My Nordic Morning Routine (It Doesn't Include a 5AM Run!)

"I get up at 4.30am, take a 5km jog followed by a broccoli salad and fresh goats milk". JOKING! I don't do that AT ALL. But have you seen some of the crazy posts on social media recently of people sharing their completely unachievable morning routines? They don't make me feel good. They just make me feel slightly inadequate and definitely irritated.

So I am going to try and counter that a little as I share my own morning routine. And I invite you to join me for a few virtual hours as I share how I gently and simply greet the day ahead:

I usually wake up at about 6am especially in the summer when it's so light outside so early. Even in September it's well into morning light by 7am. I don't very often close my bedroom curtains in the summer and autumn because I love to look at the fields if I wake up in the middle of the night. The first thing I do when I wake is look at the beautiful view I have. There is something about the green and the trees that makes me want to take a relaxing breath in and out. I only have one neighbour to the left, and then across the fields there is a tiny farm owned by an old lady. She leaves her downstairs lights on at night and the light from them early in the morning is cosy and welcoming. If we've had some rain the sound of the water from the waterfall in the valley reaches my window. Often I am so inspired that take a photo to share with you all. I don't think I will ever get tired of it.

Breakfast is simple and seasonal. In the autumn I often eat a few fried mushrooms and some scrambled egg. The mushrooms are wild mushrooms that I pick myself. I love chanterelles and I have plenty of secret foraging spots where I can guarantee to find some. They keep beautifully in the fridge for about a week so I have them everyday if I can. Eggs are never in short supply in my house because we keep hens and they lay a lot of eggs! You can't beat a fresh free range egg!

If the weather is colder I will make some porridge to share with the girls. It's a good slow release food and keeps you feeling fuller for longer when the weather is cold outside. I make my own yoghurt too (which I might add is super easy to do), and that is a quick and easy breakfast to grab from the fridge when I am in a hurry.

Breakfast in Norway is usually simple, seasonal and almost always includes some wholemeal bread, a protein and some fresh vegetables like sliced cucumber os some italiensksalat.

I have to confess that I am a bit of smoothie lover. In the summer I throw a few green leaves from the vegetable gardens into the smoothie maker with some juice and some fruit for a healthy start to the day. It literally takes me about 3 minutes from start to finish.

Through the week the children are at school. The older two head off on the bus before 8am but Mia walks to school as it's only in our little village. I walk with her regardless of the weather and it's great chance to get outside and say hi to a few people.

Once Mia is ensconced at school I can take a few minutes to move my body, get some fresh air and get motivated. I go home and grab an eager Mabel for a walk. Mabel is a Border collie and is always keen to take the longest and most active walks possible. We head off into the forest for a scamper, possibly a forage and to take some deep breathes of fresh air. Generally there is no agenda other than time. We wander across the forest floor for half an hour, looking at interesting moss (Mabel collecting sticks for her stick library) and noting what is in flower or ripening berries, the sound of the birds and the smell of leaf litter on the forest floor.

My walk with Mabel serves as my walk to work (because I work from home) and I step back into the house ready to go to my desk, inspired and energised.

By 9am I am at my desk, or tending our little micro-farm, or recipe testing the latest recipe to share with you on the Living a Nordic Life website.

It's simple, seasonal and follows the rythm of nature.

Getting outside everyday is something that most Norwegians do. In Norway it's called friluftsliv and it's an important part of Norwegian culture and one of the reasons that people in the Nordics are so happy and healthy. In my NEW BOOK "Friluftsliv: How to love the outdoors like you're Nordic" I show you how you too can welcome friluftsliv into your life wherever you are in the world. and it's an important part of life in Norway.

Join the Insider List now to get some gentle encouragement to get outside and be the first to know when the book is released.