My Thoughts on Sain Almond Milk

I moved back to Delhi from the UK a couple of months ago and although it is very exciting to watch the health food movement unfold in India, it can be rather difficult to get your hands on things such as non-diary milks, nut butters, avocados, rye bread etc.

I also happen to be plant based/ mostly vegan and I have been making my own almond/coconut milk except for when I feel lazy. When I feel lazy I end up buying coconut milk tetra packs that are meant for cooking, I thin them down with water before I use them. Lets face it, this is not the best plan!

But then a friend discovered Sain Almond Milk on Instagram and upon enquiring they sent across some samples for me to try. I am super impressed with the quality and of course the cute little glass milk bottles deserve a special mention too.

Packaging aside, here are the reasons why I think this is a great product.

• It tastes like almond milk that you would make at home i.e without any preservatives. 
• The shelf life of this almond milk is 3 days which is exactly how long your homemade almond milk would last.
• Also, you have to keep the milk as close to the freezer as possible. Again, if you make almond milk at home and don't keep it chilled, it tends to go bad.
• You have to shake it before you drink it. That is quite natural as the water content will separate from the nut content.
• I used their plain and vanilla almond milk to blend my smoothies and they taste incredibly rich, creamy and delicious!

Apart from the plain almond milk (unsweetened) which is my favourite, Sain Almond Milk is also available in several other flavours. I got to try the vanilla, coffee and cacao almond milk drinks and they are all delicious. They are sweetened with dates so NO refined sugar in there (YAYY) and these would be great for when you need a pick me up; for that afternoon slump or even a great  pre or post workout drink or simply just when you need a mindful snack.

For more information & to order Sain Almond milk, you can call them at +91 9999740003 or write to them at info@sainworld.com

*Available for home delivery in Delhi & NCR

13 Steps to Getting Better Sleep

The most important step towards starting your day bright, early and on the right note is by getting good sleep at night. Whether you sleep for 6, 7, 8 or 9 hours- it doesn't matter. What really matters is the quality of your sleep.

Benefits of getting good sleep are countless. Did you know that you actually lose weight when you sleep. Your body regenerates, repairs and heals itself whilst sleeping. You anti-age when you sleep. Lucid dreaming and creative visualisation whilst sleeping could literally transform your life. So stop talking about having insomnia, it's not cool at all. Focus your energy on making your bedroom a sleep haven.

Melatonin, the hormone produced by your pineal gland is responsible for regulating sleep. Your body starts producing melatonin as the sun sets and it takes about 4 hours for melatonin to fully kick in for you to go into deep rejuvenating sleep. But living in the information age and constantly being stimulated by technology can make unwinding and relaxing before bedtime extremely difficult. If you too have trouble sleeping at night, here are my top tips that will hopefully help you get that melatonin going and eventually get great sleep.

1. Have the intention of going to bed latest by 11 pm. If that seems too early make 12 am your absolute deadline.
2. Keep your room really neat and tidy. Make sure it's not cluttered, the bed has clean sheets, all your things are put away in their designated spots.
3. Make sure the temperature of your room is ideal for sleeping. Research indicates that you sleep well when the temperature is between 18-20 degrees Celsius.
4. Have a night routine. Make it a sacred ritual. Make your hour before bed count. Make it your 'me time'. Pamper yourself, indulge in skincare, wear something lovely and comfy to bed. If you have access to a bath run yourself a relaxing bath with Epsom salts, magnesium oil or lavender infused bath products.
5. You could also use lavender oil & water as a pillow spray or apply lavender oil onto your skin before bed.
6. Listen to calming music or a guided meditation for sleep. You can find loads of free ones on YouTube.
7. Don't use white or bright blue lights at night, turn to amber or honey-yellow shades. Amber lights will help your body create melatonin. 
8. Avoid using your laptop, smart phone or watching TV at least 45 minutes before you actually get into bed. If you must use your screens then download flux. Flux is a free app that will turn your laptop/mobile screen amber. 
9. Go old school. Read a book. Or turn off the lights and listen to an audiobook or podcast. Not spending your time on screens can really help you relax and unwind.
10. Get off social media at least half an hour before you want to sleep. Being on social media before bed can induce stress and anxiety and will keep your mind overly stimulated and active.
11. Don't get social. Avoid confrontations, gossiping & thought provoking conversations with your partner, boyfriend/girlfriend, family members, friends, acquaintances and associates before bed.
12. Don't drink coffee or don't eat or drink caffeine in any form in the 2nd half of your day!
13. I picked this one up from Tim Ferriss. If all else fails drink this. 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar plus one teaspoon of raw honey in hot water can really help you get good sleep.

