how do you wake up?

"Every morning when I wake up, I feel an exquisite sense of joy- the joy of being Salvador Dali. And I ask myself, in rapture, what wonderful thing will he create today, this Salvador Dali." - Dali

Don't be too hard on yourself if you can't muster his
enthusiasm for life.

How do you wake up in the mornings? Do you jump out of bed with a smile? Do you have to hit snooze four times before you can finally drag yourself out of bed? Do you have to set three alarms so you don't sleep through them all?

I found it so hard to wake up this morning and even though I want to blame daylight savings time, I have to admit that I just don't wake up like I used to. I used to be an Olympian status waker-upper. I would usually beat my alarm clock by one minute and shoot straight up. I would have a big smile on my face and I would get ready for my day with enthusiasm even if I didn't particularly have anything going on in my life. It was a special gift. It is gone and I want it back so badly.

Do you feel like this guy in the morning?

I once read that a Himalayan monk told someone that getting up right away instead of hitting snooze helps you feel more refreshed and alert. (I just can't imagine a monk saying snooze, can you?) In that same made up sounding article, the author also tells us that the Buddha said to consider you were going to die each night and that way in the morning, you would feel incredibly grateful for having woken up at all. Considering you wake up at all, of course. This tip may also backfire for depressed people.

For a less dramatic approach, try changing the alarm you wake up to. My old phone had the most horrifying alarm. It sounded like a jack hammer breaking cement. It scared the crap out of me and every morning I would start my day working against that initial anger. A few weeks ago, I set my blackberry alarm because I'd forgotten my regular phone in the living room. The alarm... it is like a chorus of sweet angels who want  only good things to happen to me as they gently nudge me awake. It begins with some soft chirps and picks up a beautiful melody. It is a game changer.

I am still nowhere near waking up as well as I used to but this simple adjustment in my routine has helped waking up be a much more pleasant experience. Try making this little change if you are having trouble waking up and see if it helps you too. Maybe with a little effort, we can all start waking up like Dali. And if thats not your style, you can always learn how to wake up feeling like P-diddy.