Quite possibly the worst sound to ever enter my ears is my alarm clock in the morning. Regardless of the fact that I woke up at 6 AM most of my life for school, soccer practice, or work, somehow my body never adjusted to naturally get up and tackle the day with enthusiasm. So, I've learned to force myself to do so.

I heard on the radio once (yes, kids, there was once a thing that played music called the radio) that people are generally happier when they wake up earlier and get a jumpstart on their day. I remember the exact moment I heard this, because it was 6:30 AM and I was sleepily driving to the train station with a hot coffee in my hand that I wanted to chuck at the radio. I was already exhausted. How was waking up even earlier supposed to make me magically feel better?

Intrigued, though, I, of course, decided to try it out. I was going to wake up 15 minutes earlier and collect my thoughts before starting my day. The first day, everything went as planned. I felt great, and mentally clearer. However, by day 3, 4, 5 - I found myself snoozing through that alarm just like before and feeling just as grumpy and tired as I used to.

It wasn't until I realized what this person meant as "early" that I felt a true change. I took a leap of faith and started waking up an hour earlier than I usually do. Although it was extremely difficult, I started to see results quicker. My mind was definitely in a healthier place and my body felt more productive throughout the day. I'm not saying I never felt tired, because certainly, my body isn't always thrilled about waking up so early, but I did feel more productive and useful during the day.

In order to keep my routine, I had to give myself something to look forward to during that hour before my day started.

So, I began to make a routine:

1. DO NOT hit snooze. You must get up

2. Drink a tall glass of lemon water (This wakes you up and helps your body feel refreshed), then have your coffee.

3. Read (I'm a Christian and like to do my daily devotional in the morning to help jumpstart my day).

4. Journal (This helps me reflect on how I'm feeling and helps me set small goals for the day).

5. Or… Workout (I know it's hard to just jump up out of bed and decide to hit the gym, but once you do, you will feel AMAZING).

Just these small, simple changes have made such a huge difference in my day. Try it out - it'll be worth it... I promise!