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Fourteen years ago, if you had asked me how I was feeling when I woke up in the morning, I would’ve ignored you and disappeared beneath the blankets. That was during my first year with ALS, a time when I felt the heavy weight of worry and having a life disrupted by a disease I didn’t even understand.
Fast-forward to today, when my mornings have me feeling good and starting the day with a positive attitude. My mornings are a daily ritual of mindful thinking and movement.
How my morning routine came to be
Years ago, before my ALS appeared, I used to enjoy going for a quick jog, a long walk, or a vigorous session of yoga. I could easily fit these into my already busy days. And I’d look forward to those breaks as a way to reduce stress and relax.
But living with ALS was a brand-new challenge. Suddenly, I was living in the slow lane of life; my body was stiff, and it took so much time to do simple things. I’d end the day feeling dejected that I couldn’t even find time to stop and give my body the stretching it needed.
That’s when it struck me: I had plenty of time in the morning that I was frittering away by lying in bed feeling sorry for myself.
The next morning, after my husband got up, I lingered in bed a few minutes longer. Then, I pulled my knees to my chest and slowly rocked from side to side. That felt so good that I did several more spontaneous stretching movements. Happily, I felt refreshed all morning long.
When I first began this morning ritual, it took only five minutes. But as I’ve grown more adept and increased repetitions, it’s expanded to a full 20 minutes. Some days I add my mantra, while other days I think about the day ahead and the projects I’ll be focusing on.
And if my day becomes so jumbled that I miss one of my
afternoon mini-exercise
sessions, I remind myself that at least I did my morning moving routine.
The benefits of rituals
Research supports the use of rituals. Our rituals enhance
confidence in our ability to accomplish goals and buffer us against
uncertainty and anxiety.
Morning rituals are an opportunity for self-care, and with ALS, self-care is vital for our well-being.
If you want to create your own morning routine, there are lots of things you can include. Mine isn’t one-size-fits-all, but it might be a good place to begin.
Besides gentle movement, try singing, journaling, or meditation. It doesn’t even have to be the same thing every day; like mine, it can evolve and change. The key is to be consistent and intentional and follow your intuition.
Having a morning routine wakes me up and gets me going. I feel good knowing that no matter what the day brings, I’ve given my body the gift of healthy movement and a confident mindset. It’s a positive ritual that helps bring balance, meaning, and value to my life, and I hope it will do the same for yours as well.
Let’s learn to live well while living with ALS.
FOR MORE ON THIS TOPIC, I SUGGEST THESE POSTS
How I Use 'Showing Up' to Help Me Live with ALS
Changes to My A.M./P.M. Routines that Made My Life with ALS a
Little Safer
Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blog
A year from now, you may wish you had started today.
Karen Lamb
A version of this post first appeared as my column on
the ALS News
Today website.
Thank you Dagmar for your words of encouragement. I recently lost my sister to ALS. I believe this advice will help me also with moving forward. Thanks for your inspiration to everyone.
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