The Morning Phrase

What’s the first thing you hear in the morning? What’s the first thing you read in the morning? What’s the first thing yo do in the morning? I ask because this very first thing will shape your whole day. If it’s something that plays on the radio, you’ll hear that tune all day long. If it’s something that you hear form your room mate (or your spouse, or your kid) it will circle in your mind all day long. If it’s something you’re doing with good results it will influence your entire day. With good results, of course.

I call this specific piece of action, this day igniter: “the morning phrase”. The morning phrase is something very important and I don’t mean only at a symbolical, metaphorical level. We’re functioning with two minds: one conscious and the other one subconscious. Like it or not, a huge part of your being is driven by your subconscious mind. And one of the first things your subconscious will receive daily will be this morning phrase. And guess what: your subconscious mind is a very obedient friend: it will do exactly what you tell to it.

This apparently insignificant thing is like a powerful switch for a better mood during the day. Once you activated it, chances that your daily behavior will change – without a significant conscious intervention from your part – are really big. In fact, you’re still experiencing those changes, only at a subconscious level. In today’s post I’ll try to take the morning phrase out from your subconscious mind and make it a little bit more manageable.

Why Having A Morning Phrase

To unleash your energy in a specific task.
To keep a positive attitude during the day.
To implement a specific habit.
To fixate something in a longer learning process.
To keep you motivated towards a specific goal.

And you can add your very own reasons here….

What A Morning Phrase Is Made Of

I started to experience my morning phrase more than 2 years ago. I had several morning phrases and I learned some important things about the effectiveness of a morning phrase. Here’s the detailed list.

True

First of all, the morning phrase must be true. If it’s something that you perceive as a lie, it will not work. Remember, you subconscious mind is not easy to challenge, it will eat whatever you feed it, so if you feed ti with lies, it will get back to you with lies.

A true morning phrase is something that is very close to your own personality, your environment, you general life context. If the morning phrase is something like: “It’s so hot today in Antarctica” I don’t think you’ll hook your subconscious up into something useful.

Simple

It must be simple and understandable. When you wake up, your brain is trying to adjust from sleeping patterns, specifically delta / theta frequencies, to the awake state, typically alpha frequencies. During this adjustment period, nothing too complicated will really get through, so it better be simple. As in not complicated.

Realistic

It must be something you are able to do it. Like during that specific day, not in a week, or month. Using your immediate resources, not something you may have in a month or two.

Empowering

That morning phrase must motivate you in some form. It may refer to things you are attracted to, or it may be formulated in some familiar and pleasant way. Whatever the form, the morning phrase will unleash something from you, so be careful at what you want to let out.

Easy To Remember

If you really want to make things smoother, chose an easy to remember phrase. Don’t go out rhyming, if you’re not comfortable with it, but chose something easy to memorize. That way you conscious mind will be attracted in the game too.

How To Create A Morning Phrase

The most effective moment for the morning phrase is at or shortly after the alarm clock. If you use an alarm clock, of course. If you can get up in the morning without an alarm clock, you would have to create a separate habit for the morning phrase. I already wrote an article about how to create a habit in 15 days, so feel free to read it if you want to create this new habit.

My alarm clock is in fact my iPhone, which makes things a little simpler. An alarm set up in the iPhone clock’s application can also have a short description. Which is in fact my morning phrase. So, I’m set.

But you may not be an iPhone person, so you must chose other insertion points. You can have it written on a post-it on your bathroom mirror, for instance, or clipped with a magnet on your fridge. You can have it on your wardrobe, or on your car’s dashboard. It’s really a matter of what you think it’s a good insertion point for this type of messages.

In fact, you will find the best insertion point once you start assessing the results. Depending on the specific content of that phrase, the results may be extremely diverse, but there are some common points you could be able to identify.

Better Sleeping

I noticed that after a few days of having this morning phrase, my sleeping patterns are starting to improve slightly. Might be associated with the fact that my stress level is lowered by using a morning phrase.

