I wake up before the sun. It wasn’t always that way. I used to wake up at 7:00 AM, but I always felt like I rushing to get everything done and everyone out the door in the morning. And, it was hard to find moments to check-in with myself before the day began. I constantly felt frazzled and in need of moments of stillness.
I’ve heard from many successful people that waking up at 5:00 AM is a key part of their success, and now I realize that part of the reason for that is because most people are unwilling to wake up that early. This crevis of alone-time has become my sanctuary where no one else’s needs must be met, and I can have a few moments each day to check-in with myself.
I’ve been waking up at 5:00 AM for about a month now. Each morning, I wake up, drink water with lemon, journal, and do yoga. If my mind is busy, I also meditate. All of these things were missing during my first year and a half of motherhood and I realize that I need these moments of self-care and reflection now more than ever.
After taking about an hour to check-in with my mind, body, and soul, I then shower and start preparing for the rest of the day. Because I’m starting early, I can prepare breakfast and wake up my son without over-stressing about getting out the door in an hour. This was a tip I learned from my Parenting Coach, Aki Raymer: Aki’s taught me that mornings go more smoothly when we set ourselves up for success! I’ve dedicated myself to reducing the chances that we are leaving the house rushed, stressed, and frazzled by planning ahead the night before and allowing extra time for us to get out the door each day. By allowing time for my son to fully wake up, eat breakfast, explore a bit, and leave for the day with ease our mornings have been so much more positive and I feel the effects in my entire body! No more housing the stress of unrealistic time-pressure on my toddler; we are now in flow!
This practice has transformed the way we as a family start our days. Life feels more relaxed and full. If you are willing to try it, set your alarm at 5:00 AM tomorrow morning. Your 5:00 AM morning routine can include anything that fills you up. Allow yourself time without email, social media, your family, or work. Just time for yourself to do a few things that help you decompress, refuel, and prepare for the day. Make sure that you go to bed a bit earlier if possible so that you can fully benefit from the time you’ve carved out for yourself.
Do you already have a favorite morning practice? Comment below with what you do to start your day! I always love learning about new things to try to set myself and my family up for success each day.
Way to put pressure on moms! Geez! Yes, this is a lovely idea, but it really isn’t realistic for everyone. Maybe having one kid who is a toddler makes it easy for you, but other moms have babies, or multiple children. To wake up at 5am, you need to go to bed very early to get adequate rest, which is important for anyone, be not necessarily easy for the mom who had several children or newborns and needs to be up late to get things done or have some “me-time.”