Recently, I was chatting with a local business owner and bonding over our shared hatred for the addiction that is social media and cell phones at large. We both lamented over how frustrated we get with ourselves when the first thing we do in the morning is pick up the phone and start scrolling.
It doesn't always have to be social media either. It can be emails, text messages, or even just looking at photos from the night before. Whatever the case, it's an addiction.
She told me that in order to combat this problem she'd been having, she decided that instead of getting on her phone first thing in the morning, she would bake. Which does sound like the absolute best way to start the day.
How we start our days often sets us up for how the remainder of the day is going to go. Not always, but often. If we wake up late, rushing and in a hurry, our day will often feel rushed and like we're constantly a few paces behind. When we wake up slowly with the sun, take a few moments to meditate or reflect, we tend to have a much more grounded experience for the rest of our day.
In today's society, it's hard to wake up like Cinderella, singing with the birds and twirling around, humming as we do the morning chores. Many of us have jobs, kids, and a lot of responsibilities to attend to as soon as we open our eyes in the morning. But if you can establish a calming and relaxing breakfast routine, even if it's just on the weekend, you can create a sense of peace and purpose that will carry you through the busiest of days.
In my household, breakfast is an event. A celebration, if you will. I often make pancakes on Sunday mornings, served on a table decorated with my favorite plates and linens. It's the time when my husband and I get to pause and say hello to each other before we head off in different directions for the day.
I try to create a relaxing environment with candles and flowers and the tea kettle humming lowly in the background.
As homemakers, creating a welcoming environment is something that benefits not only us, but our families. And what better time to do so, than right at the beginning of the day?
Here are my tips for crafting a relaxing and celebratory breakfast routine.
Prepare the Night Before
To make your mornings more seamless and relaxing, do as much preparation for breakfast the night before or the weekend before. Growing up, my mom always meal prepped breakfasts on Sundays, so we would have something to warm up and eat before going to school. As an adult, I now prep my breakfasts the night before whenever possible.
For freshly baked bread in the morning, I'll often make the dough the night before and let it rise overnight. Then, I'll pop it in the oven first thing in the morning for a bakery style brekky. Here is my favorite, easy bread recipe.
You can also prep the night before by putting your kitchen "to bed". In other words, making sure your kitchen is completely cleaned and ready for use in the morning. There's nothing more stressful than waking up to a messy kitchen and having to wash the dishes or clean the counters before you can start cooking and eating. If your kitchen is ready to go, that will cut down on your stress and the amount of time you have to wait to eat!
Use the "Good China"
Many of us grew up with the idea that you only use your favorite dishes on special days; holidays, birthdays or if someone is coming over for dinner. However, I'm of the mindset that everyday is a celebration, and as such, each meal should be held by beautiful dinnerware. If nothing else, it just makes you happy. It's so much more fun to have breakfast on your favorite vintage plates than on paper plates. And if you hate the idea of dishes...well, I hear you. But a little extra effort goes a long way when creating a beautiful breakfast ritual.
Make Something Pretty & Nutritious
In the U.S., we're conditioned to have the quickset breakfasts possible. Toast that you can slap some butter on and run out the door - as evidenced by every breakfast scene in every Disney Channel Original Movie ever. Waffles that you can pop in the toaster, and sometimes just a black coffee!
But to me, breakfast is a celebration of the morning. The beautiful soft light that peaks through the blinds, the songs of the birds waking up, and the sound of silence before everyone takes off for the hustle and bustle of their workday. It's an opportunity to greet the day and say hello to the world! Celebrate with something delicious and nutritious. My go to for beautiful, colorful breakfast recipes is always NYTCooking.
Here are some of my favorite breakfast recipes:
Set the Table
This is another thing you can prep the night before! Setting the table is a great way to create a beautiful and peaceful atmosphere to start the day. Setting the table for meals is important for so many reasons. It establishes a routine and ritual that members of your family can come to expect and get excited about. It enhances the dining experience, making it more enjoyable to eat in a beautiful space. And it shows that you put effort into your life in seemingly small areas.
Set Your Intentions
Finally, use this time to set your intentions for the day. As you enjoy your meal, think about how you want your day to go, what you want to accomplish in your day, and how you want to approach the challenges and tasks for the day ahead. You can do this by writing a quick list and/or meditating. A 10 or 15 minute meditation or after breakfast walk can be so grounding and a great way kick off your day.
With these tips, I'm hopeful that you will slow down in the mornings and take the time to truly enjoy the promise of a new day. For more posts like this one, head to my Home & Garden page, for all things cooking, baking and homemaking.
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