If we’re going to be honest, this is a jet lag inspired post.

I’ve been waking up faithfully at 4 AM since we’ve gotten back from our trip, and feeling exhausted by 7 PM.

But the truth is, that I secretly like it!

I am not a graceful riser by any stretch of the imagination, and there are clear benefits to waking up early!

1. You get to see the Sunrise.

   I’m a big fan of good lighting, so sunrise and sunset are my jam!

   I used to be a firm night owl that would toil into the early AM hours and sleep in until… restaurants stopped serving breakfast. Sunsets used to be my favorite because that was the only time that I saw magical daylight, but now that I’ve become more of a morning person  (see: I married an early riser and my day job at 8 AM.) I get to see magical light twice a day!
    

2. You beat the crowds.

   I just went shopping at Target and Whole Foods at 8 AM when they both opened. I was in and out of both stores within an hour and was headed home. Crazy right?!
   This usually never happens because on weekends, more people are out, you spend time looking for a parking space, and weave in and out of crowds. 
    

3. You have extra time to prepare for the day.

   When you have a few extra hours before the rest of the world wakes up, you feel like you can get ahead of your day. On days that I wake up later, I feel like I’m playing catch up and trying to beat the clock to get XYZ done before I have to speed off to work. It feels really nice to have a leisurely morning, but you’re still able to squeeze in that work out, breakfast, and plan the day ahead of you!