Three things I thought when my alarm yanked me from dreamland at 5 a.m. this morning:
1) Why, oh why…?!
2) Can your brain get whiplash from rude awakenings?
3) Thank you, Jesus, for programmable coffeemakers.
About two seconds later, a friend and former coworker texted me this message: Write! 🙂
While, yes, I may have groaned like Pavarotti at a Justin Bieber concert — yes, I know Pavarotti is dead, but I feel fairly certain of his hypothetical reaction to Baby — truth is, I asked for this.
I set my alarm.
And when I learned my friend gets up every day at 5 a.m. to walk, in a rush of I-need-accountability-ness, I pitched the idea of her texting me at said ludicrous hour. (And no, I absolutely did not consider muting my phone before crawling into bed last night!)
That’s how much I want to be a writer. Enough to get up at 5 a.m., spend some time with the original Author (that’d be God) and then, write. Dreams take work, work takes time, time sometimes means sacrifice. So in hopes of one day seeing my writing career hit reality-stage, I’m placing sleep on the altar.
Fine, so I’m a tad dramatic in the morning. But seriously, there are very few things I’d get up at 5 a.m. for. In fact, I can probably list them on one hand. (And unlike Count Rugen, I’ve only got your standard five digits…)
1. Writing. We’ve already covered this. I can’t control the outcome of my writing dream, but I can control the effort I put into it. Thus, the early morning rising…and three cups of hazelnut coffee.
2. A flight to anywhere cool. London counts. Greece, too. I’d even scramble to Des Moines International Airport for a flight to Denver. (Milwaukee, not so much. We are not friends, MKE!)
3. My wedding day. Not because I think it will take me that long to get ready. But because I’d prefer to be alone when I practice walking down the aisle without tripping.
4. Hot air balloon ride. Regular sunrises are sweet, but an up-closer view? Yeah, I’d abandon my pillow for that.
5. And this:
But hey, I can listen to Coldplay’s latest single anytime, all the time (and you know I will), so scratch No. 5. Guess I didn’t need a whole hand.
Anyhow, how about helping a girl out. I’m going to be pretty tired on this, my first day of early morning awake-ness. So please, entertain me by telling me what would get you out of bed at 5 a.m. And just maybe, I’ll stay awake ’til dinner.
Comments 13
Good morning, MTagg. I admire your dedication. I keep saying I’m going to get up at 5, but still linger in bed until the absolute last minute.
Funny thing is, I feel so much more productive when I’ve gotten up early, spent time with God, written and exercised before my day job starts.
You’re an hour behind me, I believe. Otherwise, I’d have you texting me to get out of bed at 5 a.m. I need an east coast accountability buddy.
I crack up at the fact you’ll get up at 5 am for Coldplay! ha!
I’m an early bird, so my internal clock has me up at about 4:30 every day. I also like to spend time with the Original Author and my best writing time is morning.
I had the horror, ahem, I mean privelege of taking my daughter to see Bieber. One time. One time. That’s it. 😉
Hope you get lots of writing time in, Melissa. Love your blog!
So sorry I’m not a better friend and can’t offer to wake up and text you at 4 a.m., LJ. 🙂 You know what finally got me to commit to the early morning writing? Jon Acuff’s book, Quitter. It is SUCH a good book…I read very little nonfiction other than devotionals, but wow, this one is so practical (and funny). And he talks about getting up early in the morning to do your “dream job” and yeah, totally convinced me!
Thanks, Jessica! I seriously will get up early for Coldplay…they released a single in May that came out at noon in London, which is 6 a.m. CST. Did I wake up early that day? Oh yes!
Ahhh, I hope your daughter enjoyed Bieber…and I’m glad you survived! Lol…While I can’t say I’m a fan, I have no true malice toward him. 🙂
And 4:30??!! Now that I might have malice towards…though I completely admire you for making it up at that time. My friend told me it takes 21 days to form a habit, so I’m hoping in three weeks 5 a.m. won’t seem so crazy!
Hey Melissa,
I’m a morning person, usually awake by 4:30 AM. So if you want any more accountability calls, I’m your girl!
You are such a gifted writer, getting up early to work on your novel is totally the right thing to do. Someday, you’re gonna take the fiction world by storm, and we’ll all text our congrats in the early hours of the morning so you’ll get up and work on the sequel.
Jolene
Hey Jolene! Lol, okay, I’ll let you know if my other early rising friend shirks her duty. 🙂 4:30, wow!!
Thank you for the kind words. Ohhhh, I hope someday I do get to take the fiction world by storm. In the meantime, I am sooo thankful for encouraging friends like you. See you tomorrow night!
5 a.m. huh? I’m proud of you, M-Tagg! I am a morning person as well, so it isn’t too hard for me to get up early. But lately even though I get up by 5 or 5:30, I seem to be frittering my time away. So you have inspired me to set a schedule and stick to it. Thanks. Great post!
Thanks, Pat! I’m glad you’re now inspired to set a schedule…:) It seems I am surrounded by morning person-friends. Maybe you will all rub off on me. Unfortunately, when I was in college and roomed with three running friends, the rubbing off thing so did not happen. Though, I did become a fan of New Balance shoes.
Sidenote: I made it through my second 5 a.m. wake-up time!
Oh my gosh! I’m SO NOT a morning person! My best inspiration comes at night – late at night!
However, I do set aside some of each morning to spend time with my True Inspiration. Wake up will have to come earlier in the fall, but for now, I’m pleased to get up when dh leaves for work!
I’m so glad I happened onto your blog today!
Melissa, loved your post, and I’m proud of you for getting up at 5 am! 🙂 I hate to say this, but that is my normal time for getting up since kiddos are awake by 6:30, and I need to be done with my morning routine by then. 🙂 For me, getting up when my honey does, at 4 am, would be an accomplishment! For me a trip to Hawaii, a hot air balloon ride, now those could get me up early. You’re gonna do great. Just stick with it, and it will get easier. BTW, the idea of hazelnut coffee would make it easier for me to get up at 0-dark-hundred, too.
Thanks for the comment, Marji, and nice to meet you…virtually, that is! I have yet to figure out when my best inspiration hits…though I do know a cup of coffee or an ice-cold can of Diet Coke with Lime somehow seems to tug it out of me, no matter what time of day.:)
Ahh, 5 a.m. is your normal time? One of these days, I’m hoping I magically wake up a morning person. 🙂 Ooh, a trip to Hawaii – that would definitely be reason to wake up early. Especially if said trip included scuba-diving…’cause I’ve never been…which probably means I should write a book about scuba diving AND Hawaii so I can have the perfect excuse to go. 🙂
Oh, oops, that last comment was for Jeanne…:)