Finding Power in a Morning Routine

I typically wake up by 7:30 the latest. I haven’t used an alarm clock in years, unless I have a flight to catch. I always sleep in matching pajama sets and I do it to please myself and no one else. There’s nothing better than Eberjey pajamas or nightgowns from Eileen West. I wish I could be one of those people who don’t touch their phone all morning, but I’m not. I sleep in bed with my phone like any other tech-addicted person. If I had a dream that night, the first thing I do once I open my eyes is write it down in my notes app before it disappears to wherever dreams go. I’ve been writing down my dreams for years. I am experimenting, though, with Bricking my phone at night so that I can’t go on Instagram, TikTok, or Threads first thing in the morning. Next, I skim my emails for anything pressing, check the news headlines, open my daily Note From The Universe, and then I take my first (of many) scrolls on Instagram and TikTok. 

In a perfect world, I meditate before I start scrolling, but I’m not always disciplined with this. I go through phases where I’m consistent and meditate every single day for weeks on end (my longest streak was 106 days). Other times, I meditate a few days a week using Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion meditations. I first learned to meditate from a therapist when I started having anxiety as a preteen. There are so many misconceptions about meditation. People think it’s supposed to *do* something after their first session, or they think that the mind is supposed to be completely void of thoughts while meditating—both are false. The point is training your mind not to get distracted by or spiral into anxious, worrisome, negative thoughts. Meditation is a practice, and you have to be consistent to really see the benefits when you’re first starting out. 

I usually eat within an hour after opening my eyes. Breakfast is my favorite meal, and I always eat a proper breakfast because my day can be thrown off if I don’t. My blood sugar can dip and can trigger my anxiety. I try to leave my phone in my room when I go to the kitchen. The last few years have been a real journey to figure out what to eat becuase I can’t eat eggs anymore. Right now I love Fage’s lactose-free Greek yogurt, and I’ll add blueberries and strawberries or sometimes a bit of granola. I also always have a cup of tea, I never drink coffee. My parents are Jamaican, and drinking something hot in the morning is part of the culture. I either go for fresh ginger tea or Earl Grey. No milk or sugar with my tea. In winter, I add a few drops of echinacea for its immune-boosting properties. After breakfast, I finish with my supplements: Perelel Daily Vitamin Trio, DIM (read my article about it here), and probiotics for gut health.

I’ve tried to commit to walking (almost) every morning—mostly for my mental health. I try to do a 30-40 minute walk around my neighborhood. I have a few different routes I like to take depending on what I’m up for that day. On the weekends, I’ll tend to do a longer route that takes about an hour. I use Bala weights around my ankles—I’ll switch between the one or two pound. My go-to sneakers are New Balance 530s. My favorite activewear brand of the moment is Nylora and I have a lot of Fabletics stuff from when I used to work with them and honestly, I think it’s so good, it just sucks that they’re subscription based.

I read every morning, whether I’m catching up on news on my iPhone or a book. I like to stay informed—I read CNN, NYMag, New York Times, and Business of Fashion. If I want to get some extra reading in, I’ll open one of the books I’m juggling at any given time; it could be a psychology book or an astrology book. I check my astrology apps like Moon Calendar. Checking what astrological sign the moon is in for the day is like checking the weather forecast to me. The moon represents our emotional bodies and can indicate the vibe of the day. If it’s in a water sign, I might feel more emotional or sensitive. If it’s in an earth or fire sign, I typically feel more energized. Understanding the moon position provides a little extra insight into how I can best navigate my day.

I put music on and start to get myself together. I’ve been obsessed with music for as long as I can remember. It’s transformative for me—it helps me to connect to myself, makes me feel confident, fires me up, which is helpful for the days that I’m feeling lethargic. Also, I just can’t shower without a soundtrack. I love super hot showers. I use a Vita Clean shower head that has aromatherapy inside, so it makes my bathroom smell like a spa. I exfoliate every time I shower with exfoliating gloves and use Osea Undaria Algae Body Wash. I end my showers with a blast of cold water because it’s good for you, and it stops skin from feeling itchy after all the hot water, then I slather on Augustinus Bader’s body cream (or my drugstore go-to is Nivea) and then Osea Malbiu Undaria Algae Body Oil for good measure and wrap myself up in my Parachute robe. My routine just feels more luxurious with a robe on. My skin is super dry in the winter, so I shower about 4-5 times a week. For my face, I’ve stripped my routine back completely over the last few years. I typically don’t wash my face in the morning anymore I’ll just use micellar water but if I need to I love Sofie Pavitt’s gentle cleanser. I keep my daytime skincare routine fairly simple: Sofie Pavitt mandelic serum, Caudalie Vinoperfect serum, Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Cream, and Sofie Pavitt’s moisturizer with SPF. With my hair in a bob right now, my hair requires a bit of effort, but I sleep with just a silk bandana and leave the ends out—sometimes I pin-curl my bangs. I only put on makeup the days I’m creating content or have work events and I pretty much always do my makeup the same: I use NARS matte foundation, Rhode bronzer, Saie or Rhode Blush, I do winged liner with liquid eyeliner, and I’m obsessed with Makeupforever’s lip pencils and the Fenty bombgloss is so good.

Much like music, what I wear can also help me feel more focused, confident, and upbeat for the day. I don’t work in an office anymore (and haven’t for over six years now) so I’m not getting dressed nearly as much as I used to. Somedays I’m in the mood and somedays I’m not. I’m more likely to put on a good outfit if I have a lot of meetings, but usually I just stick to a nice sweater and jeans or trousers. If I’m going for something more relaxed, I put on a matching sweat set. I always like to feel cute and put together, even if it’s just for myself. To me, how I present myself reflects how I feel about myself. 

After working in the corporate world for so long it feels like the ultimate luxury to have such leisurely mornings these days. My absolute favorite thing about being my own boss now is that I get to create my own schedule and be in total control of how I want to structure my days. I spend the majority of my time working whether that’s creating content, writing or podcasting. I don’t have a set time to clock out each day, so I don’t feel guilty about how I choose to spend my morning—or about not scheduling meetings before 12pm unless absolutely necessary. Overall though, each morning I try to listen to my body and what it needs that day—some days that means skipping most of my routine to just lay still in bed with my thoughts, or FaceTiming with friends.