If you have any tips for getting good sleep, please share them in the comments down below.

Why You Should Engage in Random Acts of Kindness Everyday

If you are feeling down in the dumps the quickest way to feel happy again is by engaging in random acts of kindness. If like me you are from India, chances are that you come into contact with less fortunate people several times during the day; these could be your full or part-time domestic help, your driver, workers at your local grocery store or even children begging and/or selling knick-knacks around the corner or at a traffic light.

Just think about being kind with them. We were extremely lucky to be born into families that were able to afford a certain standard of living and they just did not. Looking into their eyes with compassion will make you realise that we are all connected in ways deeper than we will ever understand. I often wonder what beautiful humans they would evolve or transform into if they had the same privileges as we do...

Random acts of kindness don't necessarily mean giving away money. It could also be offering them chilled water to drink during these blazing hot summer days or a steaming cup of chai or it could be something as little as smiling and asking them how they are doing. You have so many things lying around your house that you have forgotten about and will probably never ever use, but these things could really help someone in need.

These acts of giving and these acts of kindness are rather selfish and you will soon realise that in this giving and receiving equation, the giver always gains the most happiness.

The point that I am trying to make is that engage in at least one random act of kindness every single day. It is exactly what you need to make your day from Blah to Wah! You will instantly feel happy, grateful and connected.

What was your random act of kindness today? I am all ears!

Why I Turned Plant Based

I turned plant based about  a year and a half ago and I have no intention of turning back. When I say plant based I mean I am mostly vegan and those times when I am travelling or eating out, I am not that crazy person who will starve; I just settle for the most vegan friendly item available and hope for the best! Sometimes when I feel like it I allow my self a piece or two of dark chocolate (not necessarily vegan). I also recently tried drinking hot water with apple cider vinegar with raw honey to help me sleep better.

Why I turned plant based?

Just to let you know, I did not hop on this band wagon because its trendy at the moment. I had thought about turning vegan/plant based for a long time before I actually did. When it happened I had the strongest gut feeling that it was the best/right thing to do.

I decided to listen to my body and respect and honour what it was telling me to do. The reaction to certain things was very visceral. Every fibre in my body was repelling not just meat and dairy but also alcohol and caffeine.

Why was this happening? I m not entirely sure... at the time, it just felt the right thing to do. It still feels right today! And then eventually being cruelty free and ethical became important too.

Currently I am aiming to be as cruelty free as possible although I am not entirely sure if the human race can ever be completely cruelty free. Veganism as a lifestyle extends to every aspect. It's not just food, its also fashion, beauty, house hold items and much more. The aim is to be more and more mindful every single day and move towards being as ethical as possible. I know I have a long long way to go, but at least I am trying.


How turning plant based has helped me.

• My digestion has improved massively
• I feel stronger and more energetic. I feel this especially when I am working out.
• I am calmer and happier and being plant based is one of the reasons for this.
• I feel lighter in my body. Just to clarify I haven't lost weight but I do feel light inside, if that makes sense. 
• It has made me more self aware. 
• It has made me conscious and mindful in every aspect of my life.
• It has helped in instilling a strong sense of compassion for not just animals but for every other living being on this planet.
• It has also made me appreciate everything that I already have in my life and it has helped inculcate the feeling of being truly grateful.
• It has helped me raise my vibration.

My top tips if you are considering going vegan and/or plant based.

