Looking back, I think it happened Monday. Today is Saturday. The shift, the transformation about me and my beliefs about the morning.

Let’s see, how did it happen? I remember planning the night before to watch a short meditation video. I guess it helped that I knew it was only 9 minutes long.  Maybe setting the lap top up by the window in the living room so that I did not have to go downstairs helped.  I watched the video a second time when I didn’t understand it the first time.  Maybe I was ready for doing movement in the morning. What I really know is that it worked.

For a whole week now, I have been up around 7 and moving. Maybe it helped that I decided each   night before the morning, what kind of movement I would do.  Maybe it helped that I had some flexibility for what activities I would do. Maybe that took some pressure off. Or that it’s been sunny out and no snow this week. And,  as the week has gone by I have remembered  other times that I committed to movement in the mornings. I remembered  books, habits and people that helped me back then. It reminded me I am not new at this, that I can stand up to the old chatter that has been getting in my way.

And now, that I have started, I have some specific reasons for getting up early and moving. I want to be stronger, to be actively work on my posture and my heart health, to be able to start my work day earlier and to go on a cycle trip with my son this year.  Some very good reasons to commit.

I love Saturday mornings.  Last Saturday morning, it was a bit  of a shock to remember   I’d been on vacation literally  just the week before. But at least I remembered.  Vacations offer a perspective-taking of their own. Maybe that helped too.

Have you ever noticed how easy it can be to forget the vacation highlights and joys? That you just carry on with your daily life. That’s another reason I set time for perspective taking through movement, art making and writing.  Maybe my Saturday mornings are like a mini vacation.

It is good to set aside a day of the week to stop and to invite in a fresh perspective.  For as long as I can remember it’s been Saturday mornings.  I remember when I was young my mother insisted we set aside Saturday mornings to clean. It was a strong “directive” that was difficult for my brain to let go of. You know, the guilt that surfaces when you are not following suggestions that someone else thinks are right.  One day I must have accepted that I could have my own Saturday morning ritual.  And now I leave the cleaning to the late afternoon. It’s better for me.

Ok, it’s only been a few days for this renewed habit, moving in the morning, but I do know this: Every Monday morning for the next 8 weeks I am committed to watching the meditation video series and I am expecting that it will inspire my movement for the week.

I truly believe we can shift our perspective to notice what’s changing, what needs remembering and what needs letting go of.  And on the flip side, making change, growing and shaping can all be supported through perspective taking. I love Saturday mornings.