Until I was about 35, I was one of those self-proclaimed "night people". I liked to stay up late. I resisted going to bed until it was absolutely necessary, I wanted to suck every last drop out of the day. Perhaps I was a night person out of necessity. As an actor, any acting work I did was typically at night. In college and grad school, rehearsals were at night, sometimes late into the night. Homework was completed after rehearsal, which often meant staying up until 1am, 2am. Post grad school, while living in NYC, I did a stint as a waitress and bartender in a restaurant for four years. Those were really late nights, getting home at 3am. I was in a theatre company, and our rehearsals were at night. I wouldn't get home until after midnight. If I wanted to get any personal work done, it was generally in those dark hours of the night and early morning. I was too wiped out the next day to even think about getting out of bed until 10am, at the earliest, unless I absolutely had to.
Since moving to Los Angeles, I have become a morning person. This shocks me, even today. Part of this is due to LA being a morning town. People do things in the morning here. They meet for breakfast. They exercise, or go hiking. They get up and walk the dogs. They catch up on the news. I suppose since we are behind the rest of the country in time zones, LA is a morning town out of necessity.
What shocks me most, is that I now love being a morning person. I always hated morning people! They were so annoying. How would anyone want to get up earlier than they had to? But morning people know a few secrets that night people don't, and they make being a morning person totally awesome.
1. The world is so quiet at 7am.
In a world that is as busy as ours, it can be hard to find quiet time. Getting up before the world gets going lets you ease into the day. There isn't as much traffic noise. You don't hear people shouting. Fewer planes and helicopters are flying overhead. You can actually hear yourself think. You can nestle in with a warm cup of coffee, read the news or get some personal work done.
2. My brain is fresh in the early morning.
I don't know how I ever got any real thinking or creating done in the middle of the night after a long day. I wake up now and my mind is brimming with possibility. I feel recharged and ready to tackle a project. And because it's so quiet I don't have distractions competing for my attention. I can actually focus at the task at hand. I find I'm more creative and make connections more easily. I feel productive and start the day knowing that I already got something accomplished.
3. It's easier to steal time in the morning.
As the day wears on, obligations and responsibilities take focus. If I get up a little earlier, that time is mine to do with as I please. I don't feel guilty for writing a blog post, or doing a little free association. I can wander around Pinterest without anyone looking over my shoulder and judging me. Nobody is asking me to do the laundry, and I don't have to check my email for another hour. I don't have to be anywhere and I can just sit here and be greedy with this extra time.
4. You can stay in your pajamas a little longer.
I work from home, but that doesn't mean I'm in my pajamas all day. I do like to shower and get dressed and feel like a part of the working world. But when I work on my own projects in the morning, I can stay in my pajamas. I roll out of bed, brew some java, and sit down all comfy and cozy in my sweatpants and "The Dude Abides" t-shirt. I feel like I'm in my own skin. Nothing is binding or digging or making me physically uncomfortable. It feels luxurious.
5. Nature is awesome at 7am.
We're experiencing a serious drought here in Los Angeles, and the weather is pretty brutal these days. But if you get up early enough, chances are the marine layer hasn't yet burned off and you are treated to an overcast sky. I find that so comforting, and so conducive to introspection. The air is cooler, the sprinklers just went off so the garden is glistening, and if I'm quiet I can hear a distant neighbor's rooster welcoming in the day. Morning is my favorite time to experience nature.
I never found time to blog until I started doing it in the morning. Now it's becoming an integral part of my day. I feel more at ease knowing that I am accomplishing my personal work before the responsibilities of my jobs creep in. And now that we're at the end of this post, that means it's time to get to the day. Go happy, dear friends!
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