• Always keep your why in front of you. Be very clear about why you are doing this. Having a big enough why will help you easily flow through each day every day.
• Don't suddenly go all out. If you think it's going to be hard, try doing it in increments. Try going dairy free for a while or trying going meat free for a few weeks. See how you feel. Or just try it for a few weeks, if you don't feel like it don't do it.  Don't be too hard on yourself. 
• Don't do it just because its trendy or your friends are doing it or succumb to peer pressure.
• Be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes. A lot of things are deceptively vegan especially whilst eating out.
• Don't be that annoying vegan who forces everyone else to try it as well. 

Are you thinking about going plant based and/or vegan? Have any questions? Leave me a comment and I will get back to you.

How to Deal with Anxiety

The smallest things get to me and I have experienced general anxiety pretty much ever since I can remember. I don't necessarily go into fight or flight mode, however I go into 'freeze' mode. I can't seem to do anything, it's almost as if my anxiety immobilises me. As a result I leave most things till they become urgent and I feel I am never really working my true potential. That then snowballs into stress and I find myself in a never-ending anxiety-stress-anxiety loop.

Over the years however, I have learnt to work with my anxiety and have discovered a lot of ways to help myself deal with it. Some of them are listed below and hopefully you will find them useful too.

1. Plan, plan, plan and prep. Have a routine. Have a vision. Have purposeful days. I have realised that the days that are not planned bring about anxiety. But if you wake up with a clear vision for that day then you will be generally focused and calm. To get contemplating about your vision I would highly recommend the 6 phase meditation by Vishen Lakhiani.
2. Try and become more of a morning person. Have a morning routine. This sets the tone for the rest of your day. When you have enough time in the morning to exercise, meditate, eat breakfast and get dressed, you generally feel less and less anxious about the rest of your day. You are also at your most productive self first thing in the morning, make the best use of those glorious morning hours. 
3. Go for a walk and get close to nature. When you are close to nature and you are walking at a steady pace whilst focusing on breathing, your mind and body will calm down instantly. 
4. Get out of your head and get into your body. Get a move on. Dancing, yoga, running, hiking or a HIIT circuit will all help. But choose something that you love, otherwise it's not going to help much.
5. Meditate. Guided meditation apps such as Calm and Headspace are brilliant. They have some amazing free mediations for you to begin with. Even 5 minutes on one of these apps can completely turn around how you feel.
6. Gratitude. Shift your focus onto things that you are grateful for. And at least in that moment of gratitude, you will not feel anxious.
7. Speak to your close ones. If you live in another city or country then just some assurance that your family and friends are safe and doing okay can really help.
8. Pay close attention to what you are eating. When you are stressed or anxious its very tempting to binge on junk food and sugar. The minute you eat junk though you start feeling like crap.
9. Drink enough water. A dehydrated body can induce anxiety as your cells start communicating to your mind that there is some kind of threat. 
10. Decaffeinate. Drinks with caffeine can also spark anxiety and it's always a good idea to replace caffeine with water. 
11. Say no to substance and/or alcohol. If you suffer from general anxiety the worst thing you can do to yourself is turn to alcohol and substance as they can kick off full blown panic attacks.
12. Journaling can be extremely therapeutic. The next time you are going crazy with insane thoughts bouncing off in your head, just purge everything out on a piece of paper. This will really help you relax and get back in right frame of mind. 
13. Don't numb your anxiety. Acknowledge the pain and acknowledge the feeling of anxiety. Sit with that. Don't try and numb it with food, sex or binge watching Netflix. And if you are someone affected by anxiety they worst thing you can do to yourself is turn to substance and alcohol. You will get even more anxious after consuming alcohol & substance.
14. Do something creative. When you do something creative, obviously something that you like and love you will start feeling much better. Its kind of like channeling all your nervous energy into something productive. 
15. EFT or Tapping- Emotional Freedom Technique is a psychological acupressure technique where you think about your specific problem or pain whilst repeating positive affirmations and gently tapping onto specific meridians on your head and chest area. This is based on the traditional acupuncture practise but without the use of needles and is a very effective to treat emotional as well as physical pain.
16. Get a good night's sleep. Just getting sound sleep for 8-9 hours can work wonders for dealing with anxiety. When you are well rested you are less irritable, you also feel calm and focussed. 
17. Social media detox. Avoid getting online especially first thing in the morning and last thing  before bed. Avoiding social media will help you keep negativity at bay and also help you stop comparing yourself with others. You can end a lot of your anxiety if you stop comparing yourself with others. 
18. Love yourself. Get a massage, a pedicure or have a bath with some luxe bath products. Listen to some music you love and allow yourself to take breaks often. 
19. Invest in yourself. Do something, do anything that will help you grow and becoming the best version of yourself. Maybe watch an inspiring video, listen to a podcast, get a book/audiobook.  You will feel so much better just buy listening to an inspiring thought leader you really admire.
20. Focus on what you can control. When we get anxious we also start worrying about things we have no control over. Try and focus on things you can control and try and do something about those things.

