on a winter giveaway.

enter the winter wellness giveaway on our instagram page - @yourmorningmeditation.

as the chilly winter months approach, there's no better time to prioritize your well-being and find inner peace. that's why Your Morning Meditation is excited to announce the Winter Wellness Giveaway! I believe that taking a few moments each day for mindfulness can make a world of difference in your overall health and happiness. join the community in this season of self-care and enter this giveaway for a chance to win fantastic prizes that will help you embrace the winter with a warm heart and a clear mind.

ENTER HERE

follow the instructions on our pinned post to enter!

BONUS: subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of this page for extra entries.

share the giveaway on your social media profiles for additional entries and to spread the love of wellness with your friends and family.

winter can be a challenging season for many, with shorter days and colder temperatures affecting our mood and energy levels. however, it's also a time of introspection and renewal. by incorporating wellness into your daily routine, you can:

• reduce stress and anxiety

• improve your sleep quality

• boost your immune system

• enhance your mental clarity and focus

• cultivate a sense of gratitude and inner peace

and I’m here to support you on this journey towards better, more accessible wellness.

ENTER HERE

remember, the power to transform your winter into a season of well-being is within your grasp. enter now and take the first step towards a happier, healthier you!

let's make this winter your best one yet. good luck!

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A

on loving our bodies.

Because life is truly too short to hate the skin we’re in.

I have suffered since I was about 14 (if not younger, but this is when it was caught) from PCOS and all of its nightmares. What’s PCOS? Simply put, a hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries and causes a lot of symptoms that impact my body and my self-image - cataclysmically. If you’ve lived with it, you know. If you haven’t, I want to share with you my journey of learning to love and accept my body, despite the challenges that PCOS brings. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire and empower others who are going through similar struggles — whether PCOS-specific or not. Because at the end of the day, I want us all to feel like we can love our bodies no matter what.

No matter what.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects about 10% of women, especially in recent generations. It causes irregular periods, excess hair growth, acne, weight gain, infertility, and other problems that I otherwise didn’t experience prior to my symptom development. PCOS also increases the risk of developing a library of diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and anxiety… just to name a few.

How do you get it? No one knows, really. There are fingers pointed at birth control methods, lifestyle flags, and just existing (ha). But I have to believe it’s so much more than that, that we simply are just still discovering. I was a high-level athlete doing more cross-training than you could probably imagine to look at me. There wasn’t a sport I didn’t do. I eat like a bird, to this day. I’m as on top of my wellness as one could be. Do I look it? Frankly, no.

But the truth is, that aspect doesn’t matter as much as owning the bodies we are given, no matter the wars they fight.

I have to believe that the universe blessed me with my curves in all of the places they fall, and that I look absolutely fine the way that I am. I’ve spent too much time confused and scared based on how my body feels, and feeling like something is wrong with me. For a long time, I didn’t understand why my body was behaving this way, and I often felt ashamed of how I look. The girl who never had a pimple developed acne and rosacea, thicker hair, and a belly that won’t budge no matter how much I exercise or diet. I often feel like I don’t fit in with the beauty standards that society and media impose on us. Like I’m not feminine enough, or attractive enough, or worthy enough.

It wasn’t until I tuned into body positivity that I started to change my perspective on my body and myself, promoting the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and abilities. It challenges the unrealistic and harmful beauty standards that society and popular culture create, and it celebrates the diversity and beauty of the body. It also encourages people to have a healthy relationship with their bodies, by focusing on their mindfulness, wellness and self-care.

Beauty is not defined by a number on a scale or a size on a label. It’s not something that can be measured or judged by others. If you learn one thing from reading this, please embrace your body as it is, with all its flaws and strengths. There are no number of surgeries, crash diets or photo-editing tutorials that will change your vision of yourself — only YOU can change that.

• You have to love and accept your body as it is. I stopped comparing myself to others or trying to fit into a mold that was not made for me, particularly as a BIPOC. Appreciate what your body can do for you, such as breathing, moving, feeling, healing, and creating.

