Self Cultivation

There’s something sacred about summer mornings—the quiet stillness before the world fully wakes up, the golden sunlight streaming in, the sense of new beginnings. The kids are out on summer vacation so the hustles of school routines are on pause and there is more space to relax. While I don’t always succeed in waking up early (hey, I’m human too), I’ve found that when I do, the flow of my morning sets the tone for the entire day. I have my alarm set for 5am to start of my day and typically my routine is pretty much the same.

Sunrise Yoga & Showertime Bliss

Once I’m up, I ease into the day with a little AM yoga—just enough to stretch, connect with my breath, and wake up my body. I have a saved list of YouTube videos that I like to rotate through for guidance. After that, it’s time to shower and dive into my skincare ritual: cleanse, tone, moisturize, and a bit of serum to seal the glow. My go-to is usually Youth to the People Green Tea Superfood cleanser. I am prone to stress induced breakouts so I have found that this helps keep the breakouts at a minimum. My favorite toner is Fenty beauty’s Fat Water, I have been using it for years, and I keep it in the rotation of toners that I have on hand. To lock in moisture I use Farmacy brand Honey Milk Hydrating Essence with Chamomile, it’s a bit pricey but it works very well with my skin issues. I previously dealt with dry skin issues before trial and error helped me realize that the more expensive products are necessary to provide prolonged results for my needy skin. Last but not least, the serum that I prefer is The Ordinary-with hyaluronic acid.

After brushing my teeth, unwrapping my hair, and taking my daily supplements: a handful of vitamins, and fish oil for my eyes and skin, I head to the kitchen to mix up my AG1 super greens with spring water. It’s a small act of nourishment that feels like a reset button for my whole system.

Then it’s leash-in-hand and out the door with my dog Quinn, for a short walk—another quiet moment to move and breathe before the pace picks up. After our walk, I head straight to the gym for about 45 minutes of focused training, I am not a gym rat by any means, and I really don’t enjoy working out as much as others seem too, however it’s never about perfection—just showing up for myself in a way that feels sustainable.

Once I’m back home, I log in for work, blend up a smoothie for an early lunch, and let some chill lo-fi beats set the backdrop to my workday. Another thing that I have discovered is that lo-fi really helps me to always remain calm and mindful, as my job presents with a unique set of stressors. There is really never a dull moment and having relaxing music in the background reminds me that 5 o’clock always comes back around.

Although it doesn’t happen every single morning, there’s something magical about starting the day early, nourished, and centered before jumping into emails and tasks and problems to be solved. An early morning routine helps keep me in a state of mind that is wellness centered and keeps me on track for other daily tasks as well. On the days that I wake at 5am I also get more sleep because bedtime comes around early!

I’ve learned that my morning routine doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. Some days it flows effortlessly. Other days, I hit snooze a few too many times—but I try again the next day. The point is the intention, not the perfection.

Your morning can be a form of quiet rebellion—a way to reclaim your peace before the world begins asking for pieces of you.