Operation Morning Glory: A Daily Ritual of Connection and Calm

I call it Operation Morning Glory. It sounds more dramatic than it is.

Every morning, Janna and I do the same things in the same order. It started as habit. It became something we protect.

The sequence

First, the animals. Judy, our golden retriever, is already awake and waiting. Waffles and Pancakes, our two cats, appear from wherever cats sleep and remind us that they are starving. We feed them. This takes five minutes.

Then coffee. We use a Chemex pour-over, which is slower than a regular coffee maker and requires paying attention. Heating the water, measuring the beans, pouring in slow circles. It forces you to be present for about ten minutes.

Then we go outside. Coffee in hand. No phones. We walk the garden, sit on the porch, or head to the park. We talk. Sometimes about what is happening that day. Sometimes about nothing. Sometimes we do not talk at all.

This part takes maybe 20-30 minutes. Then the regular day starts.

Why it works

Three things happen during this routine that do not happen otherwise.

We pay attention to each other. Once the day starts, we get pulled into work, tasks, obligations. This is the only time we are fully present with no agenda.

We pay attention to where we are. Noticing the birds, the temperature, the light. It sounds small. It resets something.

We start slow. The rest of the day will speed up. Starting slow makes the acceleration feel less violent.

The phone thing

We tried doing this with phones. Checking messages while drinking coffee. It ruined it. The quality of attention changed completely. Now the phones stay inside until the coffee is done.

Adding journaling

Some mornings I write for a few minutes after we come back in. Three things I am grateful for. What I want to focus on today. Sometimes just whatever is on my mind.

I do not do this every day. When I do it, the day tends to go better. When I skip it, nothing terrible happens.

Making your own version

The specific activities do not matter. The structure does.

Something that requires your hands and attention. Something that gets you outside. Something that connects you to whoever you live with. Something with no screens.

Find your own sequence. Protect it.

If you have a morning routine that works, share it in the comments.