From Alexa to Zen: Transforming My Morning Routine

This morning, I felt a chill in my room as I woke. I pulled the covers up to my chin, adjusted my pillows, and snuggled back in. I love mornings when I have no particular place to be. Luna settled back in to my right. Sundae gazed up at me from her usual spot near my feet, slowly blinking her eyes in a way that some cat communication experts say means "I love you" in cat language. I can feel her purr against my foot. I slowly blink back at her, and she blinks again. I reach over to pet Luna, who has snuggled into the crook of my arm. She is also purring, seemingly happy that I opted to settle back in rather than jump out of bed, hit the shower, and head out to wherever it is I go when I leave the house.


"Alexa, turn on the news," I say as I snuggle further under the covers. McConnell endorses Trump. Another attack near Gaza. What the New York mayor is doing to decrease crime on the streets of New York City. An advertisement about investing in gold. Another one from a credit card company with a cash back incentive. Back to a discussion about Biden’s upcoming State of the Union Address followed by a discussion about Trump’s multiple indictments and the fact that he has pretty much clinched the Republican nomination for President.


"Alexa, stop! Turn it off!"


Sundae has moved from my feet and is now sitting next to me, rubbing against me asking for pets. Luna turns over, stretches, and shows me her belly, also asking for pets.


As I pet them, I ask myself why. Why did I interrupt a quiet, peaceful morning by turning on the news? Why do I do that pretty much every morning as part of my morning ritual? When did it become so automatic?


I reflect on the contrast in the way I feel listening to the news versus lying here quietly, all warm and cozy, petting Luna and Sundae and feeling their purrs with my fingers.


Stress versus peace. Frustration versus pure joy. Projection into the past and the future versus staying fully present in the moment.


I have a choice about how I start my day. I am in complete control of my morning ritual. I can choose to create the feelings I want to feel as I set the tone for my day.


Lately, without even thinking much about it, I’ve started a habit of waking up, curling back up in bed, and having a snuggle session with Luna and Sundae while I listen to the news. It has become automatic. Alexa enables the habit, which does nothing more than wind me up and take me out of the peaceful present moment.


Enough. I get to choose. I am, right now, deciding to eliminate the news from my morning routine. I’m taking Alexa out of my bedroom and putting all technology out of reach. My morning routine will consist of waking up, snuggling with the cats, and amping up my vibration with their purring, getting up, making a cup of tea, crawling back into bed propped up for a short meditation, followed by twenty minutes of writing whatever I feel inspired to write about.


I love the concept of building new habits by living life in 30-day experiments. Thus, I’m going to commit to this practice for 30 days and pay attention to how I feel through the process. Alexa, I'll talk to you later. The truth is, the election is eight months away, and I already know who I’m voting for and why. Gaza is thousands of miles away. I don’t live in New York City, and I could really care less about getting a new cash back credit card.


But I can lie content in my bed for a few extra minutes, all warm and cozy under my down comforter, surrounded by purrs and snuggles, focused on the miracle of my breath, raising my own vibration and sending light and love to the world in meditation. And then writing about whatever I’m inspired to write about.


Now that is the way I’d rather start my day! How about you? What can you do in the morning to intentionally raise the vibration of your day?

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