The Value Of Mornings

Since returning from Alaska / back-to-school time, I've been getting up early with H. His alarm goes off at 5:40am and by 6am I'm downstairs in the kitchen feeding Carter his cup of food.I've switched up my morning routine because of the heat. Usually I wake, write morning pages, feed the dog, run with him, eat/shower/dress and leave for work. But that means I could be out for a run as late as 8am and it's just too damn hot for that right now.Exercise is a priority, both for Carter (an exercised dog is a tired, won't-chew-your-shoes dog) and me. That runner's high keeps me going all day, unties stiff muscles and generally makes me a happier person. But running in the heat is bad for both of us.So this is our routine for now: wake, feed dog / drink water, go for a run, write, get ready.---Unfortunately, most days writing gets lost, but I'm working on that.I had this thought since getting back into the work groove - why do I feel obligated to do the work of my job outside job hours, when I never allow myself to do my personal work during job hours?Hhmmm.I have so much flexibility in my time and energy that it can become overwhelming - too many options, not enough parameters. But I heard Heidi's voice in my head saying that this conundrum probably had something to do with value - valuing my time, creativity and personal work.I've been actively putting my personal work at the forefront of my free time and not allowing my salaried job to spill outside of office hours. More so, I'm accepting that this is exactly what happens, and that I need to make conscious choices about what is important to me and what I want to get done with my time.---So, I'm running with the dog before the heat flares up. I'm blogging this before breakfast. I'm tying up email loose-ends and signing off for the night. I'm jotting down a poem instead of checking social media. I'm going for a run without music or a podcast.My mornings are mine - and it's important I use them for me. It sets a habit for the rest of the day and it refills my well. Valuing my time, and what I want to do with it, is a new practice for me - even though it's something I've written about before - it seems like one of those lessons I'm meant to learn over and over again.And it seems that right now, mornings are an opportunity for my daily practice.