I’ve been an aspiring morning person for over a decade. Ten years ago, waking up before noon was “early” and I was jealous (maybe more curious than jealous) of how some people managed to be up by 6 a.m. and have half their day’s shit done before I was even out of bed. What nobody told me is that as you age, you stop being able to sleep in. Even when you need to! Even. When. You’re. Hungover. Cruel world!

So now I’m a morning person and I won’t lie – I kind of love it. I might even have gotten good at it. Here’s my take on the perfect A.M. start:

1 – Drink a big glass of room temp water (preferably with lemon) – everyone knows this but it’s maybe the most important thing you can do for your body in the morning. Your digestive system actually doesn’t ‘wake up’ with you. Think of it like this: Bagel before beverage – a really  loud and terrible alarm clock. Lemon water first thing – waking up to the sound of angel’s harps. Be kind to your guts.

2 – Read your daily Note From the Universe – The best mailing list I’ve ever signed up for. Every (weekday) morning, the Universe emails me to basically say how awesome I am. For instance:

There’s something about starting the day in a positive head space that makes all the difference. Sign up to receive the notes Here.

3 – Power up – First thing I do when I get up is pop a Probiotic. Also, five drops of Biosil in a little juice, two Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil capsules and a Vitamin C (1000 mg). All totally fine on an empty stomach. (Save your multi until after you’ve eaten.)

Image via SmittenKitchen

4 – Make a breakfast you can be proud of – I recently discovered how to make a perfect poached egg. These little guys have eluded me for years but thanks to Smitten Kitchen, I’ve got it down pat. The trick? Add a little vinegar to your water, let it get just hot enough before it starts to boil and (here’s the kicker) create a whirlpool in the water by stirring the pot and plop the egg into the vortex. At first it will look like a mess but the swirling actually helps the egg come together. GENIUS. Read the full play-by-play Here.

5 – Tub Scrub – I’ve been taking a lot of homemade face and body scrubs into the shower with my lately. For instance, for body, I’ll take my just-used coffee grounds, mix with a little olive oil and apply all over to stimulate (and caffinate) my skin. For face, I mix a little refined white sugar with honey and oil (I’m using Nuxe at the moment) and gently apply in a circular motion. For whatever reason, this has become the most indulgent part of my day. And I love it!

See, mornings aren’t so bad. Right?

Tags: BioSil, DIY Body Scrub, DIY Face Scrub, Morning Ritual, Morning Vitamins, Notes From the Universe, Nuxe Oil, Perfect poached egg