As a health coach, I believe deeply in the 360-degree approach. I only wish someone had taught me about it when I was a teenager. It could have erased so much of my all-encompassing anxiety. I was that nervy, nerdy, geeky, anxious teen who eventually became the thirty-something woman having panic attacks. Now, thankfully, I know how to support myself and reduce anxiety, and for me, it all begins the moment I wake up.
The first thing I do is simple: I wake up an hour before everyone else, to have ME time. My first drink is water with a little sachet of Ancient and Brave Hydrate. I love the sachets because I can keep them by my bedside, pop one into my water bottle, and the job is done. No trip to the kitchen, no unnecessary thinking before my brain is awake. Organisation and prep are key, that alone reduces stress.
After that, I tongue scrape and brush my teeth, and then I like to wait about an hour before I have breakfast. In this time, I journal ( I have journaled for 21 years) and end with my gratitude list. Journaling is my emotional dumping. It’s surprisingly easy to sort your problems out on a page before the world has a chance to throw new ones at you. The gratitude list is not just for now. I write three things I’m grateful for now, and three things I’m grateful for in the future. It sets me up on a positive note and quiets that would-have, could-have, should-have voice that loves to ruminate.
When I do eat, it’s always protein-focused. Usually something savoury: a gram-flour wrap which has about 20 grams of protein per cup, maybe some butter beans with a few walnuts and some Manchego. Or oats with stewed apple, berries, and extra protein from Form Nutrition if I am off to the gym.
I start my day with protein because it slows digestion, stabilises blood sugar, and reduces the need for that mid-morning snack. It also satiates the brain and the body. Pairing it with a healthy fat, like coconut milk or cashew milk for me, helps keep my hormones and keeps my mood more settled.
With my food, I take my Nuchido Time (for healthy ageing), because even though I’m getting older in years, I don’t want to experience the classic age-related fog or sluggishness. I work for myself, I’m a mum and a grandma, so I’m spinning a lot of plates. Everyone in our house eats differently, and I make everything from scratch, so this morning ritual is like putting my armour on for the day.
Breakfast might change; sometimes it’s soup made with bone broth or cottage cheese with berries, but the point is that there are no rules. Just nourishment with protein and fat.
Because I start my day like this, I no longer need that second coffee at 10 or 11 a.m. My brain is already switched on. And no matter what’s thrown at me, meetings, travel, general life chaos - I feel like I’ve already done the basics. I even take Sisterly as another layer of support for all of my basic minerals and vitamins because sometimes lunch is on the go or out and about, and not something I can control. Again, it’s all part of my armour.
What I’ve learned is this: being kinder to yourself in the morning doesn’t just set you up for the day, it shapes how you sleep, eat, and show up the next day too. My morning ritual has become my non-negotiable self-care. Self-care should be daily, not just for a Sunday!
