Eight years ago, I left Paris for Nice. My daily life was thus completely changed… And rather in a good way I would say. Indeed, this adventure made me aware of the considerable impact that the environment can have on mental health. Living 52 weeks in the sun is not the same as living 52 weeks in the grey, is it?
For the past eight years I have been able to put into practice the famous morning routine created by the writer Had Elrod, the “Morning Miracle“. This book was a real revelation as it appeared at a time in my life when everything was taking on a new meaning (separation, moving house, new job…). So it was the perfect time to put it into practice.
The interest of this routine is to get up early in order to focus your mind on your inner well-being through different activities in personal development. Activities that have allowed me to develop intellectually, spiritually and physically. Since then, they have become, for me, real habits that I will present to you in a few lines.
1. My morning routine in 6 steps in Nice
Wake up gently…
…with a little relaxing music to make the transition smoother and more pleasant. About 5 minutes are enough for me to really wake up. I take a deep breath and grab the first book on my bedside table.
I read…
…a few pages of a book, usually a personal development book. I try to read about 5 pages. Not too much to absorb the information and not too little to have time to dive in. Once the book is put down, a little stretching doesn’t hurt.
Stretching and Yoga…
… to warm up a bit after a good night’s rest. It is important to go gradually. For my part, I start my yoga with the sun salutation either at home, either in front of the sea or at the Metropolitan Club Nice at 7.30 am. I repeat this sequence 3 times in a row. Then I finish with a stretching session and sit down to breathe.
Meditate…
…to observe my thoughts, my emotions, my joys, my fears… with objectivity. With years of experience, I can meditate alone without guidance. At times, I alternate with some sessions on a small bamboo. A 10-minute session is very good to start the day. Then, once back to the present moment, we take the small notebook and a pen
Writing…
…to spread out my thoughts and make them conscious. This can be about my professional todo list or my personal doubts. This activity allows me to gain perspective and to better identify problems when they arise. After all these steps, we are already wide awake so let’s go for a more dynamic activity.
Running, walking, cycling, swimming…
…at sunrise. Living 8 minutes walk from the Promenade des Anglais, I run to admire the incredible sunrises and feel the energizing morning light. It’s a big advantage to live by the sea. The French Riviera allows us to juggle several physical activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, running… and to do it at sunrise, it multiplies tenfold all the positive sensations.
Morning swim at 6:30 am
2. The benefits of this morning routine
This routine brings many benefits that are no longer to be proven. Here is a list of what it has done for me:
- Improved concentration
- Finding a sense of purpose in my daily life
- Refocusing on one’s inner well-being
- Reduction of ruminations
- Clarification of ideas
- Creation of a small cocoon where one feels safe
- Feeling of pride and positive emotions
- For me, a morning swim at sunrise increases all these benefits tenfold
3. The harms of this morning routine
As the months and years go by, I have readapted this routine to my own way. I do my stretching and yoga every morning but I have decided to do the other activities maybe twice a week.
I explain, although the benefits mentioned above are indisputable, the routine becomes automatic. The novelty is gone and so are the emotions that go with it. For example: writing gratitude without feeling the emotions of joy that it should bring makes no sense. And unfortunately, after 6 months of doing this routine every day, it is very likely that you will not feel anything because it has become automatic. The problem is that emotion is a crucial element to take into account when setting up this kind of routine.
It is therefore important not to get stuck in activities by just doing things mechanically. It is essential to feel positive emotions when doing it. If this is no longer the case, take a break, take some distance and start again a few days or weeks later. For my part, I decided to change my habits by joining the superb gym Club Metropolitan Nice located on the top floor of the CAP 3000 shopping center
And if any of you have tried this routine, don’t hesitate to share your experience in the comments.
