How to wake up on the right side of the bed. Always.

So since the daylight savings switchup, I've been trying to start my days early - get a head start on the day.


It all started with that first day of daylight savings. I woke up from a strange dream at 6:30 and felt completely rejuvenated, although I had gone to bed around 1 AM. That first day was a great day through and through. Nothing special really happened to me that day, but my spirits were up - I just felt great all day.


I continued this ritual of waking up early and began to wonder if waking up on the right side of the bed was not just some chance of luck, but the result or outcome of certain other forces, which I will name the ingredients.


Although I don't necessarily believe this is a foolproof way to waking up on the right side of the bed, here are some ingredients that couldn't hurt:


- Don't get too much sleep, which is to say: Don't oversleep, which is to say: Wake up early. ABSOLUTELY NEVER use the snooze button. This is your downfall. If you do not embrace the day with a positive attitude at your first chance, well, you've already missed your first shot. And it if you can get it first time around, it's always easier. Get up and be happy - you can give that a try, right?


- Drink coffee. As much as I would like to exclude drugs like caffeine, it can really help if you are just starting to get used to this. I feel that waking up on the right side of the bed should be a natural thing, that you shouldn't need stimulants, but coffee can act as an aid to the above ingredient. Think of it as your training wheels.


- Have a goal for waking up. Even if it is as simple as that morning shower, shave, or cup of coffee. This CANNOT include homework, checking your e-mail, or anything of the sort. Which leads me to my next ingredient:


- It doesn't have to be all business. Enjoy the fact that it's morning. It's day - the sun has risen. Take some time to soak it in. In short, relax. Bask in the early morning. Take at least 30 minutes to just do what you want to do, without doing what you have to do.


- Try something new. Refrain from monotony, from any sort of rigid schedule. Always open up to a change of plans or a brief escape from your daily routine. And - well, I think this quote from Twin Peaks fits -  take the URL, it's only a minute.

"Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don’t plan it, don’t wait for it, just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair or two cups of good hot black coffee."


I'm sure there's more to add, but I'm still working on it. In the end, it's not about aligning all the ingredients - it's really just a frame of mind.


Stay positive.
Change your diet.