanks for before my first bite.

It's usually mid-morning by the time I think to stretch or practise a little yoga, and sometimes afternoon before I get that cup of tea. And rarely is it drunk hot.

But lately I've been stepping outside once my girls start their breakfast and taking in a few slow and full breaths of fresh air. My eyes gaze at the sky, witness it's colour and contrast and give thanks for this new day.

Just a minute outside is all it takes for me to reconnect, still and just be. And that bit of calm, gentle and slow right there, that's ritual enough for me for now.

xx

 

{Gratitude for mornings with my girls - however they may go. For breakfast - and the one I've shared and one I'll be sharing with close family this Easter long weekend. For single whole minutes of stillness and meditation in my day. Elisa x}

~ Linking with two grateful communities: Maxabella's 52 Weeks of Grateful and Rachel's Finding Joy.

Do you have a morning ritual? What are you most grateful for this week?

 

In the morning

For the first time in 18 months I woke up naturally {when my body saw fit}.

For the first time in 18 months I woke up past 7am {and the sun was shining}.

For the first time in 18 months I woke up to the sound of birds {no alarm in the form of a baby crying or a toddler calling for mum}.

And I felt new, refreshed, whole and alive {in the morning}.

For the first time in 18 months. 

And I'm pretty sure I smiled.

Then I stretched gently and closed my eyes and rolled a mantra around in my head.

I took some deep releasing breaths, and I gave thanks {for sleep, my body, the sun filtering into my room and the quiet}.

I gave thanks for this very time, this moment awake {and not needed}.

And I got thinking about my ideal morning {waking when my body wants to, morning yoga, a brisk walk, a nourishing breakfast, drinking tea outside in the sun...}

And I thought about the last time my ideal morning passed {two years ago maybe}

Today it felt like that nurturing ideal was at least part possible, that one day soon it may all be possible again. 

And then I remembered all the days it could have been {pre-motherhood} and the choices I had made and alarms I had set instead. 

I pondered what had been and dwelled on what could be.

And lying there, I made a decision to start my days differently {with an affirmation and a little morning yoga too}. 

Then I closed my eyes and cuddled closer to the two little girls sharing my bed. 

Elisa xx

How does your ideal morning go? Any tips for a refreshing start to the day with littlies in tow?