Do you consider yourself to be a "morning person"? Are you the person who none of us should speak to until you've had a cup of coffee? What even is a morning person?

I would usually consider myself to be a morning person. I have never been able to sleep in until ten or eleven in the morning like my friends could but to be fair, I was also usually asleep long before then. However, coming to college has shifted my sleeping schedule so that I'm now usually up until midnight or one AM, leaving me struggling when it's time to wake up and attend my 9 AM class. I was never one to curse my alarm when it sounds off in the morning, but it's gotten to that point a few times this past year and a half.

This semester, I'm making it a goal to be an early-to-bed, early-to-rise sleeper rather than seeing the clock turn to the next day before I've gone to sleep.

Hal Elrod is the author of a book called "The Miracle Morning" that has turned into more of a lifestyle for those that swear by being an early riser. Elrod describes the habits of several of the most successful people he's encountered, and you notice there is one thing they all have in common: waking up before they HAVE to.

I'm sure it's not hard for many of us to identify a problem in our lives. Anything from that extra holiday "fluff" we're all feeling right now to major strife that affects every aspect of our days. The premise of "The Miracle Morning" is that simply waking up before you must can work to solve all of these issues we face in some way or another. 70% of Americans are on prescription medication, 35% of adults are obese, and 50% of marriages in the US end in divorce- can all of this really be fixed by starting your day earlier?

Honestly, I used to question why you would wake up before you needed to in order to make your first class, meeting, appointment, etc. of the day. Isn't sleep important? When you wake up before you have to, you are creating a foundation for your day that will sew productivity, happiness, and success. Thus, you'll find yourself reaping the benefits of a strong foundation throughout the day. Over time, the foundations you build each day will turn into the foundation of your life. Change your life by waking up just a bit earlier!

I'm aiming to create an early-morning routine that will sew seeds of success in my days. This looks different for everyone, but I encourage you to do the same. Here are a few things you can incorporate to make your morning a miracle one: make your bed, check the weather, exercise for a bit, listen to the news, make yourself a good breakfast, and set some goals for the day.

These seemingly mundane things will start your days off in a manner that leaves you feeling prepared and ready for whatever the day has for you. Join me in creating your own Miracle Morning routine!