Fresh Start Monday #84: Own your morning, elevate your life

I felt like I was running on a hamster wheel during the fall months. I had a lot going on personally and professionally that was going well, but I had no time to myself.

I especially felt like I was accomplishing short-term goals but not actively moving towards anything on a longer time horizon.

As if life was happening, I had no control over it. Like treading water in the ocean, but with the current sweeping you away.

I've always been a night owl, but this period forced me to reconsider that. I still enjoyed nights, but they felt inconsistent. My moods and energy swayed by what happened each day.

Own your morning, elevate your life is the tagline of the book The 5am Club by Robin Sharma.

Let me be clear, I don't think I'll ever get up at 5 am, but owning and controlling the first hour of my day has transformed the feel of my entire day.

In the book, Robin Sharma introduces the 20/20/20 formula. It stands for 20 minutes of exercise, 20 minutes of reflection (journaling, meditating, or quiet contemplation), and 20 minutes devoted to growth (reading, reviewing your goals, or studying a topic of interest) in the first hour.

I don't exercise in the morning, but I've been devoting this hour primarily to meditating, journaling for 1-3 pages, and reading for 30+ minutes. (If you have trouble exercising I would do it first thing)

I've fallen in love with slow mornings that ground me for the rest of the day.

Over several weeks, I've woken up earlier until I got to 6:30 am which feels sustainable. 5 am still feels like I'm sacrificing too much of my evening.

By waking earlier, I'm also able to dedicate time to writing and creating consistently. The most significant benefit is that I can work on personal projects before I dive into work that makes money, but is more urgent than important.

At first glance, 20/20/20 formula feels rigid, but I encourage you to experiment with earlier mornings in ways that might work for you.

This way, you ensure the work, the hobbies, the activities that bring you joy and growth, are always put first.

Journal Prompt

If I had an extra hour in my day what would I do with it?

Local to Boulder, CO?

Join us Tuesday (4/9) on Meetup for a free biweekly journaling group.

Thoughtful Tuesdays - Biweekly Journaling Group

Tuesday, April 9th at 6pm MT. Location: Tonic Alchemy Lounge

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