This morning, my alarm went off at 5:45 AM.
And the very first words out of my mouth were: “I don’t want to get up.”
Ugh. Not the most motivating start to the day. As soon as I said it, I caught myself. That simple sentence had already begun shaping the tone for my day—low energy, low motivation, and zero excitement for what was ahead. And the truth is, words matter. Our thoughts matter. Especially the first ones we allow to rise to the surface when we wake up.
Let me be clear: I’m human. Last night I stayed up later than usual tackling chores around the house. My body was understandably tired. My bed was extra cozy, the room had that perfect, slight chill in the air, and my blanket felt like a warm hug I didn’t want to leave. But instead of pushing myself to instantly jump out of bed with forced positivity, I paused and gave myself a little grace.
I said, “I’m grateful for this warm bed, this soft blanket, and this peaceful moment.”
And then I followed it with: “Now I’m ready to get up. I’m going to have a great day.”
That small shift changed everything. It gave me enough spark to get up without hitting snooze, and guess what? Here I am writing this blog post—energized, clear-minded, and grateful.
We have thousands of thoughts each day. So many of them run on autopilot, and if we don’t tune in, those unfiltered thoughts can quietly steer us toward negativity, discouragement, and disconnection from the day ahead.
Here’s something powerful to remember:
Every single thought you have creates a chemical reaction in your body.
This is why it’s so important to become aware of our thoughts—especially first thing in the morning. When you start your day unconsciously feeding yourself negativity, your body follows. Your mood shifts, your energy drops, your motivation tanks. But the good news? You have the power to interrupt that cycle.
As a therapist, one of the very first things I explore with clients is the connection between our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This is the foundation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), one of the most well-researched and effective approaches for mental health. What makes it so universally helpful is that it taps into something every single person experiences:
We all have thoughts.
We all feel emotions.
We all engage in behaviors.
And here’s the secret: when you change one of those things, you influence the others.
So, this morning, I started with my thoughts.
I labeled my initial “I don’t want to get up” as unhelpful.
I gave myself grace: “It makes sense that I’m tired.”
I shifted to a more helpful thought: “I’m grateful for my rest, and I’m ready for the day.”
Then I changed my behavior.
In the past, I would’ve hit snooze and stayed under the covers.
Today, I stayed up. I got up. I followed through.
These tiny, intentional shifts set the tone for my whole morning. And they’re available to you too—right now.
So here’s my challenge to you:
Start paying attention to your thoughts and behaviors—especially in the first moments of your day.
Start small. Start with one sentence. One action.
Say something kind or hopeful when you wake up.
Do one thing differently than usual.
The more you practice, the easier it becomes.
And over time?
You’ll notice how much power you actually have to shape your mood, your mindset, and your life.
You’ve got this.