How To Build Your Personal Brand In The Morning Before Your 9-5

The early days (mornings) of building my brand in 2020

In 2019 - I was posting a weekly podcast about wellness and was too embarrassed to tell people at my 9-5 job I was doing so.

Now in 2025 -

• I post 2x a week on LinkedIn

• Write 1 newsletter a week on Substack

• Host multiple Morning Routine Workshops a year at my 9-5 corporate job

• Am often greeted with “hey you’re the morning routine girl” when I meet someone new at work or at a conference

In 6 years - I’ve made so many…

• Scary

• Wandering

• Cringy

• Exciting

• Throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall

• So-worth-it…

…mistakes while building my personal brand.

But I got up early (most) mornings with the belief that there is so much more to me than my 9-5 job title — and building a personal brand that includes my interests/passions/quirks would be a testament to that.

—

If you want to be known for something and start building your personal brand online in the morning before your 9-5, here are 3 things I would do (and not do).

1) Ask — What do I want to have more conversations about?

This question helps you:

• Experiment with topics

• Gather data on what you enjoy talking about and what others enjoy hearing from you

• Move past the fear of what people might think

It’s normal for thoughts like “What will my coworkers or friends think?” and “I don’t exactly know where I’m going with this” —to creep in.

Asking a low-pressure question like “What do I want to have more conversations about?” helps you:

• Find your people who will like, comment, and engage with your content

• Realize everyone else will scroll by and not think twice!

Ask yourself this question and see where it takes you.

2) Pick a Format & Platform You (and Your People) Like

It’s easy to feel like you need to post everywhere — but you don’t.

Pick one format and platform you enjoy and where your ideal audience spends time.

Then, get really good at it!

Examples:

• Podcasting — perfect if you want to reach busy moms who listen in the car.

• Instagram — great if you love visual creativity, like interior design

• LinkedIn — ideal if you like to write and start conversations about topics like millennials in leadership.

If you like the format and platform, you’ll naturally:

• Put more energy into it

• Get better over time

• Connect with people who enjoy your content too

3) Start Posting 1 Morning per Week

Creating before work ensures your personal brand stays a priority — and doesn’t get put on the back burner (again).

A weekly routine example:

• Monday: Create your post

• Tuesday: Edit and post

  (this gives you time to edit without overthinking)

Habit stack it:

• Do it right after brushing your teeth or pouring your coffee.

• Linking it to an existing habit increases consistency.

Create before you consume:

• Write your post with a fresh mind before scrolling to avoid comparison trap or going down the rabbit hole.

Start small:

• Begin with just one post a week.

• You’ll be surprised how far 1 post a week pushes your brand (and your confidence)!

How To Journal In The Morning Before Your 9-5

If you want to start journaling in the morning before your 9-5, here are 4 things I would do (and not do)

1) Get a journal that feels motivating to you

Target, TJMaxx, local bookstore if you want to make this trip a treat for yourself.

Order on Amazon if you know you’ll keep putting off getting one.

You could also journal on your laptop — Google Docs or something offline so you don’t feel tempted to open other tabs on your computer.

Don’t overthink the method - go with your gut!

2) Habit stack journaling with something you already do.

Do it right after brushing your teeth or pouring your coffee.

This makes the task you’re already doing a trigger, and makes journaling feel not as daunting of a new task.

The “sweet spot time” is usually after you’ve done a few tasks, but before you’ve engaged with the rest of the world (you’re more awake, but still have control of your thoughts).

3) Pick a spot that feels calming yet empowering.

The side chair in the living room, living room table, or set a blanket on the floor like a yoga mat.

I recommend not doing your bed or work desk since you’re not trying to sleep or work.

You’re trying to get your creative and reflective juices flowing, while not being a perfectionist.

4) Use journal prompts.

If you don’t know what to write and scared of the blank page, use journal prompts so you don’t have to think about it.

I have a few in my Resource Library, you can search online, or there are journal prompt card decks you can get a many bookstores that can be fun.

If you want your journal time to be quick - use my go-to template:

• 3 affirmations

• 3 things I’m thankful for

• 3 priorities for the day

Career Planning is Out, Life Planning is In

I think we may be asking GenZ the wrong questions.

I was talking with an intern this week about career planning.

She has 2 years left of school — and is trying to figure out the 1st job she wants, let alone what she wants her career to look like.

You could tell she had been asked a million times what she wants to do and there wasn’t a lot of enthusiasm to have the conversation again.

So I said, “let’s put this topic to the side and talk life planning.”

That’s when we started getting somewhere.

Her face lit up as we talked about:

• Where she wanted to live

• What she wanted to be able to do outside of work

• How her relationship may impact her decisions for post-grad

• What she thought the traditional career path was vs. what she actually wants to do

As we started putting her life pieces together, you could tell it brought her ease, excitement, and clarity as to what what her career options could be.

So instead of asking “what job do you want?”

Maybe we start asking “what do you want your life to look like?”

Doesn’t mean we forget about career planning.

We are just figuring out how our career fits into our life, and not how our life fits into our career.

If we want the next generation of leaders to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled, we need to start asking better questions.

(and maybe ask ourselves this question if we haven’t already)

What To Do When You Fall Off Track With Your Morning Routine

1 thing people don’t realize about morning routines.

