Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning people are generally
happier than night owls, according to a study. Night owls tend to
become morning people as they age. Whichever one you are, it is
fascinating to look at the morning habits of happy people because you
can be inspired by them. You can also reject what does not suit you at
all, of course.
Everyone approaches mornings according to their character. Winston
Churchill had a rather lazy morning routine but he still managed to lead
the Allies to victory. He used to wake up at around 7.30 a.m. but would
stay in bed having breakfast, reading the newspapers and dictating
until 11.a.m.
Anne Wintour (editor of Vogue) has a very different morning routine
in that she always gets an hour of tennis in before 6.45.a.m.
Here are 10 morning habits of happy and successful people. Choose the ones which appeal to you and fit your lifestyle.
1. They wake up feeling grateful
As they wake up, they always feel grateful for being alive, for the
gift of life and for the joy of a new day. When things are bad, make a
list in your mind of all the positives.
Research shows clearly that people who regularly express gratitude
are less likely to suffer from loneliness, anxiety, depression or envy.
2. They never skimp on breakfast
They know that this is the most important meal
of the day. It provides you with all the essential nutrients, minerals
and energy you are going to need for the day. Planning a good breakfast
the night before is also a good idea. You will be able to get some of
the things ready so you can save time when you are under pressure during
your morning schedule.
3. They never forget the spiritual connection
“The morning wind spreads its fresh smell. We must get up and take that in, that wind that lets us live. Breathe, before it’s gone.” – Sufi, 13th century poet
As they wake up, they dedicate some time to mindfulness, prayer,
meditation, yoga, or offerings to Buddha. These are all valuable ways of
connecting to the present reality and savoring these precious moments
before going on auto-pilot.
4. They get exercise before they start work
“I ride my bike to work because it creates a stress-free time. I get my best ideas on my bike” – Tania Burke, President of Trek Travel
Some people prefer to walk the dog early in the morning or cycle to
work, if that is feasible. Other people, like President Obama, start
their daily workout at 6.45.a.m. One study reveals how much more
beneficial pre- breakfast exercise can be although it might not suit everybody.
5. They plan their good deeds
“The morning question, what good shall I do this day?” – Benjamin Franklin
It should come as no surprise to learn that when happy people help
others it increases their happiness, rather then being a burden. Studies
published in the Journal of Happiness Studies illustrate this clearly. Other studies show that these happier and kinder people will live much longer.
“Money doesn’t make people happy. People make people happy.” – Steve Wynn
6. They rarely ruminate about the past
Happy people have one thing in common.
They very rarely express regrets about the past. They know that life is
for living now and that to-day is the main event. They never let it be
hijacked by the past or yesterday’s failures.
7. They make happiness a habit
Did you know that as much as 40% of your daily activities is sheer
habit or routine? You are on auto-pilot half the time. Happy people make
gratitude, joy and mindfulness a part of that habit and it always works
for them, espeacially in the morning..
8. They reject the morning distractions
Happy people know that they do not want those distractions form news,
emails and text messages muscling in too early. They will damage their
early morning serenity in getting their gratitude and mindfulness act
together. This is what is important. Those messages can wait till much
later. This also helps them to approach all the deadlines, meetings and
tasks with much more serenity.
9. They have set their daily goals
Happy people know what when they do start work, they should try and
get the most difficult task done first. It is just part of a list of
objectives but they have always clear goals and have prioritized what
they want to get done. It increases their happiness.
Richard Davidson,
a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin has researched all
this. He found that when you see progress towards achieving a difficult
task or goal, this increases happiness and also suppresses all the
negative emotion.
10. They have taken out a happiness subscription
When you meet happy people, they give you the impression that they
have opted in for a happiness subscription. They are not waiting around
or hoping vaguely for random happy events to knock on their door. They
are making happiness and spreading it around. That is why they always
stand out in the crowd!
“The happy people are failures because they are on such good terms with themselves they don’t give a damn.” – Agatha Christie
source:lifehack