8 TIPS: Becoming an Early Bird

One of my goals in life is to become a morning person. I remember awhile ago, my dad used to take me to high school on his way to work around 7:30 in the morning. I was a dead beat. My dad would laugh sometimes because I would only nod or say one word responses (which if you know me, a one-word response is VERY odd). I was a zombie, and I felt like one. I hated being awake at the butt crack of dawn and would only dream about going back to bed. That’s all I would think about. Oh and anyone that was happy in the morning I probably could’ve slapped. I hate to admit it, but I was that bad.

Then… I had a baby.

A few things change in your life when you have a kid, but this one was a big one for me. No matter what time my little goes to bed, the second 7AM hits we are all up for the day. And this is actually pretty good. It used to be 4AM and has slowly moved to 7AM (hallelujah).

So, the past few weeks instead of complaining that it’s early, I’ve tried to look for ways to LOVE the mornings. Granted, this is me BECOMING an early bird. I’m still working on it. But here are my tips and tricks that have helped me so far:

1. ACCEPT THAT IT’S EARLY: Yes. It’s something I have to actually think about every day and accept it. It’s early but I’m healthy, the sun is shining, and it’s gonna be a good day! (repeat)

2. WAKE UP BEFORE YOUR KIDS: This doesn’t always happen at our house, but I have noticed when I wake up first I feel more prepared for the day instead of having a baby as my alarm clock. Even if it’s just a few minutes before they wake up, I feel like I have a jump start.

3. READ AND PRAY: I read the scriptures (find out more HERE) and pray in the morning. Sometimes it’s a quick moment, but I find it totally steers my day to a more joyful and productive one if I put that first.

4. EAT: Self explanatory.

5. PUT ON YOUR TENNIS SHOES: K. I know this sounds dumb, but have you ever bought a pair of brand new tennis shoes and you all of a sudden got the urge to run? That run maybe only lasted a day (probably once around the block for me) but it still is a little motivation right? We usually go for walks in the morning and I feel like JUST putting on my tennis shoes is the farthest thing from thinking about going back to bed. It helps. Don’t knock it til you try it;)

6. GET OUTSIDE: Whether it’s burning hot or freezing cold, bundle up and get outside! This one is HUGE for becoming a morning person because you realize that the world is awake and there’s nothin like a good sunrise. Even if you only make it to your front porch. Get. Outside. It’s so good for all of us to get fresh air and there is something empowering about getting outside and moving the body that God gave you!

7. MOVE: This ties into #6.  I used to hate working out in the morning. I still hate working out in the morning. Breaking a sweat is easier for me to do at night than in the morning. But I still find it helpful to just move. Whether it be a walk in the canyon, or a walk around your house. Just move. This helps me a ton to NOT want to go back to bed.

8. SING: I’ve found that the happiest people sing! (I mean really… have you ever seen a grumpy person sing? ha!) So whether you can carry a note or not, sing. Outloud. Find music that moves you. Sometimes when I’m taking my baby for a walk down a street that isn’t very busy I just plug in my headphones and I sing out loud to him. People may or may not have passed and think I’m completely crazy, but for us… we’ve had a great morning and maybe made someone else’s day with a good hit (or ruined it… but either way)

All of these (including the obvious of showering and getting ready for the day) I’ve found to be helpful so far on my road to becoming an early bird.

What are some of your tricks to help you love mornings?

 SIDE NOTE: If you are looking for tanks or work out gear, Costco never disappoints.