I love waking up before everyone else. It’s just me and the sun, which I get to watch slowly peek above the trees for its A.M. debut. This fall, I’ve made myself a new routine. For a long time, my habits fell somewhere between a morning person and night-owl status. Always going to bed a little too late and usually sleeping in just far enough past my alarm to make mornings stressful. No matter how many times I’d vow to get up just a little earlier, I never could seem to get it together. Waking up earlier meant turning in earlier, too, and that’s easier said than done.
But, if there’s any season to welcome change into your life, it’s autumn. In these transitional days before the equinox the earth is making its own adjustments, inviting us to rise with the light that arrives a few minutes earlier every day. So I’ve chosen to embrace it and allow myself to listen to the earth’s cues, and the ones inside my home.
Of course, it’s not as simple as just waking up earlier, I’ve had to make adjustments to the rest of my day to account for this change. To signal to my body that the time for sleep is near, I try to shut down all electronics an hour before I go to bed, and that hour has to come a bit earlier now.
Technically, I have two alarms: one, which is set on my phone, and one who, like clockwork, gives a gentle tap tap to my face promptly at 5:45 A.M. every day. Can you guess who it might be? Rather than roll over and ignore him, I’ve decided to give in and enjoy the early morning ritual of feeding the cat and drinking my coffee alongside him as we watch the sun rise across the street.
Dawn is a different kind of dark, one full of possibility at the cusp of day, a time when it’s easy to appreciate the quiet world around you. Through waking up earlier, I’ve learned to embrace these hours and keep them just for myself. Usually I’ll sit for a bit and quietly watch the world wake up, neighbors walk their dogs and school buses rumble down the quiet streets. I’ll grab my journal and write a few lines to welcome the day ahead.
Do some yoga, drink your coffee, write a few lines about thankfulness. Give the cat a scratch. These extra hours are like gold to me. Our lives are so hectic in one form or another, any time that we can set aside to just be is so valuable and rare. Make time to allow yourself to simply exist, to breathe in a new day and sit quietly. Try being a morning person and your perspective of the day ahead could change dramatically.
Do you have a morning ritual? Please share!
http://www.cinnamonspicedlife.wordpress.com
This is especially a good time to get into mornings as days in the winter will wean out before most of us are out of the office – I would love to squeeze in some morning sun!
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
I love the idea of this. I’ve never been much of a morning person, I’m more of the night owl type. But in the last few months my mornings and nights are pretty hectic. Waking up early and staying up late. It’s been no fun cause I really like my sleep, lol. I’m hoping for change in the next month or so. I’ve always loved the idea of going to bed early and waking up with the sunrise.
Hey Julie! I’ve been toying with the idea of starting my days earlier and these gave me the push to give it a try. I also just wanted to say I’ve read your personal blog for a long time & your a perfect addition to the freepeople blog. Your words and photography are gorgeous <3
I am the same exact way! Ive always enjoyed the mornings. My routine is the same everyday for the most part. wake up around 5 am, have a quick banana and coffee and then run with my dog and then take him to the park. He is extremely high energy. I do sacrifice photographing sunrises and the beautiful morning light because of this, but my mornings always feel off if i dont start with a run and a trip to the park :)
love this! great inspiration <3 you described everything about me that is stressful mornings and bad sleep patterns
http://indianpaintblush.blogspot.com
I hate sleeping past sunrise. My day just feels “off” if I don’t get to see the magic hour when the light is still pink.
this post is beautiful! it has inspired me to wake up earlier, especially on school nights where I tend to rush around in the mornings if I’m not awake early enough. Just what i needed! Thank-you
This is beautiful and inspiring. I am definitely going to rise early from time to time now on, and capture the beautiful moments!
http://mindfullyaudrina.blogspot.com/
The part about the cat is perfect! My little kitty is my early alarm… but once I’m up to feed her it motivates me to go for a fresh morning run.
This is wonderful. I always like to wake up early and do my Morning Pages (from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way) if I have the time.
I love an early morning ritual, yours sounds like bliss! I just write about mine on my blog and it’s all about spring and the change in routine as the sun rises earlier. x http://www.ilikeiwishiheart.com/2014/09/12/spring-and-morning-rituals/
Thank you so much FP for being so amazing and inspiring. You make me want to live in love and light, living to the fullest! Mornings are like gold to me too and I think tomorrow I’ll photograph my time :)
Yess, I have never been a morning person but it’s moments like these that make me a believer. Beautifully written
http://www.ameliaskinner.com
http://www.ameliaskinner.blogspot.com
Me gusta mucho gracias por inspirarnos
I use to be a night owl, I swore that early waking was impossible for me. But then I found myself in a 9-5 so I had to wake up before 9. The weeks and months rolled by and I started wanting just a little more time each morning. After a while I felt unsatisfied at my job and I found that if I woke up and gave myself an hour to do whatever I wanted before getting ready, I didn’t feel AS stuck. I started writing myself little “you got this” love letters every day and then I saw my confidence in myself and life increase. When I fall out of waking up early I shift back to a more anxious personality. So mornings it is for me.
I also love staying up late and that’s because I am the most productive during nighttime.I hate sleeping a lot and I try to get up as early as I can, and so my mornings consist in me with my tea and thoughts, preparing breakfast.
http/gnomicallypurrfect.blogspot.ro
Adore this post. I have recently become a morning person. Although waking up before dawn seems painful from bed, I’ve found a couple things help: a) make the room warmer, or get into warm clothes immediately, and b) realize that it’s only painful until you get out of bed… then you’re almost immediately glad you’ve done it. Having that time before the day starts changes the feeling of the whole day. I turn on a dim little lamp, light a stick of incense, and get to my ashtanga yoga. It’s a holy time.