I Hated Waking Up!

by Christine McGruder
(Maryland)

Photography by Christine!

It had been several months since saying good-bye to my job, and starting this new chapter in my life called Retirement. I loved every moment – no time constraints, no traffic, no office politics, and no having to get up and get dressed! I could stay in my PJ’s all day if I wanted to!

And just like that, the morning arrived, and as soon as I opened my eyes, anxiety filled my heart. The “honeymoon state” of this new chapter had disappeared!! I didn’t see it coming, and I didn’t know what to do. Day, after day, I hated facing a new day. Some days I even had a hard time taking a shower and getting dressed.

Finally, a good friend suggested I get some help, and for a brief couple of months, I went to see a therapist, where I discovered, I had “Retirement Depression.” Who knew there was such a thing?!

One of the things that was very important to change, was the way I thought about, and handled my morning routine. I was going to stay in the rut of hating the light of day, unless I made the decision to change something.

I learned through all of this, that I had to consciously come up with a plan. Since I struggled with anxiety about the day, I made a decision that the first thing I would do upon waking was to meditate. I found a number of wonderful Christian Meditation videos on Youtube. I noticed a change almost immediately. From there, I implemented more morning routines that have really served to positively impact my whole day.

The majority of us have worked most of our lives, raised families, helped companies succeed, and gave our all to our careers, and to other people. Oftentimes, our identity is wrapped up in what we do, and who we are connected to. When all of that changes, it can be difficult to navigate our way, and to become acquainted with our new normal. But we can do it!

If we gave so much of ourselves to everyone and everything else, surely we can make a lot of room to embrace this wonderful season of our lives. It can be a joy or a very depressed state. The good news is this: WE GET TO DECIDE HOW IT IS GOING TO BE!

Wendy and I are excited about the new 7 Day Morning Makeover Challenge that will be starting in May. If YOU are struggling, and desire a CHANGE in your morning routine, the challenge will be a great way of getting some direction, and implementing a routine or two that will help you to move forward.

Now I look back, and it is so hard to believe that I was in such a dark place. And it all started to get better with focusing on and making changes to my morning routine.

So be sure to register for the FREE 7 day Morning Makeover Challenge, and we look forward to hearing all about the positive changes that will come out of that challenge. Register today!