What's the first thing you did when you woke up this morning?
Did you roll over and check your smartphone? I knew it! Is this what the world has come to? Being a slave to Apple and Android? Come on, we have to do better…
Maintaining balance and growth in my life has always been very high on my list, so capturing ways to contribute to such lifestyle is of high importance to me.
When I open my eyes I'm sure to open a window for some fresh air, do some light reading, make my bed, drink a glass warm water or tea and jot down a few of my thoughts. Sounds peaceful doesn't it?!?!?
Rituals and routines are wonderful, but I still make it point to switch things up a bit every now and then. Some mornings, I just don't want to write or have a cup of tea. When I need to pull in some new inspiration this is the list I choose a replacement ritual from:
- Take a few deep breathes and take life in.
- Stretch for at least one minute
- Give thanks/pray/gratitude
- Make up the Bed [every single day]
- Eat breakfast [not too big though]
- Drink tea
- Read a chapter
- Write down your thoughts [on paper and not on your phone] or last nights dreams
- Take a teaspoon of coconut oil and apple cider vinegar
- Open your blinds or curtains
- Listen to music that speaks to your temperament
- Dance
- Verbalize a handful of personal affirmations
- Yoga
- Work out
- Do a steam treatment
- Paint your nails
- Take a swim
- Brisk walk around the block
- Write down your goals for the day, week, month and year
- Do a goal check up
- Practice mindfulness – meditate
- Drink lemon water
- Laugh
- Romp around [hubba hubba– I'm such a creep lol]
- Make your lunch
- Get some fresh air on your patio or porch
- Listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook
- Make a smoothie
- Smile in the mirror for 20 seconds
- Look at bright colors
- Straighten up around the house.
- Tell yourself in the mirror how smart, beautiful and deserving you are!
Yes, this is a real list that I've doodled in my journal over the last few months.
I understand rituals are meant to be done in a prescribed order, but I'm always been one to shake things up. Let your routine always allow for two to three constants (for me that's eating a hearty breakfast and making the bed) as well as two to three variable rituals that you can switch up depending on your mood. I'm still learning to make number 25, 30 and 33 more permanent.
Hopefully it will serve you well as you journey towards a better you!
What would you add to the list?
Originally posted on GoodLooknout.com
Featured image by Getty Images
- Essential Morning Rituals For Increased Productivity And Success ... ›
- 30 Morning Rituals to Bring You Joy ›
- 6 Morning Rituals That Will Make You Productive All Day ›
- 7 Morning Rituals That Will Change Your Life — Buddhaimonia ›
- Five Simple Morning Rituals Of Exceptionally Successful People ›
- Morning rituals that will pay off forever - Business Insider ›
- 7 Morning Rituals to Empower your day & Change your Life ›
- 6 Morning Rituals of Steve Jobs, Tony Robbins, Oprah, and Other ... ›
RELATED
The seeds for these entrepreneurs were planted during their time as students at schools like Spelman, North Carolina A&T, and more, which is why xoNecole caught up with Look Good Live Well’s Ariane Turner, HBCU Buzz’s Luke Lawal and Morehouse Senior Director of Marketing and Comms and Press Secretary Jasmine Gurley to highlight the role their HBCU roots play in their work as entrepreneurs, the legacy they aim to leave behind through the work that they do, and more as a part of Hyundai’s Best In Class initiative.
On Honoring HBCU Roots To Create Something That Is For Us, By Us
Ariane Turner
Courtesy
When Ariane Turner launched Look Good, Live Well, she created it with Black and brown people in mind, especially those with sensitive skin more prone to dryness and skin conditions like acne and eczema.
The Florida A&M University graduate launched her business to create something that addressed topical skin care needs and was intentional about its approach without negative terminology.
Turner shared that it is important to steer clear of language often adopted by more prominent brands, such as “banishing breakouts” or “correcting the skin,” because, in reality, Turner says there is nothing wrong with the way that our skin and bodies react to various life changes.
“I think what I have taken with me regarding my HBCU experience and translated to my entrepreneurial experience is the importance of not just networking,” Turner, the founder and CEO of Look Good, Live Well, tellls xoNecole.