Better Mood During The Day

Regardless of the specific goal set in the morning phrase, you should be able to experience better moods during your day. Or at least a more energetic attitude. Or you are smiling more often.

Effectiveness

That should be the most important assessment. If you’re experiencing a higher level of effectiveness – independent of the specific task you’re doing – the morning phrase is working.

The “Night Before” Trick

Ok, this is a trick, because is not happening in the morning, but it makes it works better. Read that phrase just before you go to sleep. Again, having it written in my iPhone makes it easier for me to have it close just before getting asleep. I noticed that when I read my phrase before going to sleep, in the morning I have a familiar feeling. Anyway, it works better like this.

Do you have a morning phrase? If not, ever thought to start having one? Do you think it’s beneficial or placebo? Would love to hear your comments on that.




42 thoughts on “The Morning Phrase”

  1. I would love to have a morning phrase, it sounds like it could really make a difference to my day! But what sort of thing can you have as a morning phrase (examples please) and how can I set it up as a description in my iPhone?

    Reply
    • “Today is going to be a beautiful day” – that’s an example. If you want it to be the first thing you see in the morning, just put it at your alarm on your iPhone. There’s a field where you set up the alarm, where you can customize the “label”, or the text you see when the alarm goes on.

      Reply
  2. I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I’m now not positive whether this put up is written by him as nobody else realize such certain about my trouble. You are wonderful! Thanks!

    Reply
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  4. I’m a visual thinker. Would like some sample morning phrases to help me craft my own. I understood your explanations of what it should contain, but was hoping for some examples to really get my creative juices flowing.

    Reply
    • At Nancy:
      Just read some of what other commentors have said… they were pretty good examples e.g:
      Celes: “To live the day to my best ability, such that I will not regret it.”
      Bunny: ” I am thankful for this day.”
      Marelisa: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
      Janice: “Your thoughts guide you to your destiny. If you always think the same you will always get to the same place. Think in a new way and you will be a new person. Give happiness to all and you will live in peace. Create peace in your mind and you will create a world of peace around you.”

      …Good luck!

      Reply
  5. Hello dragos,
    I have been in not so good of a state lately actually for a long while and just today decided it needs to stop! I looked up motivation and stumbled across your 33 ways to Maintain Motivation page. I really enjoyed reading it, honestly after looking threw a few pages of motivation your was the only one I got excited reading after the 1st step!
    I came to the 15th step and WOW, I am totally in love with this idea! I am looking forward to waking up and reading my morning phrase tomorrow! I have a really good feeling that these and this step are going to work out for me (even though I did not write my morning phrase myself). I would love to share it with everyone because I have 100% faith in it. Hope you like and enjoy it and that it will help someone out the way it is going to help me:
    Your thoughts guide you to your destiny.
    If you always think the same
    you will always get to the same place.
    Think in a new way and you will be a new person.
    Give happiness to all and you will live in peace.
    Create peace in your mind and
    you will create a world of peace around you.

    Reply
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  9. Thanks for the idea. On autopilot most mornings, I don’t think about the impact of my words to my children first thing in the morning: “better get up or you’ll be late”, “finish your breakfast, or you’ll get hungry before lunch” etc. I’m setting them up! I will try to make the first things my children hear from me be affirming and prepare them for the successes of the day, not the failures.

    Reply
  10. First off, I love this post. I started my morning phrase about 3 days. I only hope I can keep it when my girlfriend gets back home from her dads. Maybe I can get her to join in with me. Its a pretty nice wake up. I don’t use an alarm but I will when my girlfriend gets back. She can’t wake up without one.

    When I wake up I just take a moment to smile. That moment starts the day off just right.
    .-= Deneil Merritt´s last blog ..Twittley Review =-.

    Reply
  11. I really like this Idea Dragos. What I do is a little different, but I have been doing it for a long time. I never use an alarm clock for two reasons. First of all I don’t need it, but secondly, the thought of being rudely interrupted first thing in the morning stresses me out. So I wake up every five minutes and look at the clock so I can get up before the alarm goes off. Not very restful.

