7 Uplifting Habits to Kick Start Your Day

Our hectic lifestyles often have us running around in circles, wondering what to do next. It's not that we don't have an agenda in place; it's that we often feel scattered or derailed when a wrench is thrown into the plans.

If, however, you start the day with an uplifting, purposeful routine, you can stay focused no matter what happens to threaten your sanity!

Here are 7 uplifting habits to kick-start your day:

1. Upon rising, take a minute or two to stretch. According to the Mayo Clinic, stretching increases muscle flexibility, which improves daily performance and overall movement. It also increases blood flow to your muscles and brain while simultaneously relaxing you, thus easing tension and stress.

2. Take a moment for mindfulness reflection. After stretching, slow your breathing by taking a few deep breaths, then focus on how you feel, what you see, and what you smell. Not only will being mindful sharpen your senses, but it will also help you prepare for the day ahead by increasing your awareness and focus.

3. Have a little book of inspirational quotes or passages handy. Starting the day with an inspiring, positive quote gives you direction and puts you in a positive, productive frame of mind. Here are two examples:

"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." Francis Bacon

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength, but persistence." Buddha

Whose day wouldn't hold promise with a fresh, bold attitude to begin it?

4. Visualize a successful outcome for the day. Go over what you want to accomplish for the day and visualize it going well. Of course, there are always little glitches, so see yourself successfully dealing with anything that threatens to get in the way.

Visualizing is a great way to anticipate what lies ahead and alert you to possibilities. Indeed, research has shown that visualization can significantly improve physical and psychological reactions in certain situations. An advantage indeed!

5. Take a moment for gratitude. Acknowledge all the good things you have going for you – your health, family, opportunities, and everything else going well in your life.

When you appreciate what you have, somehow, more good things find their way to you. Likewise, studies have shown that maintaining a sense of gratitude can help you sustain a more positive mood and well-being throughout the day.

6. Let go of any negative thoughts or grudges you may harbor. Know that holding ill feelings or negativity towards someone will only drag you down and prevent you from being at your best. Keeping your head clear will leave room for creativity and for all the productive things you want to accomplish.

Letting go and forgiving others is also good for your heart. A study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that forgiveness and letting go were associated with lower heart rate and blood pressure, as well as reduced stress. Having a healthy heart and mind would help anyone's overall daily performance.

7. Come up with a personal positive affirmation to motivate you. Invent a slogan or saying that pertains to you and will inspire you to be at your best. It could be something like, "I endeavor to make a positive difference whenever I can," or "Challenges help me grow."

According to studies, positive affirmations (realistic ones) are a great tool to program your subconscious mind to help you perform well and have a productive mindset.

As many athletes, performers, business people, and politicians can attest to, you can employ many little techniques to help you rise to an occasion - in this case, to kick-start your day. So why not begin every day with these helpful little practices?