Morning Rituals with Coffee

Do you have a morning ritual centred around coffee? I certainly do, and not just because coffee is my profession :). Over the years coffee has become an important part of my morning routine. I think a lot of AM coffee drinkers will agree with me when I say, nothing hits you like the first sip.

This might make me sound a little unhinged but I actually wake up earlier than I need to so that I can ease into my day slowly and calmly. Pre-Covid, I lived a life of hectic mornings. My 5:30 AM alarm would go off and I’d be up and at the gym before 6 AM, bleary-eyed and miserable. These days I still hit the gym in the morning, but not that early. My alarm still goes off at around 5:30, but the first thing I do is take an ice-cold shower for 90 seconds. It’s something I have done on and off for years but this year it really stuck as a habit. Nothing like a cold shower to shock you into the present moment. It sounds nauseating but it feels great (and you don’t have to pay an arm and leg to go to a fancy cold plunge)!

After my shower and a tall glass of water, it’s finally coffee time. I do try and delay coffee as much as I can because caffeine right after waking up can mess with your sleep hormones, namely adenosine. My drink of choice is always a smooth, velvety flat white with whatever espresso I’m currently test-roasting. With my coffee by my side, I’m ready for some journalling and meditation. It sets me up really well and I find I am able to tackle the day with more clarity.

I’ve tried to complete my morning routine without coffee a few times and it just isn’t the same. There’s something about having one of your favourite beverages with you as you wake up and start your day! What is your morning ritual?