What's better than sleep?

No, not that, you sicko!


Yoga. Even yoga in the basement at 6:00 in the morning.

I've had the occasional opportunity to sleep through the night since Geneva has been born, although never with any predictability or regularity. After these rare occurrences I'm usually pretty bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next day. It makes me miss those days when I took for granted that sleep is just what you do at night. I figured that feeling of morning alertness was a relic of the past, or else a distant, glimmering hope waiting for me many years and babies down the road. I certainly didn't think I'd find it in a 6:00 wake-up call.

I actually meant to start this new routine yesterday morning, and failed spectacularly by sleeping right through the alarm-- not turning it off in a groggy stupor and going back to bed, not "accidentally" ignoring it, but slumbering on in a borderline comatose state for a full hour. So this morning that clock radio went off LOUDLY, and I did indeed wake up.

I should explain here that I do consider myself a morning person. This, however, means different things in different seasons. I tend to wake up with the daylight if left to my own devices, and there was none of that to be had as I shuffled down the stairs into the basement. Thinking ahead, I had already put the yoga dvd into the dvd player the night before and had slept in my workout clothes, anticipating that in my grumpy, chilly state I was likely to be foiled by the smallest of obstacles. I entered into this new routine with the attitude of "okay, I'll do it, but I don't have to like it."

But I do like it, I do! I have so missed that feeling of using my whole body, of challenging my muscles to work and to relax at the same time, of concentrating on my breathing, concentrating on my attitude. Last night was not great, sleep-wise; Geneva woke up three times and it took some convincing to get her to go back down, but today I have felt more energetic and alert and strong than I have in a long time. I already can't wait until tomorrow morning. It's seriously better than sleep.

It would be remiss of me to claim credit for this early morning motivation, when in truth I was inspired by my friends Heather and Allison. To be brave enough to change one's eating and exercise habits is one thing, but to do so in the oh-so-public eye of the internet is another thing entirely! I really admire what thes ladies are doing and appreciate them letting me piggyback on their enthusiasm. I also love that they're doing this for all the right reasons: not to conform to a pre-determined size or shape, but to become healthier and stronger and, okay, maybe a little less soft in certain places. Those are my goals exactly.