How to Be a Motivated in the Morning

I nearly titled this post, "How to Be a Morning Person", but really, this is more about getting motivated to be active in the morning. There are plenty of early risers out there who rise early, but then lie on the sofa in a daze over coffee, struggling to get motivated to move.

Then, of course, there are those who are not early risers, but would who know that morning exercise or morning activity is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

I've pretty much always been a morning person, even way back in my teen years. Up early, eager to conquer the day!

But I, too, have periods where I'd rather lie in bed drinking tea than jump up and go, go go! And we do need to have some lay-about time, too, don't we? So a day here or there is fine, but let's not make it every day.

So, how do you switch from the "I'll just lie here a few more minutes" to being outside for a morning jog or walk? Here are a few tips that really worked for me to get me on track.

Tips to Move in the Morning

1. Put your running/biking/hiking clothes beside the bed. The less you have to do to get ready, the less effort you have to make, the less likely you will  talk yourself out of it.
2. Get dressed immediately and head out. If you lie in bed thinking about having to get up and go, you will likely begin thinking about how nice it would be to have just one cup of tea/ coffee, and then you really won't get out.
3. Do something you enjoy. If you hate running, well, of course it will be a miserable way to wake up. Do you like biking? Walking? Going to the gym? It doesn't matter what your activity is - the best exercise is the one you will do.
4. Mix up your routes. Variety is, indeed, the spice of life. A change is as good as a rest. And all those other cliches. If you do the same route every day, or the same gym routine, it will get boring. So, explore a few new streets on your morning walk or jog. Be daring - once in a while, drive to a new neighborhood, then go for a walk.
5. Change your thinking. If you think, "I have to go running", it become unpleasant. Think instead, "I get to go running", "I love getting out there". It really works!
6. Take a day or two off! Yes, let yourself lounge around, savouring your morning beverage, once or twice a week. These rest days are good for the body, and for the soul.

Why You Should Get Out in the Morning

I've long bragged about the beauty of early mornings. here are a few reasons you really should try, at least once, to get out there in the super-early morning (by six a.m. really).

1. There's no traffic
2. There are few people
3. The people you may see are like-minded morning people
4. There's an almost ethereal calm over the world at 5 a.m., a magical silence
5. You'll feel good and have more energy for the rest of the day
6. Even if your day sucks later, you still achieved something right off the bat
7. You'll have earned your morning coffee!