What's in a Miracle Morning?

As I write this, my oldest child is in 9th grade, so for 10 or so years, my morning routine has involved some form of getting ready for school. I started my journey of self-employment in 2010, so I can trace my early morning work hours back to a couple of years before that. I've had various workout routines, prayer and meditation routines, and journaling routines. All of these things have been part of my mornings over the past 15 years or so. And some routines I've loved, while others have felt like a chore.

Truth is, I love being up early in the morning. I shifted from feeling like a night owl into more of a morning lark a number of years ago. There's just something refreshing to starting my day with a quiet house—before my family is up and at it. I've been fairly inconsistent with it for a while now, though, so I knew I needed a boost in the right direction.

Enter The Miracle Morning.

How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) dramatically affects your levels of success in every single area of your life.

Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning

The Miracle Morning Ingredients

Most systems worth using tend to be pretty simple. In fact, some of the best ones appear so simple that it can be easy to discount them and move on, missing out on something special. I think The Miracle Morning fits into that category. It sounds so simple that it surely can't be as impactful as thousands of people imply. But the only way to find out for yourself is to give it a try.

Here's a quick snapshot of the ingredients for a Miracle Morning routine:

• Silence: Meditation, prayer, reflection, deep breathing, etc
• Reading: Even just 10 pages a day will make a substantial impact on your life
• Affirmations: Intentionally choosing to think positive, proactive thoughts (about the day, yourself, etc)
• Visualization: Taking time to picture who you want to be and what you need to do
• Journaling: Writing can help you gain clarity, capture ideas, review lessons, acknowledge your progress, and more
• Exercise: Getting your heart rate up, your blood flowing, and your lungs filled with oxygen
  

At first glance, this might feel like a lot to do every single morning. If you're feeling that way right now, don't let that intimidate you from the idea of a Miracle Morning. Think more about the big idea of the book itself.

Who you're becoming is far more important than what you're doing, and yet it is what you're doing that is determining who you're becoming.

Worth a Try?

The book is pretty short and doesn't take long to read. If you're not satisfied with your current morning routine, you should consider giving this a read. And even better, read it with another person and chat about it along the way. Reading a book like this with someone else increases the chances that you'll try out the ideas and see a tangible impact. In fact, we've got a Growth Group focused on this book for this very reason.

Woven throughout The Miracle Morning are inspirational quotes from various figures. So it feels appropriate to end this post with that type of vibe.

So—what does your morning routine look like right now? And what does it tell you about who you are becoming?