1. Q: How many years young are you and what is your living situation?
1. 20 years old! Short, simple answer? I live alone. The long answer: It’s a little complicated? But may be relevant; Last year I fled an abusive roommate situation. I was homeless for about two weeks and then lived in a young adult shelter (18-24) for three months. During those three months, I was eligible for a housing program that gave me my own place free of rent while I receive therapy and continue working/taking classes as I’m able to. I’ve been living here for about seven months, and it’s honestly been a lifesaver.
2. Q: What's the biggest challenge you faced in changing your morning routine? How have you dealt with it/got over it/are still dealing with it?
2. The biggest challenge with changing my morning routine is actually getting up out of bed when my alarm goes off. I’m not so much a snoozer, but more of a wake-up and aimlessly scroll my phone instead of actually getting out of bed person. This is something that I’m still dealing with, but I am working on and have made progress. I set 2 alarms in the morning, one at the time I wake up at and the other one 5 minutes later which is when I’m expected to be out of bed by. It’s not perfect by any means, but every day I do get out of bed on time is a little progress which is perfectly okay as long as I keep making those little steps.
3. Q: What time did you wake up and go to sleep before you started using the Morning Sidekick Journal, and what time do you wake up and sleep now?
3. Before I started using this journal, I would go bed anytime between midnight and 1:30 am and would wake up between 7:30 am and 8. Now, I go to sleep at 10:30 pm and wake up at 5:30 am.
4. Q: What did your mornings look like before you started using the Morning Sidekick Journal? What do your mornings look like now?
4. My mornings were extremely disorganized and hectic. I always forgot something I needed at home and frequently forgot to do basic self-care needs in the morning which always impacted me throughout the day. I also stayed up excessively late and therefore was still tired even after I woke up. Now, my mornings set the tone for the whole day. Even from getting to bed at a reasonable hour for my work schedule. The first 50 minutes of my day is when I have no obligations to communicate with anyone and can honestly take care of myself. I start my day with yoga and a 10-minute freewriting session in my journal. I watch the news briefly and then listen to cheerful music while making coffee. By starting my day off on a positive note, it leaves me feeling ready to conquer whatever comes my way.
5. Q: In one sentence, what's your favorite thing about the Morning Sidekick Journal?
5. My favorite thing about this journal is how informative yet interactive it is.
6. Q: How long have you been using the Morning Sidekick Journal?
6. I just destroyed Phase 2! so about 21 days!!
7. Q: How has using the Morning Sidekick Journal and doing your morning routine impacted your life overall?
7. Almost a year ago, I was diagnosed with Complex-PTSD as a result of living with an abusive roommate for a year and early childhood abuse/trauma. Having a morning routine has given me a sense of stability in my life, which has ultimately aided my recovery and improved almost every aspect of my life. I promise I’m being genuine when I say this, but this journal is the thing I was looking for. The stories are inspirational, and I found most of the tips provided to be useful. Implementing my morning routine has overall made me more organized. I organize and pack my bag at night and shamelessly include basic housekeeping/self-care objectives in my routine. Having it written down is a visual reminder of what I need to feel good and be productive throughout the day. I’m less stressed about what I need to do and feel like I can set realistic goals for myself to continually improve without striving for perfection.