How waking up with the rising sun can transform your life
By: Aayushi Iyer
Tags: Morning Routines, Self Improvement, Habits, Transformation, Life

Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash

For most of my life, I have been a night owl. I have been told by my parents time and time again to wake up early and get my chores done. But, I had never been able to do so. I’d rather stay up late working or studying and end up waking up late.

It wasn’t that I hated waking up early. I was always a firm believer of a healthy morning routine and the riches that mornings bring along.

But, like most people, I was lazy. I wasn’t inspired enough. That used to be my life before I changed course. I would search for effective ways to build a morning routine and get more things done. So much so, that I ended up reading Robin Sharma’s The 5 AM Club five times! The methods and ideologies mentioned in the book are highly effective. I still go back to reading instances from the book to keep myself on track.

You might say, “Nights suit me well” or “I work well past midnight”. But, take it from someone who used to be at the same place where you are right now, and still managed to exchange the late nights with early mornings.

Now, I can proudly say that I get to wake up each morning with the sun and live a fulfilled day. My days are merrier, more mindful, and more in my control than they ever were. Here are some statements that will help you build an effective morning routine and how you can succeed in doing so —

1. Every animal wakes up with the sun and goes back to rest when it sets

The the only exception to that natural behavior is humans. When you look at birds early in the morning, they fly high in the sky in search of food. They wake at dawn, as soon as the infrared rays of the sun beam towards the earth. “Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle… When the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” — Unknown

As for you, you are busy hitting the snooze button and sleeping on. You miss the sunrise each morning. You miss the sound of the birds and the serenity and quietude that mornings bring along. If only you woke up to witness that beauty once, you would never want to remain sedated on a comfortable bed.

As Richard Whately said — “Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day hunting for it.”

2. You can get more things done while the world is still

Rising with the sun grants you an incredible resource of silence. In the early hours, there’s no room for noise from vehicles, or people chattering, or people on TV screaming at you.

You can dedicate that time to pursuing activities that lift your mindset and happiness. I usually journal while watching the sunrise, feeling the cool breeze, and listening to birds chirping. It’s a magical feeling to be awake at that hour of the day.

“By getting up early in the morning one also gets more time at his disposal for work as compared to late-risers.” — Rig Veda

3. You get to plan out your day and have complete control over it

Think about it. When you wake up late, you usually rush into your job, or skip breakfast, or don’t get to see your spouse/children before you head off to work.

Personally, I used to miss seeing off my Mom when she would leave for work every morning. I would only get to see her when she would be back in the evenings. That way I was not able to spend time with her or anyone since I used to get engrossed in work in those evening hours.

Since I have adopted the morning ritual, I get to see my Mom before she leaves and help her out a little as well. In short, I get to bond with my family better since our sleep schedules match. I don’t have to compromise work or study for family time and vice versa. I am thus in control of my days rather than the days controlling me. I don’t stumble through my days now. I walk gracefully through them with my head held high. I get more things done in one morning than in an entire week. That says a lot about the power of a morning routine. To summarize the point I’ll include my favorite quote —

“Wake up early and tackle the day before it tackles you. Be on offense, not defense.” — Evan Carmichael

4. If you conquer your sleep, you can conquer anything

Waking up early is simple. You just have to put your feet on the ground as soon as your alarm goes off. Only if, it were that easy.

Waking up early is one such task that takes a lot of effort. It speaks a lot about your will. If you have a strong will, getting off that bed should be easy for you. But, it isn’t. There will be numerous days when your willpower will be put to test. When you will be faced with difficult challenges and in the face of those circumstances you will have to prove your worth.

Well, if you aren’t able to conquer your mornings, how do you suppose you will beat down those challenges? Facing uncertainties is an everyday process and you must train yourself every day, an opportunity that knocks on your door every morning.

Rising every morning and conquering your sleep is a test of your will. How you perform each day decides how you perform in your entire life.

“How we start our day determines how we create our life. Are you snoozing through your morning… snoozing through your life… and snoozing through your unlimited potential.” — Hal Elrod

5. Live your life in small packets. Your days make up the week, weeks turn into months and months turn into years. These years make up your entire lifetime.

I used to fret a lot about tomorrow. The metaphoric tomorrow that has us all running wild and scared. But to know that today is a gift that all of us share as a species is profound. When you know that this one day adds to the story of your life, you would not want to dismiss it being a late riser.

Let not your today be absent from the calendar of your life. Do it well, use it well, your today. And by rising at dawn today, you have nourished your soul. You have risen above mediocrity and now you are ready to fly alongside the greatest people to have ever walked this earth. Knowing that today is not your right, much rather a bonus, you must squeeze every ounce of your potential towards your dream. You can do with the power of a morning routine.

I don’t fear tomorrow anymore. Because I know that I have lived my today well. I feel fulfilled to not have missed a sunrise. Knowing that it’s a blessing to witness a miracle of the universe, fills me with satisfaction.

“The time just before dawn contains the most energy of all hours of the day. This has helped me become an early riser and an early doer.” — Terri Guillemets