This morning is not off to a fresh start like I planned for it to be.

Every morning I follow a routine that I know will shift my mind from sleepy confusion into a positive, productive and creative position. Usually this involves the typical feel-good tasks – meditation, gratitude journaling, chewable vitamins, exercise. Ginger tea made from fresh ginger I grate myself.

When I clear space for these habits in the first waking hour, my day begins sharp, focused, and confident. I get shit done. I keep getting shit done all day and I feel great.

But nope. Not today.

Today I frittered away my morning for no reason.   I opened my computer . . . I’d like to say “with purpose,” but in reality with a pre-coffee vacant expression and zero intentions of what I wanted to see on my screen.

So, FB and Instagram journied me away on other people’s stories for quite some time before I realized what was happening.

Nothing. Nothing was happening with my morning.

I’ve written about why “Nothing” is important to allow space for in our day, but a big part of my ongoing growth and peaks of success stems from being disciplined and consistent in my mornings. The way we begin sets a pattern for the hours that follow, and so setting positive intentions in the morning are key to a successful and productive day.

I dive into this in my online Leadership Programs and on my overseas Leadership Retreats. We explore the visible and long-term effects of consciously doing the things that will create the life we want. And how important it is to keep doing them.

When I begin with intentions, eat a healthy breakfast, journal, and set goals for my day, then my life tends to propel forward in the direction I want it to. Usually, in far more beautiful and successful ways than I imagined.

These are the mornings when I feel like I am doing life right. When I carry out my skin-care regime and clear my mind with meditation. When I hone in on specific tasks to support the quality and growth of my business. When I connect with my friends and reach out in my community, in real life and online. When I drink ginger tea.

These mornings make me feel like I am good at being an adult.

But this morning, as I swing here in my hammock, 3 hours after having risen, having barely moved through my usual habits, I remember why positive morning routines are so important to me:

I want to be successful.

The positive energy created from my consistent and purposeful acts are an important and very real factor in the lives of those who are successful. Successful in life, in love, in business.

It’s the small, conscious choices we make every day to honor our values that matter. They enable life to work out better for us.

My consistent morning routine helps me to be the warm-hearted, hard-working, and fun-loving person other people want to be around. I engage in everything more fully.

But the real beauty in these small, but purposeful acts is how they ripple and shine into my work and productivity throughout the day.

I’m more creative, energized, and manifest forward momentum in my business.   It’s awesome. My lovely clients I work with throughout my day pick up on these good vibrations, and then they feel good vibes in their day.

The energy, focus and positivity created are contagious.

So . . . . all of this I know.

All of these ideas and tools I teach with gusto and whole-hearted belief in my workshops.

So why do I sometimes have mornings like today? When somehow, my mind becomes a 5-year-old kid and just runs off and I don’t do the things I know I should?

I don’t know.

Sometimes broken routines just take over the morning. And when they do, I can feel the difference. I see the gaps in my day where I could have done life better.

But . . .That’s ok.

It’s ok because when I break the routine, it only serves to reaffirm the immense impact my consistent and purposeful mornings have on my life and business when I am on track.

It’s when we slip up that we realize how good we were going.

Tomorrow is a new day. I’ll wake up and refocus with clear direction. I’ll set my mind and intentions in motion and carry out my morning the way I planned it to be: Meditation. Journal. Breakfast.

And ginger tea. ?