This week I woke up to the below email from Mark Manson (author of "Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck"):

The real "morning routine" nobody tells you about:

1. Eat a reasonable dinner, no caffeine or alcohol.
2. Stop looking at screens around 9 PM.
3. Get into bed by 10 PM.
4. Relax, meditate, do some light reading.
5. Wake up early feeling f*cking great and ready to go.

Think of the last time you woke up feeling refreshed. What had you done the night before? Now think of the last time you woke up feeling like a bag of ass—how many substances were involved?

So simple, but so impactful.

When I was in consulting, I woke up almost every day feeling like absolute sh*t. On the road, without a kitchen, I’d hit restaurants every night, ordering a drink with every meal. When I got home, I would check my emails, brush my teeth, and try sleep.

I hated feeling like sh*t so I experimented with cutting back on alcohol to just the weekends. I wasn't perfect on reducing screens or healthy food, but limiting alcohol to weekends made my weekday wake-ups easier. Then I noticed—I was still waking up on weekends feeling like sh*t.

Wait… what? That doesn't make sense.

The days meant for fun and relaxation had me waking up feeling worse. So, I experimented taking weekends off from alcohol too. Guess what? I started feeling better during the week and on the weekends.

Maybe Mark Manson is onto something.

If you want to wake up with energy and crush the day, it starts the night before.

For me, that started with alcohol. Once I cut back and felt better, it was easier to focus on other things: consistent bedtimes, healthier dinners, even leaving my phone in the other room. It all adds up. Mornings feel clearer. Days feel better.

What’s one small change you can make tonight to wake up feeling refreshed tomorrow?

Favorite Photo from the Week:

Last weekend, I headed into the mountains with Kel and her dad, Jim. It was really hard to pick a favorite photo, but our new friend Mr. Moose gets the honors.

Till next week, be kind, be curious, and work hard.

Tanner

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