You technically don’t NEED one.

Maybe that’s weird to say as a Morning Routine Coach + Speaker, but let me explain.

—

This week, I checked in on a morning routine client I worked with last year.

She was my ideal person to work with:

Had a flexible 9-5, started a nutrition coaching business on the side, and was highly motivated to have a consistent morning routine.

She absolutely killed it by starting a blog for her side business and consistently getting up early.

Now a year later, I checked in to see how she was doing.

Her response:

I’m not gonna lie, my morning routine has been non existent. I’ve honestly struggled SO hard to get out of bed in the mornings because of the weather. The winter was its own beast, but then now it’s so rainy and it’s really bumming me out! If you have any tips I’m all ears!

We’ve all been there whether we admit it publicly or not.

Even me!

This past winter, I was snoozing so much that I had to pull out the tactic of putting my alarm across the room because I had ZERO self-control!

No one has it together 100% of the time.

So what do we do when we fall off track with our morning routine?

Here are 3 questions I told her to ask herself:

1. Why do I want a morning routine?

2. Who am I doing it for? (You, work, side business, dog 🐶 )

3. How could I use my morning to contribute to my Life Pie (3-6 life priorities)?

Go back to basics!

Because technically you don’t NEED a morning routine.

It’s a TOOL to do more things you want to do and make your life better.

Up to you if you want to use it ✨

—

We are halfway through the year!

If you need some support getting back on track, here are 2 resources to support you:

Free 1-on-1 Coaching Call: quick 15 min call to identify together where to start with your morning routine

Morning Routine Workbook: 3 steps to build a morning routine you won’t quit after 3 days

How I Broke The Eat/Sleep/Work Cycle

Maybe the path we're taught to take isn't the one we're supposed to follow.

The first time I thought about this I was 22, fresh out of college, and about 3 months into my first corporate job.

My mornings looked like setting my alarm for 6:00 a.m. for work, hitting snooze exactly 9 times, and rolling over to scroll social media until the very last minute that I needed to get up.

I would then proceed to rush around to get ready, grab my coffee, and hop in the car to start my dark 30 minute commute to work.

30 minutes was usually enough time for the caffeine to kick in, get to my desk, and let out that deep exhale of relief after the last hour and a half of rushing I just did.

I would then work my 9 hours, drive home, eat, sleep, and do it all over again the next day.

And the next day and the next day and the next day.

I don't know about you, but —

In college I was taught “get the job, get the job, get the job” and not much else was the focus. I don’t blame them as the goal IS to get a job when you graduate.

Not to mention, older generations had passed down the idea that work was everything.

Well mama I made it! Work was everything and only thing I was doing.

I couldn't help but think,

“I think there is more than this.”

I think there is more than this eat/sleep/work cycle.

It wasn't in an “is the grass greener somewhere else” type of way or not being thankful for the job I had. I loved my job and was so thankful for it!

But I wondered IF I could break the eat/sleep/work cycle.

IF I could do something outside of work.

IF my happiness, my identity, my purpose could come from something else.

So from then on, my dark 30 minute commutes to work became the time to think about what this something else could be.

I wanted to be an interesting, healthy, well-rounded person with good habits and cool hobbies.

I had so many ideas that when I was getting to my desk, I started writing all of these sticky notes of things I wanted to do and things I wanted to become. Stacks upon stacks of sticky notes everywhere because of course, I was a perfectionist and goody 2 shoes who couldn't be seen on my phone during work, no way!

Even though I had all of these ideas and sticky notes, I thought

“how the heck am I going to have time for this?!”

I was always so tired at the end of the work day. How am I going to have time for this?!

I wondered if I could wake up just a little bit earlier to do these things as part of my morning routine before going to work.

Over the next 6 years, those sticky notes and early mornings became:

• Starting new habits like daily journaling and daily walks

• Pursuing my interests like getting my yoga teacher certification and becoming an entrepreneur and writer

• A space to make intentional decisions for my life like reevaluating my relationship with alcohol and prioritizing monthly dinner with my 84 year old Grammy

Mornings became a space to build the life I wanted.

But I wasn't the only one.

I know:

• Financial analysts who have become bloggers as part of their morning routine

• IT professionals who have become morning meal preppers to stay healthy

• HR managers who became morning workout people when they never thought they'd become morning workout people

All because of making space in the morning. Breaking the eat/sleep/work cycle and finding their version of work life balance.

I know you can find that for yourself too!

I know the morning isn't for everyone.

As you explore the many resources for morning routines, I want you to take what you need and leave the rest for someone else.

Maybe you're in a spot where evenings are a better time to make time for yourself.

Maybe you're in a spot where work needs to be 110% the focus right now. Maybe you can consider how a 2 minute morning routine could make it work better because ultimately morning routines do make our work better…

Morning routines help us develop

• Creativity and curiosity

• Self-awareness

• Time management

• Focus

• Mental clarity

• Adaptability

• Confidence

• Consistency

• Become a more thoughtful, trusted leader in the workplace

If you’re trying to break the eat/sleep/work cycle, consider:

1. Who do I want to become? What does that person do?

2. How can I make time to make it happen?

Because you’re more than your work; you just have to believe it.

