Turn Your Morning Coffee into a Powerful Magical Ritual

April 3, 2020

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Our lives are full of routines. Stuff like your morning coffee routine, your commute to work, your afternoon jog, even reading before bed. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with routine, too much routine can zap the creativity and inspiration right out of our lives.

In this post, find out how to turn even the most mundane routine, like your morning coffee, into a powerful magical ritual.

What’s wrong with a morning coffee routine?

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with productive routines and the conservation of mental energy for more challenging situations that may arise throughout your day, too much routine puts us into auto-pilot. When our everyday actions become so routine that we barely notice we’re doing them, that’s a problem.

If you barely taste your morning coffee because you’re guzzling it down while packing your brief case, dressing your child, or firing off a text, you’re not living in the moment. And while losing an hour here and there happens to everyone, you don’t want to wake up one day and realize you haven’t tasted coffee (and who knows what else) in ten years!

So, what’s a girl to do?

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Have your coffee, just add an extra shot of intention.

A fine line separates routine from ritual. And that line, my friends, is the presence or lack of intention.

While a routine is a sequence of actions that we follow regularly without much thought, a ritual, even if performed daily, holds great personal meaning and is fueled by a powerful intention. This intention is what separates rituals from everyday routines.

One of the most famous scenes from the 90s legal drama, Ally McBeal, involved Ally teaching a colleague how to prolong and then sensually relish the very first sip of coffee at the firm each morning rather than gulping it down the second the secretary brought it over.

Overtly cheesy sexual innuendo aside, it was a perfect example of tuning in, being present, and connecting with an otherwise mundane moment in a way that fuels your spirit.

How to turn morning coffee into a magical daily ritual

Here’s a step-by-step guide to turn your morning coffee, whether you brew it at home or drive to Starbucks every day, into a powerful magical ritual.

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Step 1: Become present.

Become fully present in your anticipation of your coffee.

To be present means to notice where you are and how you feel in the present moment. You don’t necessarily need to stop what you’re doing and freeze in place. Just notice what the present moment holds.

If you are people watching while the barista makes your latte, really be present.

If you are putting away dishes from the night before as you wait for your coffee maker to beep, pay attention to your motions and the smell of coffee filling the air.

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Step 2: Feel the warmth of the cup in your hands.

Hold the hot cup of coffee in your hands for a few moments and feel the warmth against your palms.

Continue this mindful attention to detail once you have your coffee in your hand. Feel the warmth (or coolness if you’re a cold brew kind of person) in your hand.

Perhaps you express quick silent gratitude for this lovely little pleasure in your life.

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Step 3: Close your eyes and take in the aroma.

Isolating your senses by closing your eyes to enjoy just the aroma of your coffee builds anticipation, which is exciting. But it also encourages you to slow down.

I love my morning coffee so I love relishing in the experience. It is perhaps my favorite ritual and it is often the thing that finally gets me out of bed in the morning, especially when I’m feeling overwhelmed or down.

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Step 4: Set an intention for the day.

Your intention can be the energy you wish to embody today, or a feeling state you wish to inhabit.

Perhaps most importantly, it is not a goal or an item to check off your to-do list. Think of an intention as a guiding principle for how you want to show up in the world today.

Here are some intentions I’ve set in the past if you want some ideas:

  • I intend to listen and be available for others today.
  • I will practice extreme gratitude today.
  • Today is about compassion for others. It is not about me today.
  • I intend to trust my intuition today rather than over-analyze every decision.

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Step 5: Take your first sip.

When you’re ready, take your first sip of coffee.

Finally, with your intention in mind, take your first glorious sip of coffee. By this point, I consider the coffee a magical elixir that gives me the focus and power to bring my intention to life today.

I mean, they don’t call it go-go juice for nothing!

Transform your morning coffee routine into a simple yet powerful ritual. Happy As Annie | Authentic and Intentional Living

Step 6: Visualize your day.

What would it look like for you to follow the intention you just set? As you continue to drink your coffee, visualize your ideal day. One in which you show up the way you intend to, act in a way that aligns with your values,  treat others the way you want to be treated, and feel a sense of trust and gratitude all day.

How will you greet your students, or secretary, or first client when you get into work?

Where will you spend your lunch hour?

How will your big meeting go, and what kinds of things will you be saying to yourself in your head beforehand and afterward?

Allow your mind to daydream and have fun! Let this beautiful, magical bean juice help set you up for wild success today!

K-Cups

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Happy As Annie | Turn Your Morning Coffee Into a Powerful Magical Ritual

8 Comments

  • Reply 9 Ways to Celebrate the Fall Equinox This Year - Happy as Annie September 21, 2020 at 6:01 am

    […] Since the Fall Equinox is also officially the first day of fall, I think some pumpkin spice SOMETHING is in order! You can be a basic bitch like me and get your first pumpkin spice latte of the season from Starbucks. (In fact, click here for my powerful morning coffee ritual that would make this PSL experience even more magic….) […]

  • Reply Alyssa October 16, 2020 at 6:53 am

    Wow I never thought of making my daily coffee into a morning ritual. It’s so important to be present in the moment and enjoy everything in life, even that first delicious cup of coffee!

    • Reply HappyAsAnnie October 16, 2020 at 6:28 pm

      You’re so right, Alyssa. I’m a big believer in sneaking magic and mindfulness into everyday routines because otherwise I might never make time for it!

  • Reply 8 Best Gratitude Journals with Prompts - Happy as Annie November 2, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    […] SOMETHING – stay in the shower for an extra few minutes, or take a moment to appreciate the smell of your morning coffee before your first sip. Try to elongate the pleasant moments of your day, no matter how […]

  • Reply Jillian February 19, 2021 at 9:49 am

    I have never heard of coffee ritual and now that I have I am going to try it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts

    • Reply HappyAsAnnie February 19, 2021 at 10:53 am

      I’m so glad you liked it, Jillian! I am all about the simple everyday magic! 🙂

  • Reply Pratishtha October 13, 2022 at 12:08 am

    You really made the coffee taste even better. Thanks for this beautiful insight! Going to practice it.

    • Reply HappyAsAnnie October 16, 2022 at 10:08 am

      I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for reading 🙂

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