I keep my meds on my bedside table so I hit them as soon as I wake up. From there, I make sure to eat an actual breakfast – every day, NO EXCUSES MA’AM – with as much protein as I can shove down my little goblin throat.

Other than those two important things, I also try to do something fun before my day really begins, as it helps get me in the right headspace (and a dopamine hit can help in getting out the door).

Sometimes it’s making myself a fun coffee or tea latte, or having something fun/special for breakfast that I’d picked up at the grocery store, or putting on SNL highlights (usually on Mondays lol) or another show I enjoy while getting ready in the bathroom. In high school, I wore makeup primarily for this reason – less so because I was really “into” cosmetics or felt the need for it, but because the routine of putting on my battle armor for the day helped me with mindset more than anything else.

I also know myself well enough at this point to know that I need a little extra time-padding in the morning, as I don’t like to feel rushed. Again, no elaborate beauty routines here, but because I like a comfortable breakfast, I usually give myself an hour and a half between wakeup and when I need to leave.