Are you struggling like how I used to?

Happy New Year! TWENTY TWENTY THREE is upon us!

OKAY so I'm a little bit behind (9 days) in wishing you all but it's still the first month of the year!

So I'm forgiving myself. I've also been swimming (figuratively speaking) back from the east coast (gizzy) of NZ, what with the torrential rains we've been having.

Well, if like me you are back into routine, having to wake up early OR if your intention for 2023 is to be more healthy and practice more yoga or any form of exercise you want to, then GOOD on you! and you need to read this blog.

As a midlifer, parent, Yoga student/educator and solopreneur, I find that early mornings are the best time to practice Yoga. In Yogic terms this period is known as Brahma Muhurta and is considered to be an auspicious time to practice. This is because the mind is at its calmest as it wakes up. For us modern day yogis it is also because this is before the family wakes and life takes over.

You might be finding that getting up early after a break is always tricky. The body and mind were so cosy with the sleep ins and the residue of lazy days clings on to dear life, pinning our sleepy bodies into bed when we try to wake up (early).

I have been going through just that and I had to remind myself of how I got from being "I will sleep in a bit more" person to a "hey i can get out of bed this early!!?" person (say that with a surprise tone). So I thought I would share it with you all and hope that it helps you.

This is not a long read and I've cut out the obvious stuff like:

Sleep early and do not use your phone 2 hours before bed and just after you wake up. These are things you should be doing anyway! right?

1. Set the intention.

Before I go to bed, I lay out my yoga clothes, get my practice space ready. This action, signals my mind and body to set the intention. You don't have to fumble around in the dark for clothes etc worried about waking up the others and can get to the mat asap.

If you need to write down that you will wake up somewhere like in a journal or a calendar do that. Repeat it to yourself before you go to bed if you wish. If you have a partner that also wakes up to go to the gym then tell them to make sure you wake up, if that helps. If you want to keep the phone or alarm clock far away from you, that might make you jump out of bed.

Pro Tip:

-Set your mobile on airplane mode. There is heaps of research about how the mobile affects the brain when kept close to your head for long hours and also you do not get pingged and binnged in the night.

Definitely Definitely do NOT under any circumstances check your phone.

2. Drop the stories.

What wakes first? The mind.

As soon as you are awake, it starts telling you stories. Then it continues to tell you stories through the day.

Bring awareness into these thoughts and try not to pay too much heed to them. These then drop away from the mind gradually. This process takes time and comes with awareness that you build through a regular practice of yoga and meditation. If you are new to yoga, then you just need to know that whatever your mind is telling you, is a story. Move out of bed and get to the bathroom asap. Splash your face with cold water, no matter what season, even better take a shower. Then get to the mat asap.

Pro Tip:

The narratives: not a morning person, hate waking up, i cannot do this etc.

Do not say, think or hear them. What you think you start believing, so start telling your mind that you are a morning person, you can do this. Big up positive self talk.

3. Find a purpose & wake up at the same time every day

My purpose is teaching a yoga class. I started this early morning wake up journey because I started teaching early morning classes during covid lockdowns. Trust me, there have been days (esp in winter) when I wake up and I want to cancel the class because I want to sleep. But I ride through those thoughts and conquer them. As luck would have it (or a plan, very clever, by yours truly, to trick the mind) I now teach a class every morning. Even on a Sunday!

When you find a purpose in the morning then you automatically start rectifying your nights so that you sleep earlier and can wake up early.

Kids lunches, school drop offs, catching the 8:00am bus to work, attending a zoom class with other buddies.

I teach a class at 6:00am NZT/day, and most of my students are sleepy heads like me. But they show up everytime. They say it is the best way for them to be disciplined to join the class because they know I'm waiting. I also remind them the night before on a whatsapp group. So find a yoga buddy. Email me, come join us.

Pro Tip:

Your purpose can be anything. Your purpose is connected to accountability. So it is either a service to someone else or a promise to be part of a group. (a promise to yourself is even better but then if you can manage that you should be pukka! (sweet!)

4. Make yourself a promise you might (not) keep.

So I trick my mind. I say to myself, I will definitely have a nap after I finish my practice or in the afternoon. Chances are I wont, but giving my mind that carrot seems to work. Also, sometimes if I really need to, I take that cat nap or practice yoganidra! (I used to call it a "nana-nap" but "baba-nap" is more youthful! LoL). Now I know this is hard for people at the office, but you can use some of your lunch break to find some downtime. And trust me, go with the flow for the first few days and then notice your body will not need that afternoon siesta.

Pro Tip:

Try Yoganidra for 20mins when you get a chance in the day. Yoganidra is Yogic Sleep and a 20min practice gives you the benefit of sleeping for 4 hours. You can access my FREE Yoganidra.

5. Be mindful of eating and drinking habits the night before

Eating a light meal at least 3-4 hours before you go to bed keeps the stomach light and you wake up easily. Digesting food is a process that takes energy. When you eat a heavy meal too close to sleep time, the body continues to digest this food when you are trying to sleep. This means you don't have a good sleep. You also wake up feeling sluggish and heavy in the stomach. Keep your meals light and have them as early as you can. A light snack of nuts before bedtime is okay but fruit is sugar so avoid.

Pro Tip:

Eat a veg soup or salad at night. Save your meat/fish/chicken for lunch times. These take longer to digest so if you eat meat for dinner then this leaves remnants lying around in your stomach and intestine (ug!) which does no good to your digestive process.

6. Dont be too hard on yourself.

Dont sweat the occasional blip. Its gone a thing of the past. HOWEVER, make sure you do not under any circumstances let too many of these blips join up together and become one big blob of a slide (meaning many days one after another not waking up early). Getting back to the morning routine of waking up early is really hard. So give yourself the best possible chance. Keep that routine in check, especially during long weekends and holidays.

You can do this. You have to trust me, I have always struggled with waking up and even now, I would much prefer to be in bed any time of day. But this has become a routine for me now.

Pro Tip:

Mark your calendar when you wake up early each morning. Then when you look at the days you've done consistently you feel motivated and proud. Maybe give yourself a little treat when this happens. So you have something to look forward to.

Yoga is a lifestyle and waking up early is just one part of that lifestyle. Yoga or any other routine that helps you feel healthy and alive, step into your power and life a happy life. Surely it is worth giving it a try.

2023 and beyond for me is about, us. You and me. Thriving together through (mid)life using the power of yoga. I look forward to more connection, openness and knowledge share around midlife holistic wellness.

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gratitude always,

Purnima