9 Things I Do By 9am

Winter mornings ask a lot of me.

They ask me to get up when it’s dark.  To leave the warmth of the bed.  To move my body before my mind has fully agreed.

I don’t like early mornings—especially in the cold.  I never have.  But I’ve learned something about myself over the years:  I don’t need to love a thing for it to love me back.

What I do love is how my days feel after I show up.

So here are nine small things I usually do by 9am.
Nothing fancy. Nothing performative.  Just the rhythms that keep me calm, grounded, and steady.

1.  Wake Up at 5:03am

Yes—5:03am.

I have a thing about numbers.  I don’t like clean times.  No 5:00.  No 6:30.  Always something slightly off.

Winter mornings make this the hardest.  It’s dark.  It’s cold.  And my bed is convincing.

Lately, the 5-4-3-2-1 method has been my lifeline.  I don’t negotiate or think,  I just move.

And honestly?  What gets me up most days isn’t motivation—it’s teamwork.   My walking partner is counting on me.  I grew up in sports.  I understand showing up for the team, even when you don’t feel like it.  Especially when you don’t feel like it.

2.  Brush, Wash, Occasionally Oil Pull

Nothing glamorous here.

Brush teeth.  Wash face.  Some mornings I oil pull.  Some mornings I don’t.  The goal isn’t perfection.  It’s presence.

3.  Walk While the World is Still Sleeping

I walk before the world fully wakes up.  I don’t love the cold, but I do love the quiet that comes with it.  The first wave of nature.  The first lights turning on.  Sounds of people just beginning their day.

This walk gets my exercise done early—which sets me up to be more productive later.  I don’t have to think about fitting it in.  It’s already handled.

4.  Breakfast With Helpers and Beauty Sleep

Arrington is usually up right after my walk.  He thrives when he can help—and these days, that means scrambled eggs.  And I must say…he’s gotten very good at them.

Aliah, on the other hand, is committed to her beauty sleep.  Arrington once said, “Mom, I put the alarm clock literally on her head and she still didn’t wake up.”

Eventually, I go nudge her.  Gently.  Lovingly.

They both pick out their clothes the night before—an old habit from my own childhood that has saved more time and emotional energy than almost anything else.

Picking outfits in peace is underrated.

5.  Table, Conversation, and Old-School Rules

We eat at the table.  Always.  No wandering through the house with toast.  No devices.  Just conversation, laughter, and sometimes music.

They often talk to their dad during breakfast.  And even if it’s just a short call, he’s present in their morning.

That…still feels like quiet healing to me.

I don’t usually eat breakfast with them on school days—I’m packing snacks, cleaning the kitchen, finishing little tasks—but I stay close.

And when I can, I sit and sip my lemon water right there with them.

6.  School Drop-Off & Quiet Returns

Arrington usually walks with his buddies.  I take Aliah to school.  Then I come back to a suddenly very quiet house.

This moment always feels like a small exhale.

7.  Lemon Water & Ten Minutes With Nature

Before I do anything productive, I go outside.

Just me.  My lemon water.  The birds, the wind, and the sound of the neighborhood waking up.

Sometimes I just listen. Sometimes I listen to my book. Other times, it’s silence.  Either way, it’s ten minutes of being present before I’m required to perform.

8.  Body First:  Therapy, Yoga, Movement

Then I move.  My physical therapy routine.  My yoga.  Sometimes both.  Not to punish my body.  To thank it.

During my physical therapy time, I continue to listen to my book—letting my mind move while my body does too.  It’s one of the ways I stay engaged without rushing.

9.  Check the Day (Then the Phone—Finally)

Before I touch email or social media, I check the goals and schedule I set the night before.

What matters today?  And what doesn’t?  What needs energy?  And what can wait?

Only then—usually around 9 or 9:30am—I allow myself to look at my phone in that way.

By then, I’ve already lived a whole life.

I also shared a winter day in my life on YouTube for anyone who likes to see the rhythm instead of just read it.

What This Routine Has Taught Me.

This routine didn’t happen because I love mornings.  It happened because I love how my days feel when I’m supported.

This routine was built slowly—through trial, error, motherhood, healing, and a deep desire to start our days with good energy.

It helps me, the kids, and the house feel steady.  And maybe most importantly…it reminds me that:  You don’t need a perfect morning.  You just need a dependable one.

By 9am, I’ve walked, moved, mothered, laughed, listened, prayed, cleaned, and breathed.  Not to impress anyone.  Just to feel ready.  And lately…that’s been more than enough.

BTW: You’re not always going to be motivated, so you must be disciplined.

Tell me — what’s one thing you try to do before your day really begins?

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