How to Ignite Your Mind in English in the Morning

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! …Today is the day to start your transformation to become the English learner that you always wanted to be. Whether you are just starting to learn English or have been studying it for a long time, it is time for you to wake up and get ready to take control of your journey to RealLife Fluency.

Stop trying to avoid the call. Don’t let your fears hold you back today. Every morning is the perfect opportunity to accept your daily call to conquer English. Start your day off strong by creating daily habits and routines that ignite¹ your mind, and prepare you for the rest of your day.

Get Pumped For a Beautiful Day

Do you have a favorite song that you can play to get you excited for a new day?

Why not set² that song as your alarm to wake up?

You can instantly start each day thinking in English by changing your alarm to a motivational song that wakes you up bright and early. Get pumped for the day ahead of you by switching your alarm to Lose Yourself by Eminem, Wake Me Up by Avicii, On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons, or whatever inspirational song that gets your blood going in the morning.

Ideally, it’s better to wake up earlier in order to give yourself time to start your day in a mindful³ way that allows you to create habits and routines that will support your English goals.

For example, if you have to be at work at 9 am, it would be important for you to wake up around 6 am. By waking up at 6 am, you would give yourself 3 hours potentially to prepare yourself for the challenges that you may face during the day.

You would have more time and attention to give to your priorities for the day as well. You could use the time to learn the lyrics⁴ of a song, watch a TED talk, listen to a podcast, and advance your English skills. You could even use the time to work out, make a nice breakfast for yourself, and treat yourself⁵ before heading⁶ to work.

Kick Start⁷ Your Mind

Once you are up and out of the bed, you can create daily habits that help you think in English instead of your native language and feel good about the day ahead of you.

First, you can create a daily affirmation⁸ to say to yourself when you wake up each morning.

Here are some examples to get you started:

• Today’s going to be an awesome day.
• I align myself today with pure, fun positive energy.
• Today I align myself with freedom, growth, and joy.
• I let go of all fear and replace it with love.

When you say these affirmations the first thing in the morning, your mind automatically starts to think in English. Not only will you spark⁹ your mind, you will also create a habit of starting the day with positive thoughts and an optimistic outlook¹⁰ of the day in general. You will be filled with a positive attitude towards the challenges that arise and feel more enthusiastic about facing your own English fears.

Another way to start your day thinking in English is through guided meditation or yoga. Meditation and yoga have been proven to boost¹¹ brain power, enhance focus, relieve stress, and cure depression. These practices alone can help you become the best version of yourself.

If you also do them while being guided by an English speaker, you can improve your listening skills and expose yourself to new vocabulary by immersing yourself in the language. It is a win-win opportunity for you. Not only will you improve your overall health and well-being, but you will also become a better English speaker.

You can start this practice by scheduling in 15-30 minutes each day after you wake up to meditate or do yoga. You can use YouTube videos to get started or you can find apps that can guide you through the process and help you keep track of your results.

Here are a couple of resources that can help you make meditation a part of your morning routine:

Insight Timer is a good app to get started. It has thousands of guided meditations in English, as well as other languages. Make sure to join the “RealLife English Meditators” group when you download the app.

Learn more about the benefits of meditation throughout the process of learning English.

Express Gratitude

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~Oprah Winfrey

After finishing your daily meditation or yoga practice, your mind and body is in the perfect state to express gratitude for the simple things in your life. Practicing gratitude is a scientifically supported way to increase your long-term fulfillment and overall well-being. Reflecting on what you are grateful for each day changes the way you think and feel.

When you do this in English, you open your mind to a new perspective of the language. You start to associate English with optimism and positive thoughts. You break down the barrier of fear that once stood between you and the language.

A simple way to start this practice is by keeping a gratitude journal in English. Each day after you finish your meditation or yoga session, sit down and list at least 3 things you are grateful for and why you are grateful for them. Take this time to express gratitude for moments from last weekend, for the people in your life, the present moment, opportunities to learn, nature, places that you love, a new job, or a new experience.

The list could go on forever. There are so many things in life to be thankful for. Here’s a template you can start with.

Today I’m grateful for…

1.

2.

3.

When you take the time to pause and appreciate what you have, you end up attracting more positivity into your life because you see the positive aspects of every situation. It is an essential part of the journey.

Watch this video to learn more about the scientifically studied benefits of practicing gratitude daily.

Spread Your Positive Energy

“Darkness cannot drive out¹² darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Now that your mind is filled with positivity, it is time to spread your light into the world. Take a moment to think about a positive message in English to send to your family and friends that will inspire them to have a great week or uplift¹³ them today. The power of the internet and social media also gives you a medium to share your message with the entire world.

Why not take advantage of this powerful tool?

Step outside of your comfort zone today and start sharing what you are learning in your English journey and teach others at the same time. Take what you learned from this post and share songs that motivate you, positive affirmations, mantras, tips to improve your health, and your gratitude for the world everyday.

You could even share this blog post with your friends on social media and English learning groups with a reflection of what you learned with the key teaching points.

Today is the perfect day to accept your call to conquer English! Start the journey by making the most out of every morning. Use your mornings as a valuable opportunity to jump start your English and create positive momentum for the rest of your day.

      Vocabulary from the article