Waking Up

I typically love to wake up early and never found myself to be someone who hits snooze on the alarm, until I started to make that a habit a couple years ago. Once I hit snooze, my sleep is not as meditative and rejuvenating, my thoughts begin to stir up and I wonder why it is that I feel the need for a few more moments of rest. Then I begin to think about what time it was when I actually turned off the light for the night and began to rest.  It almost always is hours later than when I first decided that it was time to rest for the day. 
Today, on the sunniest day that we central Massachusetts has seen in what feels like weeks, I hit snooze. I hit the snooze button for a complete hour. My body needed the additional rest, so I was appreciative for my willingness to simply hit snooze again and again, without shame. When I finally decided that I had hit snooze enough and I woke up - I felt the beautiful shine of the morning sun coming in through the window. I heard the spring time songs of the birds and yet again found myself remembering what it is that I love so much about the morning. I love the peaceful way that it unfolds. I love the moments of quiet, quiet from the emails and phone calls and traffic that will come later in the day. For the beginning moments of my day, especially those where I do not hit snooze - the only thoughts on my mind are of the sounds that surround me, the energy of the new day unfolding. 
I have felt tired most of the time lately, number of hours asleep aside and have wondered why. What is it that I am missing or getting too much of? For starters, I know that for myself I am overwhelmed by stimuli at times, which quickens my thoughts, making it a bit harder for me to calm down at night and to awake in the morning when the first alarm goes off. 
When I step on the mat though and move through the physical practice of yoga, the meditative, inward journey of yoga begins. My thoughts calm, until the only thought on my mind is that of my breath. The inhale and the exhale. The journey of each breath through my body and out into the world. The breath-movement connection as I link one breath with one movement, flowing through the practice with mindfulness.  The mind-body connection moves to the forefront of my awareness when I am on the mat and this is a practice that I strive to take off the mat with me too so that I may walk through this work with a deeper connection to myself, my actions, others and the environment around me. Through this deepened connection, questions such as what am I missing or what do I have too much of are easier to answer, even if the answer if one that we may wish was not the case.
So, what is missing? Well, sleep. Falling asleep at an earlier hour if I am to wake up as early as I intend - that is what is missing. Taking the meditative practice of yoga off the mat and into the world with me is sometimes missing too, as I allow my mind to be distracted by the superficialities of life.  It is important for us to notice what is "missing" without placing judgement on it or ourselves. While we are spiritual beings on a human journey, our humanness will shine through - each day - and that is more than OK, let it be there, explore it and live to be the best version of yourself that you can be with each new day - that is what I strive to do and I invite you to do the same. 
Wherever you are today, I wish you sunshine along the way, the beautiful songs of birds and the stillness of mind that comes when the focus is placed solely on the breath and its incredible journey through your body. Peace, now and always.