This past month I have been on a journey that my brother/coach John Bergquist encouraged me to join him on. I have been complaining about not having enough time in the day to accomplish all that needs to get done, plus write, exercise and take care of my family. He and his wife have been getting up at the ungodly hour of 4:30 or 5:00 AM for the past year and it has transformed his life. I thought he was absolutely crazy and that there was no way I could ever get up at the hour. So far, I’m right, it is an ungodly hour and I haven’t gotten up that early yet…but I do mean YET!
After one month of following Andy Traub who kindly sends you a chapter in his book via email (or any form) for you to read every morning to inspire this “Early To Rise” journey, my life has been transformed. I woke up early, not 4:30 or 5:00 AM mind you, but earlier than I have been up most mornings thus far in life.
Today being the last day of the 30-day journey with Andy Traub’s book “Early to Rise,” he had a list of ways my life had transformed. It sort of surprised me because I tend to be on the perfectionistic side (even though I don’t feel like it most of the time, I am truly a perfectionist). Because before I read this morning’s reading I had thought it had been a total failure, this “Early to Rise” thing. But then he asked if I had watched less T.V., strengthened relationships, written something that my children will cherish in years to come, in short, changed in some way.
Isn’t it just like us to think unless we do it perfectly, we have failed completely? Well, as I read that, I realized in order to make truly lasting and huge transformative change, it takes a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one day, one shift, one conscious decision at a time.
This past week, I didn’t turn the T.V. on one time. Not once. That is a huge shift in the right direction. One night I went to bed at 9:15 PM. Quess what? The next morning I was awake at 4:30 AM and out of bed at 5:30 writing. Maybe next week, I will be in bed at 9:30 a few more times and I will actually get out of bed at 5:00 AM a few more times and write a few more pages in that book or another blog post.
I also have had the opportunity to make time to really connect with my husband. Sometimes we think unless we do exactly what we planned, we failed. In actuality this early morning adventure has opened up hours in which my hubby and I can connect, and that has benefited us greatly. So even though sometimes I didn’t get out of bed, I was awake earlier and had some great times by myself, with God and with my husband that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
It has shifted my world a little bit. This month, I hope to shift it a little more. Andy Traub, thank you for your little book. It is making a huge impact on my life. John, thank you for encouraging me to be on this journey with you. I will continue to wake earlier and live a little more intentionally. I encourage you to join me as well. You never know where it may take you!