If breaking the eat/sleep/work cycle is something you’ve been thinking about, direct message me so I can cheer you on because you don’t have to do this alone :)

The Person To Have In Your Corner In The Early Stages of An Idea

If you have an idea, there are 4 people who determine if your idea is turned into action.

Whether it’s:

• Starting a blog

• Running a marathon

• Opening an Etsy shop

Although I would tell you it’s up to YOU if that idea comes into fruition, no matter how much discipline you have, there are people that will influence you.

1 of the 4 people who will influence you is someone during the early stages of your idea…

—

2018 --

I had just graduated college and moved in with my roommate Emily as we started our 1st corporate jobs.

About 3 months in, I decided I NEEDED something other than work.

I had started listening to podcasts on my 1 hour round trip commute to work, and I wanted to start one!

I don’t remember telling Emily straight up that I was going start a podcast, just that I was thinking about it.

Since I had no idea what I was doing --

I took a course from my favorite podcaster and started putting the pieces in place.

I learned in the course how important audio quality was, so I started recording in my little apartment closet.

Even in the closet, our heat and A/C could be picked up in the audio, and I was a budget-conscious, post-grad kid not looking to insulate my apartment closet.

I asked Emily if I could turn off the heat or A/C for the 30 (sometimes 60) mins while I recorded.

In the thick of the hot summer or depths of cold winter, she graciously said yes.

Even if I inconvenienced her, I'm not sure if she knew how much that small act meant to me.

It's like she saw my goal and made it a little easier for me to reach.

She even went as far to get me a cute door hanger that said "recording in progress" like I was legit or something.

She connected me with her graphic designer friend to do my podcast cover art and ran around Cleveland with me to take my first brand pictures for my website.

In those early days, the voice in my head said --

• "I don't want to bother my roommate!"

• "Who am I to do this podcast?"

• "What are people going to think of me?!"

Emily helped make the voices in my head a little quieter, and not hold me back from moving forward.

It didn’t just help me start a podcast; it was a catalyst for all the other projects I would go on to do (like Substack).

If you have an idea --

Tell a friend, even in the early stages, even if it's scary.

You don’t need to tell everyone or post it on social media at the beginning.

Just 1 person.

You never know who is going to support you and how much confidence it's going to give you to move forward.

We all need an "Early-Stage Emily" in our life.

And if you can’t think of anyone you would trust — find a group or community in your city, a podcast, or Youtube channel talking about your specific idea.

Because even if you’re doing this idea alone, you shouldn’t have to feel alone.

—

P.S. I’m lucky Emily is still 1 of my biggest hype girls today! :)

Stay tuned for the other 3 people who determine if your idea is turned into action over the next few weeks :)

3 Exercises To Get Clear On Your Priorities

Over the past 6 years of writing - the "Life Pie" exercise is the 1 I get the most questions about.

In a world where it feels like everything should be a priority, often nothing becomes a priority.

That's where the Life Pie exercise comes in handy -- and there is more than 1 way to apply it.

Here are 3 exercises to clear on your priorities.

The Life Pie

The Life Pie exercise helps you identify the 3-6 sections of your life that you want to make up your:

• Time

• Energy

• Happiness

• Purpose

• Identity

Think about…

• Who do you want to be? What does that person do?

• What do you want to make time for?

• What are your priorities?

Examples of pieces: Family, friends, work, health, hobbies, home, etc.

I recommend having…

• Minimum of 3: to diversify your identity & happiness

• Maximum of 6: to get really clear on who you want to be

Consider what activities could be in each of these pieces and what it looks like to take action on it.

(health could include sleep, journaling, working out, therapy)

Focus on drawing your ideal Life Pie, recognizing what you’re doing right now is maybe not where you want to be.

Hopefully this exercise gets you closer to the life you want to be living.

The Work Pie

This exercise can also be applied to your work.

Consider:

• What are you responsible for on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?

• What logistical tasks add value to your responsibilities? (emails, meetings, etc.)

• Do you want to make time for continuous improvement projects or networking with people?

This could help you get clear on what work is value added and business critical, and what reports, meetings, or tasks are not.

The People Pie

We can also apply it to relationships in our life.

Consider:

• Who do you want to prioritize connecting with?

• Who do you keep in mind when you’re making decisions?

• Do you want to make time for meeting new people or networking?

• Who would you be bummed you fell out of touch with?

In the era of social media - it can feel like we are connecting with friends by liking their picture, but social media doesn't always tell the whole story — making a text, call, or voice note worthwhile to get the unfiltered version.

These 3 exercises help you:

• Get clear on priorities

• Confidently say yes or no to something

• Identify what to make time for on your calendar

Reminder - these pies evolve over time. Let them — as they’re likely getting you closer to the person you want to be.

Tell me: which Pie Exercise is your favorite and why?

You Aren't Lazy - You Might Just Need A System

You’re probably not falling short on your goals because you're lazy.

You just need a SYSTEM to make your goals happen.

Here are 3 systems to help you follow through on your goals —without relying on willpower.

1) You want to spend more time with someone or do an activity more regularly.

Set a monthly calendar invite.

It reminds you that you've declared it a priority and to not forget about it.

Dinner with your grandma, calling a long distance friend, taking a day to do something fun.

Monthly (rather than daily, weekly, or quarterly) feels regular enough while also feeling attainable.

