I used to wake up like this:
Eyes open.
Heart racing.
Brain is already halfway into my inbox.
The sky would still be that soft early-morning blue, and before I even stretched or spoke a word, I’d already be thinking about client deadlines, task lists, upcoming meetings, deliverables, and “Did I forget something yesterday?”
Sound familiar?
It wasn’t that I dreaded work — I love what I do.
But I realized something on a quiet Saturday: I never really gave myself a chance to arrive in my own day.
The Pattern I Couldn’t Ignore
Here’s what I found out, once I started paying attention:
My mind had been trained to associate waking up with producing.
My nervous system was on high alert by 6:30 AM.
I didn’t have a morning anymore — I just had a launchpad into my to-do list.
And when that’s your default for weeks, months, even years… it catches up with you.
The energy dips, the creativity reduces, and worst of all, you begin to disappear from your own day.
How to Reclaim Your Mornings (One Small Step at a Time)
I didn’t overhaul my life overnight. I didn’t go off-grid or adopt a 5 AM miracle routine.
Instead, I started small.
I chose one word: calm.
That’s what I wanted my mornings to feel like — not rushed, not reactive. Just calm.
Then I made a deal with myself:
“Work can start at 9. Before then, I start with me.”
The first few days, I had to literally talk back to my thoughts.
They’d say: “What about that email?”
And I’d answer: “Not yet. You’ll get my attention later.”
How to Train Your Brain to Wait
What worked?
Leaving a notepad by my bed for random work thoughts (no phones)
Adding a tiny morning ritual — lighting a candle while stretching or drinking water slowly.
Repeating a mantra before I even stood up.
This wasn’t about becoming unproductive.
In fact, I became more focused, less resentful, and strangely — more inspired.
Because when your brain isn’t in a constant sprint, you start to hear yourself again.
💡 In Case You Need to Hear This:
If you wake up every day already in the race,
If you open your eyes already solving problems,
If your first thought is everyone else and never you…
You’re not broken.
You’re just in a loop.
But loops can be rewritten.
Even with just one small morning choice.
🌞 Start Here:
Ask yourself:
“How do I want to feel in the first 30 minutes of my day?”
Pick a word. Build a micro-ritual around it.
Then give yourself permission to start your day on your terms.
Your brain and your work will thank you for it.
