How I manage to wake up early on difficult days...

Can't believe March is over! Woohoo! Hehe!

Having gone to Combat last night, I had a struggle this morning as to whether I will get up for Gentle Flow class or not. The class was at 7AM at Fusionopolis. I've already pressed my clothes for the day. My bag for the day is ready. It's really just a matter of getting up, washing my face and leaving the house by 6AM at the latest.

As usual, I set the alarm for 5:20AM. That way, I can snooze it for another 10 minutes and get up at 5:30AM. I dunno why, but doing this is a way of fooling myself that I actually got more sleep than I wanted.

When it does become really quite a challenge to get up, I recall one thing I learned from a university professor friend - heroic minute.

The idea behind the heroic minute is waking up a minute or two after the alarm went off. Another version I recall is waking up a minute or two before the alarm you set.

How does it become heroic?

This idea is part of a bigger idea that every action in the world can be sanctified. One does not have to be in a convent or a seminary in order to be holy. One can sanctify oneself right where he or she is. (Does this sound familiar? :D)

Applying this to the heroic minute, since waking up at that given time is such a difficulty, why not turn that difficulty into something more noble by offering it up for an intention? By doing so, by embracing that cross at that moment, not only will one be able to perform that task (in this case, waking up very early) but one is also able to offer a prayer for someone or an intention.

Hmm, I tried to intro the concept to PG Boy since getting up at 9AM on weekends is a challenge for him. Lol! Seriously, the only reason he gets up at 9AM on a Saturday is because I force him to. He's still trying to understand the concept though. I dun think one needs to be Catholic to do it.

To me though, it really makes sense. It is something that comes to mind whenever I have difficulty getting up.

Though I must say, I use it only on days that I really find it difficult to get up early, which is quite rare. Hehe!

Maybe there should be a heroic minute: evening version. When one is already supposed to be in bed by this time, one extends a minute more or two of being awake and offer that moment for some intention. Hehe!

The heroic minute is just one of the many things I learned from the university professor friend. There are several other things I learned that I still practice today. The friendship with the guy is no longer existing. But at least, I learned valuable lessons to last me a lifetime from our short-lived friendship.