Make Over Your Mornings – Day 1 Blog Along

Image from makeoveryourmornings.com

Good morning! I’m so excited to get started on this 14 day course with you! If you haven’t snagged a copy yet, head on over to Make Over Your Mornings to get yours now so you can follow along with us. The workbook that comes with it is invaluable – not to mention the personal videos you get to watch each day featuring Money Saving Mom‘s very own Crystal Paine.

Have your copy and ready to start changing your life? LET’S GO!

I love the short videos Crystal put together for each day of the course. It gives you the sense that she’s right there with you, every step of the way. She’s also put loads of time into the accompanying workbook. It’s packed with the meat of the course, and worth its weight in gold.

When it comes to the workbook, I know many people have either printed it out at home or taken it in to places like Office Max or Kinko’s and had it printed. I’m an old-fashioned pen and paper kind of gal, and I know that, for me, I remember so much more and apply so much more when I write it down. So, I grabbed myself a notebook and pen and kept notes from each day. Also, if you do it that way, you can save money when it comes to the printer because you only need to then print the six worksheets at the back of the workbook. Find what works for you, and do it.

In the video, Crystal mentions the need to commit to following through this course. I can’t stress how very important that is! We can’t expect things to change if we don’t take the steps to make it happen. You wouldn’t set out for vacation with your road map (or GPS, man, I’m old!) and simply toss it out (turn it off) halfway through the trip expecting to magically arrive at your destination without incident. Similarly, if you don’t continue with the course, you can’t expect that your life will change.

I’ll be here with you the entire way. There’s a community of people in the Facebook group that have gone through or are going through the course as well. And there are others following right here on this very blog. So, we’re all in this together! Stick with it, and you won’t regret it. And, if you ever feel the need for extra encouragement or motivation to continue, I’m more than happy to help! Just shoot me a message. Together, we’ll get you through!

When I first went through this course, it was during the summer. The kids were sleeping in (hooray!), so it made it possible for me to get more out of my mornings because it allowed more quiet time for me while they slept. Now that they’re back in school and getting up at 7:00 everyday, it has shortened my morning time by about an hour or so. I’m hoping to build up to waking up earlier than 6, but that’s going to take some dedication to going to bed earlier than I do now. Baby steps.

I have to laugh when I look back at my notes because the time I selected for doing the course was 7:30 am. I had decided that I would start getting up at 6:00 since I usually just slept until the kids woke up. Being the summer, that gave me a whole two hours to myself! Do you know what that feels like?! I can’t remember the last time I even had thirty minutes to myself, let alone two insanely large, glorious hours! But, even though I’d set my wake time for 6, I set my course time for 7:30.

Let me tell you why that didn’t work. Quite simply, life happens. If I’ve already gone through an hour and a half of my day, stopping that momentum to sit down and work this program wasn’t plausible. Mix that in with the fact that, inevitably, if I plan something, a child or more will wake up early (which is exactly what happened on Day Two). The combination just made for an unrealistic expectation. I’m good at those unrealistic expectations, by the way. You?

I found that working through the course first thing in the morning really worked best for me because it was uninterrupted time that I could focus on getting the most out of it. So, after further evaluation, I set my course time for 6:15. That gave me enough time to wake up, get a pot of coffee started, and get my laptop and notebook open and ready to go.

Obviously, if you’re not getting up before the kiddos or husband or roommate or -insert distraction here-, first thing in the morning might not work for you. You may choose nap time, or after everyone’s gone to bed, or your 15 minute break at work. Whatever time you choose, just make sure it’s complete focus time.

Also, as we work our way through the course, you’ll discover that a lot of success in life comes from developing routines. I know, I know. You free spirits are ready to power down the computer and tell me where to stick it. I’m not saying you have to post-it note schedule your every move the rest of your life. What I am saying, though, is that you have to develop certain routines so that you’re free to do as you please in the other empty slots you don’t plan out. Setting a time every day to do the course and sticking to it is a great way to start a healthy habit. It’s also going to lend you to success in this course.

No matter what time you set, please don’t forget that setbacks are normal. Susie is going to wake up with the flu and blow your morning routine out of the water at some point. Your friend is going to get a flat on the way to work and need you to come rescue them. While I’ve been writing this, I’ve had to break continuously to wake kids up for school, herd into showers, get breakfasts, and kindly remind that the bus is indeed coming and will indeed leave without them if they aren’t ready. Different day, same routine.

The point is, life is going to happen and steer you to the side road for brief intervals, and that’s okay. I think the biggest thing I could say to you while going through this course, and life itself, is to give yourself grace. It’s hard. You could even call me a bit of a hypocrite for saying it myself. I’m learning, and you will, too. Together, we’ll give one another grace as we learn to give it to ourselves. Remember, we’re our own worst critic. Life isn’t perfect, and neither are we, and that’s quite alright.

I’ll be back here tomorrow with my experiences and thoughts from Day Two! And don’t forget, if you still haven’t gotten your hands on a copy of the Make Over Your Mornings e-course, you can do that here.

So tell me, what time have you chosen to work through this course?