Airplane Reflections – Early Mornings

As I sit and look out the airplane window I see the early morning dawn begin to warm up the sky. There’s a peace that’s seen each morning. A newness, a feeling of possibility, of fresh starts…

How often are we swept away by our activities that we never take the opportunity to just be?

This morning, after the hustle and bustle of getting to the plane, just sitting and watching the beautiful lights of the runway and the city refreshes me. I know my day holds in its palm fun and challenge as well as renewed friendship.

I’m traveling to Boston to visit with my best friend. We’ve been friends since 6th grade. I’m not sure how we’ve managed to keep the friendship so long. There’s something special about long term friends.

We don’t talk every day, or even every month. Years have gone by without us seeing each other. However, we still manage to meet up and catch up. Getting together has become more common lately. Once, maybe twice a year now?

Do you have someone like this? Someone who, no matter how long in between, the next time you meet is as if you’ve just taken a breath and continued the same sentence. It’s as if no time passes at all. Sure we change, we grow, we become more skilled, our family dynamics change, sure. We aren’t the same. But it’s like we change together, in the same direction.

She was waiting for me in Boston. We drove down toward the waterfront, found a parking spot, and put on our coats. Why not? We’ll just walk around and figure it out.

As the days go by, we are reunited, reinvigorated, and our friendship is even stronger. It’s difficult to say goodbye, but we know it’s required.

Friendships are one thing humanity needs. While we have those who need alone time more frequently than others, we all ultimately are meant to live our lives amongst others. Having another person you trust to throw ideas against and to help you think clearly improves both of your lives.

I’m a generally outgoing person, I enjoy being around other people. Yet, there are times when I walk along the waterfront and stand alone on purpose. Being alone with my thoughts helps me to recognize who I am. Without alone time, there is no way to hear myself. My body speaks loudly, if I just listen.

Early mornings are special. This is a time of day, if you choose, when you can be alone in the quiet; before waking the kids, before heading to work, before the rest of the busy-ness of the day begins.

Enjoying early mornings, however, requires training yourself to be in bed earlier. Creating this habit can be hard. I have created earlier mornings but not quite where I want it to be yet.

What I have done so far:

1. Moved my phone to the other side of the room. (This is where my alarm is as well as to prevent me from reading on it in my bed.)
2. Set an alarm to remind me to get ready for bed an hour before I want to be in bed. (For me this is 9pm.)
   • Bedtime routine for me includes:
     • putting my stuff away
     • washing the dishes in the sink
     • letting the dog out one more time
     • locking the doors
     • dressing for bed
     • brushing my teeth
     • hugging my teen and hopefully getting them to go to bed (Each household is different. In my house, my teen is trustworthy and showing great responsibility.)
3. Set another alarm to remind me it is NOW bedtime. Get in bed, lights out, and stay there until you fall asleep. (For me this is 10pm.)
   • I say my last good night
   • check to make certain my alarm is set for the morning
   • plug my phone in across the room (forces me to get out of bed to turn it off)
   • get in bed

Did you notice? Almost everything I do in order to get up early is the night before. As you begin to awaken earlier, you will realize going to bed earlier becomes easier. Forcing yourself up the first few mornings will tell your body you must sleep earlier. While training your body to awake early, it is important to avoid naps especially in the afternoons.

You may have to adjust your afternoon/evening routine to exclude coffee, include an earlier dinner, and possibly turning off the TV as well. (We do not own a TV.)

Days that I skip my early quiet feel more rushed and more stressful. I am a better human when I take good care of myself.

Thank you for reading my ramblings,

Dr. Wendi