Miracle Morning February – “Visualization” & “Exercise”

As I’m planning for these earlier mornings starting in February, I have to admit that these two areas are my least favorite of those declared a vital part of a morning routine, but I recognize them to be valuable and good reminders to take care of the passion and dreams God has put in my heart and to take care of this body He has given me. When you put all these practices together, I believe that God will renew your sense of purpose for Him and show you greater insights into who He is and how He made you to be.

Visualization

I am not an image person, really. I’m more of a word nerd. So, it’s really hard for me to “see” an image in my head, much less visualize myself doing something. To be honest, this part takes me maybe 1-2 minutes. But, I try, though. In alignment with my affirmations/spiritual reminders, I take a moment to try and visualize myself being kind to my kids during homeschooling; responding gently and patiently instead of getting frustrated or mad. I also visualize myself making healthy food choices or being active in some regard. This visualization stuff is really really hard for me. I know that the brain is a powerful tool and I know that God has gifted us with an imagination and creativity and I want to use those tools in a way that honors Him. If the idea of visualization turns you off or feels wrong to you, don’t do it!

Exercise

Ugh. It’s hard for me to exercise early in the morning, but I recognize the value of it and realize there’s really no other good time to do it. It’s been a while since I’ve worked out at all, so I’m starting easy. I am aiming for 5-10 minutes of something, anything that will make me move. My current plan is to do some weights and maybe a few yoga stretches. Kat Lee of HelloMornings once said that she would roll out of bed and do a few sit-ups or squats before brushing her teeth. It can really be as simple as that! Listen to this HelloMornings podcast about making small changes to add movement to your life.

The beauty of the Miracle Morning is that the elements of silence (music & prayer), affirmations (spiritual reminders), visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing can and should be done in whatever order suits you best! For me, I always leave exercise for last. There are some days it may not get done before the kids are up, but I’d rather have the majority of my time used for prayer, praise, and study. This is what works best for me. However, there have been times when I’ve exercised first and then it was nice to sit down and drink my coffee knowing that I really could just relax for the rest of the time. Experiment and see what fits with your schedule and energy. If you are truly short on time, you could listen to a Bible app while walking or listen to praise music while you stretch.

While it is always God who provides the miracles, I look at this routine as making space for them to happen and setting aside time to SEE them. So often, we go about our lives distracted and unaware of all the goodness of God. When we start our mornings with praise and gratitude in prayer, meditating and repeating out loud our blessings and the desires He’s given us, and journaling and studying His word, we open our hearts wide to His truth and our eyes to see His work in our lives. I want to live my life on purpose and not just let it pass by me without any consideration. Having a “miracle morning” routine is one way to ensure that I am paying attention to what God is doing and listening to learn how I can join Him.