Be intentional about what it is to avoid everything becoming a priority (meaning nothing is a priority).

And hopefully it's something you can look forward to too.

2) You want to get up early and have a morning routine.

Set your alarm across the room

We can't always rely on motivation, especially when we are in our cozy bed on a crisp morning. 

Setting your alarm across the room eliminates the hardest decision of the day of whether you're going to get out of bed right now

(unless of course you and the people you share space or walls with are ok with the alarm continually going off).

Getting up to turn off the alarm puts you into motion and builds momentum for all other things you want to do in the day.

Makes exercising, writing the book, starting the business a little easier.

You haven't done these things because you're lazy; you may just not have set up your environment for success yet.

3) You have a long list of books you want to read.

Schedule time daily to read.

10 pages or 1 chapter. 

Habit stack or place it after something you already do to make the new habit seem less hard.

Even if you don't have a lot of time, this is a little thing you can do to level up and/or actually read & follow-up on a book someone has recommended to you.

Audiobooks in the car or while walking counts too.

You would be surprised how a few pages consistently can make a big impact on your growth.

You haven't done these things because you're lazy - you may just not have a system.

How to Not Take Morning Routines Too Seriously (But Seriously Enough)

The biggest mistake I see people making with their morning routine right now --  taking it TOO seriously.

We get fixated on putting EVERYTHING into our morning and doing it PERFECTLY that it can be hurting us more than helping us. 

Here are 4 ways to not take morning routines too seriously, but seriously enough that your morning is still consistent, effective, and oh yea fun!

1) Do the obvious work.

Justin Welsh wrote in a newsletter "Do the Obvious Work." I wrote it down and kept it on my desk every since.

It's about not doing "busy feeling productivity exercises," but doing the things that actually move the needle forward.

If you feel like you have a long list of things to do in the morning, annoyed with yourself when you don't get to all of them and often declare your morning routine a failure, consider:

What are the obvious actions that are going to move the needle on my goals?

That's likely:

• A workout - especially if you know you won't get it in the rest of the day

• Sending a lead an email for your side business - because you aren't going to get sales without connecting with people

It's likely not:

• Doing a cold plunge - because the expert on a podcast told you to do so

• Perfecting your website - when you aren't taking the actions to get people to go there

Even if you didn't do the long list for your morning, give yourself credit for the needle movers you did do (while also considering if only the needle movers should be part of your morning routine).

2) Find the little things to make it fun. 

Once you get into the groove of a morning routine (congrats if you have made it there!), it can possibly feel monotonous, unmotivating, and not as fun.

A couple of ways to keep it fun without losing consistency:

Make a big breakfast - can be a weekend special to do after your morning routine and likely something you don't have time to do during the week

Invite your friend or partner to join you - join in on breakfast or morning walk 1 day before work or on the weekend

3) Journaling as play

For the past 7 years, I've gone back and forth if journaling is "productive."

On the mornings I have a lot to say, it feels productive, but the words aren’t always flowing out how I want. 

I always come back to how important "play" is in life -- space to express yourself and not be a perfectionist.

Julia Cameron expresses in The Artist's Way how important the "play" of morning pages is to connect to ourselves.

I remind myself often that even if it feels like a "not productive" journal day, just showing up to play is important.

4) Sequencing your morning to avoid burnout

When you do have a morning routine, it can feel like you have to give 100% energy from the moment you wake up through the next 2 hours, leaving you exhausted before you've even started the workday.

2 methods for avoiding burnout in your morning routine:

Pomodoro Method

45 mins of strenuous work, 15 min break

Example from my morning:

• Write for 45 minutes, 15 minute dog walk

• Write for 45 minutes, 15 minutes to make food

Instead of powering through writing for 2 hours, the recharge I get from taking breaks significantly improves my writing.

The Morning Ramp Up

Start the morning with slower, less perfectionist activities, and then move on to more stimulating, detailed tasks

Example from my morning: 

• Starting with journaling before moving onto newsletter writing

• Starting with a walk before doing a workout

This is not to be mistaken with starting the day with mind-numbing tasks like social media, but instead things that PREPARE you for the more strenuous tasks you have ahead.

—

Let’s show up this week, do the obvious work, and have some fun along the way.

Humanizing the Hustle - Behind the Scenes of Being A Speaker

People talk about hustle and grind of reaching your goals, but they don't always talk about the emotions.

To humanize the process of reaching your goals, here is a behind the scenes look of booking a dream speaking gig…

People (hopefully) see a confident, polished 45 min workshop

But what you don't see…

1 week before a workshop, I put in about 10 hours of practice -- questioning how much preparation is enough 

That's after the hours of:

1. Creating the thoughtful, final version -- while fighting my perfectionism

2. Creating the horrible first draft -- and coming to terms with your ego that your first idea stunk

3. Morning journaling -- to assure myself that I'm not an imposter and I can do this

4. Time in the car, shower, and dog walks -- when I'm trying to relax, but my best ideas are hitting

5. Emails & calls to create a low-stress situation for the event organizers -- because their emotions matter too

6. Following up and following up again to pitch event organizers to book me -- while contemplating if a no or a ghost is worse

7. Designing my website, brand, and speaker outfit -- and wondering how the world will perceive me

And that's after years of pivoting and evolving -- and giving myself the permission to do so.

