Thinking of 9K Runs at Dawn Doesn’t Help with Getting Up Early Habit

Thinking about 9 kilometers of running first thing in the morning was definitely not a good motivation to getting up early habit. I ended up sleeping until 7:21 a.m., until nearby construction noise made it impossible to sleep anymore.

I checked my average waking time over the past week—around 7 a.m. without an alarm. That’s a sign that the early wake-up habit hasn’t been firmly built yet. It’s a kind of withdrawal response, maybe. So I need to be more attentive to it.

I still want to naturally wake up at 5:30 a.m. each morning. Last week’s data is a warning. But I’m not too worried. It’s only natural for things to break a little before they truly stick long enough.

The Process is Not Linear, and That’s Okay

Early rising is never easy. Building this habit takes time and patience—with the process and with ourselves.

Thanks to the construction work for waking me up today. It was super annoying while I was lying in bed. But now, as I’m sitting here, writing to the rhythm of the rain, I feel glad and thankful. Thankful to the construction, and thankful to myself for getting up. 7:21 a.m. isn’t that late—it’s still a good job.

The Rain Lingers, So Do the Efforts

Dragon Boat weekend is over, but the rain lingers. I hope you’ve been able to get out this Monday—whether it was a long or short weekend for you.

People get up early to enjoy peace of mind, the stillness of the morning, or simply to live life as it is. Changing or reshaping an existing habit can be painstaking. But what if we never changed? What would life mean then?

To Try Is to Live

Trying new things is a way to remind myself that I’m alive and thriving. To experience is the best meaning one can give to life.

Life naturally moves in ups and downs. Even when we sleep, our bodies vibrate in tune with our hearts. On those lower days when you don’t want to get up early, don’t punish yourself with a 9-kilometer run. You can always move it to the afternoon.

For now, if I’m still in this turbulent phase of building a habit, maybe just getting up is the goal. Later, I can find a more tempting reason to wake up early. Step by step, a new rhythm will come—a point where I’ll be excited for a 9km. or even a 20km run.

Have Faith and Patience

Time it out. Have faith in yourself. Be patient. Change takes time to build momentum. But once momentum builds, it can carry you toward lasting change and higher levels of achievement.

Your Direction Matters Most

How’s your early rising habit going? I bet you’ve had or will have these phases too—where it feels like everything’s going backward.

No worries. Just tie your shoes, and go forward again. Don’t lose your direction. That’s what matters most.

My way of not losing mine is by documenting the journey. Hope you had a good start to your day. Hope you do something too, to keep yourself on track—and to gently push yourself back if you ever lose your way.

Thanks for reading!