A few weeks ago, I realized that I wasn’t the best person to be around. I realized that the negativity around me was not only being supplied by me, but also fed by me. What a 
bummer, right? When I realized this, I had to stop immediately, figure out where all this was coming from, and make a plan for how to fix it.
Here’s what I realized: The days that I was the most negative were sandwiched between days that I either
a) did not have time to myself until very end of the day or
b) did not spend time meditating with the Lord and reading my bible.
That being said, a few weeks ago, I decided to try out waking up an hour earlier. In this hour, I would do the following:
1) Read my bible. I follow I reading plan with the other ladies in my small group, so it’s almost like I start the day off with other women reading the same thing, just on a different couch.
2) Enjoy my coffee. I love coffee. Sometimes I think that I could survive on coffee, alone. I’m obsessed. The thing is, though, is that if I am not careful, by the time I get to work, I have that crazy caffeine-induced look in my eyes…not a good look! I find that if I just take a simple 5-10 minutes to enjoy my coffee, I not only limit the amount of caffeine I put in my body, but I also have a moment to catch my breath.
3) Make a list. Every morning, after I read my bible and drink my coffee, I make a list of things that I want to accomplish throughout the day. It can be something as small as water the plants. Making a list seems to set me up well for the day. It helps me wrap my head around what’s to come, while also giving me something to come back in the evening or next morning and have a visual of what progress I have made. Always on the top of the list is to make my bed.
4) Make my bed. This is such a simple thing, but so huge. I try to make my bed every morning, even if it is the weekend. This isn’t for cleanliness purposes, but often when I make my bed, it spurs me on to do a few more quick things, and before I know it, I’ve done half of the chores that I would have had to come home to. If anything, at the end of the day, if all I did was make my bed, I did something!
Why is “me-time” before getting the day started so important?
It’s kind of simple. Me time before the day = better vibes throughout the day.
Personally, I am not a everyday morning person. If I have a specific day of the week I have to get up, that’s ok. I can prepare myself, but every day? No ma’am. I have found that by waking up earlier, though, I have more time to wake up before I have to be a presentable human being. It allows me to go more at my own pace, than rushing to get ready. Waking up earlier also allows me to get some small wins before the challenge starts. That way, if the rest of the day goes to pot, at least I made my bed and got the dishes done…maybe some exercise, if I’m lucky.
The biggest reason, though is that I have learned over the past several weeks, is that it is good for my soul. Waking up early enough to spend time praying and reading my bible has taken me from worn out to, sometimes still tired, but peaceful and more positive. It gives me a chance to fill my bucket back up, if you are an analogy person. As a teacher of children, it can be very emotional draining. Almost like there is a hole in the bucket. The more you fill up the bucket (your heart), the more you have to pour out. An empty cup has nothing to share with others, let alone positive things.
So, here is to a little bit of an earlier morning and hopefully a better day. You should try it out and see how it works for you! If you find yourself feeling worn down and hard pressed for time for yourself, don’t press the snooze button. Give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning. See what you can gather from some extra moments of meditation before your day starts, and what happens when you check some things off your list before the real deal gets rolling.
Hot Mess Blonde 