• Take care of your body in ways that make you feel good. Eat nutritious foods, exercise regularly, sleep!!!, meditate daily… make your own list of care chronicles. I started to express myself in ways that made me feel happy, ultimately.

I’m not saying that it’s easy or perfect. It’s a journey that has its ups and downs. There are days when I still struggle with my symptoms or feel insecure about my appearance. Hell, it’s MOST days. There are times when I still face discrimination or stigma because of my condition or identity or through people’s assumptions, too. But loving my body and my SELF more, helps me cope with these challenges and reminds me of my worth and power.

If you are someone who struggles deeply with your body image or self-esteem, I hope that you can find some comfort and inspiration in this post. You are not alone in this journey. You are not defined by your fears. You are beautiful and valuable just as you are. You deserve to love and be loved by yourself and others. You have the right to live your life fully and authentically.

Let’s spread the sentiment of loving our bodies and supporting each other in our journeys. If you felt this, please share with people you know could use these words today.

Stay positive, healthy and radiant and don’t ever let your light go out.

With love,

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A

on creating a healthier you.

I’m so glad you’re here. This is my first attempt at walking you through a new journey, to a healthier ‘you’, so bear with me.

Today, I want to share my outlook on how to create a healthy routine that works for you.

And that really means YOU. Not an influencer being paid to push. Not an MLM selling a program to meet a quota.

I’ve been through the ringer in regards to getting my wellness on track. I’ve been sold all the dreams, and put on all the ‘plans’ — only to end up having them make me push myself to unhealthy limits. I’ve seen it in those I love too, and that’s when I hit my breaking point.

I wanted to create this space to remind you that you have to DO YOU, FOR YOU. This starts with creating a healthier YOU.

Before we dive in (again), I want to remind you that this is just my opinion and what I’ve observed and experienced. Of course, you should check with your healthcare provider before starting any new routine. But, I hope to help you find some balance and joy in your mornings and that we can start working together on making them better — as a collective.

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So where do we start? I believe that how you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it, so it’s important to have some habits that make you feel good and ready to take on whatever comes your way. Start wherever you’re feeling the most need:

• Boost your mood. — Doing something positive and enjoyable in the morning can make you feel happier and more optimistic throughout the day. It can also reduce stress and anxiety by giving you a sense of control and accomplishment, right off the hop.

• Self-check-in on your health. — Taking care of your physical and mental well-being includes checking in on immunity, digestion, metabolism, energy levels, and brain function. Have you been feeling sick? What’s your gut check saying? Is your mind foggy? Prevent and manage chronic diseases and conditions ahead of a red alert by doing regular body scans and checking in with yourself every morning and night.

• Clear your mind. — Having a clear and focused mind can help you work more efficiently and effectively during the day. It can also help you avoid distractions, procrastination, and overwhelm by setting priorities and goals. Meditate, journal, and just empty your head of whatever is weighing on you and start the day fresh and go to bed with a clean slate.

• Get creative. — Stimulating your senses and imagination in the morning can help you generate new ideas and solutions for your personal or professional projects. It can also help you express yourself better and connect with others more authentically. Feeling restless? This is a great place to start to shake off whatever is blocking you.

Having a routine can have many benefits, that part is obvious. But how do you create one that works for you? Well, the important thing to recognize is that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Everyone is different and has different needs and preferences. However, there’s some general guidance you can follow in getting started on the right path to a healthier you:

• Start small. — Don’t try to change everything at once or adopt a complicated or unrealistic routine that will only frustrate you or make you give up. Instead, start with one or two simple habits that you can easily incorporate into your existing schedule and build from there. Waking up early, as an isolated task, is a great start. Removing soda from your diet before changing anything else? Sure! A step is a step.

• Be consistent. — The key to creating a lasting habit is to do it regularly and repeatedly until it becomes automatic and effortless. Try to stick to your morning routine every day, even on weekends or holidays, unless you have a valid reason not to. Going on a walk three (3) times a week, but missed your usual third day? Great, pick another one! Just get it done and your mind (and body) will thank you.

