Did your feet hit the floor?

Beautiful Humans!

Oh the challenges of a Monday that is dark and dreary. I fully embraced an incredible fall weekend and put all work aside until this morning. Pulling off the covers to a dark room with the rain audibly pounding outside my window was a struggle for sure. I know how these mornings will feel as we move deeper into fall and then winter, they will tug at me to return to my cozy den and beg me to honor my biological desire to hibernate. But I know that adulting awaits and my responsibilities, no matter how much I wish to set them aside, will not allow for the endless cycle of pressing snooze that only buys me nine more minutes. The struggle is real.

For me, the trick is to get my feet on the floor. While the physical distance from the bed to the floor is less than a yard, it is the equivalent of an emotional mile. In fact, on some days those 36 inches feel like a marathon. But, if I can get my feet to the floor, I can stand. Once I stand, I can make my way to the bathroom, the kitchen, I can make my bed, and I can move my body. Once my feet hit the floor, my mind has won the battle and I am able to go forward with a sense that I own the day… it doesn’t own me. Moving with intention and setting myself up with a narrative that empowers me. When my feet hit the floor, I have committed to showing up for myself, and the first moments of my day are a deep investment in me.

The friends who know me well can gauge the direction of my morning simply by asking. “Did your feet hit the floor?”. A thumbs up means I made it to the gym, my yoga mat or created space for meditation… I have already found victory in small spaces for myself before opening myself up to the world. My feet hit the floor and I feel strong.

On those days I give into the heavy weight of my comforter, I repeatedly hit snooze for the nine minutes of sleep that I crave like it were an actual drug. I give in, with a defeated sigh and my feet stay tucked in bed. These days are harder to recover from. I convince myself that the addition of 20-30 minutes of sleep, interrupted in nine minute intervals, will serve me more than my journal, meditation or moving my body. But the truth is, I need the space I create for connection, movement and intention. Getting my feet to the floor is a challenge, but I know it is an act of self love. 

Now, I want to be very intentional about this message and direct connection to sleep. Sleep, my dear friends, is one of  THE most important stress management tools and should be guarded with fierceness. I am not suggesting that you sleep less. If you need more sleep, take care of that, prioritize your mental and physical health! However, repeatedly hitting snooze does not support good quality sleep and it is not a tool for meeting needs. For me, it is an avoidance technique. So, the message here needs to be clear, wake with intention and carve out sacred time for connection before starting your day.

All that said, your Mindful Mini invitation for this week is, let your feet hit the floor! Create an inner dialogue with yourself, something that you will believe and follow. For me, I say, “Just put your feet on the floor. Once you do, you’ve got it!” and I do! Resist whatever version of snooze that keeps you from precious moments of connection that you so deeply deserve. Take time for yourself, even if that looks like three minutes of intentional breathing. Breathe, sit alone with your coffee, take the dog for a walk, find your way to your yoga mat, journal, meditate. Let your feet hit the floor. You are so worth it!