French women have that magical ability to look chic from sun-up to sundown. And that’s no accident! The way they start their morning in a slow, intentional way allows them to set the mood for the rest of their day, and it all starts with waking up on the right side of the bed. Although many of us would probably wake up happier if our bedroom window opened up to views like the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Élysées, luckily, there are a few more realistic ways that we can let the French way of living inspire our own morning ritual.
1. Let the light (and fresh air) in
No matter what time your alarm wakes you up in the morning, there’s a simple practice that you can do to immediately put yourself in a better mood. The French tend to start their morning routine by opening up their windows. This not only lets fresh air and sunshine into your space, but also positively impacts the nervous system. The combination of cool morning air and sunlight boosts the “feel-good” chemicals in your body to reduce anxiety and promote happiness, feelings of calmness, and mood regulation.
Before you do a morning scroll on Instagram or rush into getting ready for the day, try opening your windows for a rush of happiness and positivity. Even a quick burst of cold can do the trick; it doesn’t take long to get a few breaths of fresh air, even in the wintertime!
2. Consider journaling
At least in the United States, our go-go-go attitudes often mean we’re more than a little stressed out as soon as we open our eyes. It’s tempting to launch right into the day headfirst, rushing to make it on time to school drop-off, answer emails, get to the office, or check things off our to-do lists. The French and many European countries take a different approach to their mornings. They prioritize a slower start to the day and work hard to maintain a work-life balance that tends to be a little more “work” than “life” than here in the States.
If you want to practice slowing down your everyday life, try starting small. Incorporate one daily practice into your routine at a time, so that you actually stick to it. After all, a habit can take anywhere from two weeks to 60 days to form. One easy way that you can start slowing yourself down in the mornings is by practicing gratitude through journaling. You could also try yoga! A morning practice of one of these habits helps start you off on a positive, grateful note as you begin your day, while also allowing you to check in with yourself and how you’re feeling.
3. Move your body
Along the lines of yoga, a French woman prioritizes small movement in her morning routine. If you’re not a morning person or don’t have time for a full workout straight off the bat, even light stretching can make a world of difference in the transformation of both how your body and mind feel.
If you have more time, consider a walk around the neighborhood or a longer yoga practice. On the weekends, you could use the time to meet up with friends for a game of tennis or a light jog. The point isn’t necessarily to burn calories or work up a major sweat, but rather to get your limbs stretched out after a long night asleep. Light exercise in the morning wakes up both your muscles and your brain!
4. A quality skincare routine and minimal makeup
You probably already know that French women take a “quality over quantity” approach when it comes to their classic style, but they apply that approach to their hair and makeup routines, too. They prioritize their skincare routine so that they can take a less-is-more attitude when it comes to their makeup.
A clean base, moisturized skin, and lightweight products give them a fresh canvas to apply their minimal makeup. Unless it’s a special occasion, you’ll probably find them sticking to a concealer, light mascara, a lip product, and maybe a tiny bit of rouge on their cheeks.
5. Simple hairstyles
Most French women don’t take the time to do a full head of curls or an elaborate salon-worthy blowout in the mornings. Instead, many choose to embrace their natural texture. This promotes good hair health, but also saves them a lot of time and stress in the mornings.
If they do any kind of style in the mornings, a French woman might tie her hair back with a silk scarf, braid it, or do a half-up, half-down style. The reason that the French bob is so popular is due to its low maintenance – shorter hair is quicker to try, and easier to wear down without styling!
6. Eat a light breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day… and it’s something that’s certainly not forgotten in France! The French tend to take a lighter approach to their petit dejeneur (a small breakfast). It’s often a light, simple meal centered around fresh bread and pastries. Once again, the French take a quality over quantity approach here! Fresh, often sweet ingredients make up a traditional meal. Fresh fruit, bread with jam and butter, pain au chocolat, croissants, yogurt, and a hot drink are typical offerings that you might come across! Savory items are more likely to be found at a heartier brunch meal.
If you normally skip breakfast entirely, try taking a French approach to breakfast. The small offerings will be easier on your stomach than a big meal, and they will be just enough to fuel you until lunchtime!
7. Make a warm drink
Enjoying a warm drink is an integral part of French cafe culture. And while you might not have time to enjoy sipping an espresso or tea at your local coffee shop every morning, it’s certainly a morning ritual that’s easy enough to incorporate into your daily life at home.
Whether you prefer coffee, tea, or hot water with lemon, a warm drink (especially on a cold day) is an easy comfort that can help you slow down and appreciate what’s in front of you. In my own experience, the first sip of coffee in the morning is truly one of life’s best simple pleasures.
8. Do something you enjoy
The French culture is all about creativity. They enjoy art in all forms, but more importantly, they don’t make it a special occasion. From their architecture to the art in their homes to the books that they read, the French are constantly searching to appreciate different forms of art. It’s something they truly enjoy, and why you might find many French women beginning their day by reading, sketching, journaling, etc.
The lesson here is to incorporate something you enjoy into your morning ritual. It doesn’t have to be a time-consuming thing either! Do the crossword puzzle in the morning pages, read a chapter in a book you’ve been loving, or doodle on a scrap of paper for a few minutes. These activities spark the creative parts of your brain and help get you excited to go on with the rest of your day, the artist’s way.
9. Ease into work
The most common start time for work in France is 9 AM. Some even start later, after they drop their kids off at school. And while that’s typically not the case here in the United States, that doesn’t mean we can’t also do our best to ease into the workday during that first hour! This might not always be possible depending on your line of work, but when you can, try giving yourself a little bit of grace from 8-9 am.
If you work in an office job, ease into answering emails, tackle a project that you’ve actually been excited to work on, or catch up on industry-related news. This gives your thinking muscles a chance to really fire up before you dive into the more intense parts of your role.
Embracing New Patterns in Your Morning Ritual
Switching up your morning routine isn’t always easy, but it can definitely be worth it! Now that you have the right resources to get inspired by the French way of living, you can freshen up your own early morning routine and slow down a bit to make the most out of every day.
And speaking of morning routines, if you want to make over your beauty rituals the French way, we’re here to help with that, too. Up Next: The Cult Favorite French Skin Care Brands That You Can Buy in the United States
