How often do you bolt up in bed in the morning, look at the clock and think, “Oh, no! I’m late!” Then the rest of the mantra starts, “gotta rush, too much to do, where’s my stuff, I should have, I’m never gonna get it all done…”

That kind of panic pops you right into “fight or flight” mode, setting you up for a hectic day where you’ll never catch up or finish all the things on your list. This habit’s got to go if you want more peace and less stress.

It’s hard to just stop a bad habit. Trying to “not do” something all the time feels bad, as if you’re just waiting to feel guilty when  you slip up. Much better to replace an old habit with a new one.

Try this: For a week, set your alarm for 15 minutes before you really need to get out of bed. Spend a few moments of your extra time focusing on three things you feel grateful for. For each one, take a deep breath, put your hand over your heart, and really feel your gratitude.

(If you tend to nod off, you might want to sit up when you do this, or set the “snooze” button so it nudges you awake again…)

When you start the day this way, you might gain a new perspective on all those little things on your list. Some are definitely more important than others. Like hugging your partner or kids. Like reconnecting with an old friend or taking a stressed-out colleague to lunch.

Let me know how morning gratitude works for you! Hopefully you start the day off with less stress. Notice how you feel and your perspective during the day. You might notice some things start to change…

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