There is nothing I wish more than to be a morning person. Being a teacher and working with children bright and early - and hearing "Miss C, want to hear what I did last night?", "Miss C, how old are you?", "Miss C, I think I broke my hand *shows a tiny paper cut on hand*," - all before 9 a.m. can be trying. I love what I do, but I also love sleep.

Being a teacher, you have no choice, but to be a morning person. That's why I start every day with a nice, hot cup of coffee. After doing that for years, I decided I wanted to make a change in my diet and energy. Coffee is a nice "pick me up", but I need something more long-term and healthier to wake up in the morning.

Here are the tips I am trying to wake myself up faster, so I can be a morning person and an all-around more energetic person:

1. When you wake up, make sure you drink one cup (8 oz.) of water.

Starting your day with a cup of water instantly kick starts and revs up your metabolism. Feel free to add some lemon juice to your water to add flavor and an extra boost.

2. Be sure to stretch.

You may not be a master yogi, but give yourself a morning stretch to help wake up your muscles and get the blood flowing.

3. Try waking up earlier.

This one was very hard for me - and still is on some days. Waking up early as is and having to wake up even earlier can be tough, but it's worth it. I already set nearly 10 alarms in the morning to give myself some time to hit the snooze, but actually waking up can be a challenge. Waking up earlier can give you some extra time to eat breakfast - something I rarely do. You can even use that time to get to work a little earlier or give yourself time to not rush in the morning.

4. Smile.

This one may sound a little silly, but try smiling for one minute in the morning. This will wake up your face by stretching the muscles there.

5. Use technology a little less.

Going to bed with the TV on or waking up and putting on a show may not be the best ways to help fall asleep or wake up. If you are like me and you need noise to help sleep, try ambient sounds - a personal favorite is ocean waves and creaking ships. If you still choose to watch TV before bed, perhaps try turning it off a little sooner. Sleeping near or with technology can truly disrupt your energy and sleep.

6. Allow natural light to enter your room.

When you let natural light into your room, you can ease into waking up by the sun gradually rising. This works much better than hitting the switch and having a bright artificial light blind you.

7. Listen to good music or read a book on your commute.

As you drive or commute to work, try listening to motivational songs or audiotapes that could help wake up your mind and get you ready for the day. As a commuter, I prefer to read. It gets my brain ready for the day when dealing with 33 nine year olds - and heaven knows I need to be ready when dealing with very energetic children.

I've heard that it takes 21 days for a habit to form. Try sticking with this and note the changes in your morning routine and attitude.