It’s 11:30 PM. I should be asleep. It’s going to be quite an adjustment going to bed early, but I know how important sleep is. I have to keep that in mind now that I’ll be getting up at 6 AM every morning to hit the gym. I usually get up around 8 AM for work. Losing that 2 hours is going to be hard, so I have to make up for it by getting to bed earlier

Tomorrow morning will be my first real day back at the gym. It’s been nearly 3 months. I miss it, but I know it will be hard for me to get going again. I am as far from a “morning person” as one can get. Thankfully, I have a trick that has worked in getting me up and out the door.

I go to sleep in my gym clothes. Everything is packed and ready to go by the door: toiletries, towel, water bottle, change of clothes, wallet, lock, and keys. As soon as the alarm goes off, I do not give myself time to complain. I turn it off, jump out of bed, put on the socks and sneakers that are waiting right there, grab my bag and head out the door. I wash my face/brush my teeth/pee at the gym. Any delay and I’ll find my mind and body wandering back to bed. It was hard to do at first, but after only a few times it becomes automatic, mindless, routine. The hardest part is getting there, once that’s out of the way, being at the gym and working out is something I actually enjoyed.

Alright, I need to pack my gym bag and get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a big deal.