What is your favorite morning ritual? What do you get from it?

[Annie Sever-Dimitri]

My favorite morning ritual is chanting in front of my alter, then walking my dog. Totally sets my mind and body straight. Oh, and let's not forget the joy of feeding the feral cats and my squirrels and birds. I love watching those fat little squirrels pick up little bird seeds and nuts in their teeny tiny hands! So sweet!

[Steph Woodward]

Hands down, taking my dogs to the dog park in the morning. It's one of the first things I do, and I always go before everybody else gets there. I love being outside that early in the morning (I kind of feel like I have the whole world to myself), and getting to see my dogs just run freely and play makes me feel like I know why I wake up every morning. Life is all about those simple pleasures, don't you think?

[Ron Brumbarger]

Ditto.

[Genie Goykhberg]

5 mins yoga stretching as soon as I open my eyes.

Learned it from my Pekingesse and modified to fit my body (like I always skip a tail stretching...).
I spent first 60 secs to activate my brain, sight, hearing, neck; second 60 secs - lungs, heart, arms (everything before my waist), third 60 secs - below my waist; forth 60 secs - the muscles of the front of my body and the last 60 sec - muscles on the back of my body.

And then I am ready to face the challenges my day prepares for me

[John Cannon]

Lmao, I'm just lucky to be on time to something in the morning!
Then again, I'm very rarely in bed before 2 a.m.....
--John Cannon
www.MyCarDoc.com

[Victoria Finch]

My favorite morning ritual is waking up. I get to live another day. That's enough for me.

[David Mark]

Pray, eat, workout, look over my cookbook (the ingredients for my daily mission)and yes, like you Annie, I feed the squirrels outside of my office. There's one in particular that follows me like a Golden Retriever. I'm not kidding. One morning I walk out of my office and there he is staring at me as if he were thinking, "Whatcha got for me?" So, I gave him a bagel with nuts (all natural, organic for those with concern). He scampered up to me, took the bagel and sat down right next to me. It was hilarious. There's a tree outside of my office window and he'll climb up to my window and just stare at me until I move. Everytime I get up he jumps down and runs to the door.

I call my new friend FuzzNutz. He He

[Annie Sever-Dimitri]

Thanks to all of you for responding! Steph, I agree with you TOTALLY about how seeing your dogs run freely makes you feel like you know why you wake up each day. I am so enthralled with my dog and cat. I love watching Daisy's precious, fluffy tail get all bouncy when she sashays up the sidewalk. Simple pleasures rule!!

David, my favorite squirrel is Kooky. He is a complete nut job (ha ha! had to say it). Runs like a loon all over the balcony, hangs from my screens, eats like a horse...I don't know how that kid doesn't explode from everything he shoves into that minute piehole. I would pay good money to pick him up and hug him, and squeeze him, and name him George! Maybe some day.

[Sarah Norman]

Hitting the snooze button! These days it's difficult to get inspired to start my mornings off with an upbeat attitude... unless it's a Saturday :D

[Erik Deckers]

I'm with you. I hit my snooze button at least once. Unfortunately, it's a 4 minute snooze, so it doesn't do anything for me.

[Nancy Lee]

I like Victoria Finch's response. I get to live another day! Then I hit the ground and head for the teabags - my first cup of tea gets me going.

[Laura Frank]

Running. Well, is it my favorite thing? No! It's a love/hate relationship. But I love the feeling when I've finished, a feeling that I've accomplished something big so early on in my day.

[Lindsay Manfredi]

Girl, I feel you on that love/hate running relationship. My treadmill however is my best friend in the morning. Me and God get to have some good conversation about life...well, me talking, mainly, and God intently listening I'm sure. Perhaps I should give him the same attention... hmmmm...
Anyway..it always gives me a jump start on my day, even if it is 5am.