Which of these tips resonated with you the most? If you found this post useful, don't forget to share it with someone you know who will find this helpful.

11 Lessons You Can Learn From a Breakup, Separation or Divorce

Every failed relationship is a feedback system and an opportunity for you to learn and grow. If you don't see the lessons, chances are that you might repeat the same mistakes in your next relationship without even realising it. Here are 11 key lessons that you can learn from any failed relationship, marriage or partnership.

1. Appreciate don't expect. Rather than having unrealistic expectations from a dying relationship, go back to where it started. Somethings must have happened for you two to get together in the first place. There must have been genuine love. Go back to that feeling and cherish that it happened, be grateful for those happy memories. Try and appreciate that it happened and but don't expect. Expectations at this stage will only lead to disappointment.
2. Focus on what you can control. In a relationship you can only control about 50% of the things & events as the remaining 50% is your partner. Chances are that you won't be able to control everything that they do or don't do. Its best to focus on what you can do and control to avoid unnecessary disappointment and frustration.
3. Be kind. Everyone is trying to do their best. Every person has their side of the story and according to their beliefs and values it is the right side. It might not seem that way but it is their truth. So be kind and be patient. Don't lash out and say things in the heat of the moment that you might regret later.
4. Take responsibility. Any relationship that fails is not entirely one party's fault. There are things that you did or didn't do that affected your relationship. Taking responsibility will also mean that you are taking your power back. Taking responsibility as the creator of your life will also help you get out of the victim mode.
5. Forgive yourself. A lot of times we subconsciously blame ourselves for failed relationships or failure in general. But acknowledging that and forgiving yourself is very important in order for you to rightly move on.
6. Focus on yourself and love yourself. This is a great time to turn to self help or to learning a new skill rather than numbing your pain with alcohol, substance, sex, food or Netflix. Loving yourself unconditionally is really important too, don't be too harsh on yourself but at the same time be disciplined enough to take care of your health; physically, emotionally and spiritually.
7. Don't panic. Don't rebound. A failed relationship can cause a lot of anxiety and you might want to jump into another relationship immediately but just know that panicking and desperately getting into another relationship will not fill the void. If it's a rebound think about how you can potentially hurt the other person. 
8. Embrace being single. Think of this as dating yourself for a while. Mend your relationship with yourself. Take yourself out for meals, coffee or even travel solo if you can. Meet lots of people and make new friends. Meet people of the opposite sex but not necessarily to get involved. Don't be afraid of being single; Instead of dreading being single, try and enjoy this phase rather than constantly wanting it to pass. 
9. Ask for the lesson. Every failure is a feedback system. A chance to improve yourself. Ask for the lesson rather than asking 'why me?'. When you ask the right questions, you will get the right answers. This is a great opportunity for you to learn from your mistakes and ensure that you do not take the same baggage to your next relationship.
10. Forgive your partner. This is not easy but it is essential. Until you hold on to your ex, to what they did or did not do, you cannot truly move on and allow for other better things, situations and people to come into your life. I am in no way denying the magnitude of what might have happened to you in your relationship but forgiving your ex is perhaps the most important step.
11. Get crystal clear on your vision for your perfect relationship and partner. A big reason why relationships don't work out is because both partners are not crystal clear on their own vision and their shared visions. If you know exactly what you want from your relationship and your partner then you will not settle for anything less. You will automatically know which relationship or person is or isn't  the right one for you.

