Morning Routines

My Calm Morning (Most Days): What’s Actually Working for Me

Jan 25, 2026 11:11 AM Central
AJ Flanagan
Finding What Works, Gentle Wellness Habits, Grief and Healing, Healthy Lifestyle Shifts, Intentional Living, Morning Routines, Nervous System Support
2 Comments

I’m still under the covers. Eyes mostly closed. Brain not fully online yet. And I’ve got the Dwell app playing — daily Scripture and a short lesson.

It’s the easiest win of my whole day.

Mindful Mornings: How Starting Your Day with Intention Can Boost Emotional Wellness

08/18/2024 04:24 AM Central
AJ Flanagan
Emotional Wellness, Healthy living, Holistic Health, mental health, Mindfulness, Morning Routines, Personal Development, Positive Habits, self-care, stress management
0 Comments

Starting your morning with intention and mindfulness can set the tone for a more focused, less stressful, and positive day. Incorporating mindfulness into your morning routine—through practices like deep breathing exercises, gratitude journaling, setting daily intentions, and mindful movement—can have significant benefits for your emotional well-being. Consistency in these practices can lead to emotional stability, improved focus, and enhanced resilience to stress over time.

Building a mindful morning routine doesn't have to be complex or time-consuming. Simple exercises like taking deep breaths before getting out of bed, jotting down things you're grateful for, setting daily intentions, and engaging in gentle movement can have a profound impact on your day. The key is to start slow, be consistent, and adapt these practices to fit your lifestyle.

Creating a mindful morning routine is a personal journey that fosters emotional wellness, helping you navigate life with calm and clarity. By starting your day with intention, you'll find yourself better equipped to handle challenges. Ready to transform your mornings? Grab my specially curated Mindful Morning Playlist to kickstart your day with the right vibes and see firsthand how these simple practices can positively impact your life.

✨ My blog exists because I know what it feels like to keep everything jumbled in your head — like a messy pile of clothes you can’t sort through.

Writing it all down brings clarity, calm, and sometimes even healing answers I didn’t know I was looking for.

Honestly, that’s why I keep showing up to write — it helps me make sense of things.

Even if you have no intentions of ever publishing your work, I highly recommend writing stuff down. It doesn't have to be a literary masterpiece or even full, grammatically correct sentences... just dump those random thoughts onto paper... you'll see what I mean.

Hi! I'm AJ Flanagan.

Hey there — I’m AJ.

I’m an empty-nester and a widow who had a wake-up call about the hidden toxins in everyday products most of us grew up using. Our parents didn’t know. We didn’t know either. But once you start paying attention, it’s hard to ignore.

Life shifted in 2018 when my husband, Eric, was diagnosed with leukemia — and again in 2023 when we faced a second cancer diagnosis. Supporting him through treatment changed how we looked at just about everything, including how we cared for our home, our bodies, and our day-to-day routines.

We didn’t aim for perfection or extremes. We focused on simple, meaningful changes — reducing toxic load in our home, choosing better ingredients, prioritizing nourishing food, and building calmer rhythms into daily life. Tools like aromatherapy, music, meditation, and intentional rest became part of how we coped and stayed grounded.

Caring for Eric deepened my commitment to living well — not as a trend, but as a way of showing up with intention and grace, even in the hard seasons.

Now I share our story, the lessons we learned, the small changes that made a big difference, and how I'm moving forward. My hope is to make wellness feel more approachable, less overwhelming, and rooted in real life — especially for anyone who wants healthier options without pressure or perfection.

If you’re here to find what actually works for you, you’re in the right place.

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