Rise With Intention: The Power of a Morning Routine You Look Forward To

By Jennifer Kelleher

There’s something about the first light of morning that sets the tone for everything that follows. When you start your day with intention, and with rituals you genuinely look forward to, you’re not just creating a pleasant morning– you’re shaping the flow of your entire life.

I’ve learned that when I anticipate my mornings with excitement, it transforms my evenings. I naturally want to get to bed on time, eat in a way that supports deep sleep, and leave my phone aside. I want to wake up feeling good, so I do what I need the night before to make that possible. In many ways, a joyful morning routine starts in the evening.

This is especially important now, as we’ve just stepped into a brand-new season. Fall has a different energy than summer– quieter, a bit slower, and more reflective. It invites us to turn inward and nourish ourselves in new ways. The routine that felt perfect in July might not suit you now, and what you create this fall may not be what you need next year. That’s the beauty of it. You are different. Life is different. Your morning can reflect that.

So ask yourself: What fills my cup? What do I need to feel good and be good? Maybe it’s journaling while the coffee brews. Maybe it’s a brisk walk, a few sun salutations, or simply sitting in silence before the world wakes up. The key is to make it something you can’t wait to do, something that nourishes you from the inside out.

What you tell yourself first thing matters just as much as what you do. I used to wake up, turn off my phone alarm, and immediately start scrolling. I thought it was harmless, but it filled my head with noise before I’d even taken a breath. Now, I resist that urge, and the difference is profound. This morning, for example, I started with a few minutes of breathwork in bed, followed by a short meditation, less than fifteen minutes in total. Then I got up, moved through two sun salutations, and by the time I’d showered and dressed, the sun was rising. I strolled down to the beach to catch the first streaks of light before making my son breakfast and getting him ready for school. The whole morning felt expansive, grounded, and mine.

Your morning may look completely different, and it should. What matters is that it feels like you. It could be a candle and a few pages of reading, a playlist that makes you dance, or simply a quiet cup of tea. Start small and build on what truly delights you. As author Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Each morning is a fresh chance to spend your life well.

This fall, give yourself permission to revise, to listen inward, and to create a routine worth waking up for. When you look forward to your mornings, you begin each day nourished and present. And when you start each day that way, everything else (from the way you move through work to the way you care for your loved ones) naturally begins to glow.

So tonight, set yourself up for tomorrow. Think of the little rituals that will make you eager to rise. Then greet the morning like the gift it is: a quiet promise that you can begin again, with intention and joy.

If you’re looking for a beautiful way to weave this intention into your own life, come practice with us at Ocean Bliss Yoga. Starting or ending your day with yoga is a powerful way to center yourself, fill your cup, and stay connected through the season’s changes. We offer classes for every body and every schedule– an uplifting routine to help you rise with grace or wind down with ease. Sign up at oceanblissyoga.net. Call or text me with any questions at 917-318-1168.