It has often been cited that successful people have daily rituals that they practice first thing in the morning that supports them in accomplishing their goals.

If you don’t have a daily ritual, I encourage you to discover one. If you do, I encourage you to revisit what you do and why you do it. Why? To make sure you are setting the right tone to your day – in terms of attitude, mindset and content. When I don’t practice my daily ritual first thing in the morning, my day is usually off. I am not at the top of my game.

Here is my daily ritual: Once I am aware I am awake, I practice alternate nostril breathing while lying in bed. This rebalances my brain. I get up, wash my face, brush my teeth and take a quick shower and have a glass of warm water with lemon. I then go into my home office and sit on the floor. I write in a journal listing all the people and things I am grateful for in my life and then do my Kundalini yoga and meditation practice.

If I wake up late or have an early meeting and can’t get my full practice in (45-75 minutes), I will do at least a 15 minute warm up and the rest later. It is a non-negotiable for me to do everyday. When I don’t do it first thing, it doesn’t set my day the same way.Since there is often a lot that is uncertain or unresolved in my business, my practice helps me lower my anxiety. I will often open a couple of emails that are daily inspirational videos or quotes to give me a lift. I then go to my calendar and to do list I drafted the night before to determine where I start my workday.

I will admit there are days where I check my email on my phone while lying in bed or just before I wash my face. (I do not keep my phone by my bed but in the bathroom behind a closed door so I have to get up and get it). What happens when I do this? I am setting my day in a reaction versus proactive mode. It is enticing to be in this mode. It really requires discipline to not peak at all those emails. Some are junk and some are urgent but not important. In any case, it does not put me in the drivers seat for my day so I am working on eliminating doing this at all until I have finished my practice. But it can be so enticing!

What are positive ways you set your day? Where are you vulnerable to jumping in, in reaction mode before breakfast?