DECIDE.

Almost two weeks ago, I watched this Ted Talk called “How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over.” I recommend taking the 20 minutes and watching while you eat your lunch or wash the dishes or however you multitask.

One of the key take aways near the end of the talk is making the decision to get up earlier. She recommends setting the alarm for 30 minutes earlier and deciding you’re going to get up when it goes off.

This concept of making a decision, as opposed to wanting to do something, is re-confirmation once again of Jen Sincero’s work in the book You Are A Badass, which I’ve written about before when deciding to improve my home and three years ago when I decide to learn how to swim.
I know that DECIDING is effective and 100% different than WANTING.
As my “personal” trainer Autumn Calabrese says, “You can’t just wish for it, you’ve gotta work for it.”

So I decided after watching this Ted Talk that I Am A Person Who Gets Up When My Alarm Goes Off.

I set the alarm for 6:45am that night (30 minutes earlier). I also browsed through all the alarm sound options and found a new, rather peaceful sound that I thought would be more gentle.
And the next morning I got up at 6:45 when it went off.

That night I set it for 6:30am.
And the next morning, I got up at 6:30am.

I don’t always set it the same, though it’s usually 6:00, 6:15, or 6:30 depending on what the schedule holds for the day, but I have consistently gotten out of bed when the alarm sounds every morning for twelve days straight.

Some mornings it’s been easy and some mornings notably less so, but every single one of these twelve days, I have felt the gift of time.
“Oh! It’s only 7:15! I’ve showered and dressed and listened to Daily Audio Bible and breakfasted and journaled and am ready for the next thing. And it’s only 7:15!”

It’s possible that tomorrow I won’t get up when my alarm goes off.
But I doubt it.
Because I made a decision that this is part of who I am.
The habit will become part of my identity.
And it feels good.