Excerpt from my book, Fry Your Chickens! Now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (and technically on eBay, but let’s not promote scalping).
For years, my mornings started the same way:
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Email anxiety.
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Speech prep panic.
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A dozen to-dos before the first cup of coffee.
So every morning, Chicken Little was perched on my chest:
“You’re already behind!”
“You forgot that email!”
“The sky is falling!”
Basically, I was stressed out before sunrise. Obviously not the best mindset for a motivational speaker. Or anyone for that matter.
So I built a routine. A rock-solid one. One that gave Chicken Little the boot—sometimes for the whole day.
My ABCD Morning Routine
I call it ABCD:
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Affirmations
I rotate through affirmations—some I wrote, some I borrowed. One favorite:
“I am not just another speaker. I’m an expert who is all in. That’s what the world needs.”
Another comes from Craig Groeschel:
“It’s what I do after I bring my best that makes a difference.”
Affirmations train your brain to look for opportunity, not overwhelm. -
Bible
A few verses, a devotional—whatever reminds me I’m part of something bigger. -
Coffee
Sacred. I only allow myself two cups a day. That means I savor each one, slowly. It’s part ritual, part reward. -
Dogs
To wrap up the day – I spend time with our dogs. Jesse and Maisy greet every day like it’s Christmas morning. That energy is contagious. They remind me to lead with gratitude.
The Science of Starting Strong
But here’s the kicker: this isn’t just feel-good fluff. In fact it’s science based.
A 2012 study by Shawn Achor, Michelle Gielan, and Arianna Huffington found that people who watched just three minutes of negative news before 10 a.m. were 27% more likely to report having a bad day—six to eight hours later.
But you have a choice.
Imagine flipping that script: what if your first five minutes included faith, positivity, and tail wags?
Your brain responds, your mood shifts and the chickens get quieter.
So Why Should You Care?
This isn’t about being a morning person.
It’s about starting your morning on your terms, not on Chicken Little’s terms.
It’s a small act of discipline that pays off all day long.
Coming Soon: Hugs, Not Hustle
Next week I’ll share the second half of the routine—what I call LLL: Love, Laughter, and Listening. (And yes, I’ll explain how hugs beat hustle when it comes to managing stress.)
Until then…
What About You?
What’s one tiny shift you could make tomorrow morning to win the day before 9 a.m.?
Let me know. I love hearing what keeps your chickens quiet.
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#MorningRoutine #StressRelief #FryYourChickens #ABCD #MindsetMatters #Productivity #SpeakerLife #WinTheDay