Mindset Shift: Your Morning Routine ☀️

Welcome to the OPPO FLOW Storybook. 

Each week I fly an entertaining and motivating story that provides actionable items to inspire growth towards your success and happiness.

The weekly flights bring you one of the following:

A MINDSET SHIFT to prepare for opportunity and build better habits towards success. 🤩

AN OPPORTUNITY STORY sharing pivotal moments from someone’s life that changed their trajectory in a positive way. 🚀

Let's get you introduced to our AMAZING CO-PILOT!! ✈

The SuccessFlow Podcast mission is simple. To relay findings, stories, highlights, and frameworks to help relentless humans continue defining Success for themselves.

Check it out wherever you listen to your Pods.

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This year I refreshed and updated my morning routine to be more structured.

WHY?

Well…. First of all, I didn’t really have one. 🙈

Secondly, the most highly successful, productive, and positive people have a solid morning routine that works for them and sets the tone for their day.

And lastly, I wanted to improve my mental health to simply be happier with more energy and focus throughout my day.

Most of my mornings consisted of waking up at random times, often between 1am-4am, tossing and turning, stressing about ALL the things I need to do the next day.

Sometimes, I was able to get back to sleep.

Other times, not so much…

…I would go downstairs, open up the laptop and knock a few things out, before falling asleep a couple hours later…

My kids would find me sleeping on the couch, wake me up around 7:30am, and I was EXHAUSTED.

Then CHAOS ENSUED.

I would immediately grab a cup of coffee, race to help get the kiddos ready for school, take a quick shower, check my phone for email and to see what meetings I had on deck, then bolt out of the house. 🏃‍♂️

My mind wasn’t even awake yet and the adrenaline rush of racing out of the house had worn off by 9am, by which time I was on my third or fourth cup of coffee. ☕

By 3pm I had zero energy, but powered through, running on fumes.

By 8pm I was back in bed, without the ability to name more than one or two things I did throughout the day.

My mind was TOAST. 🍞

Early to bed, middle of the night wake ups, low energy, stressed, and rushed to start my day.

RINSE AND REPEAT.

It sucked.

Something had to change or I wasn’t going to last long.

BUT HOW?!

There are a million things thrown at me daily.

I have a team that relies on me to make sure we operate as efficiently as possible and continue to build a strong business for our futures. 🏢

I have a family that requires my attention, support, and love. 👩‍👧‍👦

Any one of those daily moves or decisions could have a lasting impact positively or negatively.

If my mind isn’t sharp, it could be detrimental, so I wanted needed to make sure I got it right and when you don’t have clarity, it’s incredibly STRESSFUL.

My brain doesn’t shut off and neither does my drive, but I still get down and into ruts.

I found myself beyond stressed, sluggish, lacked motivation, and direction.

I knew where everything was and what needed to be done, but it was pure CHAOS in my brain. Running around a million miles a minute.

CHAOTIC ORGANIZATION.

Everything changed, when I finally opened up my mind up to this concept:

Perfection is the Enemy of Progress.

• I stopped trying to be perfect and everywhere all at once.

• I slowed things down and stopped putting so much pressure on myself.

• I put the focus back on what I could control in order to bring out the most successful and productive day possible.

So how did I do it?

I opened my mind up to things like meditation, positive affirmations, breathwork, working out, and eating healthy.

Things completely unrelated to my business or my family. It felt selfish to work on myself before others.

I would always put myself last and make sure others are okay before me.

Realizing that I can’t help anybody if I’m not able to help myself, was the eye-opening moment for me. 👀

I mentally committed to working on my mind, body, and soul.

Then took ACTION.

It didn’t happen quickly or all at once. It was a compound effect built from incremental changes I made in my life.

First, I practiced temperance ❌🍺❌ and eating healthy. 🥗

Then, put an an emphasis on strength training. 🏋️‍♂️

I found myself journaling and writing down my PURPOSE in the morning, stacking my WINS throughout my day, and reflecting with GRATITUDE at night. 📝

My mind was clear, laser focused, and open. 🙌

In January of this year, I took a 90 minute breathwork class that I will look back on as a PIVOTAL MOMENT in my life.

After those 90 minutes, the trajectory of my life and overall well-being completely changed.

It was so intense that I tapped into my subconscious and could clearly see what I needed to do, how I needed to do it, and who I was doing it for.

I re-defined my PURPOSE and I had the VISION.

I quickly realized it all starts with setting the tone by dedicating time in the quiet morning to work on personal growth and development.

Finding a routine that worked for me to set myself up for SUCCESS. 🤩

No more Chaotic Organization. It was time to build some structure.

This is the MINDSET SHIFT. 🤯

I’m not going to lie, it was a challenge at first. Especially, refraining from hopping on email or diving into the social media abyss after waking up. 🤿

The first week was easy, because it was new and exciting. 😀

The second week was MUCH harder… 😬

…but I stuck with it, because I knew the benefits would come.

By the 4th week, this routine had become my daily habit and O.M.G.

• I am sleeping through the night. 😴

• I am no longer stressed. 🙌

• I have clarity of what my goals are for the day. 🌞

• I am able to adapt and pivot without worry. 🦎

• I have more lasting energy throughout the day. 🏃‍♂️

• I am able to achieve FLOW STATE easier than ever. 🤯

• I no longer have CHAOS in my brain. 🧘‍♂️

The biggest benefit I found from implementing a solid routine, is I no longer have to think when I first wake up. It’s become HABITUAL.

I feel extremely refreshed and excited to start my day with Purpose. 👊

Here’s the routine I put together for myself. This is what works for me, but I fully understand that it may not for you…

The goal is to inspire you and give you some ideas to build yours. 😊

Developing a successful morning routine for yourself will bring you a happier, stress-free, and more productive day.

MY SUCCESSFUL MORNING

• 5:30am - Wake up, Brush Teeth, Drink 32 oz. of Water

• 5:40am - 10-15 mins. of Meditation, Breathwork, Intention Setting

  • My Fav Spotify Meditation Playlist 👉 Guided Meditation

• 5:55am - Repeat Morning Mantra in the Mirror

  • Say it aloud with conviction. Believe it. Use “I” or “My” statements. If you do nothing else, do this at least. Create your Mantra and repeat daily. It’s powerful stuff.

• 6:00am - Complete the Purpose Section in the Daily P.O.W.E.R. Playbook

  • You can find the write up and playbook here 👉 Daily POWER or download the Playbook directly here 👉 www.oppoflow.com/playbooks

• 6:15am - Pick One: Workout, Read/Audiobook, Write, Go for a Walk/Run

• 7:00am - Listen to Music, Shower, Hygiene, Get Dressed, Relax

• 8:00am - Eat a Healthy Breakfast

• 8:30am - CRUSH THE DAY! 🚀

Click the image below to download my Successful Morning Playbook 👇

STEAL MINE OR BUILD YOURS. 🤝

TRY IT TOMORROW. 🙌

AND STICK WITH IT! 👊

If you already have a Morning Routine, reply to this email to let me know what works for you. I am genuinely curious. 🙂 

If you don’t have a routine yet, implement this one, learn from it and fine tune yours. Then let me know how it goes!

GOOD LUCK!

Until our next FLIGHT, enjoy your Song of the Week! 👇

Remember, Opportunity is Everywhere!!

Cheers! Steven

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As always, thanks for your support!