Has it hit you yet? That “I can’t believe it’s the end of the year” stress?

2016 is winding down and the countdown is on.

There’s a lot of pressure of time running out and yet so much still left to do… So much going on, so much to prepare and think about – it gets intense.

I feel it too, but I want you to know that we are going to end this year with our well-being and sanity intact! Let me tell you why…

Morning People finish strong

Earlier this year, we passed a milestone when the 50,000th student joined the How to Become a Morning Person course.

Wow — that’s huge.

I’ve been reading the hundreds of emails and comments that I’ve received from Morning Person students, and I can tell you that there is a clear trend:

You want CHANGE.

You want to work on your health, you want to be more focussed and productive, you want to feel more fulfilled and happy.

What are the levers for change?

There are basically two levers we can pull if we want to get more done in our day.

The first is the lever marked “Time”.

This is the core of the Morning Person course – how to find more time for the things that matter.

And you guys really get it – read some of the comments I’ve received from students:

“I think I’ve really learnt the value of taking more time in the morning – and the no consuming/electronics idea was great. I had time to do yoga, meditate and read a chapter of a book every morning and I never had to rush out of the door to catch my train.”

“It completely changed my life. I wake up much earlier than before, I do pilates 6 times a week, I changed my bedtime a little earlier so I can get my 8-9 hours of sleep and started drinking smoothies more often.” — Ioana

“It allowed me to relieve some of the stress of the day by taking time for myself, do exercises, meditation and inserting drawing time in the morning.” — Marion

“I learned to make time for the things that make me feel happy to be ALIVE.” — Bianca

But there’s another lever available to us.

And from speaking to my students, I’ve learned that this is the number one roadblock preventing people from experiencing the change they desire.

This is what’s holding you back from the change you desire

What’s holding people back from having more productive mornings, soaring into the day with ease, checking off todo’s and spending time on the things that make life feel meaningful?

It’s the lever marked “Energy”.

Because you can switch off the lights, set your alarm early, and wake up with the best intentions. But if you don’t have the energy in your body, getting through the day is going to be a struggle.

Does this sound like you?

“One roadblock for me is waking up with no energy. Feeling like a zombie.” — David

“I’ve always known that rising early is good. But I always fall back asleep after a couple of hours. Not to mention, when I do try to start the day early, the effort wouldn’t last more than a few days.” — Lyn

“I really need a nap after lunch!! On weekends I don’t have problems, but then, especially on Mondays… my energy goes down after 2pm…” — Alejandra

If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. So don’t lose heart. You have the ability to wake up each morning and create the energy you need to get things done with ease.

And I’m here to help.

Before the next few weeks zoom past, here are some ideas for restoring and creating more energy, so that you can do the things that matter to you — and actually enjoy it!

How to have more energy

A couple of years back, I was in hospital with a compromised immune system. At that time, my nutritionist put me onto a diet of nutrient dense-soups and stews to restore my health and energy.

She didn’t restrict my diet – the goal was to give my body more. More calories, more nutrition, more nourishment. And these soups were like a natural supplement.

But I remember doing a double-take when she said to me “And I want you to rethink your breakfast – and eat these soups in the mornings too!”

Soup for breakfast? Minestrone at 8am?

But I listened – and it made me feel so much stronger and full of energy – that now, years later and fully recovered, eating soup for breakfast is a habit that I still keep up!

I’ll wake up, heat up some goji berry chicken soup or last nights veggie-loaded taco soup with extra shredded cheese on top – and I’m smiling before the day’s even gotten started.

Rethink breakfast

What you eat in the mornings is the fuel that will carry you through the day. Without the right food, it can feel like you’re running on fumes – underperforming when actually you’re capable of so much more.

Eating a better breakfast – one that gives your body more nourishment and more nutrition – can give you the missing energy you need.

So, in true Morning Person style, I have a little challenge for you.

I want you to think about one, simple thing that you can do tomorrow morning to give your body more.

• If breakfast for you is usually just toast and coffee, why not try upgrading to one of my Super Toast ideas.
• If you feel like you could use some fruit and vegetables to kickstart your day, try one of Lin’s amazing smoothie recipes.
• Or if you need more inspiration, check out the Little Green Dot archives for all of my posts on breakfast (it turns out, this is a regular theme for me 🙂 )

Whatever you choose, keep it simple! We’re going to take one small step and then see how it impacts our day.

Ok, ready?

If you’re up for this breakfast challenge with me, jump into the comments and complete this sentence:

I’m going to add MORE to my breakfast tomorrow by ________.

State your intention here.

I’ll check in with you tomorrow to see how your day went.