Someone recently asked what I considered to be the perfect gift. My immediate response, without hesitation, was, “I want the entire house to myself to do whatever I want.” Then I really started dreaming and thought what if I had an entire weekend? Ugh, I should probably feel guilty for saying that. I am a working mom so I am already away from my kids for extended periods. However, I also know that I need to recharge my battery. I am an only child, and a total introvert. I need quiet time alone. How in the world do you get an empty house when you have 3 small kids? I could play hooky from the office while all 3 are in school. I call those "mental health days." The problem with a mental health day is that you can’t make a regular habit of it; plus it can make you feel a bit guilty. I need a long-term solution that I can practice on a regular basis without feeling the guilt.
Recently, a friend of mine shared with me this amazing book by Hal Elrod called The Miracle Morning. We spent a week practicing the concepts from the book with a small group of ladies. It was AMAZING! I was waking up really early. Like, before the sun comes up early. And going to bed earlier and not wasting as much time on Facebook. That’s certainly a win, right? I really loved the quiet time and the feeling of having the house all to myself.
The first rule behind his concept is to wake up early before everyone else in your home is awake; before anyone needs you. This is “your time.” This means about an hour earlier than your normal routine.
A little side note: your kids still don’t understand that if they wake up this is moms' hour. So patiently put them back to bed and carry on. Oh, and you may want to turn your coffee pot on auto brew before you go to bed the night before.
Once your alarm clock goes off (don't play the snooze game) and your feet hit the floor, there are 6 basic concepts referred to as S.A.V.E.R.S. These are listed on Hal’s web-site and you can download the first 2 chapters of his book for FREE. Woohoo! The book obviously expands on the details behind each concept and it’s quite an inspirational read.
Here are my thoughts on Hal's 6 S.A.V.E.R.S.:
Silence (Meditation, Reflection, Deep Breathing, Prayer, etc.) – For me, this is my prayer time to talk to God. I so needed this in my life as it was another thing I found it hard to make regular time for. How many times do we tell someone that we will pray for them but then we forget? I am so much better at following through on this now. I also watched War Room about the same time as I was putting my Miracle Mornings into place. I was on fire with inspiration for prayer! If prayer isn't necessarily your thing, this is a great time to meditate, reflect, and soak in the silence and stillness.
Affirmations (Goals, Intentions, etc.) – Affirmations always make me think of Stewart Smalley from Saturday Night Live. We laugh, but this stuff works. I take a little time each day to reflect on my accomplishments and pat myself on the back for a job well done. Or this can be as simple as telling yourself that you are going to have a great day. Think positive thoughts!
Visualization (Dreams, Vision, etc.) – This step involves envisioning your dreams and goals. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, maybe you envision fitting into those old jeans and how great you are going to feel!
Exercise (Yoga, Weight-training, etc.) – This is what turned me onto Miracle Mornings. I wanted to challenge myself to wake up earlier and exercise. Exercise is all about mind and body and Hal explains that perfectly! I love how I am getting more than just a workout in with my miracle mornings.
Reading (Self-help books, articles, etc.) – Something else I struggled to find the time for previously. My first book was, of course, The Miracle Morning. I am currently reading The Alchemist. You could also use this time to read scripture. Choose whatever inspires you. There is so much out there!
Scribing (Journaling, Writing a book, etc.) – I get to journal and I love this part! I do this in conjunction with basically all of the S.A.V.E.R. concepts. I love spilling my mind onto paper and I love having a journal to reflect back on my goals and accomplishments.
Finally, 3 kids later and 7 years after becoming a mom, I sort of have something figured out--for now anyway. There is plenty more that I don’t have figured out. But I am proud of finding something that is working for me and I love sharing Miracle Mornings with other moms. Give it a try! I encourage starting off with a friend or group that will keep you accountable that first week. Days 1 and 2 are rough but stick with it. It just may change your perspective on being a morning person.
