For the past 4 years, I have woken up to my brain overflowing with thoughts.

90% of these thoughts are worries or anxiety for what I will do that day or leftover feelings from the day before. It can be debilitating and makes it difficult to start your day.

I have had to come up with an effective way to combat these feelings immediately and move on with my day.

Here is my guideline.

JUMP out of bed!

Do I mean it literally? Well, kinda... As soon as your eyes open you must force your way out of bed. I always spring myself up, making my first active mindful decision of the day. The longer you stay in those sheets, the more the thoughts start to whirl around in your mind.

Look at yourself in the mirror.

Might sound strange but it is extremely effective. Looking at yourself in the mirror is perfect for getting out of your head and into your body. It's like "oh what's up?" - there I am. There is a switch that happens from the racing mind to the calm self. After you look at yourself in the mirror, it sets you up for the last task.

Breathe in fresh air.

Nothing beats that first breath of fresh air, all the way to the back of the brain and the bottom of the lungs. This is another way to come out of your mind and into your body. We all know meditation is important, but if you breathe in air from outside it is a whole different animal. It has an immediate calming effect.