Not everyone can be a morning person in the traditional sense. Many of us wonder how other people are always super happy and love the mornings.
Turns out, a lot of those couples are making some concrete choices in the morningand reaping the benefits in their relationships, as well as in the rest of their day.
Agree to start your day earlier in order to set some of these into action.Your body might whine. It may require shifting some med schedules around.
Maybe you genuinely have to put it off to slightly later in the day. Okay. Do that. It’s worth it.
- Go sit outside, or by an open window with one another, even for five minutes. Use the time to sit quietly and share what’s on your schedule for the day, sip your tea, or hold hands and just lean into one another. Can you get out for a jaunt around the block or up to the roof? No matter what the weather, the (hopefully) fresh air will feel good, or motivate you to cuddle closer. Clears the head some too.
- Begin the day with some purposeful affection. Starting your day with cuddling, hugs, kisses, neck rubs, toweling one another off after the shower, offering genuine compliments or a word of encouragement for the day, is a surefire way to start it on the right foot.
- Start the day off with a game. Seriously, it’s a really nice way to throw some quick joy into the mix as you start moving and grooving with life’s daily details. Think something around 5 to 10 minutes. MAKE the time. It's worth the effort. Try some of these: ~ A couple hands of Black Jack ~ Co-work a puzzle ~ Set out a board game and commit to three exchanges each, and leave it up 'til it’s all played out ~ Shooting cups with Nerf guns ~ Paper airplanes ~ Hangman with a theme ~ Ping Pong, Air Hockey or Foosball, if you have one of those tables ~ Work a crossword puzzle or Sudoku ~ Shoot rubber bands into buckets
- Dance together. Or for one another. Whichever one works to best put a smile on your lover’s face. It may be only a two-minute dance, but it’s worth those two minutes.
- Benjamin Franklin used to wake up each day with a question, “What good shall I do today?” It immediately put a positive focus on what he was going to do that day. As a couple, try to come up with one thing you can do together that will make someone else’s world a little better. If you both commit to it, it’s more likely you’ll follow through and do it. Team work will serve to strengthen your bond.
- If you pray, pray out loud for your partner so they can hear it, and make it a blessing. If that’s not your comfort zone, then tell them something positive that you’re wishing will happen for them as their day continues. Add something along these same lines for you as a couple.
- Remind one another of things that each of you can look forward to that day. Count off a couple of things in your world right now that you can be thankful for. There are good things, as well as hard, that happen in our days, so focus yourselves on as many positive parts as you can.
- Take turns reading to one another. Keep it light unless the morning news is what hits the spot for both of you. Use a few minutes of your day and hand-pick articles or books that you know will really leave your partner awake and contemplating something unique, fun, interesting, or inspiring.
- Things of beauty impact us. Whether it’s tangible, audible, or in a picture, find something remarkable or stunning to look at or listen to together as you get ready to head into your days. Creation & creativity are a great reminder that we have a lot to appreciate around us. It can be a small reminder of the beauty that surrounds you, and each morning will seem a little cheerier.
- If one of you in the relationship is working as a caregiver getting your mornings started, the partner on the receiving end of that can offer some extra care right back, by showing up each morning with: ~ An encouraging quote for the day ~ A joke ~ A fun or thoughtful social media meme ~ Something you’re going to pray specifically for/ keep a good thought for, for your partner ~ A piece of trivia that would be meaningful for them ~ A cool photo of the day ~ A love-note to have them carry in their pocket for the rest of the day
- Can you eat breakfast together? Even if one comes via tube feeding, or one eats while one drinks their meal (or coffee lol). It’s a nice time to just stop and share the first meal of the day when possible. Take an interest in knowing how your partner is as their day starts.