This isn't to tell you how much work I put in, but to remind you (and me!) that:

• Good things take time

• It’s going to be freakin scary sometimes

• People may seem confident, but they're figuring it out too

• If you keep showing up, big things can happen

I conquer most of these tasks & emotional hurdles in the morning.

Some mornings are a confident, productive 10 minutes, while others are a messy, scary 2 hours.

Just showing up is 1 step closer to your goal.

Let’s show up this week!

How To Consistently Be The Captain of Your Life

Life is kind of like being a captain of a ship.

You’re sailing along out into the sunset with the wind in your hair — and then all of a sudden, the waves start getting choppy, the wind picks up.

Maybe this wasn't in the weather forecast.

On top of that, someone is rocking the boat.

Eventually you decide you need to drop your anchor in to give you some time to:

• Strategize how you're going to get back on course or figure out if you're going to re-route

• Deploy the other resources you have on board

• Call for help

• Have a hard conversation with the person on board rocking the boat

• Have 1 minute of calm

Because if you don't drop the anchor, you'll likely drift more off course or go completely crazy.

If you’re the captain of the boat, people are relying on you…

Life kinda feels like this sometimes and your morning routine can be your anchor.

I recommend establishing an Anchor Activity.

An Anchor Activity is something:

• You do anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 mins to ground you, take a pause

• Journaling, stretching, taking a shower, deep breaths, taking a walk.

• You can do quickly and take anywhere (even on vacation)

Something to do when the waves get rocky, wind picks up, or that dang person just keeps rocking the boat.

Also, could be a time to bask in the sun and look around at what you have to be thankful for.

For the people who live in the all or nothing —

this is a small thing you can do every day, a shorter version of your longer routine, a way to modify, a way to stay consistent.

For the past 5 years, my anchor has been journaling.

I do it on the days where I have 5 mins like when I go to the office or maybe on a trip.

• I do it on the days I have 30 mins like when I WFH or on the weekends.

• It's carried me to several countries, through breakups, covid, loss, job changes, re-evaluating my drinking habits, my hardest conversations, and biggest dreams.

I have friends who are parents who prefer to do their Anchor in the evenings or during “fringe hours” as they call it —

waiting to pick up the kids from school or sitting at gymnastics practice.

They say those 10 min windows make a difference.

An Anchor is a way to modify your routine in a way that makes it easier to consistently show up & check in with yourself.

So what could your quick Anchor Activity be?

Because there will always be choppy waters, high winds, or people rocking the boat.

Are you going to be the captain of your ship or drift further into the storm?

Drop your Anchor.

So when the waves keep rocking you’ll keep rolling.

The 4 A’s of Consistency

The key to consistency isn’t perfection—it’s about what you’re doing the majority of the time.

Because what you do majority of the time is who you become.

Take working out.

Maybe you’ve hit the gym 6 mornings this week, but you’re frustrated you didn’t make it on the 7th. Safe to say you’re becoming a morning workout person.

Or maybe it's the opposite and you say you’re a morning workout person, but if we’re being real, you’ve gone once in the past month.

What you do most often is who you're becoming.

So, do you need to give yourself grace because you're putting in the work? Or do you need a little push to get your habits to match the person you want to become?

Either way, if you want to feel proud of the morning routine you're building, consider the 4 A’s of Consistency:

Applicability – Why are you getting up to do these things in the morning? Does it contribute to the person YOU want to be? A strong why will keep you getting out of bed.

Adaptability – Not all 7 days of the week are the same. Create 2 versions of your routine (ex: office vs. WFH) that allow you to adjust based on your schedule. Giving yourself flexibility and not living in the "all or nothing" will help you be consistent.

Accountability – Write it down, track it, or tell someone who’ll check in on you. Committing to yourself, seeing your progress, and a little external push can help you be consistent.

Attainability – Don't go all beast mode right away. Start where you are and use the +1 Strategy: take one small step, prove to yourself you can do it, and build from there. That's how you build a consistent routine in a sustainable way.

When all us fails - have an Anchor Activity

An Anchor Activity is something that you do anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 mins.

Journaling, stretching, taking a shower, deep breaths

Something you can do quickly and take anywhere (even on vacation).

An anchor represents steadiness and commitment.

The steady commitment you make to yourself every day to show up.

Who Are You Waking Up For?

If you want to start waking up earlier, stop focusing on "what time do I need to get up?"

Start asking - "who am I waking up for?"

While the first question is important, the second is what will actually get you out of bed.

--

As a lot of us do -

I used to set my alarm for the time I needed to get up for work.

The rest of the morning would look like snoozing, scrolling social media, and dragging myself out of bed to rush to work.

Who was I waking up for? Who was I setting my alarm for?

I had to admit to myself that it was social media & work.

Some people may be ok with that, but that didn't sit well with me and I KNEW I wanted to be more than that.

I wanted to be waking up for me and starting the day in a way I was proud of.

So I started setting my alarm to do something important to me before the workday started -- have a moment to journal, sit quietly with coffee, and work on my (eventual) side business.

Yes the alarm had to be set for earlier than I was used to in order to do these things before my day job. 

But mindset shift of waking up for ME led to:

• Greater purpose to get out of bed

• Easier, less dreadful 5:30am wakeups

• A more fulfilled, energetic person at work and in life

 —

For the next 5 years…

I woke up for me -- and I (naively) thought it would always be that way.

