I often get asked how I do it, I wish I could say it’s the result of years of dedication or motivation, but I guess that’s just how I am made – waking up early is how my body clock works best and today as I was taking my morning walk it got me thinking about how being a Morning Person has shaped my life in so many ways.
When I was in High School and the studies mounted while my peers sat burning the midnight oil, I was always up bright and early because that’s when my brain worked best. Later in college when my friends would surreptitiously call one another to talk for hours on end on the home landline, they learned early not even to try calling me as it was probably my Dad who would pick up while I was fast asleep on the carpet after having dozed off listening to perhaps fifteen minutes of the evening news which was a daily ritual at home. Kids often wonder about which trait they picked up from a parent, the responsibility for this one rests squarely on my Mom. She too would settle down in front of the TV, flip the round hand embroidered mirror-work cushion to the smooth side and be snoozing shortly after. My grandmother, her mother-in-law, would joke that while usually the daughters-in-law in an Indian household were expected to wake up early and get started on the household chores, she wished Mom would just sleep a little bit longer so that everyone in the household weren’t woken up with the sounds of her morning hustle-bustle!
When I decided to pursue my masters in management and communication, I realized that math was going to be an integral part of all the entrance exams and that I had a lot of work to do to brush up on my math since I had dropped it as a subject after my tenth grade. I decided that I needed professional help and desired to join a coaching institute that would help me prepare for these tests. Classes were not cheap and they started at 7 am every morning after which I had to head to college; my Dad was skeptical, he said he would spring the money for the classes as long as I was sure that I would remain committed. My days started early but slowly I started looking forward to meeting my community of fellow learners everyday, we came from different backgrounds but we could help each other and I swear the fact that I had a crush on one of my instructors had nothing to do with my commitment to reaching there on time!!!
Growing up my summer vacations were spent with my grandparents in their home in Kerala. As a teen I would visit them unaccompanied by my parents and some of my fondest memories are waking up in the morning to go with them to the temple. I sometimes look back and wonder what motivated me to do so? Maybe I was praying for my future, but more likely it was either the tasty “prasadam” or just delighting in my grandparents' adoring company or a little bit of both! It still brings a smile to my face when I think of those times.
When I got into my dream college and started rooming with college mates, we quickly banded together based on sleep habits. The three of us tucked in early! The only hitch in these otherwise perfect plans was that my best friend (same house , different room!) was nocturnal and she had decided that when she wanted to chat I needed to keep awake. So we would sit up late into the night trading stories, gossipping and sharing our lives’ dreams, hopes and aspirations. In fact till date the only exception to my rule of going to bed early is when I am hanging out with my friends. Whether it was dancing, clubbing, gossiping or now at a house party, spending time with my friends was the only thing that tipped the scales in favor of staying up late into the night.
When I started my first job and along with it the grind of a daily commute and long working hours, I was forced to carve out time in the morning for exercise. Over the years the forms of exercise changed from aerobics, to zumba to walking on the treadmill or walking outdoors but it was always first thing in the morning. This means I get to start my day with a sense of accomplishment, an adrenaline boost and plenty of time for some positive internal dialogue. It’s my version of ME time, it helps that it's before the rest of the world wakes up with the various demands on one’s time and energy! Calm and comforting, what more can I say, Early Mornings are simply the best!