How I’m Forcing Myself Into Becoming a Morning Person
Mornings and I do not get along. We’ve had this dysfunctional relationship for quite sometime. I feel beat up, cannot shake the tiredness, and have to talk and negotiate my way out from under the covers every single morning. My sleep meter never gets filled, and I pout about it through the morning routine.
My dad, on the other hand, leaps out of bed. He’s perky from the get-go, and doesn’t understand why anyone would chose to be otherwise. I remember many of mornings that he would wake me before my alarm would go off, claiming it was past-time for me to rise, and poke fun at me before I could even put two feet in front of the other. I don’t have an ounce of his morning perk in my blood – something must have gotten switched at the DNA factory.
Regardless, I’m tackling the mornings hopefully for good. After having some time away from the boys while they went to Bible school with grandma, I realized I had been missing some quiet time that the introvert in me needs to function. My life was starting to be one giant loud rush from sun-up to sun-down.
I needed to have a fresh beginning to my day, instead of a shot gun start. {Probably a no-brainer – but I’m a slow learner on this parenting ride.} I need time to reflect, read my Bible, get a shower, plan out the day, start a load of laundry, say good morning to my best friend who shares my bed, and EAT something.
And you know what? I’m loving these quiet mornings. Orange juice, my Bible, and the sounds of the world waking up is a beautiful symphony. I’m joining some girls who are committed to reading the Bible each day at #SheReadsTruth, and it’s such an encouragement to my heart. I’ve been journaling consistently for the first time in years, and I love chatting through what I’m processing together with Brad.
And instead of waking up to the sounds of chatter and complaints, I’ve been able to enjoy quiet moments with the first Little(s) who wakes up first. This morning Henry and I had a little chat over pulling weeds and watching ants carry mulch. I’m appreciating the way they wake up each morning – their tired little voices, sleepy eyes, warm skin, and shy smiles.
It’s still going to be a struggle to get myself on the exclusive morning person list, but the good is going to outweigh the bad. I’m sure of it.
girl, i’m with you. 🙂
I am not a morning person. I’ve made myself into one at times, and need to get back to it now that baby girl is maybe, possibly, sleeping reliably.
When I do get up and have time alone to start the day, it does make such a difference in the rest of the day. I just have to remind myself of that in the mornings when the bed feels so extraordinarily fantastic. 😉
I am definitely a morning person and love spending time with the Lord with She Reads Truth when I can. Usually I find time at the end of the day to unload everything that’s happened. Finding time in the morning is hard! I’ll be praying for you that this transition to spend more time with Him is a long lasting one that becomes the new normal for you. Happy Monday!
I am right there with you. Totally not a morning person and I’m praying that #SheReadsTruth will help me change that. As of now, I do mine in the evening to calm and relax me. But I strive to be glowing with a cup of coffee in the morning!!
I was an early bird as a child, and then even in university when I would hit the gym early with a friend. Then along came kids, and none of them liked to sleep through the night. I then took to sleeping whenever they were. Now that I am long past baby stage I have been back to my early bird ways for about 7 or so years now and love it! Morning time suits my introverted ways, allowing me to fill myself up with the energy and attitude I need to fill my family up!
How I long to be like this! I always feel better when I wake up before everyone else and start the day off right. It’s just cultivating the discipline that it requires!
Soooo with you. This is a constant struggle. I am a night owl. I never get to sleep before midnight…which means I never get a full night of rest. My firstborn is my alarm clock. But I find if I can have even ten minutes to read my Bible in bed while drinking a glass of water, I feel a little more ready for the day. I still haven’t figured out how to get my shower in most mornings, so I wait until late afternoon/early evening when my husband gets home.
Thank you for you post… I am in no way shape or form a morning person. I try but fail. This morning my huband brought me a cup of tea in bed so that we could chat before he went off to work. I ended up taking one sip muttering goodbye and going back to sleep. Tea suitably cold when I woke again. I am trying and learning. I work from home so getting up that little earlier would mean more time with my husband when he gets home from work in the afternoon. Like you #shereadstruth is also encouraging me to immerse myself in his word. I’m attempting no email check, facebook check, work phone call check until my bible has been read and breakfast eaten. A slow attempt at becoming a morning person.
Thank you for posting this, you have encouraged me to keep trying at the morning thing.
The funny thing about the “introverted” thing is that the Jen I married was not one. Anyone who knew her in High School would laugh at the notion of an introverted Jen! 🙂
I too have been trying over the past few weeks to get up, read my scriptures and have a moment for prayer and pondering before rushing off to work. It’s amazing what a difference it makes! The few days that I’ve missed I have noticed that I’m not quite on my game.
I love the idea that there’s a group of women out there trying to do the same thing I am. Brings a sense of peace and companionship…
🙂
Oh Jen you warmed my heart with this post! The pastor at our church this weekend set my heart on fire about spending more time reading my Bible and getting into relationship with God. I was so moved that I set my alarm for 5 am the next morning so I could get up and have some quiet time before work….and ended up just turning the alarm off! 🙂 My husband is a morning person and I have NEVER been a morning person but as a mama of three I’m finally realizing that it’s the only time I have for me…the introverted me! You have motivated me to give it another chance, blessed by your words always!!
Thanks Jen!
Shannon
What a great post! I’m definitely not a morning person. At all. I know that I’ve needed to become one for a long time though. I came across this post yesterday and what you said about needing to have a fresh beginning instead of a shot gun start really resonated with me. That is me to a T! I’m forever scrambling and rushing around each morning to get my kids off to school, etc. Anyhow, your post inspired me (along with She Reads Truth) to get my self going earlier and today I actually did it. And it feels good. 🙂 Thanks so much for the encouragement! xoxo
I’m the same way…it took me until our THIRD child to realize how valuable the morning could be. I was never a morning person before, but with the daily chaos of three children…I definitely need those minutes to myself every morning! Just enough time to shower, eat breakfast, and catch up on emails – all in the silence of the sleeping house – before they start wandering out of their rooms to ask what we can do today. 🙂
I grew up in the country where getting up early to feed cows and sheep and whatever else was a requirement. As a result, I am DEFINITELY a morning person! It’s wonderful….but on the other hand, I have extreme trouble staying up until midnight on New Year’s Eve…even when I was a teenager! 🙂