Do you give yourself an inspection before you leave the house in the morning? Perhaps you use a full-length mirror or a magnifying compact. You may even rely on the visor mirror in your car to make sure that you 'have it all together' before you head out for the day.
My sons attend a military high school and Morning Inspection is a mandatory daily drill. Every member of the student body/brigade has to appear before his inspector each morning before the start of classes. My eldest son is the Cadet Colonel which means he is the person who is responsible for overseeing the inspection process. He was recently telling me how frequently the inspectors have had to say the words "belt-socks-fail". I asked what this meant and he explained that the initial part of the inspection is "silent" as each platoon leader quietly checks the members of his unit for uniform compliance including haircut, shave, tie, name tag, rank stars and bars, ribbons, buttons, etc. Then the inspector says the words: "belt" and "socks"because this prompts the cadet to lift up his sweater or coat and bottom of the trousers in order to show that he is wearing a belt and socks. So at the end of the inspection, you either hear "belt-socks-pass" or "belt-socks-fail" and apparently there have been a lot of fails lately. I was left wondering how it is possible to fail for belt and socks and I quickly learned that there are days when many a cadet leaves home without putting on what I consider to be essential articles!How do you leave home without them?
If you have ever been without your watch, phone, blackberry or travel coffee mug, you probably have experienced that "failed" feeling...your day just won't be the same without those required essential tools.Having to go all day without them could leave you feeling as if you have failed an inspection.
I love the idea of having a morning routine...one that includes time for meditation or reflection, making your bed, a nourishing breakfast, and warm water with lemon. If you add in stretching, flossing, and packing a healthy lunch and snacks, you are talking about a gold star morning on the productivity scale!While these things may seem impossible to fit in to your already crazy-busy mornings, the benefits will far outweigh any added inconvenience or hassle. Even implementing just a few healthy morning habits will contribute to improvements in your day and your physical, mental and emotional health. If you make the time to fully prepare yourself for the day ahead, you will undoubtedly be left feeling more grounded and stable and you will have the tools you need to keep you energized and productive throughout the day. We should each "check-in" with ourselves on a daily basis and make sure we have everything we need in order to "pass inspection".
As your health coach and "inspector", I am committed to your success! I want you to pass your morning inspection with flying colors and in order to do this, you need to make sure you don't leave your house without your belts, as in Breathing, Eating, Lemon-water, Teeth-flossing and Snacks! I know you can do it and your future self will thank you for the changes you implement today. When you leave your house each day, know that I am cheering you on from afar and that I am excitedly saying the words "BELT-SOCKS-PASS!"
If you need help putting together a GOLD STAR MORNING ROUTINE, schedule a complimentary Health Coaching Session with me.