I used to have a goal every morning to wake up at 5am. This was easier said than done!  I would do well a few days, and then slip back into old stalling habits.  Then I would have renewed vigor, and then slip back again. I could not master this one simple goal.

Each morning I wake up and instinctively start praying. I need all the help I can get to make it through the workday ahead. My early morning chat sessions with God are meant as a pep talk, but most times they feel like a hostage negotiation. I am convincing myself to get out of bed. In the past, during this negotiation stage, I would let myself shut my eyes, and snuggle up under the warm covers.  In a blink of a snooze, 5, 10, 30 minutes had passed. I failed at the day’s first and easiest task.  I was defeated and behind before I even got out of bed. This had a ripple effect on the rest of my day.

I work a stressful, unpredictable, and demanding job. I know when I start my day on time, having accomplished my personal morning goals, I have set myself up for the best possible success. Regardless of what happens in the next 8 hours, my morning checklist was accomplished. I carry the momentum of this success with me into my workday.

So mamas, riddle me this? If I know benefits of waking up on time, WHY do I struggle with it every single morning?  I think it is human nature.  Our concept of ‘one more’.  If I just have one _____________ then I will finally be happy, rested, fulfilled.  One more minute of sleep. One more zero added to the paycheck.  One more sweet treat. One more TV show…

Mamas, feel free to insert your own personal  ‘one more’ here:  __________________ .

Mamas, do you think your ‘one more’ will be the fix everything? Will your ‘one more’ make you happy, rich, successful?   To stop this one-more cycle, I had to finally and fully lay my ONE MORE TO REST. (Sorry, I couldn’t help the pun!) 

Several months ago, I started a new morning routine. I found the only way to guarantee I don’t stall my morning away: I have to GET UP. There is no more ‘one more’ minute in my mornings.  

NOW every work morning my alarm is set for 5:10am.  I still start my morning off chatting with God, but I am standing up and out of bed at precisely 5:13am.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Making my out of bed time 5:13am was my secret sauce solution. Many of you know by now, 13 is my special number, 13 is the number of babies I have waiting for me in heaven. Getting out of bed at 5:13am every morning is my way of symbolically hugging my 13 little angels each morning. My intentionality in incorporating my special number was the cure to my ‘one more’ minute problem.

Of course we all know what happens when you do something over and over again… It becomes a habit. Once something is a habit, your body is on autopilot. The hard work is almost done! I am now in the middle of an unbroken three-month 5:13am out of bed steak.  With this solid streak accruing, my competitive nature has been activated. I will not allow myself to break this streak!

My resolution will not be the same as yours mamas. But OUR persistence does pay off. Mamas you have know what motivates you, so you can solve our own ‘one more’.

Have you figured out what your one more is mamas? Do you know how you will solve it?  You got this! FOCUS AND JUST DO SOMETHING.