My Morning Routine: How I Get Ready for the Day.

There’s something about mornings in New York that always feels a little cinematic to me. Even when the day ahead is packed with editing, emails, filming, or trying to keep up with content ideas floating around in my head, I try to make my mornings feel slow and grounding. I’ve realized that how I start my day affects everything—my mood, my creativity, and how kind I am to myself for the rest of it.

Over time, I’ve built a routine that feels realistic for me. Not perfect. Not overly complicated—just a series of little things that help me wake up and settle into the day ahead.

Waking Up Slowly

I’m not someone who jumps out of bed the second my alarm goes off. I wish I were, but realistically, I need a few quiet minutes to adjust. Usually, the first thing I do is reach for my phone—not to doom scroll, but to check messages, look over my calendar, and get a sense of what the day looks like.

Some mornings are heavier than others, especially in a city that moves as fast as New York. Giving myself those few moments before I rush into the day has made a huge difference for me mentally.

Once I finally get up, I open the curtains immediately. Even on cloudy Harlem mornings, letting natural light into my apartment makes everything feel softer and calmer.

My Morning Skincare Routine

Skincare has become one of my favorite parts of my morning routine because it forces me to slow down. It’s less about perfection and more about taking care of myself before I start taking care of content, work, and everything else.

Lately, I’ve been reaching for a mix of products from Rhode and The Outset almost every morning.

I usually start with a gentle cleanse, then go in with hydrating products from The Outset because my skin loves anything that feels calming and lightweight. Their products make my skin feel fresh without feeling stripped, which is especially important after long editing nights or days spent running around the city.

Then I’ll use a few Rhode products for a really glowy, hydrated finish. I love skincare that makes me look awake, even when I definitely don’t feel awake yet. There’s something about taking ten minutes to focus on myself before the chaos of the internet starts that feels really comforting.

And honestly, skincare in the morning has become less about trying to “fix” anything and more about creating a quiet moment before the day officially begins.

Shower, Reset, and Getting Dressed

After skincare, I’ll hop into the shower and fully wake myself up. Showers are where I mentally organize my entire life—video ideas, captions, grocery lists, random thoughts. Everything somehow comes together in there.

I try to keep getting ready pretty simple most days: cozy clothes if I’m editing at home, something a little more elevated if I’m heading downtown for meetings, filming, or coffee runs.

Living in NYC teaches you pretty quickly how important it is to feel comfortable while still feeling like yourself. I’ve stopped dressing for trends and started dressing for how I want my day to feel.

Coffee Comes First

Before I do anything work-related, I make coffee. Always.

Coffee at home has become one of my favorite rituals because it gives me a chance to slow down before social media takes over my brain for the day. Some mornings I’ll make it quickly and sit at my desk; other mornings I’ll stand by the window for a few minutes and just exist quietly before opening my laptop.

It’s one of the few moments in the day when everything feels still.

Prepping My Social Media Day

Once I’m fully awake and caffeinated, I start planning out my content for the day. This usually means checking analytics, responding to comments, organizing footage, answering emails, and figuring out which platforms need attention first.

Some days are focused on YouTube. Other days, it’s blog work, newsletters, Instagram posts, Threads updates, or editing together little moments from my life in Harlem.

I’ve learned that content creation looks a lot less glamorous behind the scenes than people think. A lot of it is organization, planning, and trying to stay creative without burning yourself out.

That’s why having a morning routine matters so much to me now. It gives me structure before the internet starts demanding pieces of my attention all day long.

Final Thoughts

My mornings aren’t always productive. Sometimes they’re messy, rushed, emotional, or completely off schedule. But creating a routine that feels comforting instead of restrictive has helped me enjoy my days more.

At the end of it all, my morning routine is really about creating a softer start to life in a city that rarely slows down.

That little bit of calm makes all the difference.