How I Support My Mind and Spirit
Part 1: The Magical Hour and a Half
I love my family to the ends of the earth, but my favorite time of day is the magical hour and a half I spend without them from 5:00 - 6:30AM. Early last year, I decided to become a morning person again (I had been one before my third child was born). I was having what felt like a mid-life crisis and craving peace. So I started setting my alarm 15-20 minutes earlier than my typical wake-up, and little by little, I worked myself back to 5:00AM.
The magic of the magical hour and a half is that it's a task-free zone. I will not engage in dishes, laundry, tidying, schoolwork, or breakfast prep. I don't have eyes to see the crumbs on the kitchen table or the stack of amazon boxes in the entryway. Those things can wait until 6:30AM. This time is for me to show up for me before I need to show up for anyone else.
What do you do?
What I do with my magical hour and a half might look totally different than what you would do with yours. But that's the beauty of it - it's MINE. I don't do the same thing every day, but my morning usually involves a combo of two or more of the following: prayer, journaling, brain dumping, meditating, reading self-improvement, reading a devotional, and strength training. Then, I like to shower and get dressed. I follow my own lead, and choose whatever feels in alignment with the tone I want to set for my day. Usually, I'll make a plan the night before, so that I'm ready to get going as soon as the alarm goes off. All of these activities pair well with warm lemon water, and I only turn on the lamps.
5:00AM for real?
Yes. Because that's what feels best for me. I tried 30 minutes, tried an hour - didn't like it, felt rushed. Let's be real, I spend a full ten minutes studying my pores in the magnifying mirror before I begin my regimen, so cushion is necessary. The goal is feeling the opposite of hurried.
About 25 minutes of my routine is spent showering, getting dressed, and putting a face on. Back in college, I read somewhere that people performed better on tests when they got dressed in real clothes, and I've never forgotten that. Getting dressed totally changes how I feel about myself (and how I feel having conversations with people that day).
Every single day?
Obviously, no. There are later nights that make this impossible for me (I don't dip below 7 hours of sleep). There are vacations where I choose staying up late and spending time with friends or family over this routine. But my magical hour and a half is always waiting for me the next day.
This change in my schedule has had an insane impact on my mood, energy, creativity, motivation, and patience. When I can't make it work, I feel it big time. But I don't stress out about those days anymore; I actually celebrate them! They are incredible evidence for my brain that the magical hour and a half is what I need to keep becoming the person I want to be. I love feeling like I'm on the right track.
I know people who feel a shift with just 20 extra minutes of solo time in the morning. That might be all you need. If you try this, let me know how it goes!
