Dear Quarantine, I Miss Your Slow Mornings
There’s that moment when you wake up in the morning where you’ve yet to be inundated by the flood of notifications and stress of the day. But that moment is fleeting and before you’re even fully awake you’re checking emails and worrying about what is on the days’ To Do list.
I’d like to take that peaceful moment back in the morning.
Over quarantine in the Spring/Summer of 2020, I developed a healthy habit of waking up at 6 and going on a three to four mile walk every day. To be completely honest, I loved quarantine. That moment in the morning that is so quick to disappear was drawn out that whole summer. I was able to take some time to slow down, reset my mind, and take my creativity up a notch.
But then quarantine ended.
And that bit of morning peace disappeared too fast and suddenly I was back on the hamster wheel. I was back to being overworked with a job and internships, school, and a reappearing social life. Suddenly my mornings were abrupt and very ‘go, go, go’.
It’s been a year since the end of quarantine and things have been getting back to normal. It took a while to get used to, but eventually I was able to settle into my new routine and by adjusting my schedule by waking up earlier I was able to reclaim my slow mornings. Even if it’s only a short and sweet 15 minute stroll, it’s a walk nonetheless.
Through these walks, I’ve had a question.
Why doesn’t everybody take time in the morning to do this?
It doesn’t have to take up a lot of time. 15-20 minutes is perfect to get some fresh air.
And it’s so worth it.
There’s so many benefits to taking some time outside. For most people, 5 days a week, 8 hours a day are spent indoors, at a desk, under fluorescent lighting. Why can’t we take a quarter of an hour outside? Or even spend half of a lunch break on a walk around your block.
If you’re not convinced, here are some reasons you should get your ass up and go outside:
The alpha season is approaching. The leaves are starting to fall, and the mornings are crisp with that smell that no other season can live up to. What’s better than a walk in the neighborhood with a warm drink and a good podcast?
If fall isn’t enough, maybe think about this…
It’s proven that simply looking at the sky in the morning helps to wake up your brain and give your body energy. Yes, the color blue. If you think about it, it does make sense.
Think about the blue light glasses that are so in fashion right now. They block out the blue light emitted by phones to allow for people to fall asleep with more ease. It would only make sense that the blue light in the sky is similar to that of your phone, and can wake you up. The only difference is that this light is natural and doesn’t cause strain to your eyes. So maybe, instead of waking up and rolling over to scroll your notifications to wake you up, look out the window for a less harsh morning wake up.It’s just plain good for your mental health. I feel like everyone has some kind of mental health stressor in their life these days- I mean the past few years have been batshit, so who wouldn’t. Going on walks just helps you to get those pent up feelings out and allows you time to think through the stress points in your life and eliminate them.
Nature is inspirational and thought provoking. When I go on walks, I love to use the notes app on my phone to write down basically anything that I’m thinking about. It could be what I need to do for the day, a random cool idea that comes to me, or something in my life I want to change. Whatever it is, the walk gives me time to detach and become inspired by the beauty around me.
So if you’ve read this far, I’m assuming you understand the message of this post and are thinking about implementing a little outside time into your daily routine. If anything, just stand outside for a few minutes a day just to breathe it all in.
Try it for one week and I guarantee you’ll see a difference. Whether it be in your energy level throughout the day, or your mental health, walking is a game changer.
Lots of love,
A future power walking grandma<3
