Thumbnail Hook: Fight for you day
Hi guys! Welcome to Episode 659 of the Wildly Successful Lifestyle. I’m so glad you’re here with me today. I’ve been thinking about this topic for a long time, in fact I think I never not think about this topic, because it feels like one of those quiet little things that can actually make a really big difference in how our whole lives feel, and that’s how the very first part of your morning can quietly or not so quietly, set the tone for your entire day.
Most days my morning looks like this: I make my coffee, take the boys out to go potty, then sit down and while I drink my coffee I review the day before—what I did well first and what I can improve second. Then I plan how my day is going to go today, and I follow that up with 15 minutes of meditation. After that I walk the boys. I don’t touch social media until all of that is done. It feels really good and it keeps me grounded. There’s something about that little block of time—coffee in hand, dogs taken care of, reviewing and planning and meditating—that just centers me. It’s like I’m starting the day on my own terms instead of the world’s terms, and I can feel the difference in my energy all the way through the afternoon.
But every once in a while my brain tricks me into getting on social first thing. And what I realized is… it really wrecks my day.
And I know some of you have felt this too. I’ll wake up, the dogs need to go out, I’m making my coffee, and somehow my hand just reaches for the phone “for just a second.” Before I know it I’m scrolling. And that easy, quick, juicy dopamine hit from social media? It changes everything. Conversation with my husband or the dogs or even myself feels less stimulating. I kind of keep wishing I could check my phone again. Tasks that should feel normal—like answering emails or running errands—suddenly feel heavier and less interesting. Even the good moments in the day don’t land quite as deeply. On top of it all, I get this sense of dread and unease because I know it’s not good for my mindset—but I did it anyway. So then I’m mad at myself on top of everything else. It’s like the whole day is playing catch-up from the very first hour. I was listening to a podcast that confirmed that studies back up the idea that the dopamine hit we get from social media is hard to compete with, which is why it’s so intoxicating and also why we don’t need to start our day with it. It’s kind of like…My husband and I will often run through Starbucks on our road trips, I usually get an almond milk latte and he gets a black americano. A lot of times, I ask him if he wants a sip of mine because it’s so yummy and he usually says “no, it will make mine not taste as good”. That’s what happens when we start our day with social media, it makes all the other stuff not taste as good…..
I used to brush it off and think it was just a harmless little slip. “It’s only five minutes,” I’d tell myself. But I started paying attention over a couple of weeks, and I saw the pattern so clearly. Our brains are wired to chase easy dopamine, especially first thing in the morning. When we give it that super-fast reward right out of the gate—scrolling, notifications, quick hits—it trains us to keep looking for more easy dopamine all day long. It’s like we’re teaching our brain that the fast, low-effort stuff is what feels best. So the normal, beautiful parts of life start to feel… flat. The deeper conversations, the creative work, even just sitting with a good cup of coffee later in the day—it all feels a little dull by comparison. And that low-level irritation at myself? It just lingers.
The good news is that once you see the pattern, you can start protecting your morning in small, kind ways that actually feel doable for real life. For me, it comes down to treating my coffee-and-routine block as sacred. I make a quiet decision the night before that nothing—especially my phone—gets to pull me away from it.
I literally say it to myself while I’m brushing my teeth or turning out the lights: “Tomorrow my first 45 minutes belong to me and the boys and my coffee.” That one little pre-decision makes it so much easier to stick with what I know works for me. It’s not a big dramatic rule; it’s just a gentle promise to myself. And when the urge to get on social media still shows up anyway—because it does—I try to catch it early and give myself a little grace instead of spiraling into self-anger. I just gently redirect back to my coffee, my review, and my plan. I’ll say something soft in my head like “no, not right now” kind of like you would a 3 year old, because I do have to control my brain or it will control me and my day. So I do and keep moving with my routine. No big lecture to myself, no shame spiral. Just a kind redirect. And I’ve noticed that the more I protect that first part of my morning, the calmer and more intentional the rest of my day feels. I’m not fighting against myself anymore—I’m fighting for my day. The difference is honestly night and day. My focus lasts longer, I feel more present with my family, and I end the day with a lot less of that low-level dread.
So here’s your challenge for today: take a look at your own morning and pick one small way you can protect it from that easy dopamine pull. Maybe it’s just giving yourself the first 15 min of your day without getting on social media or email. We all have brains and they all work in a very similar way, so we are in this together, especially those of us like you and me who are working on being the best, most wildly successful version of ourselves.
Share this with 3 people who deserve to start their day in the most loving, kindest way possible.
I love you guys so much. I’ll talk to you in a few days!