Then a certain someone popped into my life…

I was no longer waking up for me! 

When I got Maisy at 10 weeks old, we were CLEARLY going to be on Maisy time.

She would wake me up early in the morning by putting her little, wet nose on my arm, or if she couldn't reach me due to being puppy size at that time, do a very respectable bark to let me know it was time to start the day.

Trust me - that little wet nose was a lot cuter in the daylight vs. a dark 4am…

After getting through some tough weeks, we found our groove…

Instead of forcing the mornings to be a certain way, I let go and realized that it was best to wake up and take care of her, and then take care of me.

But I surprisingly didn't mind that. 

Once I got passed the hard, sleepless, and stressful first weeks, I found myself happy to wake up for her and thankful to have this puppy I dreamt of for such a long time.

I was leaping out of bed each morning -- whether that was at 4am Maisy time, or 6am on my time…the time was really a logistical piece.

The important question was: who am I waking up for?

For you - that could be…

• Work

• Kids

• Spouse

• Dogs

• Side hustle

Whatever it may be, I hope you can find something worth leaping out of bed for -- something to be thankful and proud of.

And there is no wrong answer because it's YOUR LIFE.

Stop feeling the pressure to wake up at 4am or 5am because that's what the world sees as a "good" morning routine, and start asking…

Who am I waking up for?

Maybe that does lead you to a 5am wake up, but make sure there is purpose behind it.

Identifying who you're waking up for is what is going to get you out of bed on the hardest days and make that once dreadful, early wake up a whole lot easier.

BONUS TAKEAWAYS:

A few other things if waking up earlier is 1 of your goals:

1. Set your alarm across the room, eliminates a lot of the snoozing habits

2. Wake up 10 minutes earlier than you do right now, prove to yourself that you can do it, then add 10 more. Each new time won't feel as drastic because you've worked your way up

3. Plan your morning routine and then plan your evening. Having the morning planned gives you a REASON to go to bed earlier, ensures enough sleep, and makes it easier to wakeup.

If morning definitely isn't a time for you - my friends who are parents of little ones often share these 2 tips:

1. Use evenings after kids go to bed as me time - taking 20 minutes immediately after they go down to get on the Peloton or read the book club book

2. Use "fringe hours" to make time for you - journal or read while waiting for the kids to get out of soccer or gymnastics practice, those 15 minute windows add up

When Does Reflection Become Rumination?

I used to see reflection - in work and life - as good as it helps us learn from our experiences. 

But is there such thing as too much reflection?

Can reflection become rumination?

I asked myself this question when I listened to Chris Williamson's Modern Wisdom podcast with his guest Freya India.

She discussed therapy culture and how specifically girls are ruminating on thoughts that often lead to anxiety or depression. I recommend giving it a listen even for the 1st 30 minutes.

By definition, rumination is:

A repetitive and passive thought pattern, involves dwelling on negative experiences or situations, often focusing on the causes and effects of distress without actively seeking solutions or moving forward. 

I see rumination show up:

At work - when multiple co-workers come together to complain about a problem, raising each others emotions more and more as it's shared collectively, and a lot of times no action is taken.

In life - when you're journaling about the same thing over and over again and no action is taken to change that.

We see this too in a culture where we are encouraged to reflect on everything, set goals, meditate, journal, go to therapy, etc.

Yes connection to others and ourselves are good parts of reflection, but when does it become excessive?

When does reflection become rumination?

How do we know we've gotten to that point?

The easy answer: at the point where no action is taken 

The hard answer: when we no longer trust ourselves to take the next step forward

—

I'll give you an example of when reflection became rumination for me (and maybe they will help you discover them in yourself)

A relationship I needed to get out of -

I thought having a daily journal practice was helpful in working through problems I was having in a relationship.

Until every journal entry day after day became about the same relationship problems with little to no action taken after.

Not to mention it came up in every therapy session and conversation with a friend.

Reflection quickly became rumination 

It took until the rumination showed up in my body physically as heart pounding, headaches, and a constant pit in my stomach.  Looking back, my intuition and body were telling me something needed to change.

What I learned from that experience is to not let to rumination get to that point. Take action.

When I eventually addressed the problems, they couldn't be resolved, and I decided to leave the relationship, the physical symptoms went away almost like a 500lb rock had been lifted off my chest. 

I wish I hadn't ignored my feelings and reflections, and trusted myself more.

There are many other stories I could tell you about reflection becoming rumination.

Maybe you can relate to:

• Creative projects not making it past the pages of my journal because of imposter syndrome

• Over perfecting my business website, but not taking action to get actual sales

• Not communicating with a co-worker about on-going problems to the point it built resentment

Hopefully 1 of these stories helps you reflect on your reflections (but not ruminate too much of course!).

Makes me believe that reflection becomes rumination when you no longer trust your thoughts and abilities.

Trust is built with ourselves when we write down what we want to do and then we do it. Again and again and again.

Your morning is a perfect time to build this muscle.

You can use what I call the NOW Model to not get stuck at N and O and take action NOW!

It may take many mornings and reps, but it's how we prove to ourselves that we can go from reflection to action.

Because everyone deserves to wake up feeling proud and trusting that there is a path forward.

