In this season of my life, I’ve come to appreciate the cadence of my daily routines. The alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m. I head to the gym. I come home, shower, have breakfast, and pour my coffee (black coffee, always!). I say my morning prayers and listen to Bible in a Year on the Hallow app on my way to work. Each of these practices helps me take care of some part of myself. A workout gives my body a chance to move. Prayer gives me time to tend to my soul. The familiar order of it all helps settle my mind before the day begins.
Some days are better than others. Some days I miss a step or lose the whole rhythm. I’ve learned that I can still come back to one part of the routine even if the rest of the morning has gotten away from me. I keep coming back because these practices give me a little more peace. I can feel the difference in how I listen and how present I am with the people I love.
One morning this week, I was already running through the demands of the workday in my head. The day had barely begun, and I was already tired from thinking about it. I texted a trusted friend, who reminded me to look for the small joys. A little while later, Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” came on the radio. I could have kept getting ready with the song playing in the background. Instead, I took a sip of coffee and gave myself a few minutes to listen to a personal favorite. By the time the song ended, I felt a little less wound up about the day ahead.
At 56, I’m realizing how often I’ve hurried past things I enjoy, even when they were right there in front of me. I’ve had plenty of mornings with good coffee and good music. What felt different about this one was that I let myself enjoy both before moving on to the next thing. Some mornings, that might mean putting on a record. Other mornings, it might mean taking a deep breath and looking out the window long enough to notice the first light. I’m learning to make time for those moments, especially on the mornings when I’m most tempted to rush.
I’ve started filming these small moments and sharing the videos on my social media channels. Let’s face it. I’m a geek who likes to groove to a good song with a cup of coffee in his hand. That’s exactly what you’ll see in these clips. I’m sharing a little of my morning as an invitation to connect. Maybe the song brings back a memory you want to share. Maybe seeing me take a minute for something I love reminds you that you can give yourself a minute for something you love, too.
I’ve written before that leadership is a lonely gig. My years in the arena have taken a toll on my nervous system, and I’ve lost some friendships along the way. I was lucky to have a friend I could text that morning. When I share one of these videos, I think about the person starting a hard day who might have no one to text. I hope a familiar song and a shared moment help that person feel a little less alone, even for the length of a song.
I’m going to keep my rhythm, one morning small joy at a time. I invite you to find a moment that helps you keep yours. Play the song you always turn up. Take your coffee to the window and watch the morning come in. If you find a small joy that helps you get your day going, I’d love to hear about it. A friend’s simple reminder made a difference for me this week. Something you share might do the same for someone else.
