Here are the 6 key personal development practices that Hal recommends completing from 5am to 6am in the morning, ten minutes on each segment:

1. Silence/ meditation: A ten minute meditation, focusing on your breathing. This is a very peaceful and calm way to start your day.

2. Reading: Select a motivational book and just spend ten minutes reading, see what you learn that you can put into practice during the day.

3. Affirmations: Saying positive things to yourself over and over again. For example, I am going to have a fantastic day and I am a strong and confident woman.

4. Visualization: This is a physical vision of what you want to achieve. For example, putting together a vision board with pictures, photos and words showing all the places you want to go and all the things you want to do. You should spend time looking at each image in turn and imagine yourself in the photo.

5. Journaling: This involves writing down everything you are grateful for in your life. For example, I am grateful to have a wonderful family and a lovely home.

6. Exercise: This can be any form of exercise you like. For example start a yoga dvd, press ups, sit ups, squats and lunges.

Can you think of a better way to start your morning? These actions will help you with positive thinking, motivation and clearing the mind. You are preparing yourself for a fantastic day. Plus you have already achieved so much by the time you leave the house.

I decided to give this strategy a go. This morning I got up at 5am on the dot, and got started. I googled a YouTube video on a ten minute guided meditation and I followed the instructions. Next I read Jack Canfield’s book on the Success Principles, this is another book I recommend. The chapter I read was all about the benefits of visualisation, which fitted in well with my new morning routine. Next I read out a list of 20 positive and motivating affirmations. After this I got out my vision board which had been gathering dust for a while. What surprised me most was the number of things I had achieved already, it just showed me the power of this activity.

For example there were pictures of the Taj Mahal, Amsterdam, New York, The White House, Madrid and Barbados, I have now been to all these places – it works! Next I got out my journal and I started writing down all the things I was grateful for and the time just flew by. Then I started on my final activity, exercise. I completed as many press ups as I could, then I just kept moving on to the next exercise and the next one until the ten minutes were up.

By the time it was just past 6am I felt fantastic. My plan is to carry on my morning routine for at least 21 days, because that is how long it takes to form a habit.

If you do need some morning motivation, I strongly recommend that you read this book.

What should you do next

If you would like to purchase a guide on Becoming Passionate About Your Career & Personal Development, click here.

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