How to Find (Good) Ideas For Your Morning Routine

The secret to a great morning routine isn’t copying someone else’s—it’s knowing which parts to ignore.

Say you want to do something other than work, be interesting, well-rounded, but you just don't know what that is.

And maybe you've tried the healthy or woo woo things people say to do in the morning and you're just straight up not interested in them.

We can gain inspiration from other people's paths, but following someone else's routine copy/paste isn't what is going to get YOU out of bed.

So how do you find something that's going to get YOU out of bed?

Step 1: Draw Your Life Pie

Identify the 3-6 sections of your life. Think about…

• Who do you want to be? What does that person do?

• What do you want to make time for?

• What are your priorities?

Examples of pieces: Family, friends, work, health, hobbies, home, etc.

Consider what activities could be in each of these pieces.

(health could include sleep, journaling, working out, therapy)

I recommend having…

• Minimum of 3: to diversify your identity & happiness

• Maximum of 6: to get really clear on who you want to be

Focus on drawing your ideal Life Pie, recognizing what you’re doing right now is maybe not where you want to be. Hopefully this exercise gets you closer to the life you want to be living.

Step 2: Decide what pie piece & activity you want to use your morning for.

Use these questions to help select the RIGHT activity for your morning:

• What do you crave in the morning?

• What frequently gets lost in your day that you could put first?

• What requires focus?

• What requires no socialization?

• What do you like your morning to look like on vacation?

• What would you be bummed you didn't do this time next year?

• What did you like to do as a kid that you could do the adult version now?

Examples:

You could go on a walk because that is what your ideal morning looks like on vacation and contributes to your health pie piece.

You could choose to write a book because that’s what you keep saying you’re going to do every year and contributes to your interests pie piece.

You could do yoga because this is the adult version of doing gymnastics as a kid and contributes to your health pie piece.

—

Your morning routine plan being derived from your Life Pie reinforces what you’re doing is important and is worth getting out of bed for.

But that COULD mean tuning out what everyone is doing and finding what works for you.

But that’s when you start living YOUR life instead of someone else’s.

I Was A Part Of The 70%

According to a McKinsey study, 70% of us see work as our sole purpose.

I predict we've learned this idea from:

• Older generations passing it down

• College focusing solely on you getting a job

The challenge with work being our sole purpose:

• Puts pressure on work to be perfect

• Happiness is coming from 1 thing

• Becomes our identity

I was a part of that 70%.

Age 22, fresh out of college, at my first corporate job -

I would roll myself out of bed, get ready, and commute 30 mins to work in the dark through cornfields - hoping my coffee would wake me up in time for when I arrived to the office.

I would walk into the office with an energetic smile and plop myself down at my desk. I was a try-hard, perfectionist, and I was ready to absolutely kill it at work.

Because I thought work was everything.

But as the first few months went on - getting up, driving to work, and sitting down at my desk 5 days a week (when people were still going to the office 5 days a week), I started to think…

"I think there is more than this."

Not in the "maybe the grass is greener somewhere else" kind of way or not being thankful for where I was at, but was curious IF you could do things outside of work.

Slowly, the drives to work became my time to think about what I could be or do outside of work. 

I would listen to podcasts interviewing entrepreneurs, creatives, and writers doing all these cool things..

When I finished my drive and got to my desk, I found myself writing sticky notes of habits/activities I could try, and blog ideas and podcast scripts for things I wanted to talk about.

But how would I have time to do these things? I was always so tired after work!

Making these fun things part of my morning routine became the opportune time - weren't social events going on, I could prioritize what I wanted to do, and start my day on my own terms.

I could BE more than my work.

Over the next 6 years - those sticky notes and early mornings turned into writing 40 podcasts, 128 blog posts, 191 newsletters, 1900+ journal entries, a Morning Routine Workbook, a Morning Routine Workshop, & much more.

Because of making space in the morning.

But if you're considering doing something outside of work, I know the morning doesn't work for everyone.

Maybe you’re in a stage in your life where the evening is better - take the morning or evening routine advice you need & leave the rest for someone else.

Or maybe you’re in a stage where work needs to be everything - consider how a 2-min grounding morning routine could make your work better.

Or maybe you feel like being a wife, mom, or partner is your sole purpose right now.

No matter where you’re at in your life, I don't want you to ignore the nudge to:

1. Be curious - lean into the "I think there is more than this"

2. Write the sticky notes or journal - so you can build on your ideas over time

3. Find time that works for you to think or act on these - in the morning, in the car, on a walk, etc.

If I had ignored it, I would still be the girl defining herself by 1 thing, and I know I'm so much more than that.

And so are you!

How To Know When You're Doing Enough (in the morning & life)

I booked a speaking gig this week I would have killed to book 2 years ago.

I got it and thought “Ok now I need more.”

I heard a similar story from someone when they talked about their morning routine. 

"I'm waking up at 6am now, but I could be doing earlier."

Or when my fellow health-conscious friends talking about their workouts.

"I worked out 3x this week, but I could be doing more."

When is what we’re doing enough?

We've done ourselves a disservice by not identifying what "enough" means.

3 questions that have helped give myself credit (while still pushing forward):

1) What does a good day/morning/workout look like?

Identifying 3 priorities that would make today a good day or what is the 1 target goal post you're going after.

