best at dusk.
Before you start reading the post, let me mention that I am not an early morning person. I love cuddling under my bed sheets until 6.45 probably because at this time, I had to get up to make my kids ready for school. And if it is the weekend, I will be enjoying my sleep till 8.00 a.m. Wait! Don’t come to a conclusion that I am a lazy person. I often go to bed at an odd hour of 2.00 a.m. every day and sometimes it is even 3.00 a.m. Yes, I am a night owl staying up all night writing or working on something like blogging, projects or editing photos and videos. It is like that my mind is fresh, focused and creative at this hour, free from other distractions which in turn makes me productive.
But, this habit of sleeping late night makes my mornings always awkward, switching off the snooze button on my mobile every 10 mins till I wake up in the brim of the time rushing from the bath, to the kitchen and then to school. I get worn off completely in the morning.
When I found Free Office Finder was challenging bloggers about the benefits of waking up early, I voluntarily took up the challenge to motivate myself to wake up a bit earlier every day, not just on important occasions or for schools. Maybe I will get into a habit of getting up early and what I needed was a push which was given #EarlybirdChallenge and @officefinders. And through this campaign, I intended to balance and achieve goodness of both the times.
The alarm on my mobile went on at 5.30 a.m. and then at 5.40 a.m. I woke up with a jump , pulling myself up to work on my challenge and planned to go out for a morning walk at 6.00 a.m. to feel what fresh and early morning was. Unfortunately, it was drizzling outside. But, having woken up, I was determined to go out. So, I put my coat on and went out with an umbrella. The weather outside seemed moist and cool. And I was strolling alone on the pathway through the darkness with a camera in my hand. Though the wetness made it difficult to capture some images, I still managed to click a couple of them. It was a funny experience as I was checking if someone might me watching me. It was a bit dark and with winds gusting every now and then, I was reluctant to go far. Hence, I returned back home in just few minutes feeling fresh and made some tea. I also started preparing breakfast after sipping some hot tea with biscuits.
The alarm rang at sharp 5.30 and I woke up still laying in bed until it was 5.45 a.m. This time worked for me the best and hence I decided to choose this specific time “6 o’clock” for my early morning walk since I don’t want to walk alone too early in the dark and the cold weather outside. I found that walking in the morning is very refreshing and hence decided to continue it every day. This time again, the weather outside was drizzling along with the wind. After all, it is autumn and I can see withered leaves flying everywhere. But, I continued my walk going a bit further. I clicked some images and even thought how wonderful it would be if it was summer since I could have clicked some splendid sunrise at this hour. I liked the fresh cold air of the morning. I returned back again to put some tea along with an egg and some chocolate bread.
Same time and same walk, but this time my daughter Cherry joined me. Luckily, the weather outside was welcoming and was not like the days before, drizzling and windy. As we walked, we talked about the nature, birds chirping and about the goodness of walking. She said she liked the morning walk as it was interesting for her to watch how the sky unveils itself from dark to light grey to blue. She even requested me to let her join in my early morning walk every day and it was a welcoming gesture. We returned home and I made us some Indian breakfast. My son soon joined us and we read a Tintin story called as "The Red Sea Sharks" together until it was time to get ready for school.
It looks like that my biological clock has been tuned to waking at early morning. I just woke up somewhere between 5.40 - 5.50 before my alarm could turn on and started doing my regular (if I could say so ;)) morning walk. After a quick walk, followed the usual morning tea and reading some online news on my tab. Reading the newspaper with my morning tea was a habit I had long ago, which now had been shifted later after doing my morning chores. But, now I bounced back to this old habit of mine and I liked it. Also, I realized I was leisurely doing my morning works and making my kids ready for school. I also made some hot and spicy chicken fajita for our breakfast.
Interestingly, I tried to keep up the time and the pure motivation that drove me was finishing the campaign flawlessly as well as helping myself achieve some good results as a part of waking up early. How humans are! I always feel every result is the outcome of the push or drive that makes me to do something.
Today, I tried to click some images a little far from my home silently exploring the dawn of the day. Both my kids joined me in my morning walk today which I felt wonderful. After my morning tea and reading the online news, I did my usual chores of cooking and getting the kids ready for school. And I had to mention that bright smile on my hubby‘s face during the whole process. With more time left, I even compiled this blog post in the morning time.
Honestly, waking up morning seemed distant at the start and the ones that I did were during my exam days or functions and while travelling. This time it was simply every day and it was not that impossible to do when tried. All I need is to poke and make believe my brain to get up for a positive outcome and to give a try. The benefits of waking early morning as I found was calm mind without rushing my day’s chores, a morning walk that I found refreshing, tension free start of the day and how this habit encouraged my children to wake up early as well. Everything worked seamlessly.
As I typing now, I can clearly recall the statement that a habit is said to be born when practiced continuously for 21 days. Hopefully, I will try to make my early morning walk a habit. And I truly hope, that you could also give a try to wake up early continuously for a week and explore its benefits in your own way. Also, do make sure you share your experiences in the below comment.
I so liked your post, its so so honest! I liked the pictures too. In my part of the world the Swiss are in office at 8.30 am and so I have to be too :( And worst is on weekends when i feel i will sleep till 9 am, my biological clock is so set that i end up walking up early :( Keep the spirit on my friend, lovely and honest post.
ReplyDeleteI agree...it is all about cold weather that makes us cuddle under the bed sheets ;)
DeleteThanks for dropping by!
Great post Uma...for me its both the ways sometimes, it just depends on what time I go to bed...I too prefer staying up late and finishing up left over chores like arranging laundry etc and then some blogging and blog hopping...but I am too sacred to venture out all my myself that early morning :) love your morning clicks and breakfast photos :)
ReplyDelete;
Yes, Gita! Going out in the dark and cold weather is little bit frightening too. The dawn where we actually see the shade moving from black to pinkish blue is what I like when I take a walk.Moreover, feel a safe too. Longer winters are usually crazy and I love summer mornings :)
DeleteRise with the lark and lie with the lamb is a wise old adage.I hope your late nights are things of the past to make up for the missed sleep.Being an early riser at 4am,I find the day is long and one can do more work.
ReplyDeleteWow! Your experience of early bird challenge is very inspiring Uma! early start of the day is so refreshing!
ReplyDeleteTC! Keep smiling :)