What are some of the benefits of being an early bird as an artist? When I'm out of the house early with coffee in hand and heading to the studio I feel like " I win!" Which is how I know I am actually a morning person despite the occasional late work night and my love-hate relationship with the snooze button. If you are thinking about trying it out here are are a few wonderful things about creating art in the A.M.

1. Optimism. Positivity. Excitement. Nothing has happened in your day yet, it's fresh and full of potential. It's easy to find yourself in a great emotional/mental state that is untampered with. A clean slate like this can keep the inner critic at bay while we are creating.

2. Prioritizing your work.  Early risers get an edge on the day from the get-go. They get to put creativity first in their day - marking it as a priority in their lives every day. I remember reading that novelist Haruki Murakami had a very regular routine that involved working in the morning - this was very important to him, ensuring that his work got done everyday before anything else.

3.  Will power and determination. As the day continues our will power can dwindle as we adjust and compromise to meet the needs of all the tasks and appointments that are part of an artist's life. In the morning our will power is at it's freshest and we feel determined to follow our artistic goals.

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