Priorities and Persistence

Begrudgingly, I wake up in the a.m. only to realize that it is 7:45. I have exactly thirty minutes to get both my son and myself showered, dressed, groomed and out the door to school.  As you can imagine, this doesn’t end well. I hadn’t set out clothes the night before, Terrance doesn’t want to get out of bed, and I am a nervous wreck: attempting to put on makeup and comb through the mound of wrinkled clothing that should have been folded and put away the night before. When we finally make it out the door, it’s 8:37 a.m. and we’re late; which means an angry Terrance will not have time to eat breakfast at school and neither will I. Speeding around the corner, I stop at a local gas station up the road: chips for him (the only thing he will agree to eat), and a large coffee filled with sugar and cream for me. Singing praises to God that we only have to drive to one place two minutes down the road, I manage to make it through the back doors of the elementary school just as the last bell rings. Sigh… We made it! However, deep down inside, I feel like I’ve failed–I totally suck at life.

And this had been the story of my life for a while. On other days, things ran significantly smoother, however, the worst case scenario occurred far more often than it should’ve– that is– until I implemented some changes about a month ago. In early December, after a particularly rough morning of rushing and stumbling into the school’s hallway, I realized I didn’t have to keep doing things like that. It’s sad to admit, but chaos had begun to rule my life; it became my norm.

So, what did I do to change? I decided to do something drastically different; Something that would totally shock my internal clock into a more disciplined routine. I started setting my alarm for four a.m. and planning a short to-do list to complete before preparing for work. Now, I know to some this may be extreme, but I can guarantee you that it makes our lives a whole lot easier. I am never concerned with being late, and I am a whole heck of a lot more productive than I was before. Deciding to wake up earlier and get my priorities sorted out is the best thing that I could have done. Now I am very persistent when it comes to my morning routine. I set plans for what I’d like to accomplish each day, write out my to-do list, and by the end of the night I find that– even if I don’t get everything finished– I’m more satisfied with my efforts.

And Terrance is happier as well. Before, he’d fuss, whine, and refuse to get up; while I pressured and literally had to pry him from the bed to be sure that we’d leave on time.  There’s definitely nothing a kid hates more than being rushed in the morning. They live for routine and stability.  And so, now I feel less bad: my son is able to wake up calmly, get showered and dressed at a peaceful pace, and make it to breakfast each day (Although, he still only wants to eat chips).

Overall, I can see the benefits that a little prioritizing and persistence can offer. It turned out better for everyone: My son, my employer, and of course me. In the bible, there’s a scripture that talks about the qualities of a noble woman; it reads, “she gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her maidens” (Proverbs 31:15). Up until recently, I’d hold on to my bed sheets for as long as possible; not wanting to start the day a moment before I absolutely had to. However now, I understand that part of being a responsible adult is doing things that may not feel good at the time, but are in the best interest of yourself and others who depend on you. I now enjoy waking up at four a.m. and I plan to never go back.

The purpose of this blog is to come from a place of love, strength, discovery and vulnerability. Please join me as I share my journey.