A person I admire tremendously invited me to join a group of people getting up at 4:15 am for 21 weekdays. When she invites me to do anything, I have found accepting the offer( mostly without thinking it through) is going to be a good decision. She is just that person for me. She leads by example, and in the meantime, she pushes, pulls and drags you along with her..mostly you don't even know it's happening. I believe it 's her way of gving of herself, and she's great at it. She's amazing, and if she is reading this, she knows who she is.( yes, you are amazing)
Anyway, back to the challenge.
You don't just get up at 4:15 and start the regular chaos of your day 1, 2 or 3 hours early. You make the space for your intentions, at least that's what we committed to. A primary intention, a secondary intention, and a commitment to support each other. We text, or what's app each other first thing, if we missed the alarm, we text that too. And we have a weekly call to share what's working, what's opening up, what our challenges are.
We are all doing different things with our time, tackling massive to do lists, enlarging our spiritual practice, investing time in study for a new goal, practicing yoga. It all works.
Right now, I am getting ready to launch a new album of original material, the first one in a long time. I'm choosing cover art, writing liner notes, setting up gigs, booking a cd release concert, planning a gig in Ontario, working with radio music promoters, doing some interviews. Phew, it sounds like a lot and I have a more than full time day job.
So what am I doing with my created time?
I'm doing a morning yoga practice and learning to meditate. Then, when I've given myself that time, I start running down my list. With no pressure, because I've got a couple of hours before I start my other work.
And it's great, it's quiet, even peaceful.
Yes, it takes some adjustment, yes, I have to think before I commit to an evening event that might last a bit long. It has shifted my opinion of what's possible. What I've found is I'm more able and likely to get things completed before the rest of my day starts.
At the end of my work day, I sometimes find I'm giving myself permission to relax, and what that really means is I give myself permission to break my commitments to myself. (that's a lot of "myselfs" in there, but it was the only way I could take ownership)
Is this something I'd do for ever? Probably not, I believe in getting 7 plus hours of sleep, so I'd definitely have to commit to going to bed earlier than usual, to make this work long term.
I might split the difference, 5 am sounds like a good time.
It's working so far.
So thank you for the invitation and thanks to the rest of the Damn Early Risers for the support.
If you need a little space in your life, give it a try.