Over the years I have coached thousands of early morning risers in the wee hours before the sun creeps over the horizon. I’ve had business types characteristically packing their workout in at the beginning of the day before racing off to their desks. Students with a tremendous work ethic and discipline up before the birds to ready their minds for the forthcoming stress that is university life. And young moms jacked up on cheap coffee and cortisol, sweating like they’re in a sauna and giving the workout HELL the way only a young mama bear can do! Needless to say, I’ve seen it all.

And I am inspired by these people.

I’m inspired by their devotion to what’s important to them. In recognition of whatever guides them forward they walk through those doors 4-5 days a week, every week, consistently, in a way that never ceases to amaze me.

Dedication, focus, willpower. These are the people that have it right. Right???

Maybe.

Maybe that is the way to go. After all my typical morning starts with a punishing workout followed by my favourite breakfast and a cup of coffee to sit with while I do some work. You’d think that I’m an advocate of this behaviour across the board. But to be dogmatic in your approach to health is to blind yourself, to hold yourself back and to limit the effectiveness of certain behaviours. What works for me may not work for you. But that doesn’t mean that the principle can’t!

Working out is my morning ritual. And as you might imagine, exercise is very important to me. Go figure. It helps to clear my mind and put me in the right headspace. Unlike other people it doesn’t exactly give me energy. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great deal more energy having taken care of myself than I otherwise would but I’d be bouncing off the walls if I didn’t. So working out actually cuts me down so that I can see the world from a calmer set of eyes, and that’s what I need most.

The morning can be a time for reflection and calm, getting up and making yourself a pot of coffee before the rest of the house starts to rumble. It can be sweet and joyful and simple. Or it can be a call to action. A time to which you devote your precious energy for the peace of mind that belongs to accomplishment.

There are endless variations but what’s important is that you develop the one that works for you. Get away from distractions and try different things. Drink a glass of water and go for a run. Cook yourself breakfast and prepare your schedule for the day. Enjoy the quiet or get some tunes going. It’s up to you. Just remember how vital a behaviour it is. I’m inspired by those early rises not for their devotion to the gym, but for the value they put into the ritual itself. Embrace the opportunity to start your day off right and get up every morning and do it!

A couple things to remember:

Establish a simple morning ritual

This is all about being present in whatever you do. Make yourself a cup of coffee, make your bed and do 10 mins of meditation or do a simple 5 min flow to give you energy and set your mind right. Make it simple. Something where you can be present for a few minutes to help centre yourself in gratitude and then get on with your day.

Breath deeply in the morning

Exercise, perform a couple rounds of chaturanga into updog or use the Wim Hof method. What speaks to you? What can you commit to? Embrace the ability to move and breathe first thing in the morning and it will serve you in every aspect of your life. This may take some trial and error. Have fun with the process of discovering what works best for you.

Until next time,

-Coach Kev