My secrets to starting well (including the recipe for 'Will & Noah's kick-ass green smoothie')

Well, it's officially a few days into 2018. 

I'm not big on New Year's resolutions - given their tendency to lean towards super unrealistic, guilt-laden goals rather than the steady forming of small habits that can lead to lasting change,

BUT having said that, 

I do love beginnings. (I'm a 7 on the enneagram* - basically meaning I get PUMPED about starting things...even if I struggle a little more at the finishing end). 

It can be daunting thinking about how you 'begin a year', but it's a lot easier to  think about how you begin the simple gift that is the day before you. 

So, here are my personal 'secret ingredients' for starting the day well. I don't always get to do each of these, but I definitely notice the difference on the days I do.

1. Wake up early. 
I'll leave you to decide what early means. For me, it's usually dictated by the tiny people that live in my house. I try to view this as a blessing, when it feels like a curse - because I always used to like the idea of waking up early (whereas nowadays, sleeping in is the more theoretical 'idea'). But, I do think there is some magic that exists in the earlier hours of the morning that gradually lessons as the hours pass. To me, early mornings are all about possibility. They are about time and space. They are about marvelling at a world moving from darkness to light, from asleep to awake, from the past to the future. 

2. Go for a walk.
No matter how I feel when I crawl out of bed, or when I am tying up my laces, I immediately feel a zillion times better when I am outside, walking through the world as it wakes up (I usually have a coffee in my hand and a chirpy toddler by my side or on my back which also help). Seriously, a long walk in the morning is incredible for waking up, clearing your head, processing ideas, getting zapped with creative juices, praying, listening, meditating....all the stuff you often wish you did but don't feel like you have time for. If you have kids that wake up early, and you can fit it in before you start work, it's also a great way to get some quality time in first thing (while also potentially giving your partner some extra sleep!)

3. Make my kick-ass green smoothie.
So you've embraced an early wake-up, you've stretched the legs and done some mental processing. There's one thing left that will solidify your awesome morning and set you up for a killer day. My kick-ass green smoothie (developed and perfected over time by me and my two-year old). This is a super healthy breaky option, but it's also ridiculously tasty for something so green. 

Ingredients: 
- Almond milk (1 cup)
- Chia seeds (1 tablespoon)
- One banana
- Baby spinach (a couple generous handfuls)
- Mayver's Cacao Super Spread (if you are trying to kick sugar but love Nutella, this is the shiz). 

If you're wanting the budget version, you can sub the Cacao spread for Peanut Butter, and it will still taste good. You can also sub the Baby spinach for Kale...but it will stop tasting good. 

And there you have it. This is how my best days start. And starting each day well is probably a good way to start something bigger - like a year.

What are your secrets to starting well?