As I started to come to this morning, I tapped my Fitbit to see if was too early to reasonably wake up. I already go to sleep at 9:30 pm and I’d rather not have the same bedtime as my daughter by going to sleep a half hour earlier. Plus, I try not to start the coffee before 6 am so that my husband doesn’t have to microwave his first cup of joe (this is what true love looks like people). I see that it is 5:28am so I force myself so try to sleep just a wee bit longer, which I do, and then I happily jump out of bed at 6 am to start my day in peace and quiet.

First things first, I b-line it to Mr. Coffee and press that magical button, then head to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Once I have my large mug of Kauai coffee with cream, I just barely open the curtains in my living room so I can watch the sunrise while I cozy up in the corner of my sectional with my journal, bullet journal and book. After months of struggling to get the perfect lighting for my mornings, I have just the thing: an Alexa dimmable lightbulb set to 20%, subtle enough to ease me into the day but bright enough to write by. I start by cracking open my journal and writing whatever comes to me, usually a page worth of reflections. The coffee is perfection and I bask in my happy place. The darkness outside begins to fade into grayish blue light and the morning begins. The only sound in my home is the comforting hum of the heater, keeping me and my family warm as winter approaches. Once again, I appreciate how fortunate I am to have a family I adore, a home that is my favorite place to be, a life that I jump out of bed each morning to greet. How in the world did I get so lucky?

After writing, I read whatever book I am into at the moment. Today I get the satisfaction of finishing my book during these quiet hours (nothing worse than trying to enjoy the last few pages of a book while the kids are constantly trying to get your attention) and then record the title and author in my “Finished Books” page of my bullet journal.

My mug is empty and I am fully energized and ready to go. I put on my trusty leggings (every woman’s uniform in 2020), sweatshirt, puffy vest and warm accessories, grab my bluetooth headphones and phone and head out the door for my daily podcast walk. I pretty much stick to the same loops around the neighborhood, changing it up slightly from day to day but always sticking to my hood. I love to see the slight changes in peoples’ yards. Decorations slowly changing from pumpkins and skeletons to autumn wreaths and strings of lights. The occasional for sale sign which I snap a picture of and text to my BFF who I’m trying to convince to move near me. I see the same familiar faces and smile and say ‘good morning’ while simultaneously switching to the other side of the street (always awkward but starting to feel like the new normal). I get home just in time to have my second cup of coffee with the husband and my day has begun. My four year old welcomes me with the sweetest of snuggles, exclaiming as usual that I am the perfect temperature while rubbing his cheeks on the back of my arms. I soak it in, knowing this particular brand of snuggles won’t last much longer. My daughter comes downstairs just in time for a quick snuggle on the couch, breakfast and then off to “school” up in her bedroom.

Morning routines can add so much to your life. Once you start making it a daily routine, you will wonder how you survived without it. You can design yours however you choose and if you are like me, your routine will change throughout the seasons. When my kids were younger and woke up as soon as the floorboards creaked beneath my feet (damn you floors!), I would quickly grab my coffee and lock myself down in the basement where I set up a cozy (well, as cozy as one can be in an unfinished basement) little nook to read and write. It was winter at the time and I would forgo my outdoor walk for walking on my treadmill. I would hear my husband and kids upstairs but would do my best to pretend it was just me awake during that first hour of the day. Now, my kids sleep in and I no longer have to hide away in the basement like a crazy person but at the time, it was just what I needed and it made me a happier mama for the rest of the day. I am not always diligent about waking up early (hello condensed routine where I read one chapter and walk around the block) and I definitely have chunks of time where I wake up along with the family, but I truly think I am living my best life when my morning routine is exactly what it sounds like, a regular routine.

DO YOU HAVE A MORNING ROUTINE? HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? DO YOU WANT TO ADD OR TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM YOUR CURRENT ROUTINE? DO YOU DESIRE TO START A MORNING ROUTINE BUT KEEP HITTING ROADBLOCKS IN YOUR WAY? WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY THAT KEEPS STOPPING YOU FROM IMPLEMENTING ONE? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT HOW YOU START YOUR DAY.