Hi, I'm Emilia Isabelle

Morning Routine the Secret Weapon

Let’s start off with the truth, life is messy. You can’t control if your kid wakes up acting like a tiny tornado (because calling him an asshole isn’t appropriate). You can’t stop your coworker from replying to your carefully written email with the thumbs-up reaction emoji, but you can control one glorious, sacred thing: how you start your day.

That’s where routine comes in, not the boring kind that makes you feel like a robot. Although, I sometimes tred this line like a tightrope act at the local circus. I’m referring to the kind that makes you feel like a slightly more put-together human being. I said slightly because I’m not a miracle worker..

Routine is the adult version of a superpower

According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits (the book that made us all realise our snack drawer might be ruining our waistline and lives), real change doesn’t come from grand declarations, it comes from our tiny habits. From repetition over and over and over, like brushing your teeth or reminding yourself not to check Instagram before you’ve even wiped the sleepy dust from your eyes or  gotten out of bed.

Morning routines are tiny but mighty. They give you a sense of control before the day throws in the curveballs like spilt cereal, forgotten homework, or that delightful email titled “just following up…” with a 2024 date (I need to know why people do that so if anyone knows hmu).

You are your own boss

Mel Robbins, in her book The High 5 Habit, encourages giving yourself a high five in the mirror each morning. Sounds a bit silly, but it works, tried and tested by me, but also scientifically. Why? Because starting the day by cheering yourself on sets the tone. If you don’t believe in yourself, who will? I’ve even started to get my son involved and we start the day by high five-ing and saying “today’s going to be a good day”.

You can’t control the external world, but you can control how you show up in it. And your morning routine is like armour for your attitude.

What is a good day, you ask well…

Good question. A good day doesn’t mean everything goes smoothly (ha! I don’t know the last smooth day I had).

It means:
• You didn’t yell at your houseplants.
• You remembered to eat something green.
• You made it to the end without Googling “Is it normal to feel this tired by midday?”
In short, a good day feels intentional, not like you’re just reacting to one mini-crisis after another.

A doable morning routine looks like:

• Wake up- set a cheery alarm not one that sounds like a fire drill. My alarm even has a cute name, so it’s a little reminder that we made it to a new day!
• Stay hydrated (coffee doesn’t count)– your body will thank you!
• Give yourself a high five in the mirror.
• Journal the chaos of the day- trauma dump your brain onto paper if you need to!
• Pick 3 key tasks- what NEEDS to be done today. It can be as basic as fold the clothes or as out there as choosing all the flooring for your house renovation (note to self: I need to get that done), that way, when the day derails (which it shall), you’re still a winner.
• Feed your brain- read a quote, listen to a podcast, and read a page of a book that rivets you.

And on that note, a final thought

Routine isn’t about becoming a productivity ninja or creating an aesthetic morning for Instagram with your poached eggs on sourdough and your homemade iced-matcha. It’s about showing up for yourself before the world asks you to show up for everyone else.

So tomorrow morning, before the madness begins, take a moment. Hydrate. High five. Breathe. You’ve got this, and even if you don’t, you’ve got coffee!