Okay, so I am about to share with you life’s biggest secret. I would suggest you put down your remote and stand up because otherwise you may literally explode. That’s how amazing this secret is. Now that I have officially set your expectations so ridiculously high that this article will never be able to live up to the hype, I will get this party started right – quickly!

The first hour and the last hour are the 2 most important hours of the day. They must be carefully planned and artfully implemented. Routines are critical to ensure you have an awesome day and a restful sleep. In this article I’m going to focus on a morning routine checklist you must follow every day to ensure you are your most amazing, productive, self.

Step 1 – Be Grateful

Wake up every morning with some zest for life. LITERALLY! The first thing you should do every morning is say thank you for being alive! Being a little grateful first thing in the morning will start your day with a little pep. Oprah does it.

Step 2 – Drink Water

This is one of the most important steps in your morning routine checklist. When you wake up you are massively dehydrated. Drink a 12 oz glass of water to kick start your metabolism.

Step 3 – Shower

You need to clean yourself up and ensure you are feeling dapper for the day. As the old saying goes, look good – FEEL good.

Step 4 – Meditate

Imagine your mind is a battery and everyday, like your phone, you are replaying old videos of your life, planning your day, or reading ridiculous blogs. Your brain/battery runs out of juice. Meditating for 5 minutes in the morning will recharge that tired old battery and get you ready for an awesome day.

Step 5 – Keep a Grateful Diary

Every morning I quickly jot down 3 things I’m grateful for. It’s quite simple, I open my notepad on my phone and type in 3 things I’m happy about. They don’t have to be overly complicated. I keep it simple, like, my family, my pets, and the sunny day. They don’t always have to be mind shattering ideas. Just something that cheers you up a little.

Step 6 – Drink a Green Smoothie

Everybody needs energy and I know most people use caffeine for a morning kick start. But a smoothie packed full of vitamins will give you more energy and keep your energy levels even through out the day.

Step 7 – A To-Do List

I don’t know about you but once my day starts to get going it can quickly get sidetracked by emails, meetings, and projects. In order to ensure you keep your day on track a to-do list is a must. Additionally, keeping lists, including priorities, is extremely taxing on your most vital resource, your brain. Lists take up a large amount of space in your prefrontal cortex that can be used for many other tasks. That’s why it is so critical to get that list out of your mind and on to a piece of paper.

I promise that if you follow the above morning routine checklist, you will have set the stage for a massively productive day.

Deep-Seated Confidence