My mother was an early riser. She believed mornings were the best part of the day, and she passed that belief right along to me. I am naturally a morning person, so it suited me for most of my life. Even when I worked overnight shifts in college, she never quite understood how anyone could sleep past 8 am.
Our family tells stories about her vacuuming outside our bedroom door, not to pester us, but because she truly thought the world was already in motion and we should be, too. It was her way of caring, wrapped in enthusiasm and a power cord.
These days, my sleep looks nothing like it used to. I have sleep apnea, and I am not always consistent about using my BiPAP. My cats are busy all night and when I wake up to use the bathroom, they’re ready to play. Some evenings I go to bed much later than I intend. And I rarely set an alarm unless I absolutely have to.
So I wake up when I wake up. Today that was 9:30, and I felt a pang of guilt. Not because my mother ever meant to burden me, but because the rhythm she lived became the rhythm I assumed I was supposed to live, too.
But the truth is simple. If my body did not wake up until 9:30, I clearly needed the sleep. That does not make me lazy. It makes me human. I can hold that truth while still holding love for the woman who believed in early mornings with her whole heart.
This is the interesting part about the stories we grow up with. They come from people who loved us and did their best. They shape us in ways that help in one season of life, and in other seasons we outgrow them. It is okay to notice that shift without making anyone the villain.
So I am practicing something new. I am learning to let my body’s needs carry more weight than old expectations. I am learning that rest is not a moral failure. I am learning that waking up at 9:30 is not proof I have ruined the day. It is simply a sign that I needed rest.
Maybe you grew up with your own version of this. Someone who meant well and taught you habits that made sense then. Someone whose voice still shows up when you do things differently now.
If that sounds familiar, here is a gentle experiment for the week. Notice the old story, thank the person it came from, and then choose the rhythm that actually supports your life today.
You are not wasting the day. You are not behind. You are simply responding to what your body needs.
And your day can begin beautifully right here.
P.S. If this post stirred up that familiar “I’m doing something wrong” feeling, that is a limiting belief talking, not a fact. Inside the Mindset Tools in the Health Warriors Journey App, the Limiting Beliefs Coder helps you slow that thought down, decode where it came from, and gently reframe it into something that actually supports you. It is completely free for everyone, and you can sign up at healthwarriorstribe.me. No fixing yourself, no forcing positivity. Just understanding the story your brain is telling and choosing a better one.