How to Stop Waking Up Stressed
Try this if you feel anxious and defeated before your first cup of coffee
I got out of bed today to discover the floor of my family room littered with 27 toy dinosaurs, arranged in alphabetical order. My five-year-old son, Liam, was in his fort, gazing at the prehistoric land he just created and giggling to himself with glee.
I’d love to be able to leap up in the morning with that level of zeal. Though right now, with loved ones who are sick and having work contracts cut in half, my focus is to wake up not feeling overly stressed, anxious, or scared.
I’ve been making some small changes that are helping me feel lighter as I begin my days, even when I have no idea what lies ahead. My system isn’t perfect, but lately, I’ve been waking up calm and at times even hopeful. Here are six techniques that are working for me and might work for you, too.
Start a simple evening ritual
If kids don’t follow a nighttime routine, they turn into wild gremlins. Adults are not all that different. Our inner monsters are hard to tame in the morning if we don’t take steps to keep them at bay at night.
To reap the benefits of an evening routine, you don’t have to do some extensive, 10-step ritual. Just do a few small…
