Two years ago, I used to wake up flustered and in a panic.

"What did I miss while I was asleep," I'd wonder as I scrambled to get out of bed to get to my laptop, all while scrolling through emails on my phone.

Within minutes, I'd be responding to texts, shooting off emails, making phone calls, and updating social media before I even had the chance to hop in the shower and eat breakfast. Those minutes would turn into hours, and before I knew it, my entire day had passed by before I had an opportunity to eat, drink a few glasses of water, and find my center.

It was no wonder when I visited a holistic doctor, in 2014 after my monthly cycle went missing, that I found out I was extremely fatigued, dehydrated, malnourished, and my nervous system was on the brink of shutting down.

I knew in that moment that things had to change.

During a February 2015 text exchange I had with Sway In The Morning co-host Tracy G., we dived into the topic of morning rituals, which went something like this:

Tracy: What does a successful morning look like for you?

Me: A successful morning to me right now is waking up with a positive mindset and knowing I can do anything I put my mind to. It might sound small, but I've mentally abused myself over the past year more than any man or human ever could. A successful morning means eating two meals before noon. It's the small stuff.

My success definitely does not include giving my mornings to others and not myself first, even though I am very thankful for my job.

That was my morning for 8 years, giving it to others. Now I make sure I wake up, drink a glass of water, open my blinds, listen to an empowering podcast while cooking my breakfast, and really make sure I've found my center before I plug into what the rest of the world is doing.

I'm trying my best to have an hour to myself in the morning before having to prep for my show. Now that you've realized that it's a non-negotiable, that can help you with future decision-making. If something is going to disrupt your recharge time in the morning – is it worth it?

Absolutely not.

Two years later, I've remained pretty consistent about my morning recharge time and it has literally transformed my days and changed my life.

Here are 13 things I find myself doing upon waking up before I've even had the chance to check emails or log into my computer:

1. Lay in silence for 15 minutes and visualize how I want my day to go.
2. Write down my intentions for the day in my journal.
3. Pray (and thank God for the many blessings He's bestowed upon me).
4. Stretch (a lot of people do yoga or meditate, I'm not there yet)
5. Make my bed (I've found that if I don't do this, I'll want to jump back in.)
6. Drink a glass of water (you are super dehydrated upon waking up).
7. Open my blinds and let the sun in. (This is actually my favorite part of my day.)
8. Shower. (The steam from the shower helps get my ideas flowing.)
9. Cook breakfast. (Normally, it's 3-4 eggs with a side of oatmeal and fruit.)
10. Take my vitamins.
11. Listen to an empowering podcast or audio book. (This can be done while making breakfast.)
12. Put on feel-good music.
13. Aromatherapy. (I find that when I put Peppermint oil in my diffuser, it helps energize me. Lemon awakens my senses.)

Depending on how I feel, I may do about 15 – 30 minutes of cardio to get my heart rate going in the AM.

Once I've completed most of my ritual, and fully immersed myself into my "Me" time, that's when I will log online and plug into what the world is doing.

I have noticed such a dramatic change in my life since putting these rituals in place and my friends have all pointed out the shift they've seen in my energy and overall attitude towards life since I've been doing this as well.

A lot of people may say, "Sorry, I don't have time," but making the choice to go to bed earlier, and wake up an hour or two earlier makes all of the difference.

If you put a good morning ritual that works for you in place versus the usual routine of scrambling out of bed, hopping in the shower, plugging into emails, and rushing out the door, you increase your chances of having a productive, well-balanced, and positive day.

Try it, and let me know what happens!

What's your current morning ritual?

Originally published on Necole Kane.com