Drink your coffee outside

Boost your mood with a very simple morning ritual

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to drink your coffee outside. Summer is a
great opportunity to get outside a little more, and by

(00:25):
getting some fresh air first thing, your whole day will
probably be better. This episode is running in midsummer, and
my kids have been out of school now for several weeks.
While we have quite the circus of camp runs going,
in general, camp starts later than school. That means that

(00:46):
my mornings can be a bit slower. Summer mornings in
my neck of the woods are also quite lovely. Midday
is hot and humid, but in the early morning it
is often cooler. Fresh air is a known mood booster,
So this summer I am trying to drink my first

(01:07):
cup of coffee outside. Whenever I make that first cup,
I go sit on the steps or on the porch
and just look out at the trees the summer sky.
If I want to read articles or newsletters on my phone,
that's fine, or I can just sit and listen to
the birds. I don't aim to stay out there long

(01:28):
after all, people do still need to get up and
go to camp and I need to get to work,
But even just a few minutes can be quite nice.
Starting the day with fresh air is energizing. Natural light
wakes people up, and that little mood boost can last
for hours into the day. If your summer schedule is

(01:51):
a little more spacious, or even if it isn't, you
might also enjoy taking that first cup of coffee outside.
If you I'm not sure it would work, just aim
for five minutes. If you have a baby or toddler
to watch, take them outside with you. If you're letting
a dog out, go outside with the dog and sit

(02:11):
there with your coffee rather than just opening the door.
Or put your coffee in a travel mug and get
the leash and go for a real walk. I'm not
saying anyone needs to be off their phone, but you
might try to give yourself two to three minutes of
screen free, deep breathing. What does the world sound like
and look like? What does it smell like and feel like?

(02:34):
Then enjoy that first transporting sip while feeling grateful for
a new day. Maybe it can't happen every morning. Some
days are busy, some days are stormy and unpleasant. It's fine.
Even a few times a week can change how we feel.

(02:55):
Sometimes when people think about morning routines, they think about
long and convol looted strings of activities, involving hours spent exercising, meditating,
drinking green juice and the like. That is fine, and
I'm guessing some people listening to this podcast do all
those things. But if they don't fit in your life,
just know that a morning routine doesn't have to be

(03:18):
complicated to make a day feel better. Even five minutes
outside with your coffee can help. That can be a
perfectly wonderful morning ritual, should you choose to embrace it.
In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

(03:38):
here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for
listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,
you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com.

(04:03):
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts
from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.