5 Morning Habits That Started After My Divorce and Job Loss
Here’s the thing nobody tells you about starting over. Mornings are either where you fall apart or where you rebuild. In 2024, I went through a divorce and lost my corporate job within a few weeks of each other, and for a while, mornings were just on survival mode. Get up. Get the kids fed. Function. Repeat.
But somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, God held me through it and helped me start rebuilding. It wasn’t an overnight solution or a quick fix, and not everything at once, because that would have felt impossible. So it started with just my mornings. One small shift at a time. And it turns out that’s actually where everything else started to shift too.
Here are the five habits that got me there.
1. I make the coffee before anyone needs anything from me.
This sounds small, and it was a small step. It’s the one thing in my morning that’s just mine, before I hear footsteps, a tiny voice asking for breakfast, or the day starts asking things of me. It lets me actually drink my coffee hot, instead of finding it hours later on the counter, cold. Chaos, Coffee, & Love exists because of this exact moment: coffee first, then love, followed by the chaos.
2. At least 15 minutes in the Word.
Every morning, after my hot cup of coffee is ready, I sit down in a quiet spot and open my Bible app. It’s my way of spending quiet time with God before the chaos begins and the day carries me away from it. I rarely miss a day. Currently I have a 771-day streak on the app. This is non-negotiable for me. When I’m traveling or on vacation, I try my best to still get it in, but regardless, I start my morning with God. He’s the reason I’m still here, and He’s the reason I get to wake up each day. I get in my daily refresh, the daily prayer, and either a Bible plan or my physical Bible. What matters isn’t the method, but it’s that I’m actually getting into it, every single day, even on the mornings I don’t feel like it.
3. I open my prayer journal and reflect on the day before.
This one surprised me with how much it helped. Writing down what actually happened the day before, the hard parts, the small wins, the blessings, where I saw God show up even when I wasn’t looking for Him. Journaling reminded me of all the blessings I did have, even on my not-so-good days. It showed me that when something did go wrong, something else happened that I was grateful for.
This is actually where the idea for my journals came from. I designed one on Canva, uploaded it to KDP, and now sell journals to other women looking to grow in their faith or find a new way to start their day.
4. I get dressed like the day matters.
Even on days with nothing on the calendar. Even on the days it would be so much easier to stay in yesterday’s clothes. After losing a job and a marriage in the same season, there’s a real temptation to let the small things slide because the big things already fell apart. Getting dressed became my quiet way of saying: I’m still here, and today still counts.
I don’t dress like I’m walking into a meeting with executives, but I keep the routine. I get up, get ready, put myself together, even when I don’t have to be anywhere. It’s kept me motivated, and with work coming in from all kinds of places these days, I’m glad I kept it. If you work from home or in a non-professional setting, a simple work-day routine still matters and you feel better, carry yourself better, and show up harder.
Weekends are a different story, though. Let yourself go for a few days, mama. That’s why we have hats, ponytails, and rest days.
5. I say one honest prayer out loud.
Not a polished one. Not the kind you’d say in front of other people. Just whatever’s actually true that morning. Start small and watch it grow into more. “God, I don’t know how I’m doing this today,” or “thank you, because I genuinely didn’t think I’d make it to this point.” Out loud matters. There’s something about hearing your own voice say the honest thing that makes it real.
None of these habits fixed everything overnight. Rebuilding rarely works that fast, and I’d be lying if I said every morning looks like this list. But these five things gave me something to hold onto when everything else felt like it was falling apart. Even today, this is how I start my mornings. It’s been the best-kept secret to living an intentional, faith-filled life.
If you’re in a season like this one, I’d love for you to start with just one of these. Not all five. One. Starting small is where it all begins and builds from there. Know that this season is temporary, and one day it will become a testimony.
Want a place to start? Purchase a Prayer Journal. It was the same first step I needed when I was rebuilding mine, and something I still reference today.
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