How to wake up and rise early

Ever since I was a kid, I have been a late sleeper. Being self employed and working my own hours, I often have the pleasure of sleeping in. My wife, Tina and the rest of my family have always known me to be anything but an early riser. I would happily sleep right through the morning skip breakfast and wake up in time for lunch.

And thats the way I thought it would stay. You have early risers who fall asleep early in the evening, and you have late risers who fall asleep late at night. Right? Well it turns out what I thought to be the case was completely WRONG!

It turns out, the time you wake up and go to sleep has to do you only one factor. YOU! If this is an issue you have been struggling with then I hope I can provide some positive input and assistance. I have been searching around on the net looking for some personal development techniques that I could work into my life to help me with leading a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Breaking down my day, I immediately saw an avenue for "DEVELOPMENT" in the times I get out of bed. In my past I have tried a few times to rise early, wake up and greet the rising sun, do some meditation, maybe go for a jog. I've been there, on occasion, but by the next day my head is buried in the pillow. It could be the end of time as we know it and I just couldn't care less! And thats ok!

But for someone like me, I like a challenge, and I certainly like to be in control of my self. I take pride in breaking habits and overcoming them, self control is the closest thing I can identify to self mastery of anything. Why not be a master of yourself?

So I set myself the challenge. Time for a big change. Start with the first part of my day. Morning!

Its been a week so far and yes. I've been rising between 5am and 6am for the last 7 days. My wife is dumbfounded, my family amazed. Even I am surprised. I am sure you too can defy all logic and make the switch. On one condition. IF YOU WANT TO!

I think that is really the most critical aspect of this shift. The desire to change. I didnt want to wak eup early for any other reason accept to prove to myself that I could do it. And now that I am doing it, and reaping the benefits of it, being an early riser ain't to bad.

Im getting in some early morning meditation, QiGong and starting work well ahead of time. I am getting a lot more done so that when my kids come home from school I can do things with them. Or I now have enough time to work on the website, and do my job too.

So what can I recommend? How do you rise and wake up early?

1. INTEND TO WAKE EARLY
I accomplished this without an alarm. I sent my intent to wake up at 5am. I have drifted an hour either side. I have woken up at 4am and at 6am but in the whole I have been waking around 5am.

2. WHEN YOU WAKE UP. GET UP!
When you wake up, get up. Don't even think about it. SOmetimes I have felt myself wanting to stay in bed. So I open my eyes, force them open and keep them open. I think about what I am going to do today. I set my intention for the day. I move my mind OFF sleep! And then I just get up.

3. JUST SAY NO TO CAFFINE!
I have since removed coffee from my diet. I wake up to a cup of chai, which has black tes in it, but 5 cups of tea has less caffeine than 1 cup of coffee. SO its a dramatic reduction to my usual 3-4 cups of coffe per day.

4. GO TO SLEEP WHEN YOUR TIRED.
This can take some getting used to. The first three days were very hard. I wanted to sleep at 1am. But was getting up at 4-5am. Its started to settle down now. Its 11:25pm now and I'm getting tired.

6. IF ALL ELSE FAILS. USE AN ALARM
Simply enough. If all else fails, use your alarm. When it goes off, just get out of bed. Remind yourself whos in charge. And then it will come down to a battle of the will vs body.

Overcoming the physical body is an interesting ambition for any aspirant on a path of self discovery. And it certainly has it "Pro's" The body represents a lower state of consciousness, its reactive, and prone to doing some strange things in the worst of situations. It is also habitual and easily manipulated by outside forces. Taking this step, is a big step. For somone who has never woken up later than 8am for the greater part of their life its a big change.

All in all.. So far so good. Ill be sure to post an update in a couple weeks!

Now I am off to bed. I have an early start tommorow ;)

Shine on!

Adeon