Welcome to the Early to Rise Challenge! Throughout the month of March, I’m challenging myself and my readers to make the most of their mornings. So every week day morning at 9 a.m. EST, I’m posting a short Early to Rise post. I’ll share a few of my thoughts on the day’s passage from Early to Rise, tell you what time I got up that morning, and encourage you to leave a comment to tell us what time you got up and how you’re doing on the challenge.
Choose Who You Will Be Today
Who is the only person you can change?
Yourself.
You can inspire other people, you can motivate other people, you can nurture and mentor other people. But ultimately, you can only change YOU.
And that’s what today’s reading in the Early to Rise book is all about.
Every day, you wake up and you have the opportunity to choose your attitude. You can choose to be a victim or a victor. You can choose to be a complainer or a conqueror.
You choose your attitude. And your attitude sets the whole tone for your day — and your life.
So choose wisely.
What attitude are you choosing for your day today? Me: I’m choosing to be cheerful, flexible, and energetic as a wife and mom today. I might not end up getting everything done on the to-do list, but I want to look back at the end of today and be happy with the time I invested in loving and blessing my family. You?
What Time Did You Get Up This Morning?
I went to bed around 8 p.m. last night and I got up a little before 5:45 a.m. this morning. Felt so good to get in a very good night’s rest after a full weekend!
What time did you get up? Leave a comment and let us know!
Join in the Chatter!
Want to blog about this challenge? If you’re blogging through this challenge with me, be sure to leave your link to your direct post for today below. Plus, if you’d like to post your daily posts to the Early to Rise Group Board on my Pinterest page, just shoot me an email (moneysavingmom @ gmail dot com) and I’ll invite you.
Want to follow along on Twitter or Instagram? Each week day morning on my Facebook Page, my Twitter account, and my Instagram account, I’ll be posting a picture of my alarm clock as public accountability. I’d love to have you do the same or join in the discussion on Twitter and Instagram. Just follow hashtag #EarlytoRise to see what others are tweeting and Instagramming about this challenge!
Katie says
6:22!
Busy day – husband had a minor in-office procedure, but he still has to stay off his feet for two days at least. It’s been nice, though, knowing that taking care of his is my priority today has helped me not to mind the fact that some of yesterday’s dishes are still staring back at me when I go into the kitchen. (Staring is okay – actually walking off would be bad…)
Melodie says
Planned on 8 since it was my day off, but got up at 9. Not beating myself up over it though….came down with a stomach bug during the night! So my plans for a productive day off changed to a couch day trying to keep food down:-/ Trying to keep a positive attitude!!! After all, a low calorie day will help with my weight loss 🙂
Susan says
After a (M-F) week of sleeping later than my 6:30 AM goal while I recuperated from a bug, it was good to restart the Early to Rise challenge this morning. I awoke at 5:30 AM to my phone alarm.
Crystal says
Great job!
Sandra says
Up at 0700. Planning on baking so, I made my brown sugar before work. Now, off to make some chocolate chip cookies!
Hilary says
I believe it was 6:08 this morning.
Kate says
I overslept and got up at 7:00 am. It set the tone for my whole day- everything was rushed. I will try harder tomorrow!
My son never gets up early. I have to drag him out of bed. He is like my husband. He never wants to go to bed at night either, and if we put him to bed before 9, he gets up in the middle of the night.
Kate
Crystal says
You’ve done great on this challenge, so give yourself grace! Tomorrow is a new day, okay?! 🙂
Kate@OrganizationforthetypeB says
Thank you for the encouragement!!
Kate
ClareC. says
5:55 for me. Since I always pray for my children whenever the clock reads all the same numeral, I paused for a moment to do that and then hopped out of bed. Today, I am choosing to be diligent, not distracted.
Crystal says
Oh, I love this idea!
Stacy @ A Delightful Home says
I don’t even know what time I woke up today! I’m feeling a little sorry for myself since I’ve been sick for 5 days now. But, it’s OK. I will get back on track. This is real life and interruptions are to be expected.
Crystal says
I’m SO sorry you’ve been sick for five days! No fun at all. 🙁
marie says
I woke at 5:30 to see how much snow we got and if kids would have school. After two birthday parties this weekend for my twins today is recovery! I’m choosing to give myself grace today and not a to do list! And focus on my two year old who is being very challenging right now.
Crystal says
I love that you are choosing to give yourself grace!
Amy Lauren says
7:30 for me today. Definitely overslept, and I’ve felt it all day too! I raced Saturday, then ran 9 miles yesterday and it was hot out (our first really warm day here in SC), and got a slight tan. I think I was just exhausted from the run and the sun, but I really wish I could’ve gotten up before 7! Hopefully I will have better luck tomorrow… still on with waking up early 5x a week!
Crystal says
Sounds like your body needed some extra rest!
Rachel says
Woke up at 7:28, which is good for me. 🙂 I’m working on a consistent pre-7 am wake up, though, so hopefully by the end of the challenge I’ll get there! My attitude choice for today (from my blog post):
“I can still be a loving and patient mama, giving my baby girl my full attention, a caring wife, tidying up the house so my husband can come home to an oasis rather than a pigsty, and an engaged coach, encouraging my rowers to work their hardest and do their best.”
Crystal says
So excited to see the progress you are making — and I love your attitude choices!
Melissa says
4:54am.
Today I am choosing to be happy and grateful.
Jen says
What time do your kids go to bed? I know before you’ve said they sleep late (well, at least late compared to my 6am risers), so I just assumed they went to bed a bit later too. I’d love to go to bed at 8, but that means I’d have to have all the kids in bed by then and that just isn’t happening!
