Mindful Life Changes: Weekly Affirmations For Midlife

47. Elevate Your Morning Routine with the ‘3 S’s’ + A.M. Affirmation

• Valerie Mekki • Episode 47

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In the rhythm of our busy lives, mornings can either be a time of chaos or a sanctuary of peace. How we start our day can significantly impact our mood, productivity, and stress levels throughout the day. It's not just about waking up; it's about waking up right. In this episode of the  Mindful Life Changes Podcast, host Valerie Mekki explores how crafting a morning routine centered around the three S's—Silence, Sunlight, and Sweat—can transform these early hours into a foundation of strength and calmness for the entire day. 

Silence allows us to greet the day with gratitude, away from the beeping notifications from our phones, setting the tone for inner peace. Sunlight invites us to align our internal clocks with the natural world, energizing our bodies and minds. Sweat, through physical activity, clears the fog of sleep and primes us for the day’s challenges with focused intention and clarity. Together, these practices create a morning routine not just about doing but about being present, being intentional, and being at peace with the day’s potential.

So, if you're ready to change the narrative of your mornings from one of stress and dread to one of peace and purpose, join me as we delve deeper into how the three S's can redefine the start of your day.



Formerly known as the "Mindful Career Change Podcast," I decided to broaden our conversation to cover all life transitions, not just our careers.

Follow the show @mindfullifechanges and DM a question or comment about the life transitions you're going through too. I might answer your question in one of the episodes to help you and other midlifers navigate this everchanging and beautiful season of life.

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Connect with me on LinkedIn @valeriemekki

Speaker 1:

Today's affirmation. I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focused intention and clarity. Do you have mornings when you are awakened by the taunting whispers of your to-do list or you find yourself already dreading for what's to come in the day ahead? Perhaps you immediately reach for your phone, scrolling through Instagram or checking your emails, beginning your day with stressful triggers or unwanted energy. If this sounds like a typical way for you to wake up and I'm raising my hand with you, as I've had those mornings too then let's visualize an alternate scenario where you are awakened with a sense of calm and control. Imagine starting your day not with a sense of urgency and anxiousness, but with a serene clarity that comes from within. This is not just a dream. It's a possibility that lies within your grasp each morning.

Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to the Mindful Life Changes podcast, where we dive deep into the challenges and transformation shaping our lives, from the shifts in our roles at home and work to the transitions we navigate physically and mentally as we gracefully age. I'm your host, valerie Mechie, a career change guide and mindfulness enthusiast. In this episode, we're diving into how crafting a morning routine centered around mindfulness can transform your day from the very start. Your day from the very start. By integrating the three S's which are silence, sunlight and sweat into our mornings, we not only set a positive tone but also arm ourselves with clarity, energy and a sense of calm needing to face the day's challenges ahead. But before we dive into the three S's to craft a successful morning routine, I want to share a daily waking practice that I engage in every morning. When I talked about waking up to the whispers of our to-do list or feeling dread, those were, and sometimes still are, the way I wake up, but now I've trained my inner thoughts not to give in to the chatter or negative energy trying to invade in my headspace. Instead, I take a moment of gratitude for the day, grateful for waking up in a bed and also sending loving energy and prayers to my parents who don't live near me. I love taking a moment as soon as I wake up to send positive energy to the people I love dearly in my life. By initiating my first thoughts with gratitude and prayers, I already begin my mornings filled with a sense of peace and purpose and a profound appreciation for the new day, and I invite you to do the same Identify what you're most grateful for the next time you wake up. I promise you, this simple mindset shift will significantly enhance the quality and intentionality of your morning routine. Now let's dive into the three S's I've come up with to help you start your day in a serene and calming way, cultivating more focus and energy for the rest of the day.

Speaker 1:

The three S's are silence, sunlight and sweat. Let's start with silence. Starting your day in a peaceful manner often requires setting boundaries, particularly by silencing the notifications on your phone. This simple adjustment in your phone settings empowers you to begin your day on your terms, focusing inward before opening up to the world's demands. It ensures a morning routine free from distractions, allowing you to cultivate a sense of calm and intention from the moment you awake. My notifications aren't allowed to show up on my phone at least two hours after I wake up, allowing me enough time to myself for deep thinking, focus, a workout session or just taking in the silence of the morning.

