What Is A ‘Miracle Morning’ & How To Have One
Sophie Belle Watts
Founder of Mind You Club says…
My morning starts with ten minutes of meditation. Hal Elrod’s method is a six-step morning routine that uses SAVERS: silence, affirmations, visualisation, exercise, reading and scribing. The first, silence, can be a tricky one to put into practice, especially if you spend your days juggling a career and family life, but it can be one of the most transformative. When my alarm goes off at 5am, I practise the 4/7/8 breathing technique for a few minutes. If I have time, I’ll also bring in a body or gratitude scan. The book doesn’t suggest any set amount of time you should do each step for, so you can just spend a few minutes doing each if you’re pressed for time.
Journaling helps me process my emotions. This is what Hal refers to as ‘scribing’. Each morning, I write some affirmations based on how I feel that day and how I want to feel, as well as outlining my purpose, goals and what my daily tasks are. Sometimes, this can be as simple as looking after my two children without guilt or pursuing more business-focused goals. If you’re not into affirmations, you can use this part of the method more like a brain dump to reduce stress and clear your mind before you start your day.
Reading also plays a part. The method states that reading is one of the most immediate methods for acquiring the knowledge, ideas and strategies you need to succeed in life, and the key is to learn from the experts – those who have already done what you want to do. The method says you should make a commitment to read a minimum of ten pages per day. After I’ve dropped the children at nursery, I go for a walk and listen to an audiobook – I’m currently listening to The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown, and dip in and out of Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast.
It can rewire your brain. Exercise is one of the pillars of the Miracle Morning, and for me this translates as breathwork. Conscious connected breathing (the breathwork central to the Wim Hof method) can help form new thinking patterns and lower stress levels in the long term, helping you maintain momentum and productivity. Breathwork can build new neural pathways, which quite literally reframes your brain.
It supports your hormones. By practising the Miracle Morning method, you’re also bringing in beneficial physiological changes within your body. Breathwork calms your nervous system, putting the body into ‘rest and repair’ mode; meditation and journaling can activate oxytocin, the love hormone; visualisations can activate dopamine, the mood-enhancing hormone; and exercise will kickstart endorphins.
It might be worth joining online communities. The method has been proven to lower mental and physical stress, improve overall health and increase productivity, and is used by many entrepreneurs and ambitious individuals. If you want to try it out but aren’t sure where to start, consider joining an online group to follow the routine with others.
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Simone Thomas
Bio-energetics practitioner & nutrition advisor, says…
There’s a real story behind it. Hal Elrod claims his book has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, helping them wake up each day with more energy, focus and motivation to tackle their goals. He seems to know what he’s talking about – despite multiple challenges in life, including brushes with death and bankruptcy, he became an ultramarathoner, international keynote speaker, author, husband and father all by the age of 30.
The method came to me when I was dealing with postnatal depression. After the birth of my first son, I was back at work within three days and had just won an award for entrepreneur of the year, so I was feeling the pressure. Instead of medication, my doctor suggested I take a more holistic route to ease my symptoms, and it was a friend who recommended Hal Elrod’s book. I read it three times within a week.
It’s not for everyone. I get it – dedicating time to yourself in the morning is a luxury not all of us have, but it was that mentality of putting everyone else first and pushing myself to the limit and never slowing down that was affecting my mental health.
I dedicate three mornings a week to the method. My youngest son was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which has reinforced the need to take time for myself. Even 30 minutes of practising a couple of the Miracle Morning habits gives me energy and headspace. On the days I get up earlier, meditate and exercise, I feel like a different person. I am better able to make good choices throughout the day and face everything with a calmer perspective.
For me, silence and movement are key. If I only have time for two of the Miracle Morning pillars, it’s dedicating time to silence and fitting in a workout. Over the years, I’ve found these two to be the most powerful. In the summer, I sleep with the windows and curtains open, and after a hot water and lemon, I’ll do a 20-minute Tracey Anderson workout. The Miracle Morning stems from the idea that your health – both physical and mental – are worth it, and you have the power to change both for the better.
Visit SimoneThomasWellness.com
Janey Lee Grace
Author, broadcaster & founder of The Sober Club, says…
You have to make it your own. The beauty of the Miracle Morning is you can pick and choose the habits that resonate most with you. Part of the method involves setting an alarm for 5am, which in the depths of winter just isn’t realistic for me. There are certainly benefits to getting up earlier in the day, but getting up at the crack of dawn and integrating six new habits into your morning – especially during a chaotic time – can feel like an added stress. I set my alarm for 6am and set aside 15 minutes to do three of the Miracle Morning pillars.
It’s important to be flexible with the schedule. Mornings can be busy, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to fitting in the practices. Everyone can make some of the principles work – whether it’s having some time in silence before you get into your day, five minutes of journaling on the bus or train, or reading something inspirational on the tube.
Creating your own affirmations is simpler than you think. Using affirmations can help you programme yourself to be confident and successful. The idea is that with enough repetition, your subconscious mind will begin to believe what you tell it, act upon it, and eventually manifest it. To create your affirmations, start by asking yourself, or physically writing down, what is it that you want? This could be a goal for the day, such as an outcome of a specific meeting, or something else. Then, ask yourself how you have to be for this to happen, as well as what support and resources you need for you to be in that frame of mind. Taking responsibility for what you want can be a powerful thing.
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The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform your Life Before 8am by Hal Elrod is available now.
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