2) What am I doing majority of the time?

Even when I miss a day, focusing on the fact that I hit 6 out of 7.

3) Would my younger self be proud?

Would your college self be proud of where you sit today? Would your 13 year old self be excited to hear where you're today?

This one gets me in the feels.

Because maybe just maybe, it's even better than you imagined.

P.S. you’re doing enough.

How To Find Your Next Hobby (and Make It Part of Your Morning Routine)

I usually tell people I started writing when I was 23.

But I really started when I was 10.

Before the time of phones and iPads, we had to get creative with how we entertained ourselves

1 form of entertainment I found was writing "Family Time Magazine" -

an 18-page word document made with WordArt font, printed out, hole punched, and tied with yarn (gosh my poor parents color printer).

It was collection of what was playing in the movie theatre, the weather report, and whatever my 10 year old self thought was noteworthy.

Fast forward to 23 -

I would commute 1 hour round trip to my first corporate job, pondering ways I could entertain myself or do more than just work.

When I finished my drive and got to my desk, I found myself writing on sticky notes blog ideas and podcast scripts for things I wanted to talk about.

I even started using my morning before work to journal and experiment with blogging and podcasting.

Over the next 6 years - those ideas turned into writing…

• 40 podcasts

• 128 blog posts

• 191 newsletters

• 1900+ journal entries

• A Morning Routine Workshop

• A Morning Routine Workbook

(limited colored printing this time)

Kind of ironic how what entertained me as a kid is entertaining me as an adult…

Or is it?

When people say they want to have hobbies and make it part of their morning routine, but aren't really sure what they would do, there a few questions that can help:

• What did you like to do as a kid that you could now do the "adult version" of now?

• What intrigues you from what you see on social media or tv?

• What do you want to do after work that you're usually too tired to do? 

While this is a great brainstorming activity, it didn't always help them find "the thing" they wanted to do. 

I didn't sit down 1 time and know what I wanted to do…

It was 3 steps done over and over again…

1) Slow down enough to notice what you want (and more than once)

It was my drive to work each day that allowed me to slow down and think about what I want 

2) Journal about it

Organizing my thoughts and getting it down on paper so I didn't forget and can build on them 

3) Take action & experiment to get clarity on what it is

I could plan all I want, but taking action is when you get clear on what you want to do

Simply:

Notice the thoughts

Wrestle with the thoughts

Take action on the thoughts

So if you aren't sure what your next move is, maybe use your morning routine to notice, wrestle, and take action on your thoughts.

Because I'm starting to think that what we want to do has always been inside of us, but have we slowed down enough to listen to what that is?

4 Surprising Takeaways From The Miracle Morning

After 6 years of morning routines, this winter I've been in a rut…

(yes morning routine coaches get into ruts too)

I picked up The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (arguably the most well-known book on morning routines) to find some inspiration. 

Here are 4 surprising takeaways that stood out to me:

1) The SAVERS framework is a great outline for your morning if you don't know where to start

S ilence

A ffirmations

V isualization

E xercise

R eading

S cribing

He mentions doing 10 minutes of each of these, but even starting with just 1 of them will get you that early win you need!

2) You determine before you go to bed how you're going to feel when you wake up

Hal says:

"Seven hours, eight hours, nine hours - the hours of sleep I got didn’t significantly change how I felt when the alarm clock went off in the morning. As long as I told myself that I wasn't getting enough sleep and that I was going to feel tired in the morning, that’s exactly how I felt."

Even if we got 10 hours of sleep, it can feel like we've never gotten enough. Good reminder that our mindset can change our mood just as much as sleep.

3) Morning routines aren't stealing your sleep - TikTok & Netflix are

We often think mornings take away from your sleep, when they're actually taking away from mind-numbing activities

• Late-night or early morning scrolling

• Mindless TV

• Other activities that aren't really helping you

Consider what you are ACTUALLY cutting out when adding a morning routine.

4) The alarm clock needs to be across the room, no matter how much discipline you have

Discipline to not hit snooze only gets us so far.

We need to set up our environment for the life we want to live, such as putting alarm across the room so we get up.

So simple, yet effective!

—

Something else I learned from reading this book —

Even if you’re an expert in your field, there is always something to learn or a new perspective you’ve never considered.

Keep learning if you want to keep growing.

Ditch the Perfect Morning Routine — Ask This Instead

8 times out of 10, if a moment gets ruined, a perfectionist ruins it for themselves.

Take a perfectionist who is trying to start a morning routine.

They get fixated on:

• Waking up at the exact time they planned

• Doing ALL the things

• Never feeling rushed to get out the door

But we are humans and not robots.

• We accidently stay up too late sometimes

• We sleep in an extra 15 minutes

• We spend a little too long journaling, not leaving enough time to get ready for work

The "morning misstep" is going to happen (and gosh it's hard to not beat yourself up when it does)

BUT ASK YOURSELF:

What are you doing the majority of the time?

It's a way to:

1) Give yourself credit for the great mornings you've had

(and not feel like a failure when you've messed up once)

2) Hold yourself accountable to not just talk, but walk the walk

(saying you're a "morning workout person" when you haven't made it to the gym once in the past month)

Because what you're doing the majority of the time is who you're becoming.

So who are you becoming right now?