Wondering how to make sure your home reflects your heart? You’ve got the elf’s out, stockings hung, tree up, and cider sipping going on, but where’s Jesus in these beautiful moments in your home? If so, this LIVE Show & Podcast is right for you because in this episode Sinikka gives the 5 ideas that she and her family are doing to make Jesus present in this Advent season evident to you as you walk around your home and focus your heart.

Welcome to the Soul Family LIVE Show & Podcast! I’m your host Sinikka & and if you haven’t heard our FREE 3-Day Forever I Choose You Devo is here! I created this 3-day digital devotional as a significant tool to walk you and your beloved through what these words mean to me, and serve as a tool to remind you and your beloved to continue to say, “Forever, I choose you.” Find it in the shop!

In other big news, Soul Creations Photography now officially offer Ministry Collections for anniversary, newborn, baby, maternity, and family sessions because WE are here for your forever!

Episode 10: 3 Easy Steps To Your Morning Routine

Let’s GO!

Welcome to the Soul Family Podcast! I’m your host Sinikka & and Happy Advent, y’all!!!

I am so excited to be with y’all today & cannot wait to jump into it with you, because Christmas is around the corner & I want you to know I am feeling all the things. Busy, peaceful, blissful, nostalgic, ready for a longer rest time. 

Because we were sick all last week, literally all last week until the weekend Christmas parties, we’re keeping the mood light this week and giving ya what you want – an episode all about:

What’s your morning routine? You may be in transition seasons (either to new wife or to new mom) that demand that you create a new rhythm and routine, so I’m sharing with you what mine looks like, and how it’s the best it’s ever been (when i’m not sick!) throughout the years

Before I was married I had a set routine, included 30m of Jesus time in the morning, in a closet

After I got married, I wanted to have the same schedule as my husband and could never figure out how to make that happen, mornings felt reactive

After I had a baby, they were even more reactive. Getting out of bed because a baby was crying.

15m into having our first child, my husband and I, for a lot of reasons, have decided that we needed a morning routine.

We’re actually going to have a surprise episode next week with my husband to talk all about why we have a morning routine, but today, I’m going to break down my part of it.

It starts the night before, we start getting ready for bed at 8:15pm, and are in bed by 9pm – together.

• It wasn’t always like that. It’s hard to give up evening activities or say you have to leave because you gotta get ready for the early morning. But this boundary has made us a happier people, because we are doing what’s best for us. No one else will stick up for what we know is good for us. No one cares about it as much as we do. So we leave, and we are in bed sleeping by 9pm.

  • We wake up at 5am & hop to our personal routines

Drink water

(1) Get dressed & ready for the day (20m)

Start Today Journal (5m) Rachel Hollis

• (2) Prayer (10m) Val Marie

  • This section is ideally done by 5:30am

• (3) Move / Stretch my body (30m)

  • This section is ideally done by 6:00am

Shower (3m)

Personal Reflections (30m) Brendon Bruchard Book

• Work (30m)

  • This section is done by 7:00am, when we wake baby up & we immediately get to making breakfast for him and me

• This past week, we were sick and needed all the sleep. We were completely off our morning routine. No work, working out, or pray, or reflections. We were shot and exhausted. It was impossible to think. Our brains were worn. And I MISSED this routine because it centers my heart, spirit, and body for the day. It prepares me with intention & I’m ready for whatever curveballs may come, because I am not reacting when I start my day, I’m acting. And that mood follows me throughout the day.

No one cares about your personal well-being as much as you do. 

Live life no one else so you can live like no one else – Dave Ramsey

When those around you are exhausted, lethargic, and foggy, you will be able to help them because you will be well-rested, alert, and feel more in control of yourself, your emotions, your actions, and the results that will occur throughout the day because of it.

• Reflection Questions: 

  • What activities might I start doing in the morning that might help me feel most fully ready for the day?

  • What activities might I stop doing in the morning that hinder me feeling most fully ready for the day?

• • Decide what time you are going to bed tonight, and decide what time you’re waking up tomorrow. Decide what 1 thing you’re going to do in the extra time you have in the morning, even if it’s 10 minutes prior to when you are to be getting out the door or tending to responsibilities.

Friend, you’ve got this. Get out there and hug the person you chose to be with forever, this time – it’s yourself, sis. You’ve got one body, one mind, one heart. You need to choose to care for yourself right now. And come back next week, because we’ll be talking about how you and your spouse can together choose to care for yourselves right alongside each other. Hope you have an amazing week and I can’t wait to really crack open this morning routine conversation with my husband next week!