My morning routine is what puts the day in its place for me. It is the beginning of whatever lies ahead whether it will be a super busy day or lay around the house kind of day, I will do these routines.

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Beginning

I usually rise between 6:30 – 7:30am. I do not use black out curtains in our bedroom so the sun shines in bright and that is my cue to wake up. During the week, Brian’s alarm is set to 5:45am but I usually don’t hear it or him getting up and ready for his day of work. If I need to be somewhere, I like to get up at least an hour before I need to leave the house. I need the “me” time to get going.

I do check my phone as soon as I wake up to see what time it is and if there are any emergency text or emails that need my attention. And they have to be real emergencies to get my response, otherwise they can wait until I get at my office.

Bathroom Fun

The first thing I HAVE TO DO is brush my teeth. I literally roll out of bed and brush my teeth. I can’t eat or drink before this. I don’t know if this is weird but it is what it is. Afterwards, I start my face routine. Wash, Tone, Moisturize (this is the same I do at night before bed). Currently, I use the products below. My face wash and moisturizer changes from time to time, but that toner is my all time favorite and I cannot foresee replacing it with anything else (link at bottom).

It’s Coffee Time

There is nothing fancy about my coffee. I’m not a coffee expert. I can’t tell you what blend I am drinking or the hints of flavor it has. It’s just coffee to me and I enjoy one cup in the morning. Brian is the coffee tender in the mornings and on the occasion that I have to make the coffee, I am doubting my skills. Water to coffee grounds ratios scare me because who wants to start the day with a bad cup of coffee? I am also a whimp when it comes to coffee – my body can’t handle strong coffee. The coffee shakes are real. One more coffee fact about me is I drink it black. No cream, no sugar.

My Time With God

Nothing else goes better with God than a soft blanket and coffee. I am currently reading the Bible in a year plan. I did this in 2020 and decided to do it again in 2021, but chronologically. I usually have one other book or devotion to read along with it and I just started a book recommended by my pastor and good friend (Hey Chad!), Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer. Literally read the first pages today.

There are days when I sit for just 15 minutes to read the day’s passage and move on with my morning rountine. Other times I need to sit and soak in my time with God based on something that I read and needs action on my part or a life circumstance I need to work through. Either way, this time of devotion is hands down the most important part of my day because it literally is the foundation for who I am as a person and who I am to other people.

I like to journal but I am not consistent with it. When I do journal, I write down things I am thankful for, answered prayers, prayers to be answered and anything else in life that is going on…big and small. I love to look back at months/years past and see what God has done and what I am still waiting for (a faith builder).

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Workout

In my twenties I had a doctor give me the great news that my knees were 10 years older than the rest of my body. So, I can’t run, jump, etc., day after day because of my grandma knees. Finding a workout that works best for me was a challenge and the one I found is hard to explain. The best I can describe it is Jane Fonda-ish with a bit of Pilates? I do an arm workout (with and without weights), ab workout, and leg workout (with weights) 30 minutes, 5 times a week.

The program is called Tracy Anderson Method and I am about to start Year 3 with her. In my twenties, I also started to have back issues that resulted with major muscles spasms keeping me in bed for weeks. Bad knees and a bad back, not fun. TAM has not cured my knees but it has allowed me to keep exercising in a way that does not cause pain and it is the only workout I have done consistently for this amount of time. TAM has cured my daily back pain by building up my core to support my back.

I can’t workout without a good playlist and it has to be cranked up to levels my neighbors can hear, otherwise, working out gets boring for me.

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Get to Work

After I have completed all of the above, I start my work. Answering emails, writing blog posts, editing pictures, continuing education and waiting on gallery uploads (ugh, slow internet) is how I spend my time in the office. I love my job as a wedding photographer and am happy that each week looks different for me. For instance, a busy wedding season is an editing and uploading (ugh, slow internet) frenzy while a slower time of the year allows me to schedule/write blog post and watch educational videos. I do get distracted a few times a day looking out the window to see if the blue bird is in his house or peeping at the garden.

There you have a life of a wedding photographer’s morning routine and if you’ve read this far….maybe it will help you to think intentionally about how you start your day.

Here are links to some of my morning routine items:
My favorite face product | Lotion P50
Bible | One Year Chronological Bible
My Church (Sunday am routine) | Foundry
Workout Shoes | Nike Air Max 270
Workout Mat | Airex
Workout Playlist | Spotify