I used to not be a morning person. I worked long hours on my online business, sometimes going to bed in the wee hours of the night.

After doing that for a few years, I realized just how hard it was on my body. So I slowly began to make a shift.

I changed everything about my business and started working less. I slowly but surely began getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

Then once my babies turned into preschoolers, I began a new practice. Waking up before the household, while it was still dark outside.

Oh, I used to think I would never be a morning person. But I’ve discovered that the quiet and still morning hours are one of the best times for me to think, pray, and plan. I love to learn about new things in the quiet darkness too, and you will often find me reading or writing before children wake up.

Since winter is extra dark, my mornings somehow feel even more special.

We usually all observe little rituals throughout our day, even when we don’t realize it.

The morning coffee.

The mid-afternoon reading time.

Watching the sunset after an early dinner.

Today I thought I’d share a few morning winter ritual ideas. We want to start our cold, winter days off on the right foot, don’t we?

Set a Positive Tone

One of the most important things we can do each morning is to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. And one of the easiest ways to do this is to remember what we’re grateful for.

In the early morning quiet, let’s think about what we appreciate. These could be big things, or little things. I personally love to make a list of little things I enjoy, because it makes my life feel like it’s so.very.full of goodness.

Morning Prayer Walk

Each morning I walk around my home before everyone wakes to give thanks for what we own and to pray for everyone who lives there. It only takes me a few minutes, but I love to do this each day. It makes me feel connected to so many things…my family, my home, and God. Sometimes I take these prayer walks outside to show gratitude for the land and commune with nature. It really is the perfect way to begin the day.

Gentle Movement

I don’t know if you can tell yet, but many of my morning rituals overlap. During my early morning walk, not only am I thinking, praying, and showing gratitude. I’m also moving my body.

After a long night’s rest, it is good for our bodies to gently enter wakefulness. This allows our nervous system to acclimate properly to the day ahead.

Getting Natural Light

Even if it’s very cold outside, I try to go outside for just a few minutes once the sun has risen. This is a wonderful way to keep our internal clocks functioning properly, since they are tricked by artificial light much too often. Sunlight helps us to produce Vitamin D, which our bodies need all year long. And I don’t know about you, but feeling sunlight on my skin feels like a special touch from God, especially during the winter season.

Nourishing Food and Drink

Sitting down with nourishing food is a wonderful way to begin our day, especially in the winter. This is the perfect time of year to rejuvenate our bodies before longer daylight hours come. Warm foods are especially comforting during the winter, aren’t they?

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One of the purposes of ritual is to form habits that nourish our spirit, mind, and body. Once we’ve committed to our new ritual for a month or so, we should really be able to tell a difference in the way it makes us feel.

If you decide to try one of these Winter Morning Rituals for yourself, I hope you enjoy it. I also hope and pray your winter mornings are full of rest, peace, and abundance.

Originally found on Nicole’s Substack.

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