1) Be mindful the night before: 

a) If you want to wake up happy, the best thing you can do is go to bed happy.  Now, that's not always possible so the next best thing is to go to bed with some peace of mind.  Take a few minutes to debrief and decompress.  Acknowledge the day's challenges and write down a few foundation solutions on a piece of paper.  The next morning you can refer to the notes and start your day with a plan. 

b) Prep for the day ahead and think about what I call "The Fab 4" for your bedroom.  You want it to be clean, cool, quiet, and dark. 

c) You also want to remove all distractions.  Unless you're a doctor who needs to be on call or something of that nature, put your phone in the kitchen.   If your excuse is that you need an alarm clock, buy an alarm clock. 

2) Don't Hit Snooze: 

a) Like the saying goes, "you snooze- you lose." Don't bother wasting your time by hitting snooze.  You're just avoiding the inevitable.  

b) If you need to hit the snooze button when you wake up, you probably went to bed too late.  Either that, or you need to make some significant lifestyle adjustments. 

3) Avoid picking up your phone when you wake up: 

Don't tempt the social media Gods in the morning.  Their job is to put stuff on Facebook and Instagram that will make you want to sit there and scroll mindlessly for 35 minutes.  FYI They are really good at their job!  This includes politics, too.  If you are more focused on who is running the White House rather than who is running your own house when you open your eyes, you're not going be as productive as you could be in the morning.  

4)  Don't watch TV: 

Unless of course you are tuning in to Today In New York or The Today Show.  Those are both legal and recommended viewing. :) Otherwise, turning on your TV is just as bad as surfing your social sites on your phone if you're still under the covers.

5) Be grateful and be present:

a) For the first few minutes of your new day, practice some gratitude and introspection.  Start by thinking about a few things in your life that you are grateful for.   Then, visualize all the things you want to accomplish before you get back into bed tonight.  See it.  Believe it.  Go make it happen.

b) If you are fortunate enough to be waking up next to your true companion, let them know how much you love and appreciate them.

6) Fuel up and go:

a) Start the day off with a workout, shower, and a healthy breakfast.  This will give you the energy you need to take on the rest of the day. 

b) Eventually, waking up happy will evolve into making sleep, nutrition, and exercise a priority and soon you'll start waking up to the realization that your future can be better than you ever thought possible.

Cheers, -m

Marcello Pedalino, CFT, is the author of the new inspirational book on personal growth and development, Celebrate Life. He is an award-winning entrepreneur, lifestyle expert, and fitness trainer. He delivers dynamic keynote presentations to corporations and organizations across the country who need help making Energy Management and Work-Life balance a priority. www.MarcelloPedalino.com