Crystal says
Usually 8:30-9. Jesse did bedtime routine last night for me. Yes, he’s wonderful like that! 🙂
Brooke says
Way overslept today… and hit my snooze every 5 minutes. I didn’t get to bed until after midnight and I had incredibly strange dreams. So I didn’t get up until 7:59. Seems to be my biggest challenge over the past week is getting to bed at a decent time! But I enjoyed this chapter especially since our sermon yesterday touched on each individual being the change this world needs to see. 🙂
Sumitha says
I woke up at 7:20 today 🙁 After taking the last week off due to spring break, I forgot to turn the alarm back on today. It was a rush, but we made it through while maintaining a cheerful spirit… feeling quite proud of it… just a year back, we wouldn’t have been able to done that!!!
And the attitude challenge couldn’t have come at a better time… today is a big day for me. The attitude I choose for myself is to keep my chin up and not give in to fear and anxiety.
Crystal says
I think that’s very admirable that you made it through your morning with a cheerful spirit — yay!
Anne says
Have courage young mothers! Our vocation is truly blessed. Those older kids can keep us hopping too. A nose bleed at 5am for the 12-yr-old, a sore throat needing comfort at 6am from the 17-yr-old. And thank heavens for the college kid who returned to campus! Our home was quiet by 10:30pm instead of well past midnight. I sure enjoyed falling asleep at a ‘decent hour’. 🙂
Crystal says
Thanks so much for your kind encouragement!
Shelly says
Today I met the day at 6:09. I have decided today I will be an encouragement to my family. I want to take time today to really tell my family how much I love and appreciate them. I will encourage my children in everything they do well. Sometimes it is easy to correct bad behavior but I am not always as quick to give praise.
Crystal says
I love this!
Mel says
6:30! I stayed in bed and read for about 45 minutes (catching up on the weekend’s Early to Rise chapters, devotional, + novel), but I was awake! I’m struggling with getting good, restful sleep on my friend’s sleeper sofa. It’s not terrible, but it’s not my bed at home, you know? But I’m so grateful to her for letting me stay, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to afford to come out to L.A. to spend time with my Uncle and put his affairs in order as we near his final days.
Today I choose to be in control of my time, to tackle the tasks before me with a cheerful heart, and to be a bright spot in my Uncle’s day.
Crystal says
Sounds like a beautiful start to your day!
Shannon says
I woke up at 7am this morning darn it. I have been doing so well waking up at 5am and now I have used my one grace day already the first day of the week. Well, I was still up before the rest of the family and spent my 30 minutes of quiet time trying to figure out how I didn’t even hear my 5 a.m. alarm go off this morning lol. I am still in the position though this morning to change my attitude and be positive for my family.
Crystal says
I think you’re doing just fine — and here’s to hoping for a wonderful day for you today!
Shannon says
Thank you so much for the encouragement 🙂
Andy Traub says
I just found another grace day as I was clearing out my pockets. You an have it if you want it! Thx for reading my book! Take it easy on yourself!!
Shannon says
You are so kind. Thank you for changing my life for the better Andy!
Need A Nap2 says
The other day I couldn’t figure out why my alarm didn’t go off after our Sunday afternoon nap. I had set the alarm for 4:10 AM instead of PM! 🙂 These things happen. Thankfully, my husband had either set his or woke up.
Crystal says
I did this not too long ago, too!!!
Carol@simple_catholic says
I did not sleep at all last night for some reason so by the time I feel asleep at 5:30 I didn’t wake up until 8:30. 🙁
The attitude I am choosing today is cheerfulness and patience.
Crystal says
Love your attitude choices!
Sarah says
6:37am. I just cannot stop myself from hitting that snooze button once or twice and then laying there for a few minutes just to collect myself once I do decide to get up. Still doing well, especially considering I am pregnant, fighting (another) cold and once again did not sleep well.
Today I will aim for a cheerful and positive attitude, despite the cold and lack of sleep. I have done very well this morning so far, but as the day goes on I might just have to switch gears “survival mode”.
Crystal says
You know what? Hitting snooze like that might just be what works for you! Some people take a little while to wake up… and that’s totally okay. So long as you get up pretty quickly, I think you’re doing great! Be encouraged!
Sarah says
You are absolutely right. Just because I am not popping out of bed the second my alarm goes off doesn’t mean that I am not succeeding. I’m still up and out of bed over an hour earlier than I used to be and am able to accomplish my set morning goals. That is a win! Thanks so much for the encouragement. 🙂
Rachel says
Oh that was SO me when I was pregnant! Sometimes you just need the extra peace and quiet before your busy day begins (whatever it entails).
Whitney says
5:55 – with my 16-month-old. Seriously, everyone who has kids who sleep in the morning should consider themselves blessed! My 2 and 4 year olds have alarm clocks – not to wake them up – but to tell them when they’re allowed to get up! Without them they’d be in my room by 6:30.
Crystal says
🙂
Melissa N says
My four and six year old have alarm clocks for the same reason! =)
Katie says
My 4-year old needed a clock to keep him in bed too. As a baby, he’d be up by 5:30. At 2, we finally got him a clock to keep him in bed until seven. He’s finally more or less synched up to that wake time, but he’d wander downstairs at 6:30 from time to time when we had to take it away for a time. Now that he’s sharing a room with the 2-year-old (in preparation for the new arrival we’re expecting in 3 more weeks), the toddler doesn’t sleep in until 8 any more. 7 is a halfway decent compromise.