EARLY RISING

People often ask me why at 71 years of age I choose to get out of bed at 5am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and head for the gym, particularly since I’m retired and could go anytime. One reason is, that I find getting out of bed at 5a.m. three days a week gives me a kick start. When there is no reason to get out of bed many people, if not most, tend to stay in bed longer and longer and from my point of view, run the risk of stagnating. By getting up three mornings a week and taking myself to the gym to work on my body I feel like I’m still going to work, that I’m still relevant. Also my getting out of bed so early three days a week, for me, creates a division between Monday and Tuesday, and Wednesday and Thursday. Otherwise the whole week, in fact life itself could feel like one long, ‘same as, same as,’ monotonous day. My getting out of bed at 5am and heading for the gym also gives me sense of purpose and it makes me feel alive and active. It also adds to my self-esteem because, it is difficult to do and this makes me feel strong and vital, ‘out of the box.’ In addition going to the gym so early gives me more time to write during the day encouraging others to live the life they want to live. So many people’s lives are unnecessarily hamstrung by the restrictive nature of stereotypes and/or the expectations and opinions of others.