Heart & Home

The other morning, I hit snooze three times before finally dragging myself out of bed, only to find myself answering texts with one eye open and scrolling through new listings while brushing my teeth. By 7:45 a.m., I was on the phone with a lender and had completely skipped my workout, my quiet coffee, and that essential moment to simply breathe before the day began.

Sound familiar?

One of the things that makes real estate so unique is its flexibility—but that’s a double-edged sword. Without a firm start time or a clock to punch, it’s dangerously easy to let the morning slide. And when I do, I feel it in my body, my energy, and my mindset. On the mornings when I hit snooze and skip my self-care routine, I find myself more anxious, more reactive, and honestly, a little resentful that I didn’t take that time for myself.

The truth is—mornings have always been hard for me.

I’m not one of those people who wakes up at 5 a.m. bright-eyed and ready to hit the mat. I’ve never loved working out in the morning. I’ve always loved exercise—I’ll fit it in, even if it’s at 8 p.m.—but waking up and going straight into movement has never felt easy or natural for me. In my core, I’m more of a night owl. I come alive in the evening, when the house is quiet and the world slows down.

So building a morning routine that actually sticks? This has been a slow, ongoing work for me for years.

But lately, I’ve realized something important: I don’t have to suddenly become a “morning person.” I just have to protect a little space in the morning that belongs to me.

What I Want My Mornings to Look Like

Inspired by voices I admire like Tony Robbins, Max Lugavere, and Mel Robbins, here’s the routine I’m working toward (notice I said working toward, not perfecting):

1. Wake Up Without Snoozing.
Mel Robbins swears by the 5-Second Rule: when your alarm goes off, count backwards—5-4-3-2-1—and just get up. No negotiation. No scrolling. Just feet on the floor. This one is tough for me, but I’m committed to getting better.

2. Water, Then Movement.
Before coffee, before emails—water. And then some kind of movement. Tony Robbins talks about “changing your state” as the key to changing your life. Even just a brisk walk or a 20-minute Peloton ride helps me feel powerful before the day pulls me in ten directions.

3. Quick Mindset Reset.
A few minutes of journaling, a few minutes of morning sun on the deck, or breathing. Max Lugavere emphasizes the importance of lowering stress to support brain and body health. Even five minutes of quiet sets the tone for the day I want to have, not just the one that’s coming at me.

4. Fuel Up.
Something nourishing. Something green. Something with protein. Real talk—when I start the day with a cold brew and no breakfast, I’m hangry and burnt out by noon.

5. Start Work After I Start With Me.
If I don’t take time for me first thing, I won’t take it at all. That 6:00–7:30 a.m. window is gold—if I don’t claim it, someone else will.

Why It Matters (More Than Ever)

In a job that starts early and ends late, where the calls come in seven days a week and “downtime” can be interrupted at any moment, that first hour of the day is sacred. And when I honor it, I’m better in every role I play—agent, mom, wife, human.

So if you’re like me—deep in the snooze struggle and feeling the weight of unclaimed mornings—you’re not alone. Let’s call this our mid-year reset. Not a resolution. A reclaiming.

Let’s stop snoozing on the life we want.