If there's one thing I believe in, it's waking up early.
I grew up in a household that didn't believe in Saturday morning cartoons. We were expected to be dressed, fed and ready to work by eight a.m. every Saturday morning. I didn't get to sleep in or eat a bowl of cereal in front of the T.V. before a long day of nothingness. I worked with my family. We were raised on a small "farm", if you will. We sometimes had chickens, raised cows, pigs and kept horses. I built fences with my dad and plowed the field (though on a tractor) all before lunch. It was a great experience that taught me a lot about life, just as a generalization.
I hear about people who sleep in late and hurry to get ready for work so they aren't late. It makes me wonder how their lives are fulfilling. What is it that you do during the day to take care of yourself? I know it seems strange because, come on, you aren't at work all day. You have after work to worry about. Well, yes, worry is what you'll do.
People work all day and are tired upon leaving time. Maybe you get a quick workout in or make the excuse that you are too exhausted to work out. Then there's dinner and time spent with family or even alone. But you're still tired. You've had a long day and need to de-load. That isn't the time to have to truly relax. You watch mindless television to escape yourself. Maybe to lose yourself in someone else's story in the form of a book. There are worse things, yes, I'll admit. There is just something about mornings that you can't get from any other time of the day.
I'm not sure if I'm a morning person per se or I just don't necessarily prefer sleep. I have blackout blinds that can make me sleep through the entire morning if that is my intention. And trust me, I have kept them shut. However, waking up at ten in the morning is a terrible feeling for me. My dad always said that the day is half over by then. I merely thought it was said in jest. A little stab at my character for sleeping in that long because he had been up for hours. I now understand the validity of his words.
Wake up early. Have some quiet time for yourself. It's the best way to get to know yourself again. Without work, distractions, crazy drivers or just being too damn hurried to even make yourself breakfast. Even if what you do in the morning is routine, set it at a pace which is conducive to clarity.
Mornings are magical.
