I can honestly say I have never been a morning person. I am a self proclaimed night owl, I truly believe my body clock is set up to function better in the late evening. But I am wondering is it just that I have made it that way? Is it a natural thing I honestly cannot control, or is it that I have convinced myself I am not a morning person because I say it way too often?

I remember as a child not being able to fall asleep, my mum would tuck me in a read to me and I never wanted it to end. I would sit up after she left and play school with my teddies and dolls. I would set them up and get out my note book, mark the role and begin my lessons. As a teen I still couldn’t fall asleep, I would lay awake for hours. In my later teens and then still at university I would do all my essays or study for exams at night. Even if I allowed myself time to get up early to study I would find my brain in the morning was too foggy.

As a nurse I chose the late shifts, when most people wanted the early shifts. After I had Aspen it worked out great as she was a night owl too. Until April came along and I had an early bird on my hands. Getting up early was torture! Then of course they started school and I was forced into early mornings. Yet I still can’t fall asleep at night, and I still don’t enjoy mornings.

It actually really annoys me though. Why? Well because I want to be a morning person! Mornings are so fresh, it is a new day, new adventures are about unfold, the air is crisp, the sun has risen and I want to be excited about it! I want to be one of those perky, bubbly morning people who right now I am insanely jealous of. But how can I  make this happen? Can I even make this happen? Is it just that we are born this way/ Was I born in the wrong timezone?

I have heard rumours that mornings can be the most blissful time of day, and if that is true then I want to make it feel that way for me. So I am setting myself a little mission, actually it feels like a monumental mission to be honest! I am going to enjoy mornings!

So here is my plan. Feel free to join me if you too are a night owl, or if you just think mornings suck!

  1. A new bedtime routine. No phone checks right before bed, when I check my phone I start liking and commenting on Instagram and that just makes me more alert (even if I don’t think it does). If it is not Instagram for you, it may be Facebook, or emails, and we need to cut that out.
  2. Meditation before bed, there is a sleep meditation on the Smiling Minds App. If you don’t want to follow a meditation guide just download some peaceful music or mediation music you find soothing. Alternatively just try deep breathing exercises.
  3. Gratitude makes us feel happier, it makes us appreciate what we have, it is good to think about we are grateful for before sleep and in the morning when we wake up.
  4. Be as organised as possible the night before! The less we have to do in the morning, the less stressed the morning will feel.
  5. Although the weather man/woman/app isn’t always right, check it the night before, that way you can get your clothes ready the night before and you want be searching for that lost umbrella before you leave the house!
  6. Know where your shoes, car keys, files, kids school library books, and whatever else usually holds you up in the morning are before you go to bed.
  7. One of my pet hates in the morning is if my kitchen isn’t clean in the morning, I come downstairs and feel immediately overwhelmed and negative! For you it may be another room. Try to tidy that room before you relax for the evening.
  8. OK this will be hard for me! Wake up earlier than I need too! The truth is the more we rush the more stressed we are, and usually something doesn’t go to plan in the morning, so it is better to have extra time. I am going to try allowing an extra 20 minutes each morning.
  9. DON’T hit the snooze button. WHAT!!!????? But I love the snooze button, but NO it is now my enemy!
  10. Make some nice time. My plan is to fit in some nice time for me in the morning, time to really enjoy my shower, not rush my hair style, or just have ten minutes for a cuppa.
  11. Make time for breakfast. I actually love my breakfast, I am a cereal fan, Weetbix and soy milk is my favourite. Breakfast does give us the right start to the day, I know lots of you probably skip it, but it is important. Even if it is a cuppa with a piece of toast. Try making a smoothie, or fruity frappe’ on a warm day, or a warm crumpet on a cold morning.
  12. Sing. Try popping on your favourite music, or even radio talk show. Sing in the shower, get your morning groove on, I am going to try!

So there you have my plan to make my mornings bright and sparkly. Who knows soon you and I may even be riding unicorns each morning!

Tomorrow morning here I come!

Thanks for joining me, love Mac xx

Don’t forget to find me on Instagram @macglanville and join in with my tags #mummyshot and #livingfearlesslyauthentic

the sat sesh badge v 5