Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, o u r d a i l y l i v e s h a v e b e e n interrupted and discontinued in numerous ways. For example, face-to-face interactions with people are avoided, and various activities have turned contactless due to social distancing. It has made many people feel negative emotions, such as depression, loneliness, and lethargy, which are also referred to as Corona Blue. To overcome such feelings, people have started to exercise as a way of spending time productively and taking care of their health. Millennials and Generation Z, those born in the 1980s and early 2000s, also known as the MZ generation, tend to be strict in their s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e a n d f e e l a s e n s e o f accomplishment through a regular workout in the time of stagnation. Especially in this time of the pandemic, exercises that can be done alone are gaining popularity. As the demand for exercise without contact with others is rapidly increasing, especially among the MZ generation, the Miracle Morning is attracting many young people. People who utilize the Miracle Morning wake up early in the morning to have their own productive time.

What Is the Miracle Morning?

By definition, “ M i r a c l e Morning” is the habit of creating a new daily routine b y p r a c t i c i n g p r o d u c t i v e behavior, such a s m e d i t a t i o n , workouts, and studying, from early in the morning every day. People wake up before their usual daily schedules begin and use the early morning hours to do planned activities without interruptions, and this is called a morning routine or morning ritual. On account of the rapid spread of COVID-19, the Miracle Morning has grown into fashion among the MZ generation. Three out of ten people between the ages of 20 to 30 have tried or are trying the Miracle Morning after the outbreak of the pandemic. By starting a day with the Miracle Morning, the MZ generation can gain selfconfidence and vitality in their lives.

How Did the Miracle Morning Begin?

The Miracle Morning was first introduced by a book called The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious by Hal Elod in 2012. In the book, Elod talks about how he overcame his unhappiness by waking up at 6 a.m. to prepare for the day. He also said anyone who can get up early in the morning and go through six types of morning routines constantly will succeed no matter what. When the book was published as a translated version in South Korea, it attracted many Koreans who value diligence and persistence. It became more popular after the outbreak of COVID-19. Lee Seong-jik, the CEO of Hanul Consoling Center, said, “The popularity of the Miracle Morning represents a voice for change, selfimprovement, and self-care. While a sense of isolation and helplessness prevails in modern society due to COVID-19, the Miracle Morning has become an active endeavor to overcome negative feelings and live one’s life in a more meaningful way. A behavior of waking up early itself is a process of perseverance, and as a by-product, you feel a sense of accomplishment. In some ways, the biggest victim of the pandemic in addition to the unemployment crisis are young people who are about to set out in the world. Under such difficult situations, the Miracle Morning is an effort to overcome dissatisfaction from reality and to improve one’s life.” The fact that our everyday lives were ruined because of COVID19 greatly contributed to the popularity of the Miracle Morning. Lee Jae-heun, a Researcher at the University of Tomorrow Research Laboratory for the Twenties, said, “Due to COVID-19, our daily lives have been limited in many facets. For instance, school classes have switched to online, and corporate recruitments decreased. Because of those changes, people are suffering from Corona Blue. In such situations, they began to turn their attention to self-management, such as the Miracle Morning. By doing so, they feel a sense of achievement and overcome their hard times.” M a n y p e o p l e a m o n g t h e M Z generation post pictures that show their successful Miracle Morning routines on their social media. Through posting such photos, they feel fulfilled, encourage each other, and receive motivation. This is one of the main reasons people continue their Miracle Morning routines consistently. As of May 23, 2021, there are more than 403,000 posts with Miracle Morning hash-tagged and 10,000 posts with Miracle Morning Challenge hashtagged on Instagram. Those who were not aware of the existence of the Miracle Morning became familiar with the concept since it has become so prevalent on social media. As they see people being productive through the Miracle Morning technique, they get a good impression of the routines, and some even join. Especially in this time of discontinuity, it is a great opportunity for people to socially interact with each other and feel consolation from it.

What Is the Purpose of the Miracle Morning?

The Miracle Morning may seem similar to the “morning person” craze that occurred in the past, but there are some differences. While the “morning person” focused solely on success itself, the Miracle Morning is done for selfcare and to increase one’s self-esteem. People do things that they could not do due to the lack of time during the day, such as reading books, working out, and studying foreign languages, during the early morning hours. By having time for self-improvement, people think better of themselves and come to love themselves. Youtuber Danna, who owns Youtube Channel Danna and uploads videos r e l a t e d t o t h e Miracle Morning, said, “One-day last year, I felt d e s p o n d e n c y i n w a s t i n g s o m u c h t i m e b y w a k i n g u p a n d going to bed late. I wanted to make every day count and use my morning time to do something productive. That is how I first took interest in the Miracle Morning.” She added, “At first, I tried to imitate what the book said, but as time went on, I found out which ways fit with my lifestyle, and now I am only practicing a couple of ways that suit me. After practicing the Miracle Morning, I feel proud of myself, thinking that I spent the day efficiently. However, the biggest change happened in my mindset rather than the living pattern. I haven’t accomplished anything significant in my life before, but making the Miracle Morning successful felt so meaningful to me. It made me think that I am a person who can do something consistently, which gave me faith in myself and increased my self-esteem.” Lots of people have or are going through the same problems during the pandemic and therefore have thought of ways to spend time more meaningfully. The Miracle Morning would be the perfect fit for them since it not only fixes a ruined daily routine but also makes their mindset healthy and mature. 

What to Be Careful About the Miracle Morning

While there is no doubt that the Miracle Morning is beneficial to us, there is one thing that requires attention. When people decide to try the Miracle Morning, they tend to set their sights too high, which is difficult to maintain and make a habit. To make something a habit, it is important to start with small things that you can achieve. The more challenging the task is, the more efficient it is to start small. It is critical not to be stressed by the pressure of making it a habit. CEO Lee said “The time does not necessarily have to be early in the morning if you have a definite goal and develop your routine. Each person has a different biorhythm, so it is important to find one’s own time of the day where they can maximize the efficiency of their work.” He further explained, “The key point of the Miracle Morning ritual is self-control and detailed planning, not the time of wake-up.” 

The Future of the Miracle Morning

The Miracle Morning will certainly continue to attract more people to conduct the morning ritual until the pandemic ends. Even when COVID-19 is over, the Miracle Morning is likely to continue to gain popularity, since it is good for relieving anxiety and depression. R e s e a r c h e r Lee said, “The Miracle Morning is likely to expand more and more a s t i m e g o e s on. Things that are done by the Miracle Morning can turn into actual outputs. For instance, as a Miracle Morning ritual, one can write a diary every day and publish it as a book or draw a picture and make it into merchandise. This will eventually make our lives more colorful.” Overall, the Miracle Morning can act as a positive change in our way of life in preventing lethargy caused by COVID19. The concept of the Miracle Morning was initiated by the book a while ago, but it attracted many people who were suffering from Corona Blue. It appeals to them since it is a way of spending a productive and healthy day. Getting up early and doing something productive, such as taking exercise and reading books rather than sleeping late into the morning, make people feel proud of themselves and increase their self-esteem and confidence. As the Miracle Morning spreads among the MZ generation through social media, more people join to overcome the lethargy and depression in their lives. What we can learn from the Miracle Morning trend is that although individualism prevails in modern society, social interaction is still needed. It is hoped that the spread of the Miracle Morning brings vitality and energy into many people’s lives during such a tough time.