What does it take to get me out of the house in the morning? A quick shower and a cup of joe and go? No! A while back I read a book that said to do the most important thing first every morning so you get your day off to a good start. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, so I began writing as soon as I got up in the mornings, a large cup of steaming coffee beside me. I tried to do it according to artist guru Julia Cameron’s method of free writing anything and everything for 20 minutes without stopping. Then, I would get up, shower, dress, eat breakfast, and go to work. Later, I learned that I was a stress junky, and my biofeedback therapist said I should try to meditate first thing in the morning to get my day off to a good start. So I changed my routine to add meditation first. But I began to fall back to sleep as soon as I started. I realized I needed to wake up first. I went back to writing first, coffee in hand, then added in the meditation afterward. As I got older, my back would freeze up every 5 years or so, and I finally went to a physical therapist who encouraged my to try Pilates. I was encouraged to do a bit of Pilates every day. In fact, I was encouraged to do Pilates first thing every day to be sure my day got off to a good start. I took the advice, but with modification: I decided to tuck it in after my meditation -- if the cat would get off my lap and let me get up to do it.
This routine got lengthier and lengthier. I was able to finish my free writing in 20 minutes once. I began to settle for 30 minutes but often got 45 or 50. The meditation, also easily accomplished in 20 minutes according to my guru, usually lasted for at least 30 minutes, but could sneak into 55 or 60 if I was unfocused and restless. As a result my arrival to work began to get later and later. If I wasn’t up by 5:30 a.m., I would not be at work by 9:00 unless I gave up part of my routine, and that I would not do. Soon I was getting to work by 9:15, then 9:30, 9:45, and finally, that outrageously slackadaisical time of 10:00. Luckily, I had an understanding manager.
Good thing that I am retired and no longer have to be at the office by 9:00. Right. I find that my morning kind of oozes into my afternoon, which was never a good time for me. I have little energy as the sun reaches passed noon, and in the summer it is so warm in the house that I feel like a good nap. And then there are my geriatric cats who are so precious and forgiving yet beg for my attention because they don’t realize I am sitting down to write the great American novel. So, I have turned over a new leaf this summer:" I attempt to hit the relative calm and air conditioned air of the local café to get in at least two hours of writing a day. Now that I work for myself, it should be no problem hitting the mark by 9:00. Right. Today I arrived at the café at 10:45. Woo-hoo!
And it’s not that my writing, meditation, and Pilates is holding me back. Not really. Now that I work for myself, some mornings I am through with all of those things by 8:15 or 8:30. No, retirement has opened a new door to me: I am now pursuing a life long dream of playing the guitar. My instructor encourages me to practice twice a day for 15 minutes each time. But I heard what he didn’t say: make that first time early in the day so you can get your day off to a good start.
So, who’s to say when your day actually starts?