Start a Thankful Morning Routine

By: Jenifer Metzger

Last week we talked about the power of gratitude and how gratitude shifts our focus from the negative to the positive. This week we are going to talk about how to start a thankful morning routine. 

We know that there is power in gratitude so when we start our day with gratitude, we can change the course for the entire day. Years ago when my kids were young, we were having quite a rough morning. All four kids were grumpy and I was super grumpy. The day was getting worse by the minute. I finally said, "Everyone back to bed! We are starting over!" My kids looked at me like I was crazy, but I knew we needed to start the day over and start it right. So everyone laid back in their beds, I re-woke them up, and we started fresh. The rest of the day went better.

How to a thankful morning routine.

As you open your eyes in the morning, before grabbing your phone, breathe a prayer of thanks. It's automatic. The alarm goes off, we grab our phone and immediately begin scrolling. Before our feet even hit the ground, we've checked out what we missed while asleep. What if instead of checking in with the world, we praised the Creator of the world?

Keep a journal and write down two or three things you are thankful for each morning. This could be done at your bedside, while you drink your coffee, or before you start your work day. When you write down your gratitude list, it helps you to see a visual of your blessings. And on days you are struggling, you can look back and see that there are always blessings.

Let your phone help you give thanks. Put a Scripture verse about gratitude and praise on your lock screen. There are several apps that do this for you or you can use a wallpaper that has a Scripture on it. Then before you unlock your phone, say the Scripture verse aloud.

Make it a family affair. Ask your husband something he is thankful for before he heads off to work. At breakfast, ask your kids to share something they are thankful for. When our kids were very young, we started a practice of reciting Psalm 118:24 at breakfast every single morning. We did this until they became adults and started moving out. It helped us to recognize that our day was a gift that we needed to be thankful for.

Begin to shift your days and your mindset as you begin your days with thanksgiving!

Discussion:
1. Of the four steps listed above, do you already practice any of them?
2. What is something you are thankful for right  now?