Yeah, that’s right. I am writing an article about being a morning person. If you know me at all, you will know that I am NOT a morning person whatsoever... Or a daytime person… Or a sunlight person in general. Let’s be real: I’m more of a stay up all night and sleep all day kind of gal. This isn’t because of any specific reason; I just am able to function better at night than during the day. But lately I’ve had to learn to love mornings a little more in order to become more productive throughout my day. If I were to be transparent here; that’s been a pain in the rear end for me. Luckily, I’ve been able to figure out a couple of cool tips to help myself and all the other non-morning people (That’s right. The world knows who you are; quit making that mean face at us.) Here are 7 ways to love mornings even when you don't.

1. Plan Ahead

Did you know that a successful morning starts before the morning actually begins? Something that helps my mornings run smoothly is by planning ahead the night before. I pick out my outfit I’m going to wear for the next day (and a backup in case I change my mind about wearing that outfit), I make mental notes of what I have to get done the next day, and I put everything I need in the same place each morning right by my front door. That way if I happen to sleep past my alarm the next morning, I can rush through and not forget anything because it is all in one place. Yay for no more lost keys!

2. Actually Catch Some Z’s

Guys, this is one of THE MOST important factors of having a successful morning. I kid you not; once you figure out how much sleep you need in order to have a successful day, nothing can stop you! Sure, studies will tell you seven to nine hours is what you need to have a successful night’s sleep. However, this step is individualized and fully dependent on YOU. If you need help figuring out how much sleep you REALLY need, start calculating it. I downloaded an app called “Sleep Cycle” [Free for IOS, $.99 for Android] and it does so much in one little app! When you wake up, it gives you the options to put in your mood, it shows the average amount of time you spend sleeping, it shows when your deepest sleep happens at night, and so much more! If this fancy app thing isn't your forte, try making a new note and put what time you went to bed, what time you wake up in the morning, and how you feel when you wake up. Over an average of a week or two, you'll be able to see what amount of hours fits your sleeping schedule perfectly!

3. Wake Up Dancing

That’s right; if the physical part of getting up makes you dread the morning, make it a little easier for yourself and wake up dancing! You can accomplish this by making a playlist full of your favorite songs to get you pumped up in the morning. While you’re still lying in bed; press play on that morning mojo playlist and you’ll actually feel yourself want to get up a little faster because you hear your jam playing! With this tip, I give you full permission to get up, have a little fun, and dance like nobody’s watching!

4. BUT FOOD THOUGH

If you’re a self-proclaimed foodie like me, seeing something like the picture above makes me super excited to seize the day. (Yes, I really made that! And yes, it tastes amazing!) Get your early morning energy back by starting off with a great breakfast! Are you in need of some food inspiration? Pinterest will be your absolute best friend when you need some awesome and creative breakfast choices!

5. Get in Some Quiet Time

One of the things I get excited about is spending some quiet time alone with God in my mornings. It really refreshes me and gets me excited about my day hearing first what God has for me. So grab your favorite tea or coffee and breakfast food of choice and spend some alone time with God. You may only have 10 minutes in the morning to do this. That is OKAY! If you set aside those couple of minutes and make it quality time with God, it doesn’t matter how long you spend with Him. God can take any amount of time you give Him and He will multiply it beyond what you can believe. That makes me feel fearless and ready to conquer the day ahead of me. Find a devotional you like on the YouVersion Bible App [Free on both Apple and Android] and enjoy spending just a little time getting to know God in this sweet morning time. It's definitely a great thing to look forward to!

6. Don’t Get Fit.. GET IT!

So this is kind of a stretch for people who don’t normally do this. But I can tell you if you make a change to work out BEFORE your day actually begins, you’ll see a lot of things change for you. I work out normally at 9 AM three out of five days a week. The major difference I have found out by working out in the morning is that yes, I just worked my butt off at the gym and I’m exhausted. However, once I get ready to go about the rest of my day, I feel like I am like the energizer bunny! I could just keep going and going throughout my day and I feel like I can conquer the world! I’m not saying in order to have a successful morning you have to run five miles at the crack of dawn (unless that’s totally your thing.. I give you major props!) But find something that excites you! Take a yoga class with a friend, push yourself harder than you ever thought you would in CrossFit, or just take a leisurely stroll to the mailbox each morning. Take the time out of your morning to not get fit… but GET IT!

7. Press That Snooze Anyways

So if these things don’t suit you… What’s next? Do you just ignore these steps and you snooze a little longer? Sure! These steps are just a little inspiration to help you find what makes you love about mornings. Whatever you choose to do to help you love mornings a little more, make sure it is tailored to fit you. Having something you love and look forward to in the mornings can set you up to have a successful morning and an incredible day overall.

So in the end, you do you, boo boo!