Monday: Take back the morning
6:30 a.m. While most of us are hitting snooze, then stumbling out of bed clamoring for coffee, Carrie Sloan is bobbing in
San Francisco Bay in her tank suit, goggles, and chin-strap cap. The 33-year-old belongs to the Dolphin Club—a swimming and
boating club dating back to 1877—where the unwritten law, even in 50° water, is no wetsuits. Starting the day with a swim
is a way to reboot her mind, get inspired, and play before sitting down at her desk. It’s sort of like carving out a reverse
happy hour. But swap the margarita for sea lions and views of Alcatraz.
Lengthen the a.m.
An early start can “make you feel the exhilaration of your own aliveness,” Sloan says.
- Use maps: MAPS (that is, meaning, authenticity, purpose, strengths) activities help develop inner contentment, says Aymee Coget, CEO of the American Happiness Association. Swim, learn a language, or join a cause.
- Give it time: Most habits, including getting up early, form within 21 to 30 days, Coget states, but give yourself 90 days. Once a habit is formed, you could respond like Sloan: “Days I don’t swim, I feel I’ve been cheated.”
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