The actions you take right after waking up shape your whole day.

Most people grab their phones first thing. Before they even get out of bed, their phone is already flooding them with messages, emails, and feeds that trigger the nervous system. You start the day relaxed, then immediately flood your mind with triggers. No wonder anxiety shows up before breakfast.

There's another way. Wake up a little earlier. Give yourself a buffer. Start calm.

A few options:

• Meditation. Doesn't need to be long, just a few minutes. Sit in silence, follow your breath. Or try visualization: run through your day ahead, but see everything going right. That morning meeting? Nailed it. Your workout? Crushed it. Picture it clearly, end to end. (I've got some short guided meditations in my InnerPowerLab Pilot membership, open for a limited window at a low price, if you want to try them.)

• Not into meditation? Try breathwork. Again, keep it short. Match it to what you need that morning: something to settle your nerves, something to sync your heart and mind, or something to wake you up. Five to ten minutes. That's it. You can also find different types of breathwork videos in my InnerPowerLab Pilot membership to guide you every morning.

• Mindful movement works too. Yoga, qi gong, anything that gets you out of your head and into your body. Movement shifts stuck energy. It helps you shake off whatever you might be carrying from yesterday.

• Get outside if you can, even five or ten minutes. Fresh air, sunlight, nature. They all regulate the nervous system. Bonus points if you do your breathwork out there, weather permitting.

• One more thing: delay the stimulants. Coffee and scrolling can wait. Get your routine in first. These small actions don't eat up your morning, but they change the texture of your entire day.

Start when you can. Stick with it for at least a week before you decide whether it's working. Some people notice a shift on day one; others need longer. Don't bail if you don't feel transformed immediately. Keep going.