7 Great ways to start the day if you aren't a morning person

Do you ever feel like you are just running through the motions each morning trying to get ready for work or school or whatever other obligations you may have? I know from experience how difficult it can be to jump out of bed automatically ready to start the day and be in a fantastic mood. Lets face it, that rarely ever happens without several cups of coffee and a cold shower to quickly wake you up. At least that's what it takes for me because I am not a morning person at all. In fact, I despise mornings but recently I have found a few sure fire ways that have made getting up not so difficult anymore so here's what you can do:

1. Write yourself a love Post-It
Yep, that's right. A love Post-It. You don't need to write some long lengthy love letter to yourself but instead, write down a few things that you are good at or even a few things that make you smile. It can be as simple as something inspirational like "You are amazing and have so many things to offer" or "You make the best blackberry pie anyone has ever tasted". Be creative. Once you have it written down, place it on your mirror so you can see it everyday and get inspired.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but a lot of people don't have time in the mornings to stand around in the kitchen cooking up a good healthy meal. Instead, try to find alternatives for something quick. I like to make fruit smoothies a lot which take very little time. If you don't even have time for that there are many breakfast bars in the market to eat on your way out the door. Even just grabbing an apple to eat in the car is better then nothing. Just make sure what you do eat is nutritious and not filled with sugar which will only make you tired throughout the day.

3. Stretch it out
Stretching your muscles helps loosen them up. It has also been proven to help you feel more relaxed when you stretch out tight muscles. Take about 10 minutes each morning and stretch out your arms, legs, neck, shoulders, feet and abs. Doing this will also help you gain flexibility (which is good if you are in a relationship because all men love a flexible woman for obvious reasons). You will feel so much better and much more relaxed each day if you turn this into a habit.

4. Listen to music while you are getting ready
Every morning while I am in the bathroom fixing my hair and putting on my face I always listen to music. It can be whatever type of music you like as long as you enjoy it. It also helps if you listen to songs that get you pumped up. I sometimes find myself singing along to my favorite songs while using my hairbrush as a microphone and dancing for myself in the mirror. It's fun and usually puts me in a great mood when I am ready to walk out the door. If you live in a house where you are the first one up and can't blast the radio, get some headphones and jam out. Some days I even listen to talk radio that I find funny while getting ready. This also puts me in a good mood so listen to whatever makes you happiest and you will soon find that you are more cheerful as you head out the door.

5. Drink at least one glass of water upon awakening
This is a great thing to do each morning but takes practice if you are use to chugging coffee first thing you wake up. I am not saying to skip coffee and substitute it for water, I would be lost without my morning dose of caffeine. What I mean is before you drink anything else, chug at least one cup of water first. Your body has gone 8 to 10 hours (or however long you sleep) without any food or water so most people are dehydrated when they wake up. If you start your day with at least one cup of water first thing upon waking up, you will feel better, less groggy and your mind will be more clear because your body won't be in dehydration mode.

6. Go for a walk
Now, if you are like me and you despise mornings, this will probably be the hardest thing to accomplish but trust me, it makes a big difference. Just wake up 10 to 15 minutes earlier (or more if you'd like) then usual each day and go for a little walk outside. You can even stay in your pajamas if you want. At 5 or 6 o'clock in the morning, no one is going to care what you look like as long as you aren't naked. Some days I will wake up early, drink a glass of water and some coffee and then go for a walk but most days I just roll out of bed and stroll around like a zombie for 15 minutes. This has improved my mornings drastically. It helps you get one with nature and the fresh air first thing in the morning really does wonders in waking a person up. Also the exercise will help you feel less tired during the day and it is a natural mood booster. It is a proven fact that exercise is the best cure for depression so if you ever feel like you are in a low point in your life, schedule some exercise time to get you happy.

7. Tell someone you love them
If you are married, have a boyfriend, have kids or just have a pet, telling someone that you love them will not only make the person happy but it will make you happy as well. I never leave the house without telling my boyfriend and my dog that I love them. This is also a great way to help someone else have a good start to their day. So go find someone and tell them three simple words to make everyone happy.

What is the Survival Guide for the Everyday Goddess?

This site is dedicated to the many women around the world who want to find true happiness and peace.

I hope this site will be a useful guide to help you embrace your inner Goddess and learn to love yourself. What exactly does being a Goddess mean? I personally believe that it means to embrace being a woman. Even if you have no interest in "girly" things you can still embrace who you are. There will be plenty of fashion and make-up advice along with crafty projects but there will also be tips on how to find your inner happiness and inspirational blogs for days when you feel like giving up. I hope to have something that will appeal to every woman's senses to help you live, love, learn, grow and find peace within yourself so stop by, take a look, leave a comment or do whatever you please while you are here. I'm so glad to have you and hope you are able to enjoy everything I have to share.