Friends, if you want good motivation & energy as you work, or study. Start well.

How do you begin your day? What is the very first thing you’d do? Do you also reach for your mobile smartphone and check your emails, messages, and whatnot? Or do you abstain from doing that for later?

Did you know that starting your day with looking at what’s on your cellphone may be unhealthy, and may not be the right way to start your early morning?

For me, before I almost always check my cellphone right after waking up. It took me a while, but now, I’m able to do differently. Thank God. Now-a-days, I still look at my smart phone, only to disable the morning alarm and to charge it. I leave it uncharged and disconnected from the power supply during my sleep. To help with battery longevity over time.

The first thing that I do now is to drink a couple of mugfuls of lukewarm water. With my morning food supplements, which for me means vegetable or herbal supplements, for good health.

Next is I turn on my computer, but I don’t work on it yet. I set it to go to sleep. Right after, I start my morning prayers.

Again, before I didn’t do it like this — but doing scheduled prayer time really helps to make it regular. My good mom, especially before, would constantly remind me to pray. And to put God first, that I had, one day decided to do it and try to stick with this prayer routine. It helps too that my father, who also used not to do prayers in the morning, now also visibly prays early in the morning. We live in a small bungalow, and there isn’t a prayer room. However, we do want one in our house. Maybe if God blesses us, and if He wills it for our family.

Now, I think morning prayers make real sense to practice. God is the source of all good things. And we are His creatures, we are His servants. We are His children. And communicating with God, is done through sincere prayers. For me, it does make sense. So, I do ask you my friends, to also do the same. It will do you real good, if you talk to God more often, Who is the source of all goodness in life.

I pray the holy rosary after some of my own mix of personal morning prayers that I learned from Catholic prayer book guides. A few months ago, while listening to a priest from the order of the Divine Word. As he recommended it, I also now kneel down first, before a blessed Crucifix of our Lord Jesus, the Christ. To give thanks to the Holy Trinity, to give thanks to our blessed mother Mary, and to the saints in heaven who constantly pray for us. After, I give special thanks again to the Holy Trinity — to God the Father, to God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

After prayers are done, I find myself with good perspective and motivation to begin the day. I think I’m ready to do my part at work and study.

Please note also, that if you don’t get good-quality sleep the night before, you’ll still feel unmotivated and drained in the morning. So, good sleep is also very important, my friends. And I think I’ll write more about sleep in a separate post, for now, let’s leave it here.

Breakfast usually happens when my other family members, especially my 4-year old nephew toddler wakes up from sleep. But before this I try to ready a mug of coffee — usually I only have one big mug of coffee.

Thankfully, there is a small coffee shop not too far away from where we live. That helps, as the folks running that place there are quite friendly, warm and who I believe are community-helpers. I like folks like that. It’s easier for one to want to help support them because of those qualities. However, more often than not, my folks and I will opt for good instant coffee. It’s more affordable, in addition, we have found a special brand of instant coffee made from native ingredients from a local bakery, and may I say, it’s one under-rated kind of bakery here.

Coffee and pan de sal (traditional “Pinoy” bread-buns leavened with yeast and salt) is quite good. Toasted bread slices with butter and garlic also sound very nice. Goes well with a mug of warm coffee. You should try it, dip pan de sal in coffee, or in a mug of hot sweetened cocoa. You’ll thank me later.

And speaking again of later, I still might have a few servings of rice and “ulam” for breakfast when everybody’s already around the dining table.

After something to eat to fuel my body and mind — I would go start working or studying. It depends on how much time I think I have in the morning. I’ll devote time to learning early in the morning. Because, if I don’t — it’s likely for me to no longer find time, or be unable to do this altogether down the road. I need to do it early in the morning. At least to begin the task.

Finally, there is one other thing that I believe is worth sharing with you guys.

Recently, as I read it from books, like “Why we Sleep” and a few other good books — but, I also haven’t finished most of these books yet. We ought to put time, especially in the morning, to get some early morning sunlight and put in physical exercise (heard a talk from Dr. Wendy Suzuki about this one). Not much on this area, especially before. I almost didn’t do any intentional physical exercise, except when I need to help do house work, or chores at home. Or when I need to look after kids in the family.

Now, I try to do exercise more regularly. I’m getting old. It feels good to exercise and get some sunlight early on. Around 15 minutes is the sweet spot in terms of time, doing simple, easy-to-follow exercises. For me, this means doing a few “reps” of jumping jacks, pumping squats, and in-place running. These are effective for getting the heart pumping. And that’s important, at least for me.

Well, I guess this brings us to the end of this post.

Thank you, my friends. And have a good morning where you are right now.

*Raises a coffee mug to all others who also agree that mornings are the best time*

*And so would be, also to those who look forward to good breakfast. I’m with you on that*