Morning options instead of morning routine

I have tried many versions of morning routines that I learned from others. Wake up early, meditate, exercise, go for a walk in nature, read a book, write morning pages, and on. They are great, but they slowly turn into tasks for me to complete. I’m not in control. I’m living someone else’s life.

Lately, I took a different approach. I gathered these learnings and see them as a pool of morning options for myself. After waking up, I ask myself what do I want to do now? The answer changes from day to day. Sometimes I start my day with meditation, or I may prefer stretching first.

This doesn’t mean I’m not forming a habit - the habit has changed from “do these five things” to “do something good for myself”. This small change in perspective gives me more autonomy and freedom. After all, I don’t want to be a freaking robot.