To conclude I would just like to add that self-awareness is very important as it is self-awareness that sparks growth and evolution. Get to know yourself before trying to get to know anyone else. This will help you make sense of the failed relationship and will help you take the best possible version of yourself to the your next relationship.

How to Stop Getting Distracted

We are living in the information age and the problem of getting distracted from the task at hand is very real. You get on your laptop to write a blog post and the next thing you know is that you get sucked into the vortex of cute animal videos or somebody's Mediterranean holiday photos pop up on your Instagram feed, you then look at one picture after the next, hop on to random Instagram profiles and the next thing you know is that the day is over.

First of all, let me tell you that we all have been there and we all are effected by these noisy distractions. More than we would like to admit.

Yes you can have your phone on the airplane mode, not look at your emails all the time and yes you can try the Pomodoro Technique  but I think there is another simple yet very powerful 'reality check' that you can conduct whenever you find yourself amidst distraction central.

Whenever you find yourself torn between binge watching Netflix in bed versus writing a blog post that you were meant to write yesterday, apply this 'reality check'.

Make a list of 5-6 things that are your top priority in the next 6 months. If your list has something like lose 10 kilos by October 2017. And then whatever the source of your dilemma might be; it could be going out for dinner and drinks with your very persuasive friends or binge watching your favourite TV show on Netflix versus getting your a** to the gym; Just tally your 'your why' or your vision for the next six months with your choice in the present moment. Will going out for drinks help you lose 10 kilos? No it won't. Will going to the gym help you do that? Yes it will.

The choice you need to make is right in front of you. It gets difficult when you have no clear 'whys' or a powerful vision for the next 6 months or so. If you have a big enough WHY, something you feel deeply about, then the choice is not going to be difficult to make.

Yes there will be distractions every step of the way and yes sometimes you will find yourself off the course. But if you have something specific & powerful as an anchor, then you can easily and quickly get back on track.

How to Activate the Feeling of Genuine Gratitude

If you want to take away one lesson from any personal development book, podcast, video or seminar, take away gratitude. If you want that one magic trick to transform your life, it's gratitude. Any successful entrepreneur, thought leader or any happy and fulfilled person will agree.

Very often though, it's a little difficult to feel that feeling of genuine gratitude. Let me describe the feeling of genuine gratitude; you feel it in every cell, every fibre of your body. You feel gratitude in your bones. It's very visceral. You feel connected to the universe, to this planet and to every other living being. There's a subtle yet undeniable almost-electric buzz running throughout your body. It's a feeling of pure bliss and joy. It's when you feel so lucky just to be alive. You can feel some kind of beautiful energy moving through you as though something amazing and exciting is about to unfold.

I have discovered that by using the following tricks you can amplify and magnify your daily gratitude and that will allow you to transform your life with speed & momentum.

