My Morning Person

Each of us generally considers ourselves a morning person or a night owl. Me? I’m a morning person. I’m an early riser and I‘m fizzled out by mid-evening. However, don’t think that just because I’m a yoga teacher that I gently leave my slumber, journal all the beautiful things in my life, meditate away, and throw in a 20-minute yoga routine all without any thought. It just happens, right? Ummmm, keep reading. You know what I actually do? Here’s what generally occurs. My eyes pop open prior to my annoying alarm at around 5:00 am. Once that happens there’s no reversal. On a rare occasion, I awaken to that horrid beeping at 5:50. I have to be in the shower by 6:30 or 6:45 depending on the day. So what do I do with that precious hour and a half? I wouldn’t want to waste it, right? Ugh...I kind of don’t want you to read the next part.

I scroll my phone. I’m so embarrassed to even say that. Every morning, without fail, it’s what I do even though I am completely aware that there are a million more productive, smarter, healthier (brain and body) ways to start my day. Some of the scrolling is considered productive like, paying bills, responding to emails/texts, writing this blog, etc. But come on, Lauren...an hour and a half?? Why??

It‘s like any unhealthy (addictive??) behavior. It becomes such a part of our lives that it’s this piece of who we are even though it makes no sense with who or what are goals are. There’s almost no thought attached to it anymore.

Recently I was talking with a fellow teacher at Massena Yoga Studio and we were taking about how no one teaches a class in the morning. I came up with a bunch of reasons why I can’t. Kids, work schedule, the usual completely valid reasons. Although, I never once mentioned to her that I spend a bulk of my morning in my bed doing nothing. Not that nothing is a beautiful thing to do sometimes but there was really no valid reason that I can’t teach a class in the morning. NONE.

If you happen to have the same routine as me every morning...I want to assure you I’m not judging. I’ve got too much stuff I’m bad at to be taking internal jabs at yours. But I’m going to keep on this plan of revamping my mornings. It’s going to take a bit, guys. I’ve created this habit over years. However, I do know a thing or two about kicking bad habits. One of my favorite sayings is “take my advice, I’m not using it“ and clearly this is a situation that applies. Every morning doesn’t have to look like a perfect start. But it is time to start making better use of my time.

As of this writing I’ve only taught one morning class so it’s a little premature to call it a success but that first morning really did feel like a win. I showered as soon as I got up at 5:00, was at the studio by 5:30, and then home to chat with my husband over coffee for a few minutes before he left. I wasn’t exhausted. There wasn’t a crazed Mom dashing through my house yelling, “Let’s go, let’s go!”

The first step in getting myself in a better place is quite literal. I plan to be at the studio twice a week at 5:45 am for an early morning yoga routine that helps me and may just help you, too. Either way, it’s what I need for myself and my life. Habits can be wonderful or detrimental to our lives. It’s about time I treat my morning person with a little more care.

Yours in Yoga,

Lauren