Is It still true? The Early Bird Gets the Worm?

You know the saying. We all do. If you dont, allow me to introduce you to one of the oldest proverbs in existence. "The early bird gets the worm" means those who start early, show up first, or take initiative are more likely to be successful. Appareently, this gem first popped up in a 1605 book of proverbs by William Camden. Which, fun fact, means people have been stressing about waking up early for centuries.

Back in elementary school, when time wasn't my problem. I couldn't have cared less about this phrase. My mom handled all the important things - getting me up, checking on homework, and ensuring I didnt leave the house looking like a disheveled mess. If I forgot something? Life went on. No worm-hunting required.

Honestly, I think that's why we love vacations so much as adults - because for the alotted amount of time, we don't have to be in charge of all the things.

In middle and high school, I knew the phrase had some kind of meaning, but I had teenage logic and the worm wasn't on my radar. Let's be real - just because you wake up early doesn't mean you're winning at life. I mean, my friend Keisha? Couldn't make it to the bus stop on time to save her life. But did she still pull off straight A's. Absolutely.

Also, what are you supposed to do when you wake up that early? Watch the news? Well, if you grew up in a place where snow days were a thing, then yes, watching the news was a daily survival strategy - praying to see your school scroll across the bottom of the screen, granting you an unexpected day of daytime TV.

The 'Aha" moment, birds and their worms. At some point, I either had an epiphany or someone finally broke it down to me: Worms come out late at night and early in the morning when the ground is cool and moist, expecially after rain. Birds that wake up first have the best shot at breakfast.

Okay, that made sense. If you didnt know, now you know. But in high school? none of this made me feel any urgency to be first at anything, so I carrie on, unbothered. Looking back, though, for those of you still navigating life with kids or teens at home, this is where I'd say - force them into at least one activity. Not just for the sake of keeping them busy (though, that is a perk), but because there's much to be learned from structured activities outside of a classroom. Teamwork, discipline, time management - things that ironically might just help them appreciate the whole early bird concept a little sooner than I did.

Now? I'm in my 40's, and let me tell you, waking up early sounds great in theory. Actually getting up? Whole different story. Over the years, I've had bursts of success - New goals, fresh motivation, grand plans. And I know the benefits because I've experienced them. But I've also gotten very good at excusing my way out of it. Some days, my willpower is strong. Other days, my bed is stronger, and other days my emotions overshadow it all. But here's the thing: I want that worm, y'all.

So, cue the rabbit-hole research, podcast deep dives, and all the random conversations I've had about this over the years, to say in my best Pinky and the Brain voice: I have devised a plan to take over the world.

Okay, not the world - just my world. I want to be in control of how my day starts, because if I can set the tone for my morning, I have a much better shot at controlling how my day ends. And if I can do that? Then maybe, just maybe, I'll better handle all the unpredictable chaos life throws my way.

Here's what I did to get serious and start waking up earlier:

1) Brutally honest self reflection: I asked questions like: Why do I want to wake up earlier? How will it benefit my life? What's been stopping me? No sugarcoating, Just the truth.

2) Figuring out my mornings: What do I really want to do when I wake up? Excercise? Bible study? Laundry? Journaling? I need a realistic plan not just a wake-up time.

3) Set a reasonable wake-up time: Not too early, but early enough to get stuff done

4) Commiting to a bedtime: This one hurt my feelings, I sulked a bit. But getting up earlier on works if I get enough sleep. I accepted it, made peace with it, and moved on.

5) Set myself up for success the night before: The last thing I wanted is to wake up at 5AM and waste time looking for stuff. I set up my space with my Bible, journal, pen, and highlighter, ready to go. If your morning involves a workout, lay out your clothes, shoes earbuds, and water bottle for a grab and go situation.

Now, I'd love to say it was smooth sailing from here, but it never is. New habits come with a learning curve. I had to tweak my routine, sometimes shofting my wake-up time, sometimes switching up the order of my morning tasks. If you have an upredictable work schedule, waking up at the same time everyday might not work. Maybe your goal isn't a set time but giving yourself a set amount of time before you ahve to be up.

The key? Consistency, not perfection. Be flexible, do not give up. Some mornings, just getting out of bed is the win. And that's okay, you're training your mind and body to expect this new rhythm, by saying through action, This is what we do now.

So, is the saying still true, does the early bird get the worm?

I think this proverb will always hold some truth. The "worm" just looks different for everyone. Maybe it's knocking out your to-do list before the world wakes up. Maybe it's finally sticking to a workout routine. Maybe it's grounding your mind with prayer and meditation before the day begins.

For me? The worm is learning to take control of my time. Because every time my husband reminds me that we are individuals first and partners in life, I want that worm. Every time I try on a pair of pants that used to fit better, I want that worm. Every time I feel overwhelmed by the never-ending list of adulting tasks, I want that worm.

Enough is enough. And in my world, it starts with how I start my day.

Lets chat, what's your take? Are you one of those magical women who wakes up naturally at 5 AM, conquers life before breakfast, and still has energy left by noon? Or are you like me, working intentionally every day to do what I set out to do, motivation (or lack of it) be damned?

Drop your thoughts, tips, or "enough is enough" life shifts in the comments -

I want to hear them!