Speaker 1:

The next S is sunlight. It's time to embrace sunlight. Stepping into the morning, sunlight does more than just align our bodies with nature. It can significantly enhance our circadian rhythms and sleep patterns, setting yourself up for a good night's sleep and rest. Additionally, morning sunlight exposure has been shown to positively affect mood by increasing serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and well-being. This is supported by a 2002 study published by the American Psychology Association. Soaking up the sun helps boost your mood through natural serotonin release, so consider spending 10 to 15 minutes outside or near a window soaking up the sunlight while you sip your morning coffee or tea.

Speaker 1:

Finally, the last S engage your body with some physical activity and sweat. Exercise in the morning clears the mind and primes the body for the day ahead, whether it's yoga in some planks, a brisk walk or intense workout. Moving your body releases endorphins, improving your mood and sharpening your focus. It's not just about physical health. It's a practice of resilience, pushing ourselves to face the day with strength and vitality. So there you have it Three strategies designed to help you cultivate a successful morning routine. These practices work to keep stress and anxiety at bay, making room for concentration and for a clear mind. This, in turn, boosts our focus and productivity for the remainder of the day. Each practice silence, sunlight and sweat brings its own unique benefits. However, when combined, they offer a holistic approach to a morning mindfulness that has the power to transform our entire day.

Speaker 1:

With that being said, let's take advantage of this present moment with a positive affirmation session you can add to your morning routine. We'll start by priming your mind and body so you'll be open to this affirmation. Take a cleansing breath in and out, releasing any energy that doesn't serve you and your mind and body. Take one more cleansing breath in and out. I'll begin by reciting the affirmation twice. While you listen to the affirmations, imagine you're writing this affirmation down on a whiteboard or you're watching someone write on the board for you. This will help with memorization. So let's begin. Someone right on the board for you. This will help with memorization. So let's begin.

Speaker 1:

I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focused intention and clarity. I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focused intention and clarity. I'll repeat the affirmation again, but this time I want you to repeat it out loud to yourself so you can make a connection. I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focused intention and clarity. I'll repeat the affirmation again and, once again, say it out loud to yourself I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focused intention and clarity. Now imagine you're sitting outside in a grassy field or on a beach watching the sun rise at the horizon. Imagine the warm and beautiful colors filling up the morning sky. And there you are, calm and at peace, waiting to greet the day. I repeat this affirmation again and imagine yourself in action in full color. I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focus, intention and clarity. I repeat it one last time and give you a moment to let it sink in. I greet the day with gratitude, cultivating inner peace and committing to a day filled with focus, intention and clarity. When you're ready, slowly open your eyes. If you have them closed and if it feels comfortable to you, place your hand over your heart to help seal in the affirmation practice with self-love and care. This affirmation is yours to recite and practice for at least 21 days. When you wake up in the morning, to help deepen your affirmation practice, consider making your affirmation sticky. Write your affirmation on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror. This will serve as a reminder that you deserve a peaceful start to your morning and it will also serve as a reminder, before you go to bed at night, that you have something wonderful to look forward to upon waking, a magical hour that you've intentionally designed and crafted for yourself. If you're curious on how to make your affirmations sticky, which is an acronym for a more sustainable and effective affirmation practice, go back to episode one, where I walk you through step-by-step on how to make your affirmations sticky. Please make sure to subscribe and bookmark this episode so you'll have it handy whenever you need a quick guide of this affirmation. If you found this episode helpful, share it with a family member or a friend who may also be searching for a way to transform their mornings, or show your appreciation by giving us a rating of this podcast wherever you're listening. Your support will help others discover this podcast so it can grow and blossom. Thank you for sharing this time and space with me. Every moment you dedicate to being mindful is a step towards a more fulfilled and vibrant life. Keep embracing your midlife journey with an open heart and remember you are not alone in this. I look forward to our next mindful gathering. I'll talk to you soon.