Becoming A Morning Person.
I like quiet time. That's the reason I'm a morning person.
Unlike children who writhe and weep over forced rest time away from others, I relish in it. In fact, I yearn for it. Please take me away from others! Force me to sit in a dark quiet room! I'm begging you!
I don't know if you've ever had children and homeschooled and worked from home, but it doesn't exactly lend itself to quiet time. Like, at all.
Thus, the majority of my thinking must be done in the few quiet moments before bed, the eye burning moments of the early morning hours, or... well, actually that's about it.
This morning, in the stillness and darkness, a few loud bellows came like rhythmic chants from the barn while I was still tangled in amongst the warm sheets. Mooooooo. (1 second pause). Moooooo. (1 second pause). Mooooo.... okay, you get the idea.
I was just awake enough to realize that our dairy cow Cece was calling (or rather, shouting) out for her morning milking and as the mornings have changed with the shortening days, this now means she's ready whilst it dark outside.
Someone should've told her I don't milk in the dark. Ya know. Mountain lions and stuff. Also, hot coffee and stuff.
Alas, she continues to shout while I sit her peacefully sipping what may be the very best cup of coffee in the world. Don't feel bad for her though. I looked at the clock and she started up early this morning. Probably sticking it to me because it's Saturday and why wouldn't she want to get up early on a Saturday morning.
Truth be told, I'm actually a big time morning person.
I know a lot of you aren't... chill out... I'm not pointing any fingers... but you should realize that you've been living wrong your entire life and try to rectify it, okay?
Geesh, Shaye, that's a bit of a bold statement.
Ya. It is. But it's true. Morning time is the best time. Another bold statement, I know, but apparently I'm full of them today. Allow me to prove my point (this is especially crucial for all you Mama's of littles out there, though in no way exclusive).
Becoming A Morning Person
First things first. When you're becoming a morning person, you need to go easy on the cocktails with supper and get into bed earlier than normal. This means no binging Netflix until 1:00am. (Don't worry, it's not good for you anyway). Count backwards from your alarm time at least seven hours (preferably eight) to decide when this will be. I go to bed at 9:30 and wake up at 5:00 (on average). I use oils to support a deep, restful sleep so that I'm physically recharged when I wake up. This is crucial to not being miserable the next day. (You can see the oils I see here).
So now that you're well rested, you can approach the morning with new vigor. First up...
Order Up
Let's just be honest about the real reason I get out of bed. Stu makes me coffee. Every morning. It'd be criminal to let it go cold, so instead, I leap out of bed like a tiger towards prey. Only this prey is served in a ceramic mug. Maybe coffee isn't your thing - maybe it's tea? Lemon water? Coffee? (oh wait, I already said that). Whatever it is, make it fabulous. Set your timer. Buy a beautiful french press. Use your favorite mug. Cultivate this habit into one that instantly lifts your mood.
We just trashed our broken electric grinder and got a hand cranked one instead. The sound is so beautiful against the stillness of the morning. It's amazing how changing small aspects of your routine can take something from a chore to a treat.
Quiet Time
This looks different for each of us. The point is that it's quiet because all four little monsters are peacefully sleeping in their beds, God bless 'em.
My quiet time often takes on different forms, based on the day, but I often find: "It is a good rule never to look into the face of man in the morning till you have looked into the face of God." - Charles Spurgeon
Smells are very powerful so I often turn on a diffuser in the living room during said-quiet-time. Something uplifting like Lemon, Elevation, Wild Orange, or Bergamot. Wake up brain! Wake up!
Get Ready
When I was a new mother, my own mother encouraged me to get up before the baby (!!!) and get ready for the day. Clothes. Hair. Face. Shoes. The whole deal. Say what?!
But, being the perfect daughter, I took her advice and went to the effort to "be ready" when the baby got up for the day. Four kids in, I can tell you, this is still a ticket to my success as a morning person. As a Mom actually. I need to be mentally prepared for the work ahead (and trust me, the homesteading, homeschooling, work at home, mom-of-four act is most certainly work). Does it take effort? Giiiiirl does it ever. But it's worth it. So do it.
Sunrise & Seasons
While getting ready, or reading, or listening to a podcast, or enjoying your coffee, take the time to open the curtains. Observe the sunlight or darkness. Crack a window and smell the morning air. Take note of the beautiful season at hand. Watch the sunrise. Slip into the day with an engaged, restful mind.
Expand Yourself
Maybe that wee bit of extra time gives you a space to listen to audiobooks. Or explore new music. Edit photographs. Read some engaging articles. Or even exercise (I don't do that, but I know it's a popular thing). Put on some light music (Hilary Hahn Plays Bach and Kreisler Plays Kreisler are a few of my favorite morning albums) to up the enjoyment of your time.
It's quite easy to lose yourself in the hustle of the day. We ramble around filling demands, tending to work, and meeting expectations. I enjoy the swell of action throughout the day, though through becoming a morning person, I find I enjoy the stillness of that first few hours much more.
Here's one final though, in parting, to remember: you can change. If becoming a morning person is something you'd like achieve, do it! Your eyes will burn, your body will protest, but so what. Do it. Create the habit. You're in charge here!
Or you could just get a dairy cow. The sheer volume of her will at milking time will force even the most avid night owl out of bed in this early hours.
Off to milk I go...
And Amen.