    Anyway, I stay in bed for a few minutes and reflect on all the things I am grateful for. It requires some thought but it’s almost like a meditative state. I just let my thoughts flow from one blessing to another with thankful awareness. Doing this seems to raise my level of appreciation for everything. I find it also sets me up to notice other things I am grateful for throughout the day.
    .-= Jonathan – Advanced Life Skills´s last blog ..Who Needs Approval? =-.

    Reply
    • Lol, I loved the alarm clock situation you described, I remember I had some of those nights too. Seems like you created your own way of attracting things with that little morning ritual. It’s a little more complex than a morning phrase, that I can feel 🙂

      Reply
  12. What a delightful post and insight. I totally believe in the power of suggestion and even more so…choice. Both my sweetheart and I do this every morning. And it is seemingly simple and yet very powerful. I tend to do it right before going to sleep and right upon waking. ….AND now that I think about it I continually reaffirm throughout the day. I have several things I say. Not only my positive intentions in the morning and night, but ones like: “I want to check in with myself throughout the day to make sure I am on course. Am I on course right now? Am I doing what I need and want to be doing or have I drifted from my intention?” Etc.

    Great idea Dragos. And a wonderful and important offering you give others, one so often overlooked due to its simplicity. It’s appreciated on this end. Robin
    .-= Robin Easton´s last blog ..Goofy, Wacky and Happy! …Are You? =-.

    Reply
    • That’s nice, checking in with yourself at various times during the day, this is something that I could really use myself. I can get carried away pretty easily with various tasks so I sometime forgot where I am. Thanks for sharing, Robin, your words and support are truly appreciated 🙂

      Reply
  13. Negative self talk is so important to self esteem or the lack of.
    I tried it this morning and I will work on that.
    Honestly I tell myself all the time that my life sucks. Sad but true. I believe in the power of intention and a self fulfilling prophecy, so I do know better.

    Thanks for the reminder.

    Reply
    • If you’re gonna keep telling that thing you’re gonna making it happen at some point. Like really happen. Anyway, glad you’re trying it out, do let me know if it’s working. Or not. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Hi Dragos,
    I think having a morning phase is an excellent idea. Starting the day out with a positive and relaxing frame of mind is very important. The same is required for at the end of the day.
    A short time back, I started to take sometime out- to look at my surrounding and repeat silently ” I am thankful for this day”.
    This gives me a feeling of inner peace.
    This is a wonderful article with a very good message.
    Thank you for writing it.
    .-= Bunnygotblog´s last blog ..Advertising Towards Dummies =-.

    Reply
  15. Great idea, Dragos. This is a part of affirmations. As you said, we feed our subsconscious with things that we want continuously and it is very helpful to create a new habit.
    Thanks Dragos.
    .-= Arswino´s last blog ..The Power of Faith and Belief =-.

    Reply
    • You’re totally right, this type of motivation is done by using affirmations. The things you’re telling have a great power – regardless of who you’re talking to, the others or yourself – and being impeccable with your words (as Don Miguel Ruiz stated) is a great rule to live by.

      Reply
  16. This is very innovative, Dragos! I think my morning phrase will be along the lines of this: To live the day to my best ability, such that I will not regret it. Best here is defined in terms of excellence, experience and productivity.

    Reply
      • Thanks a lot Dragos, that’s very affirming! 😀 I really love it a lot too – the funny thing was, this tagline has been ringing in my head on and off ever since I started the blog months ago. I just never really considered it for some reason, until now when it hit me I could use it.

        Reply
  17. Dragos, this is fascinating! I’ve also read that right before you go to bed and right after you get up your brain is in super-learning mode. You remember and learn what you do in those 20-30 minutes far better than you do at any other time of the day.
    .-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Well-Being is Better Than Happiness =-.

    Reply
    • Glad I touched base with the night before trick, it’s easier to set up moods when your barriers are a little lower than usual, and the moments you’re going to sleep you’re usually more relaxed.

      Reply

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