I used to be one of those people who slept until the last possible minute before I had to get up, get ready and fly out the door.

I often stayed up too late, too. It wasn’t a productive time. I would be so tired that I would zone out in front of the television or my computer and my brain would feel like mush after a long day at work.

Then, back in 2011, I discovered that I loved to write. Well, I always liked to write, but it was always in my journal. I discovered writing online and if I wanted to be at my creative best, I had to get up early to put in time before work. Instinctively I knew that I would be less tired and there would be less distractions to guide me.

So, I started getting up an hour before I had to get ready and wrote articles and blog posts.

In that time, I discovered that I wanted to make meditation a regular part of my life, too. I’d been doing it on and off since 2004 when I discovered Getting in the Gap by Wayne Dyer. There was a CD with the book that I listened to, and discovered the idea of guided meditations.

I also discovered that having a vibrant morning ritual meant that I could do my most creative work, and have a relaxed morning before I had to get ready for work.

My Morning Ritual

These days, I work from 9:30am – 6:30pm.

I get up at 5am and begin 30 minutes of meditation.

Then, I’ll spend at least an hour working on some sort of writing project, whether it’s journaling, a blog post, or an article.

By 7 or 7:30 am, depending on how much I want to keep going with my writing, I’ll typically watch and do yoga with Adrienne.

Then I start getting ready for work by 8:15 and I’m out the door by 9.

It’s a wonderful way to get ready in the mornings. I feel very mindful. I feel wonderfully centered and calm. I also can smile knowing that I’ve given my most productive and creative energy to my own endeavors and not to my employer.

Changing Your Own Morning Ritual

If you’re accustomed to waking up at 8am and heading out the door at 9am, suddenly getting up at 5 is a recipe for…falling back into the same patterns.

As with most changes in life, it’s better to take the “baby steps” approach.

Let’s say you want to write…or meditate. Begin by incorporating just one thing.

For example, if you want to meditate for 20 minutes to incorporate a bit of mindfulness, set your alarm for 7:30 or 7:40.

I can’t tell you how much of a difference this has made in my life! You’ll notice that your day starts with an element of calm.

From there, if you want to do more in your morning routine, incorporate the changes every month or so. Try it for 30 days before making any new changes.

This is because if you start getting up earlier, you’ll probably have to go to bed the night before earlier, too.

Do one change at a time, and then add something else after 30 days.

You’ll be glad you did!