How does your day start? Is it a frenzied rush from the moment your alarm blares to the second you plop into your chair at work? Do you weave in and out of cars on the roads like you\’re preparing for a NASCAR event? I should hope not! Why? Well, let\’s get a few words of wisdom from Henry Beecher Stowe:

The first hour is the rudder of the day.

Does that put things in perspective? Why should you expect the rest of your day to go smoothly if that\’s how you wake up and get started? What would it take to steer yourself in the right direction? If your day starts off like I mentioned above, how much work would it take to wake up five or ten minutes earlier to have a few moments of peace?

I know that some things are essential for my day to go well. I make time to eat breakfast, pack a healthy lunch, and read some news from my Google Reader. Confession: I purposefully write and schedule my blog posts to go live early in the morning so other early birds can benefit.

What is essential for you to start your day off on the right foot? Is it exercise, a good cup of coffee, or something more? Please share, because you never know when it could help someone else.