5 Steps to Waking Up Happy

You woke up to a fresh new day full of possibilities. You woke up to an abundance of opportunities and passion. Follow these simple steps that will have you greeting the day with love, excitement and happiness.
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Is waking up a difficult part of your day? Do you have to rely on the alarm clock to get you up, only to begrudge it and forcefully hit snooze? Is dread one of the first thoughts to pass through your mind? Are you wishing that your day could start off differently and that you would wake up happy?

Here is the thing. You woke up to a fresh new day full of possibilities. You woke up to an abundance of opportunities and passion. It's there just hiding behind the dreaded "have-tos." What if I told you there was a way to turn the have-tos into a "Hell, yeah?" With a few steps and some easy tweaking you can.

Follow these five simple steps that will have you greeting the day with love, excitement and happiness.

1. Go to bed electronics-free.
We live in a technological age with TVs, smartphones, iPads and streaming. We can lay in bed and be entertained to our heart's content. Why is this not a good idea? You are charging your brain before you are needing it to wind down. Imagine a wind-up toy wound up to its breaking point then set it down and expect it to sit quietly. It isn't going to happen. It is going to have to get all its wound-up power expended before it will be still. Even if you wrap it tight in a blanket it is still going to have to force its energy out (sort of like when you fall asleep after being wound up from electronic stimulation). You may fall asleep easily but you will not stay asleep or sleep soundly. Before falling asleep give yourself at least an hour of quiet time. Let your body slowly ease out of the day's windups.

2. Step two is coming directly from step one. Get at least seven hours of sleep a night with eight being preferable.
You're not a teenager anymore. You don't have to prove to anyone that you can stay up all night. It is alright to have a bedtime that you adhere to. Sleep is necessary to repower your mind and body. Without sufficient sleep you will not wake up with the oomph to get through the day ahead.

3. Upon waking, greet yourself and the day ahead. Say "Good morning, world. So glad to be a part of you."
Then proceed to have an internal dialogue with the day and the world. An important thing to do upon waking is to tell yourself "I love you." Many of us work hard letting others know we love them but we forget to give love to ourselves. After offering yourself love, it is time to ask the universe what you are meant to do for for the day. How can you be of service? Listen and you will hear a whisper. What were you told?

4. Centering.
Before jumping out of bed to work on your to do list and even before making the bed, get into the routine of centering yourself in the moment. It could be a short stint in meditation, stretching or yoga. Find a way to ease your body and mind into the day. Through basic stretching you open the energy channels in your body getting the good energy flowing. Let this routine center you before jumping into the have-tos.

5. Leave your room with a smile on your face.
Even if you have to force it at first, do it. Make a conscious effort to smile and share that smile with other people in your house. Part of being happy is realizing you have a choice to be. It may not be easy but it is possible. Start with a smile and before you know it you will be smiling without thought.

There you have it, five simple steps that can transform your life and day. Go ahead and start tonight with number one and then keep rolling.

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