All of life is a practice. The word practice has two definitions which I love. The first representing the word when it is used as a noun: “the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it,” and the second when the word is used as a verb: “perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency.” Both are applicable to our lived experiences and life long practice of living.

So today, I want to share with you the 5 practices I participate in each morning as my day starts.

Practice #1: Movement

Every morning when my alarm goes off at 6:25am, I get up and take Peggy out on a walk. This is a newer practice I’ve added to my morning routine. Sometimes, it’s a short walk – around the block. And sometimes it’s a longer walk – 1.5+ miles.

Now, I can honestly say that it is a lot easier to take her on a walk when it’s warmer in the morning than when it’s cold, but it’s always worth it. We both get exercise and fresh air. And we’re both happier and better behaved during the day.

Practice #2 Read Scriptures

Once Peggy and I get home from our walk, I fill her bowls with fresh food and water, and then I sit down to read from my scriptures. And usually, Peggy comes to sit near me either on the couch or on the floor. Currently, my scripture reading is in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. I’m reading both because I love the Book of Mormon and because I want to understand the Old Testament better.

I love the scriptures with all of my heart! They fuel my day with positive messages and with the Spirit of the Lord that I can’t get anywhere else.

Practice #3 Meditation

When scriptures are read, I close my eyes and meditate for 10 minutes. (YES! I 100% use a timer on my phone to help me keep track.) I have 4 different sytles of meditation that I cycle through and love.

This practice of stillness helps to calm my anxieties and focus my mind on the day ahead.

Practice #4 Journaling

For as long as I can remember, I have written in a journal. Sometimes writing is more consistant than at other times. Most recently, I set a goal to write in my journal every day and so far it’s happened 99% of the time. I used to be an evening journaler, but after getting married, I never made the time to write before bed becasue I just enjoy talking to and spending time with him too much. So I decided that journaling in the morning would be a better option, and it really has!

Journaling is a great practice to processes through the thoughts and feelings I experience. It’s also a great way to keep track of any insight, impression, or inspiration I might receive. And it’s my favorite way to record my expereinces and those that affect family and friends too.

Practice #5 Prayer

The final practice I try and participate in every day is prayer. Most often, I pray before I read my scriptures. But I’ll pray outside of that too.

I pray becasue I love God and I want to talk to him. I pray because I know He listens to me. I pray because I am grateful for much. Prayer is the only way I know how to invite peace without fueling the fires of contention.

Closing Thoughts

These 5 practices have really made a big impact on my life and in my day. I had a massage client the other day say to me, “How do you stay so level headed? You just seem like a level headed person.” I just laughed because I have struggled to feel calm and level headed a lot in my life. But as I thought about it, I 100% attribute my new levels of level headedness to my 5 daily practices.

What daily practices do you participate in every day?

If you don’t have a daily practice, maybe one of mine can inspire you.

All my love!