1. Write it down. I have a dedicated notebook for gratitude. The notebook that I use is a beautiful hard bound Liberty London notebook and every time I see that notebook, I feel happy instantly. I make a list of things that I am grateful for daily, sometimes even twice in one day. You could start by making your gratitude list in any notebook or diary. You could also invest in a Happiness Planner or The Five Minute Journal. 
2. Write it down on a chalk board or a white board. Then hang this board in a place that you are able to see throughout the day. This is like literally magnifying your gratitude from tiny notebook sized writing to massive board sized writing. The fact that your words are bigger in size and the board is within your sight really magnifies the feeling of gratitude.
3. Get your family involved. Get your parents or spouse or children involved. Tell each other what you are grateful for daily.  Gratitude is infectious and you are raising the vibrations of your entire family together. This is very powerful.
4. Sing or dance to gratitude. If you like singing or even if you are a bathroom singer (everyone is) start making your own songs about gratitude. Sing along and also dance to that gratitude song. Be silly, be creative with your gratitude practise. This is immensely powerful as you are not only raising your vibrations but also doing that with lots of energy. Side Effect- This is bound to put you in a great mood.
5. Have a Pinterest gratitude board. Pinterest is like having your online virtual visual vision board. Why not create a gratitude board on Pinterest? Start pinning quotes and photos centred around gratitude. When you make something visual you make that real.
6. Post on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and snapchat about gratitude regularly. Post quotes about gratitude and use images that speak of gratitude. Not only you are solidifying your feeling of gratitude, but you might also spark gratitude in someone else. There is no better feeling than knowing that you have inspired someone else. Use hashtags such as #AttitudeOfGratitude #Gratitude #Thankful #Grateful generously. We are living in the social media- information age after all ;)
7. Go on gratitude walks. When you go on a walk, close to nature and you focus on everything that you are grateful for, some kind of crazy magic happens. You can even take your partner or best friend on this walk and literally count your blessings together. Seriously, this is life-changing.
8. Use gratitude in your conversations. Next time you meet someone don't get into the standard topics like what do you do, and how bad the weather is. Instead ask them what are they most grateful for lately. You both will come out of that conversation feeling like a million bucks.
9. With a close friend you trust, a mastermind alliance, your spouse or business partner schedule a gratitude jam. Get talking about everything that makes you feel grateful. You can have a daily gratitude session with your employess too. This will create a positive environment at work and lead to better results.
10. Cultivate the habit of saying please and thank you. In my opinion we don't say please and thank you enough. Appreciate everything and everyone around you. Life truly is beautiful and it becomes even more so when we express gratitude and appreciate those around us.
11. Say a gratitude prayer before your meals- This is so important energetically. Always bless and always be thankful for the food on your plate. These days there is so much suspicion around food. We say things like our food is loaded with chemicals, why is the watermelon so sweet, it must be injected with sugar yada yada yada. We are insulting the food and manifesting what we are saying about food. Be thankful that you have food on your plate, majority of people on this planet are starving. Do this and watch your health improve. 
12. Don't leave the most basic stuff out. Start showing gratitude for the simplest things you take for granted such as your smart phone, laptop and the internet. You are able to access so much knowledge through the internet for free. You have food on the table, you probably have air-con in this blazing heat. There is so much to be grateful for. The list is endless. Feeling thankful for the most basic stuff can really truly activate 100% bonafide gratitude.

Do you practise gratitude daily? Do you have some other tricks and gratitude hacks? Let me know, I am all ears. 

Why You Need to Start Journaling Now

There is something so magical about putting pen to paper. It's a form of meditation, communicating with your soul and dare I say even the Source Energy, Universe and/or God. 

I find journaling incredibly therapeutic and I have been journaling every single day for a few months now. I use 2 notebooks to journal. One is a Plain Jane notebook which is for my general thoughts. And then I have a beautiful Liberty London notebook dedicated to gratitude; because gratitude deserves its own notebook. It is the Bomb Dot Com. 

I journal at least once a day sometimes even twice, usually first thing in the morning and then last thing before bed. 

My general journal is filled with my thoughts - good ones and bad, my dreams, anything thought provoking that I come across or just how I feel on a day to day basis. When I am looking for answers I will write that down. When I am looking for help I will write that down. And if you pay close attention, answers & help are delivered to you within days if not hours of your request! I also must credit Tim Ferriss' work as that has sparked my passion for journaling. If you are not familiar with Tim Ferriss, I highly recommend you check him out! I also listen to podcasts and/or audiobooks and take notes obsessively.

The notebook of gratitude is fairly simple. I write "I am grateful for... 28/05/17" and I simply make a list of things I am grateful for on that day. Writing makes it easier for you to genuinely start feeling grateful. You are solidifying your gratitude, you are bringing it to life by writing it down!  

I have to say that it's not quite the same when you type on your laptop or when you take notes on your phone. The act of using your hand & fingers, holding a pen and writing on a piece of paper is the real deal. Old school is the way to do this. I don't know the scientific explanation behind this, if at all there is an explanation.