“We hear that in business all the time, your network is your net worth, but family, there’s a thing at FAMU that we call FAMU-lee instead of family, and it’s very much a thing. What that taught me is the importance of not just making relationships and not just making that connection, but truly working on deepening them, and so being intentional about connecting with people initially, but staying connected and building and deepening those relationships, and that has served me tremendously in business, whether it’s being able to reach back to other classmates who I went to school with, or just networking in general.”
She adds, “I don’t come from a business background. As soon as I finished school, I continued with my entrepreneurial journey, and so there’s a lot of that traditional business act and the networking, those soft skills that I just don’t have, but I will say that just understanding how to leverage and network community and to build intentional relationships is something that has taken me far and I definitely got those roots while attending FAMU.”
On Solving A Very Specific Need For The Community
Luke Lawal Jr.
Courtesy
When Luke Lawal Jr. launched HBCU Buzz, his main focus was to represent his community, using the platform to lift as they climbed by creating an outlet dedicated to celebrating the achievements and positive news affecting the 107 historically HBCUs nationwide.
By spotlighting the wonderful things that come from the HBCU community and coupling it with what he learned during his time at Bowie State University, Lawal used that knowledge to propel himself as an entrepreneur while also providing his people with accurate representation across the internet.
“The specific problem in 2011 when I started HBCU Buzz was more so around the fact that mainstream media always depict HBCUs as negative,” Lawal says. “You would only see HBCUs in the mainstream media when someone died, or the university president or someone was stepping down. It was always bad news, but they never shed light on all the wonderful things from our community."
So, I started HBCU Buzz to ensure the world saw the good things that come from our space. And they knew that HBCUs grew some of the brightest people in the world, and just trying to figure out ways to make sure our platform was a pedestal for all the students that come through our institutions.”
“The biggest goal is to continue to solve problems, continue to create brands that solve the problems of our communities, and make sure that our products, our brands, our companies, and institutions are of value and they’re helping our community,” he continues. “That they’re solving problems that propel our space forward.”
On How Being An HBCU Alum Impacts The Way One Shows Up In The World
Jasmine Gurley
Courtesy
Jasmine Gurley is a proud North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum. She is even more delighted with her current role, which enables her to give back to current HBCU students as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and official press secretary at Morehouse College.
“It was a formative experience where I really was able to come into my own and say yes to all the opportunities that were presented to me, and because of that, it’s been able to open the doors later in life too,” says Gurley of her experience at North Carolina A&T. “One thing I love about many HBCUs is that we are required to learn way more about African American history than you do in your typical K through 12 or even at the higher ed level."
She adds, “It allowed us to have a better understanding of where we came from, and so for me, because I’m a storyteller, I’m a history person, I’m very sensitive to life in general, being able to listen to the stories and the trials that our ancestors overcame, put the battery pack in my back to say, ‘Oh nothing can stop me. Absolutely nothing can stop me. I know where I came from, so I can overcome something and try anything. And I have an obligation to be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. Simultaneously, I also have a responsibility to help others realize that greatness.
Gurley does not take her position at an HBCU, now as a leader, lightly.
“People think I’m joking when I say I’m living the dream, but I really am,” she notes. “So I wake up every day and know that the work that I do matters, no matter how hard it might be, how frustrating it may be, and challenging it. I know the ripple effect of my work, my team, and what this institution does also matter. The trajectory of Black male experiences, community, history, and then just American advancement just in general.”
On the other hand, through her business, Sankofa Public Relations, Gurley is also on a mission to uplift brands in their quest to help their respective communities. Since its inception in 2017, Sankofa PR has been on a mission to “reach back and reclaim local, national, and global communities by helping those actively working to move” various areas of the world, focusing on pushing things forward for the better.
“Through Sankofa, we’ve worked with all different types of organizational brands and individuals in several different industries, but I would think of them as mission-based,” says Gurley.
“So with that, it’s an opportunity to help people who are trying to do good in the world, and they are passionate about what they’re doing. They just need help with marketing issues, storytelling, and branding, and that’s when my expertise can come into play. Help them get to that moment where they can tell their story through me or another platform, and that’s been super fulfilling.”
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
Feature image courtesy