• Be flexible. — On that note, while consistency is important, so is flexibility. Don’t be too rigid or strict with your routine or force yourself to do something that doesn’t feel right or comfortable for you. Instead, be open to experimenting and adjusting your routine as needed based on your feedback and results. Feeling really sick, but you’re supposed to hit the gym? Your body will be pretty angry if you pass out or injure yourself because you weren’t feeling your best, more than it will be for missing one workout. Assess, then action a plan for yourself and remember it’s okay to adapt the plan for yourself.

• Have fun with it. — The most important aspect in creating a healthier you is to enjoy it and make it fun for you. Don’t see it as a chore or a burden, but as an opportunity to treat yourself well and have a good time. Choose activities that make you happy and excited and reward yourself for doing them.

Wondering where you can start in carving this out for yourself? No sweat.

• Wake up early. — I know, I know. This is HARD. But trust me, it’s worth it. Waking up early gives you more time to do the things that matter to you, whether it’s a simple meditation, journalling in your quiet space, spending time with your family, or just enjoying a cup of tea. Carve the path for your most productive day. When your alarm goes off, don’t hit the snooze button and don’t check your phone right away. Instead, get up as soon as the alarm goes off and do something that energizes you, like drinking a glass of cold water or doing some stretches. Visualizations and affirmations can be a perfect way to start and get your mind moving!

• So how do you wake up early? Well, first of all, you need to go to bed early too. I know, Real Housewives only starts at 9 PM… but you can watch it on demand! Aim for at least seven (7) hours of sleep every night and avoid screens and caffeine before bedtime. Yes, even that TikTok doom scroll you had scheduled.

• Exercise. — Speaking of getting yourself moving, exercise is another key component of a healthy morning routine. Exercise is a mood booster, improves your circulation, strengthens your immune system, and the list only goes on for the BENEFITS OF EXERCISE! You don’t have to do a hardcore workout (unless you want to), but you should aim for at least 15 minutes of moderate physical activity that gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat a little, and ideally at least 60 minutes per day. You can choose whatever exercise you enjoy, whether it’s walking, jogging, cycling, yoga, barre, or cartwheels galore — just make sure you warm up properly and cool down afterwards and GET. MOVING. PERIOD!

• Practice mindfulness. — Calm your mind and connect with yourself. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment or distraction. It can help reduce stress, increase focus, enhance creativity, and improve mental health. There are many ways to practice mindfulness, such as meditating, journaling, breathing deeply, or expressing gratitude in whatever way feels best. The key is to be consistent and do it every day for at least 10 minutes. I enjoy doing this first thing in the morning and right before I sleep, and the Five-Minute Journal was life changing for me.

  Eat health-consciously. — You’ve probably heard this before: you are what you eat. And it’s true. Eating healthy gives me the energy and nutrients I need to perform well throughout the day. A healthy meal should include a balance of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Some examples are oatmeal with nuts and fruits, whole-wheat toast and avocado, yogurt with granola and berries, a fresh salad with homemade dressing, freshly-pressed juices, and more. I’m a firm believer as well — you can eat most anything, in moderation, and balance this with your lifestyle. I avoid things like sugary cereals, pastries, or processed foods that can spike my blood sugar and make me crash later (especially as a sufferer of PCOS).

  Plan your day out. — The last thing I do in my morning routine is plan my day ahead. Write it out on a sticky note, in a notebook or in your favourite project management software. Whatever it is, planning the day helps me prioritize my tasks, manage my time, stay organized, and feel less anxious. Write down what you need to do and when you need to do it — even just taking the dog for a walk. I also like to set some intentions for how I want to feel or what I want to accomplish during the day. I try to be realistic and flexible with my plan and don’t overload myself with too many things. You can’t pour from an empty cup! I can’t stress that enough.

And really, that’s the easiest way to get started with creating a healthier you. Take steps that are mapped out around YOU, YOUR NEEDS, YOUR SCHEDULE and of course - YOUR PACE. The only person you’re racing is yourself. Carve our YOUR routine and what a healthier YOU means to YOU. The important thing is to find what makes you happy and motivated and stick with it. The rest will come, especially your happiness.

I hope this blog post was helpful and inspiring for you. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below or send me a note.

In the meantime, keep well.

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A