The Morning Pick Me Up

I usually wake up each morning filled with anxiety.

Just this morning I woke up at 3 and instantly was filled with restless thoughts.

• my company is going to fail

• I’m going to go broke

• what if my son gets sick?

• is the climate going to collapse?

You know … typical Tuesday morning coffee thoughts.

It used to be that I would force myself to push through my intrusive thoughts. It’s been easier for me to ignore my restless nature than it has been to cope with it. So for years, I’ve made a habit of jumping right out of bed and getting to work.

But, more recently, I’ve been starting off each morning with a new habit. It’s a simple habit and a way for me to replace my negative thoughts with positive ones.

I start each morning with 30 - 40 minutes of reading.

Jules and I have been doing this for almost a year. It all started when our son was a little baby. At that time, we were always up at 4 in the morning to feed him, and so we developed a habit of morning coffee and morning reading in bed.

I realized that my morning anxiety was dissipating.

Reading doesn’t cover up my negative thinking, but rather it replaces it.

I’ve always been an avid reader. My parents made me read 30 minutes a day when I was a kid and it’s something that has stuck with me my entire life. I love to read. Reading used to be my bedtime ritual. I would end each day with reading in bed.

But this way is much more effective. In the mornings, my mind can more easily soak in the information and the knowledge being passed down to me by the author.

I start the day by filling my mind with a positive outlook. I find ways to see the good in the world. I find things to be fascinated by. Now, it’s not about working through my negative thinking, but rather it’s about replacing bad thinking with good thinking.

It’s been a great help to me. I can feel a drastic difference.