To sum it all up here are reasons why I love journaling- 

• A great way to self coach when you are feeling stressed, depressed, anxious sad or angry 
• It's almost like organising your haphazard thoughts and is very therapeutic 
• Journaling dreams is a great way to remember your dreams as well as seeing any patterns in your dreams and what your dreams might be trying to communicate with you
• Writing down things that you are grateful for activates gratitude and makes you happy 
• It's a way of becoming more self aware and getting to know yourself better
• Of course writing down your goals and vision helps massively in achieving them 
• Writing down what you want activates the law of attraction to work in your favour and you are able to manifest quickly and effectively 
• The practise of writing daily helps you being a better writer and an effective communicator 

Let me know if you have a practise of journaling and what are your experiences with journaling? I would love to hear from you. 

How I Became a Morning Person

I am 33 years old and my biggest struggle most of my young & adult life has been waking up early. It takes me a while to wake up fully and for the most part of these 33 years, I used to wake up proper grumpy! It reminds me of my 3 year old nephew!

Fast forward to present; it still takes me a while to wake up fully but I don't wake up grumpy, I try and wake up feeling grateful instead. This is just a habit, a shift in perception of life and a choice. And with little practise, anyone can change.

I always said to myself and others- "If I had 'something to do' in the morning, I would wake up early. Otherwise why bother?" The funny thing is- that is the answer to the 'waking up early' puzzle. And 'something to do' in the morning can't be just a job. It has to be a bigger 'why' than your job. That's why anyone who talks about personal development talks about vision & purpose.

I kept struggling, trying to be a morning person but eventually gave up and labelled myself as 'just not a morning person.' If this sounds familiar to you, get rid of that label immediately. This is the first step towards becoming a morning person. Occasionally though, whenever I woke up early, I was AMAZED with the amount of tasks I could accomplish within the first 3 hours of my waking up. So I kept thinking about what it would take for me to really become a morning person.

When trying to change, self awareness is always a great place to start. Here's what I learnt about myself. The most important thing when I wake up in the morning is that I don't like being rushed. Being in a rush makes me anxious and stressed and I go along dreading the whole day ahead. On the other hand what I do love is a relaxed morning. I like taking my time with things.

I thought long and hard about how my perfect morning would look and the things I would love to do first thing in the morning. After a lot of self reflection I realised that meditating, exercising, having a heavy-duty healthy breakfast and then getting ready and not being rushed through any of these was very important to me. I then calculated that in order for me to do everything that I want to do in the morning without being rushed, I will have to wake up by 6 am. Most days I am able to wake up at 6 am but of course there are some not-so-perfect days and even then, I am up by 7:30 am at the very latest and try and get most of my morning routine done by 9 am.


Here are some key tips that have helped me become more of a morning person and I hope you will find some of these useful too.

• Sleep Early. If you get in a good night's sleep and enough hours of quality sleep, you will automatically wake up on time, feeling recharged and refreshed. That's just how our bodies are designed. I am disciplined enough to get in bed at 10 pm or at 11 pm (most days) at the very latest. 
• The Magic of The night before. The importance of planing and scheduling everything the night before really helps. Plan your outfit, do things like hair and nails. Plan your meals and snacks. This really helps in having the right mindset. Having these tiny tasks out of the way ensures you wake up feeling calm and not stressed just by thinking about the sheer amount of things you need to get done on a certain day. 
• Do not use a dreadful alarm and no matter how tempting do not press snooze.
• Try and wake up early in small increments. So if you wake up 7 am right now, wake up at 6:45, then at 6:30 and so on.
• Don't look at your phone, email or social media first thing in the morning.
• As soon as possible write down a list of things that you are grateful for. This instantly makes you happy.
• Create your morning rituals or morning routine and fill it with things that you LOVE. Make your morning time really special. Make it your 'me-time'. Do things that energise you. If you look forward to doing something in the morning, chances are you will wake up early.
• Have a daily vision. The days that I know exactly what I am  set to accomplish, I get up with an alarming ease. And days that are left unplanned bring about dread.

Let me know if you struggle with waking up early? And what are some of your top tips on becoming a morning person?