“I’m not a morning person, I’m not a night-owl, but I can rock 11:30 A.M. like no one’s business”  

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I used to be a morning person…

Then I got divorced.

Ok, that is not entirely true if you count a morning person as someone waking up at 2:30 A.M. because you’re having a panic attack, wondering WTF your life is going to look like now that you are divorced.

When I was little, I HATED mornings. I was seven or eight and recall being so upset at being woken up, I was flailing my arms around and accidently smacked my mom in the face when she tried to wake me up for school.

However, something changed when I got to high school. I would set my alarm to get up early so I could prepare myself for the day ahead. I would shower, head to the kitchen to make my breakfast and then sit in silence as my dad drank his coffee, I ate my malt-o-meal and we watched the morning news. I was a true morning person. 

As I got older, I started adding my workouts to my morning routine. I loved getting my heart rate pumping and clearing my head before I started my workday.

I would come home after work, eat dinner by 6:00 P.M. and become a pumpkin at 10:00 P.M. (sometimes 9:00). Then come 4:30 A.M. I’m hopping out of bed to head to my Orange Theory Fitness class or Hot Yoga.

That all changed in 2018.

During and recently after my divorce my mind was swirling with a million thoughts most of the day. More so when I tried to go to bed. If I laid down at 10:00 P.M., my brain would have me up until midnight. I’d doze off and then at 2:30 A.M. I’m wide awake until 5:00 A.M. and I then managed to fall back to sleep for an hour before my alarm goes off for work.

When you are going through challenging transitions in your life, it’s ok (and usually necessary) to change your patterns. Your sleep is one of those patterns that will most likely be affected. (Visit my website to download my free e-book: 7 Self-Care Tips You Know You Should Be Doing…But Aren’t).

I used to take pride in the fact that I got up at 4:30 A.M. I felt like I wore a badge of honor because I could call myself a morning person. Sleeping in to me was staying in bed until 6:00 A.M. However, I have let that go.

My life has changed significantly in the last three years and once I was actually able to sleep again—without waking up in a panic at 2:30 A.M.—I let myself sleep.

I still workout in the morning, but I start closer to 7:00 A.M., sometimes even *gasp* 8:00 A.M. depending on how late I stayed up. I no longer put so much pressure on myself to adhere to this “label” of being a morning person.

“I’m not a morning person, I’m not a night-owl
but I can rock 11:30 A.M. like no one’s business”

I was talking to someone recently who told me they had never tried coffee. He is 43 and he said, “I like saying I’ve never tried coffee. I mean, I have wanted to try it, but I figured I’ve gone this long so I’ll keep going.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t drink caffeine—he said he just liked telling people he wasn’t a coffee drinker to see people’s reaction. He even had taken a sip of it once and spit it out before he swallowed because he didn’t want to ruin his “no coffee ever streak”.

“Dude, what award are you going to win by going to your grave without trying coffee? If you want to try coffee, try it. Maybe you will try it, not like it and you can still say you aren’t a coffee drinker. But then again, maybe at 43 you decide you ARE a coffee drinker after all. People change.”

Life happens—which means change happens!

I used to be someone’s wife, I’m not anymore.

I used to be a vegetarian, I’m not anymore.

I used to live in Kansas, I don’t anymore.

I used to be a morning person, but I’m not anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, I still can get my ass up at the crack of dawn when I need to. My group runs on Saturday’s usually start at 5:45 A.M. On those days I’m not mad I have to get up early. I am the type of person that once I’m up, I’m chipper, I can focus quickly and I’m ready to go.

However, when I know my first meeting on a Monday isn’t until 9:30 A.M., I will let my body get the rest it needs. I’ll wake up between 6:30 – 7:00 A.M., feed my dog, take her on a walk, head out the door for my run, come back home to shower and get to work.

To some that still might be early, but again, if my body wants to sleep a little later and my schedule allows, I’ll do it.

You know, the more I think about it, I don’t even like to say I’m not a morning person. Really, I’m just a person. Sometimes I get up early to watch the sunrise, other times I listen to my body and hit snooze.

Don’t try to hold on to something just because you think you “need” to. Whether that is a material possession, a friendship, a title, or labeling yourself a night-owl or morning person. Letting go can be scary, but also can feel pretty good.

Let go, grow, change, give yourself grace…and try the damn coffee!

Remember, You Got This! 

XOXO

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