How you handle your mornings can really shape the rest of your day. Asking yourself a few questions first thing every morning can set the tone for the type of day you want to have.

Some people start the day with affirmations, others with stretches (or both!), but what about asking yourself a few questions?

It might feel weird to talk to yourself, but asking yourself questions is a good way of having a healthy dialogue with that pesky voice inside your head.

Try treating that person inside with the same kindness, patience, and understanding that you would give to others.

You can mix the questions up, but here are some to get you started:

5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Each Morning

1. What Am I Doing Today?

It's good to take a minute at the start of your day and just take stock of what your day will look like. Is it back-to-back engagements and meet-ups? Do you have a big project to finish? Asking yourself what you're up to allows you to journey through your day before it's even started.

This question should make you aware of your schedule and any potential deadlines you have, meaning you can glide through the day like a pro.

2. What If It Goes Differently Than I Planned?

It may seem counterintuitive to allow yourself any hypothetical questions, but stick with me! This question gives you a small window for worrying, so those pesky doubts don't pop up during the day.

What if you miss your train? What if you don't have time to grab lunch? You can put these in perspective first thing, so nothing blindsides you later on.

3. Who Am I Seeing Today?

Just like the first question, this one gives you time to think of all the people you might run into during the day.

Maybe you'll be seeing no-one, in which case it doesn't matter that you're wearing sweats and you haven't held a grown-up conversation for a few days. Maybe you have an important meeting, or a big date, in which case you'll need to plan your outfits.

Also, seeing certain people takes different amounts of energy. It's not a bad idea to psych yourself up first thing, so you aren't taken aback by that annoying co-worker later.

4. Can You Do This?

After setting out what you're doing, who you see, and anything that could go wrong, ask yourself if you can do it.

In almost all cases, of course, you can! It's good to remind yourself the first thing that you can get through a busy or stressful day and that you're a capable and strong human being.

5. What's Important To You?

Finally, ask yourself what's important to you, so you can go into your day grateful and aware of what you have and what you're aiming for.

Do you want that promotion in work? Or is it important for you to spend time with your family this week? What do you value? What will you be happy with? Ask yourself this last question and you'll have your own goals and values at the forefront of your mind.