How a shift in my morning routine led to positive changes in my entire day

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by CLEAR CARE® PLUS as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I received financial compensation for my participation and endorsement.

There was a time in my life I set my alarm for 5:00 am. As a stay-at-home mom of a small child, and simultaneously trying to build my business, those two hours in the morning before she woke up were gold. So I would diligently wake up, regardless of what my body was telling me, and immediately open up my computer and begin to work.

While I was able to bang out a fair amount of work during those early hours, I probably was not doing my best work. I wasn’t giving my body and mind the care it needed to be fueled for the day. Given the demands of taking care of a small child AND working from home, my morning routine was in desperate need of an upgrade.

I was reluctant at first. By allowing myself to wake up naturally and not jumping right into work the moment I awoke felt like squandering precious time, but I decided to try something different. I began easing into my day instead of diving in headfirst. Now, my days start by following my body’s natural rhythm and waking up when it’s ready. Then it’s a cool glass of water followed by a yoga video.

Until I upgraded my morning with yoga, I never saw the benefit of the practice.

Sure, it could be centering, but to me “real” exercise meant constantly moving my body and sweat dripping down my face.

How wrong I was.

Starting my day with yoga has not only be calming for the mind, but it is most definitely a workout. I have mornings that leave my core aching for days, that satisfying ache that lets you know you really worked your muscles. I see the strength building in my arms and legs and my body becoming more flexible with each day.

It also forces me to slow down and appreciate the day.

I might not get as much checked off my to-do list in the morning, but upgrading my morning routine has allowed me to be more productive because I’m fully rested and I’m not rushing from one thing to the next.

This is not the only upgrade I have made in my adulthood.

I have been wearing contact lenses since I was a sophomore in college. While this change improved my quality of life in many ways, it also led to some major nuisances. Specifically, dry eyes and blurry contacts that actually made it more difficult to see at times.

Even though I was frustrated, I continued using it because I didn’t realize I had other options.

Years later, after I switched optometrists, the first thing he recommended was I dump my multipurpose solution and switch to CLEAR CARE®, and more recently I have been using CLEAR CARE® PLUS. I could feel the difference and have been a devoted user since.

With CLEAR CARE® PLUS, you can actually see the bubbles working. I find great pleasure in watching the solution work its magic and bubble up as soon as I stick the contact cartridge in the solution. CLEAR CARE® PLUS works hard to loosen dirt, deep clean, and remove protein from your contacts with the disinfecting power of hydrogen peroxide.

It’s an upgrade in my life that I wish I had taken earlier.

CLEAR CARE® PLUS is taking upgrades to the next level with the Bubble Upgrade™ Sweepstakes. From 8/10/16 to 9/6/16, a winner will be selected every Wednesday to win an upgrade experience (each valued at over $10,000), spanning categories from sports, travel, and self-improvement.

View the sweepstakes here to learn more and for official rules, and discover the amazing prizes!