4 Really Good Reasons to Wake Up Earlier

I have never been a morning person.  Ever.  For as long as I can remember I have LOVED sleeping in, waking when I was good and ready, and hanging out in bed, reading, staring out the window or just curling up under the covers for 5 more minutes. 

That all changed when my daughter was born and I was forced to not only be a morning person but a night owl.  Sleep was rare and precious in those first few years but I rallied...surprised that I had the ability to wake early and make it through my days with 2 hours of sleep under my belt.

But then I got really tired....from sleep deprivation but also from not having any personal space.  That led to me being grouchy, impatient with everything and everyone, and a feeling that I would go crazy, literally, if I didn't get some space to myself.  Something had to change. 

Now, maybe you don’t have kids but we all have had some experience that has challenged us to our core and triggered the need for change.  

So one night I wrote out how I felt and what I needed.  I also wrote about what my days looked like and when I could reasonably create some consistent time for myself.  The answers that came through were that I was desperate for quiet alone time where nothing was needed of me.  I also craved reconnecting with my body.  And I needed reflection time...I needed space to write down how I was feeling and also to write about ideas and ah-has.  

As to when I would do all of this, the obvious answer was morning time.  To have sacred time for myself, I was going to need to wake earlier than my daughter. 

UGH, this was a PAINFUL realization.  I did NOT want to wake up earlier.  I was so tired as it was but I decided I was more committed to sacred alone time than to 20 more minutes of sleep so I said YES to getting up earlier.

It's been 3 years since I made that commitment and even though my daughter sleeps through the night and is now in school during the days, I have continued to wake early and begin my day with a sacred morning practice.  Why?  Because it provides me with the feeling of WHOLENESS and sets the TONE for my whole day.  Here are the benefits I have experienced:

1. MENTAL CLARITY: I have a tendency to get overwhelmed and when that happens I burnout. When I practice yoga and meditation in the morning, I experience stillness in my mind which then leads to calmness which then leads to the ability to experience and create more joy.
2. LEVEL (OR ALMOST LEVEL) MOOD: As I mentioned earlier, I get super grouchy if I don't have get any personal space...I can flip out over silly things. But when I take time in the morning to sit, breathe, move, and write, I get steady and still. I enter a calm state (this feels amazingly soothing). I am also able to listen more compassionately to what I need to maintain that level of steadiness throughout my day.
3. EAT BETTER: When I feel overwhelmed, burned out, and irritable I reach for sugar and chips. And I eat them mindlessly at my desk. Then I feel lousy. But I I don't do this as much when I take time in the morning for myself. It all comes back to starting the day feeling calm and in control. The focus on breathing and being with myself is extremely helpful with cravings.
4. SELF-LOVE: One of the biggest reasons why I keep showing up on my mat morning after morning, is that it reminds me that I have a body to care for, a heart to cherish, and a mind to honor. It reminds me that I matter...and that I have the ability and the inner resources to be who I want to be and do what I want to do in my life.

Nowadays waking early is no big deal. I actually look forward to it every single day. It has seriously transformed my life and my relationship with myself.

If you're curious how a morning yoga practice could impact your life, give it a try. Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier tomorrow and begin your day in the quiet stillness of the morning (use the short practice below). I will meet you there in spirit.

If you would like support with developing a morning practice, then join the Brave New Yoga Membership. I would love to help you establish this life-changing ritual!

Love,

Amanda

P.S. Wondering how to create a home practice space?  I got you covered...just click here!