Have you ever made yourself a goal that you just can't keep? What's the reason that you couldn't keep it? Lack of motivation maybe? For the past three years or so I have been trying to talk myself into getting into the habit of waking up early even when I could easily sleep in. I think my longest streak was 1 day and the 1 day that I did manage to crawl out of bed before the excruciating time of 8:30, was miserable. Purely miserable.
I realize that choosing to get up earlier so that you don't feel lazy is a pretty good reason, but it just wasn't a good enough one for me. So as I awoke early this morning at 7 and I made my drive to Starbucks for some much needed coffee, I decided to make a mental list of all the reasons getting up early on my day off is worth it. Let me share with you the top 5 that I came up with in hopes that if you are like me, they will be enough to get you going in the morning!
1. It prevents later stress. I have gotten more done in the wee hours of the morning since I woke up than I have on past days in a 12-hour time span. Seriously. This says one of two things about me. Either i'm really lazy and I choose to sit around all day on my days off while watching Psych and lounging in my pajamas (likely) or that I had the energy to get things done because I didn't oversleep my body by an extra 3+ hours (more likely). Believe it or not, it is totally possible to sleep too much to the point that when you do wake up, you will feel groggy and miserable all day. I used to assume that if I sleep till 10 then my body must have needed to sleep that long. This is a myth. By eliminating the bulk of my day's work (laundry, meal prep, homework ect.) I am able to enjoy the rest of my day without stressing and by doing the relaxing things I always dream of... such as binge watching Psych on Netflix in my pajamas while eating Peanut Butter toast and crocheting my blanket :P
2. Time with the Lord. Seriously, what more motivation do we need to wake up early? I used to think when I heard people saying that they got up at the buttcrack of dawn to spend time with Jesus that they were nuts. "Why do I have to get up at 5 a.m. to do my devos when I can do them at 5 p.m.?" Waking up that early doesn't make that person any holier than the person doing their devo's in the afternoon or evening, but it does bring about discipline and dedication to the Lord. If getting up at 8 a.m. to do your devotions is a sacrifice for you, than great! For others, 8 wouldn't be so they need to push it back to an earlier time.
3. It gives you a better excuse for taking a nap in the afternoon. When I sleep late and my body gets too much sleep, i'm tired and groggy for the rest of the day. Because of this, I always end up wanting a nap. The downside to this is, 1) I don't have time for a nap because I have too much going on since I didn't get my butt out of bed earlier to get said stuff done which then makes me grumpy (woof! that's a mouth full) or 2) If I do take the nap, then I am behind on work and I feel really guilty for sleeping so darn much. Easy Solution? Get up early, get stuff done and then if you feel the need for a nap, go for it! Hopefully you won't have that negative feeling inside you that I always do when I nap on a day that I shouldn't have.
4. Eat breakfast! I never eat breakfast because I never have time. But when I wake up, I do. (Obvious statement) The thing about eating breakfast, is that it's not just another meal during the day that we are given. I'm sure you have heard 900 times before that eating breakfast is good for you, but i'm going to tell it to you for the 901 time. ;) Remember how I said that waking up early gives you more energy during the day? Well, eating breakfast give you even more energy on top of that! Not only that, but it has been proven that eating breakfast in the morning, even if it's just some yogurt and fruit, helps your focus and concentration. So, how about 'dem apples?
5. It's beautiful. I am convinced that no matter where you live, the morning time is a beautiful time to be awake. I live in the mountains and let me tell you... the sky here is incredible. A friend of mine used to live in Hawaii and told me that the sky here is more beautiful than the sky in Hawaii!! Now that is really saying something! Anyways, there is just something so peaceful and beautiful about the quietness of the morning. The mist, the small sounds of the birds and other creatures, the emptiness that encompasses the streets and your neighborhood and of course the colors in the sky. If you don't get up early, you are missing the chance to revel in the beautiful creation that God made and personally, I don't know about you, but with all of the terrorism and horror that is happening in our world, it could do everyone a load of good to wake up early and see something other than all the crime and hate.
Question:
What reasons do you have for getting up early? I would love to add to my list for those days that seem especially difficult to get up!
It was a dark brown. You can kind of tell from the bottom where it isn't painted yet. And the nobs were brown as well. 
