Just for June

Welcome to my 6am Substack.

Morning light

We’re approaching the longest day of the year in the UK, so my home is flooded with light well before 5 am every day.

As much as we try to keep it at bay, it finds a way in.

And really, I love it.

I’ve always been a morning person. There is nothing better than a peaceful morning, where the sky is already blue, and the only sound interrupting the silence is birdsong.

Hopeful and calm, delightfully alone, in awe of the world we get to call home. That’s how I feel in the morning.

Also productive and focused, some of my best work is done between the hours of 5 and 9 am.

But something has been off recently; I have felt a little unmoored. And I’ve realised it’s because I don’t have mornings for myself anymore.

I’m a Pilates teacher, and that inevitably means working when other people aren’t. Early mornings or late into the evening.

I passionately dislike working evenings; it’s a dark cloud hanging over me all day that I just can’t shake, even though I love my job.

Morning classes mean I can enjoy the rest of the day, without having to worry about going back into “work mode”.

So that’s what I’ve been doing for the last couple of years. Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays were pre-6 am alarms, and off I went to work immediately. Often having to arrive at the studios by 6.

Lovely.

But something strange happened on the other days of the week. I would still wake up, but I found myself rebelling against the early starts because I didn’t “have” to get up.

That would be fine, except for the fact that I feel rubbish when I lie in. It’s so rare for me to sleep past 6 or 7, so if I do, it’s because I’ve woken up and fallen back to sleep. When I eventually do get up, there is no routine. I’m sluggish and slow.

I’m the early bird who missed the worm, and it shows.

But I’m determined to get back into my swing. Not because I don’t deserve rest, simply because I adore intentional mornings, and they make the rest of my day so much more energised and balanced.

To do this, I’ve given up my Thursday am class. (Hence why I’m sitting at 6 am writing a Substack)

This is the first week I’ve had it back, and it’s heavenly. I feel as though I’ve reclaimed my entire week just by this small change. Suddenly, the majority has switched. I only work two earlies, and I can do what I like with the other three days.

I can build habits that might actually stick. It’s promising.

I’ve decided for the next few weeks to get up when I wake up, and see what shifts.

Today I woke at 5.40 and was out of bed by 6. Here’s how it went:

• 25 minutes of journaling (the last entry was Sept 26th 2025…)

• Five minutes of sitting still, listening to the birds, while enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face

• Read my book for 15 minutes with my legs up the wall to boost my circulation

• A few minutes of stretching to wake up my body, and rehab an old shoulder injury

• One substack post written (and hopefully posted)

These, on their own, aren’t life-changing. But they are a combination of things that make me, me. You’ll have your own set of things that make you feel put together, I’m sure.

Doing these consistently is how I look after my body and my mind. When I don’t, I have a little voice in my head nagging me to find the time because I know it’s good for me. But we love to self-sabotage, don’t we?

Incorporating them into my morning routine is the only way I can guarantee I’ll make the time for them.

Habits are almost impossible to create when they aren’t being built into a consistent routine.

My sisters and I have a little technique we use when we want to commit to something, try something new, or make a change in our lives. We do the “thing” just for one month, not forever. Knowing we can commit for a month makes long-term changes so much more accessible.

Just for January, one of them didn't eat any sweet treats at all. Just for February, the other one did 30 minutes of her physio exercises every day.

Just for June, I am going to get up every weekday morning before 6 and do the things I already know make me thrive. I’ve had a chance to test the waters this week, and I’m suitably motivated to give it a real go.

Let’s see what shifts.

Have a glorious day, warm wishes as always,

Beth