Become an EARLY RISER

Waking at sparrows means you can experience any number of beautiful things. You can:
- watch the sun rise
- enjoy the quiet, uninterrupted time
- work on a project for an hour or two before the day has begun
- work on a hobby
- exercise in the morning air
- listen to the birdsong
- relish the fact that the day has started on your terms
- meditate, pray or practice mindfulness
- enjoy the simple pleasure of a tea or coffee
- be up, dressed and ready for the day before the rest of the house wakes

Here are a few tips for rising early:
1. Have a good reason to motivate you. Look at your reason as a goal. Make no exceptions, hold yourself accountable, plan and prepare, be persistent and make it a positive experience followed with rewards.

2. Start slow. If you regularly wake up at eight, don’t start setting the clock to six just yet. Start by focusing on going to bed earlier. Read or do something to relax your mind for 30 minutes or so before you doze off. You’ll sleep better and feel more rested when it comes time to rise. Start waking up just 15 minutes earlier and increase the pace until you match the sun, then follow its lead. Go at your own pace and keep it consistent.

3. Before you go to bed, prepare for the morning. If there is a book you want to read, put it next to your bed; a breakfast you’d like to have, gather the ingredients; a project to work on, formulate the notes and set up the workspace.

4. Take advantage of the time. This may seem redundant but it’s ultimately important that you do something of value and also be aware of the little things. Enjoy the sunrise, the quiet and the possibilities of your day before it even begins.

5. Embrace the reward. Waking up early is a feat of personal will and determination. Celebrate your success and revel in the experience.

6. Persist. Forming new habits is hard and they don’t stick unless we push ourselves through some level of discomfort. At first, you may feel groggy and doubt that waking early is all it’s talked up to be. Nonsense. Like working out, it can be hard at first and makes us sore but once we push through the discomfort, we get stronger and it becomes enjoyable to push our physical limits. Stick with it and it will become part of your daily operations. Soon, it will feel wrong to wake later than usual, even once the sun starts sleeping in again.
Source: elephantjournal.com, slowyourhome.com