Hi guys! Welcome to episode 616 of the Wildly Successful Lifestyle podcast. It’s Heidi and I am so happy to be almost fully back yo normal with my voice getting better and better each day! Being sick for a week was not what I was expecting! I thought I would maybe be down for a day or two and then be right back at it but the super flu or whatever we had had other ideas, but let’s not dwell on the negative, I’ve had enough of that…ha. Seriously though, One of the greatest things about being well is I am back to my morning routine which honestly I didn’t realize just how massive that routine is until I didn’t feel like doing it for a week. I literally wanted nothing to do with my morning routine for a couple days, I mean one day I woke up feeling horrible and wanted to forget all about it so I decided to watch my favorite Denzel movies, my little sister said “I see you woke up and chose violence this morning.” LOL. Yes I did and it took my mind completely off how bad I felt for a few hours. As I slowly started feeling better though I realized that my morning routine plays a huge role in my attitude! I understand when someone says they always pray that God gets in their head before they do in the mornings. Our morning routine sets the tone for not only the day but also our life.
And it doesn’t have to be some elaborate 47-step routine with cold plunges and green juices—unless that’s your thing. I’m talking about those quiet, intentional first moments of your day, and why treating them like the ultimate act of self-respect might be the kindest, most powerful thing you do for yourself all day long.
You guys know my morning routine..I wake up, I make my coffee, I let the boys out to go potty then they hop in my lap, I go over the previous day and what I did well and what I can improve, then I pregame for the the current day and how I want it to go, then I meditate, most days for 15 minutes, lately I’ve upped it to 20 min. Most days, I do NOT touch social media, or open X until I’ve finished those two things.
I do notice my brain wants desperately to start out on social media. It doesn’t want to meditate. Most days I just shake my head and continue on with my good routine. Being aware and present of how you want your morning to go is a crucial step here. I KNOW I will feel better if I stick to the plan I know makes me feel amazing. The things on X are more exciting and dramatic but is that how I want my day to start? No so I continue that battle every morning and will continue until it’s a nonissue.
When I was sick—which doesn’t happen often, so I’m kind of a terrible sick person. I get grumpy, I feel sorry for myself, the whole thing. But two things really hit me while I was sick.
First—and this sounds so obvious, but it’s profound when you’re living it—life is just so much better when you feel good. Colors are brighter, coffee tastes better, everything feels possible. Health really is the foundation of everything else.
And second, it’s way harder to pay attention and stick to your good habits when you’re not feeling great. Priorities shift. Suddenly, just getting through the day feels like enough, and those little rituals that keep you grounded? They’re the first to slip.
But the mornings I still dragged myself to meditate—even for five minutes—and made that coffee without scrolling first? Those were the days I felt a little more like me. A little more in control. Even when my body was saying “nope.”
That’s when I realized: protecting your morning ritual isn’t just self-respect when life is easy. It’s especially self-respect when life is hard—when you’re sick, or stressed, or the holidays have you spinning. That tiny act of keeping a promise to yourself? It’s like an anchor.
Think about it: how you treat yourself first thing in the morning is a direct message about how much you value your own peace, your own energy, your own day.
I read this quote the other day It said something like, “In the morning,I let God get inside my head before I do.” And I thought—yes. Whether that’s through meditation for you, or prayer, or just a quiet moment inviting something bigger than yourself in… that’s the idea.
Because the second you roll over and grab your phone before you’ve even sat up, you’re basically saying, “Other people’s thoughts are more important than mine—or God’s—right now.”
When you skip that quiet moment because you “don’t have time,” you’re telling yourself your calm doesn’t matter.
But when you protect those first 20–30 minutes—even 10 minutes—for something that’s just for you, something sacred? You’re saying, “I matter. My peace matters. I’m worth protecting.”
That’s self-respect in action. The quiet, daily kind that adds up.
You don’t need an elaborate routine. Mine is literally: meditate, coffee, no phone. That’s it.
And here’s the beautiful part: once I’ve done my tiny ritual, I feel like I’ve already kept a promise to myself. I’ve already won the day in a small way. Everything after that feels like bonus points.
You deserve to start your day treating yourself with respect.
My challenge to you is tomorrow morning, before the world starts whispering (or shouting) in your ear, give yourself those few quiet minutes. Let God or peace or your own steady breath get in there first. Treat yourself the way you’d treat someone you deeply love, because you are someone you deeply love, you just sometimes need a little reminder. So go start tomorrow like it matters. Because it does and so do you. Share this with one person who matters to you. I love you guys, Ill talk to you in a few days!
