Whatever is happening in your life, my advice to you (without knowing one iota about you) is to make a commitment to get up, make your bed, and change your life. Every day for the rest of your life.
I don’t mean you actively have to get up and change your life but making your bed consistently is one of the small habits likely to get you there.
When I think of the list of things people want to do daily, making a bed isn’t one of them.
But it’s the cornerstone habit to many if not all of them including;
- Eating healthily
- Working out
- Being productive
There’s something about seeing a perfectly well-made bed that A) gives you a sense of accomplishment and B) focuses your energy on the day.
After all, who wants to mess it up after it’s already made? Unless it’s for a wonderful reason of course;-)
Make your bed, commit to yourself
On May 17, 2014, Navy Seal Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas (Austin) on “What starts here changes the world,” His original speech went viral with over 10 million views. And it’s easy to see why.
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day,″ he says. “It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.”
The most successful people in their world take their commitments seriously, most of all the ones they make to themselves.
If you REALLY want to change your life, you don’t need to wait for the 1st of January. It doesn’t take great leaps; it takes consistency.
- Your body knows how to deal with double servings of pizza on a Sunday if you work out five times a week.
- Your relationship won’t suffer when you’re having a bad week if you communicate consistently.
- You’ll be able to take a vacation with ease, if you’re consistent in your work when not on vacation.
You catch my drift?
To change your life commit to yourself and the greatest way to remind yourself that you’re perfectly capable to taking each step is to start with your bed.
I always say, that if you don’t start your day right, there’s little chance it’ll end right.
But if you start right and your day still doesn’t end well, then at least you’ll come home to a beautifully made bed. Thank you Admiral William H. McRaven for that wisdom.
Make your bed, declutter your life
I’ve noticed that often when I’m feeling overwhelmed it takes three simple acts to get me back on track;
- Put my clothes away.
- Make my bed.
- Exercise.
I don’t know how it is but clothes multiply. The one day you don’t hang up your shirt or put a jacket back in the cupboard, it will multiply. Two days later you’ll probably feel like every item of your wardrobe is now perched on your bedroom armchair.
And it’ll feel like a mess.
- Feel like you’re not on top of your work?
- Feel like you’re out of sinc with your partner?
- Kids driving you nuts?
- Feel like you’re failing?
The answer is the same. Get up, make your bed, change your life.
Then put away the clothes and go and exercise, even just for twenty minutes and you’ll feel like a different person.
“There is evidence that physical environments (and their relative orderliness) impact our ability to learn and interact with others as well as our general sense of well-being. In fact, researchers have found that disorganization has a negative influence on our brains, such as our ability to focus.” VeryWellMind
Check your morning routine
Don’t worry. I’m not about to spout forth the benefits of the 5am club. Especially since I live in Spain and battle to get my butt out of bed at 6h15. 😂
BUT there is something to be said for a morning routine.
There are days when I let myself sleep in (which is great because rest is important) but often on those days I start the day feeling crap.
My brain feels fuzzy and I battle to get out of bed. I typically forget stuff. It’s weird.
Because the days that I set my alarm, do my Duolingo, get out of bed (and make it) and head off to train, I’m sharper, I’m happier, I eat better, I think better….
Is it the making the bed? No I don’t think so. It’s the combination of starting the day with learning, exercise and discipline that makes the difference.
I dare you. Try it for 21 days.
Get up, make your bed and let me know what happens in your life after just 3 weeks.
Want to know the 10 points to change your life?
Navy Seal Admiral William H. McRaven gave these points to help the inaugural class of 2014 change the world. I’ll be happy if you merely change your life because by changing your life, you’ll change the world around you.
- Start Your Day with a Task Completed. I.e. make your bed.
- You Can’t Go At It Alone, so don’t.
- Only the Size of Your Heart Matters.
- Get Over Being a Sugar Cookie. This one you’ve got to read.
- Don’t Be Afraid of the Circus.
- Slide Down the Obstacle Head First.
- Don’t Back Down from the Sharks.
- Be Your Very Best in Your Darkest Moments.
- Start Singing When You’re Up to Your Neck in Mud.
- Don’t Ever, Ever Ring the Bell.
