THE 5 AM Club

I just finished reading the book "The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life."

Here's my take:

There's good news and bad news.

Bad news first:

it reads like a mediocre novel with underdeveloped characters who have been written into the story to deliver the exorbitant number of quotations from visionaries throughout history. Then there's that whole "get up at 5 AM" thing. I kept reading though (what can I say, I am sucker for good quotes) and I also kept resisting. Resistance came again and again. Seriously, I had questions. I can't own my morning and elevate my life at 6 or even 7 AM? Am I supposed to do this 7 days a week or do I get weekends off?  What exactly am I supposed to be doing during this magical hour between 5 and 6?  The answers to those questions came eventually and I didn't like them very much. I learned that not only was I supposed to bolt (yes, BOLT) out of bed without hesitation at 5 AM, I was supposed to do this 7 days a week and the first thing I was supposed to do during this magical hour was exercise (Sweet Baby Jesus, give me strength). You might be asking yourself why I continued to read this craziness and I don't blame you, I was beginning to wonder myself.  

The good news: He was making sense from a physiological standpoint. I felt like I was getting bitch-slapped with science.  He shared so many fascinating facts regarding how our brains work and what happens during this "magical hour". I was intrigued because there are some things I  just can't get enough of and here's a few: french fries, laughter, and neuroscience.  Let me share with you what I learned. We have this really awesome brain state you may or may not be familiar with called,  "Transient Hypofrontality"  (runners experience it during "runner's high").  Let's just break it down like a fraction: "Trans" meaning temporary, "Hypo" meaning less, and "Frontality" referring to the frontal lobes of the brain  responsible for critical thinking.   During Transient Hypofrontality this part of the brain actually shuts down for a short time through the solitude, silence, and stillness of daybreak. That's kind of awesome considering it's this part of the brain that overthinks, ruminates, and worries. There's more because when you throw exercise into the mix neurotransmitters are triggered to produce dopamine and serotonin putting your brain in what can be called "The Flow State". 

This "Flow State" is the opposite of that feeling, "I just can't get my mind to be still, it runs a mile a minute".

I was like, "Well, sign me up for a double dose of The Flow State, please!"  Especially right now. 

Now,  I am in. I am going to try it. Not the half-assed attempts I made when I first starting reading the book but really in.

I knew it would take discipline and commitment but it's even harder than I imagined.

 Getting up before dawn is next level hard. 

Here's a timeline of how it plays out:

 5:00 AM -5:02 AM: Alarm goes off and I die a little inside. It's just shitty and hard. I hate it so much. (the intensity of these negative feelings are definitely subsiding)

5:02 AM-5:05 AM: I remind myself that at 6 AM I can totally go back to bed, and I tell myself I am really going to do it too.

5:05 AM-5:07 AM: I feel better because I know I just have to stay up for one hour and then I can go right back to bed, if I still feel like it.

5:08 AM : There''s this major shift. It's weird and really cool to witness, in less than 10 minutes I am in my practice space that I prepared the night before. I arrive on my mat feeling like I worked really hard to get there. I've been up for less than 10 minutes and 2 major things have happened: I've been reminded that everything is temporary since just moments before I was struggling and now, here I am on my mat having accomplished something that feels pretty major. Let's face it, if it was easy everyone would do it!

This leads to a deep sense of resolve and commitment to my yoga and meditation practice (Good Morning, Flow State). the sun rises and the birds begin to sing as I come alive. It's nothing short of magical and yet I know it sounds a little ridiculous. That might be the thing I like the most. It is ridiculous in so many ways. It's ridiculous how good I feel. It's ridiculous how much more centered and productive I feel. There's this greater sense of strength and confidence I feel because it's so ridiculously hard!

Right now I am on Day 17 and it's definitely changing. The biggest shift was seeing how it shaped my entire day. I am such an advocate for self-care and now I am getting at least 1 hour of it every single day. So now what?

My intention is to practice the principles for 66 days (that's the recommendation) and then decide if I want to be a lifelong member of The 5 AM Club. I love to try new things and challenge myself in ways that are meaningful. So what if I come to the end of the 66 days and decide I just don't want to do it? That's okay.  What if I decide to not even finish the 66 days? That's okay too but it won't be because I can't do it. It'll be because I simply chose not to do it.  It's so empowering to work through things like this to see what is revealed.

This little book has been a big surprise. It reminded me that every time I step out of my comfort zone I learn and I grow.