In light of the summer cleansing vibes I am feeling, I decided to become a morning person.
I HATE waking up early in the morning, it's the worst. I tend to be moody when I wake up and I don't know about you, but it feels like I am tired the moment I wake up so I want to continue sleeping.
This is a typical morning for me:
I wake up, stare, and think for 10 minutes.
I realize I have shit to do, so I get up.
I avoid making eye contact with anyone because I don't want them to talk to me (yeah, don't talk to me if you see that I just woke up because I won't answer.)
I proceed to do my business in the bathroom.
And after all of this, I can either feel energized or I can still feel like sleeping my life away. Going to college hasn't helped this process at all either. My sleeping schedule is all types of messed up, but since I made it a goal of mine to be healthier this summer, I decided to embark on the journey of a lifetime: becoming a morning person!
Fun fact: it takes two weeks to make something a habit! So for two weeks, I tried these nifty tips and tricks:
1. Reaffirming my purpose in life before going to sleep and then repeating it to myself in the morning
Yes, this sounds corny, but it helps to know that every second of your life is meaningful, it's all about how you spend them. You could sleep your life away and no one could care, but always keep in mind the goals you have. Whether it be to get better grades or become more fit, one thing is for sure, goals are goals so like we like to say in New York: "Chase your bag, get your coint up okurrrrrt!"
2. Write down all the things you have experienced throughout the day and what you have planned for the coming day
I am one of those people that stays up late thinking about a gazillion of things. Writing them down in a journal before going to sleep is such a relief! I wake up in the morning and don't need to remember what I need to do, I just read it off my journal/planner.
3. Disconnect from everything 30 minutes prior to sleeping!
This is scientifically proven! My doctor recommended this to me after I was diagnosed with insomnia. Right before I rest my head, I send my "goodnight streaks" and put my phone on "do not disturb."
4. If you can't sleep, listen to a podcast or a lecture
I don't mind listening to ocean waves and different sounds to help you sleep, but it gets creepy at some points (like what if secretly, the creator of these sounds organized it in a way in order to control our minds?) Yes, that's a reach, but I'd rather listen to someone ramble on and on about concepts. And also, you can actually fall asleep while a professor is speaking without fearing that you will miss crucial information that you may need for that class, so win-win? Sounds like a yes to me.
5. When you hear your alarm, wake TF up!
Don't hit the snooze button, don't turn the alarm off, and if you have a roommate, please don't ignore the alarm. Over the school year, I was infamously known for sleeping through all of my alarms. One day, my roommate told me to turn it off and I lashed out at her in my sleep (I told her to shut the fuck up! I am so sorry, Julia Rogerts.) But yeah, just FORCE yourself to get up. I smile and say an inspirational thing to myself, and that has helped me a lot as well.
6. Drink a cup of water the moment you get up
Drinking a cup of water in the morning gets your body up and ready to function properly! You can also play around with your water intake. I love to put chia seeds and lemon in mine for an extra boost of energy!
7. Successful people tend to wake up earlier in the morning
This is not really a tip, but it serves as a means of motivation for you to get up and be successful, too. "Early bird gets the worm!"
8. Take a nice shower (and conserve some water, too)
I've realized that using scrubs in the morning—especially a coffee one—wakes me up!
9. Have a whole breakfast
My lifestyle as a vegan has thankfully led me to eat much more whole foods rather than processed, empty calories. My typical breakfast consists of taking my supplements, drinking a green juice, making a fruit/veggie salad or oatmeal with nuts and berries. Pancakes and hash browns may taste good, but optimal health and energy is necessary for a day's worth of work.
10. Stick to your goal of becoming a morning person
Don't give up! There will be days where you may go to sleep later than expected and days where you feel shitty, but stick to your goal! By sticking to this specific goal, you'll train your body to not only be disciplined, but you'll teach your mind to be stronger!
I hope these tips and tricks help you like they've helped me!
