Every morning, two versions of me meet.
There is Responsible Miu, who believes we should get up, wash our face, drink some water, get dressed, and begin the day.
Then there is Sleepy Miu, whose entire philosophy can be summarized as:
“Five more minutes.” 😴
Responsible Miu usually wins.
Eventually.
But she needs help.
And surprisingly, one of my favorite little morning tricks doesn’t involve coffee, complicated routines, inspirational podcasts, or waking up before sunrise.
It’s much simpler.
Cold-ish water on my face. 💦
Not freezing.
I’m trying to wake up, not interrogate myself. 😂
The Journey From Bed to Sink Is Longer Than It Looks
The distance between my bed and bathroom is not particularly impressive.
Yet first thing in the morning, it occasionally feels like an expedition.
Step one: locate consciousness.
Step two: negotiate with blanket.
Step three: find slippers.
Step four: walk toward sink while brain loads operating system.
At this stage, if somebody asked me an important question, they would receive:
“Mmm.”
Please try again after initialization. 😌
Then I turn on the tap.
And this is where the transformation begins.
First Splash: Immediate Betrayal 💦
I cup the water in my hands.
Bring it toward my face.
Splash.
OH.
Good morning apparently. 😂
My eyes close automatically.
My shoulders wake up.
My brain receives an urgent notification:
SYSTEM STATUS: WE ARE AWAKE NOW.
There’s something so satisfying about that first splash.
Sleepiness doesn’t disappear completely, but it definitely loses the argument.
So naturally…
I do it again.
Second Splash: Okay, I Forgive You
The second one feels better.
Now I’m prepared.
Water across my cheeks.
Forehead.
Around my face.
Suddenly everything feels fresher.
The strange sleepy heaviness begins disappearing, and I start feeling less like a pillow with hair.
Progress. 😆
And because I’m apparently incapable of doing anything without turning it into a tiny game, sometimes I mentally announce:
Morning Miu has entered the chat.
Very professional.
Highly effective.
I Like Morning Habits That Are Too Small to Fail
We’ve all seen those beautiful morning routines.
Wake up.
Stretch.
Meditate.
Journal.
Exercise.
Read.
Make breakfast.
Plan the day.
Drink something green.
Become enlightened before 7:15 a.m. 😂
They look wonderful.
But I know myself.
If my morning routine requires a table of contents, I’m probably not doing it consistently.
So I’ve become a fan of tiny rituals.
Wash my face.
Open the curtains.
Drink water.
Make the bed when I remember.
Put on something comfortable.
That’s enough to create momentum.
Tiny habits don’t look impressive.
That’s exactly why they work for me.
I Don’t Want My Morning to Feel Like a Performance
This is something I’ve been thinking about lately.
There’s so much pressure to “win the morning.”
Apparently if you don’t wake up at an ambitious hour and complete fourteen healthy habits before everyone else opens their eyes, you’ve already lost the day.
Excuse me?
Who are we competing against? 😂
I don’t need to win my morning.
I just want to enter it pleasantly.
Some mornings I wake up energetic.
Some mornings my brain needs additional loading time.
Both are allowed.
A good morning doesn’t need to be productive immediately.
Sometimes a good morning is simply one that doesn’t begin with unnecessary stress.
The Face in the Mirror Is Always a Surprise
After washing my face, I finally look properly in the mirror.
Morning hair has several possible personalities.
Slightly messy.
Extremely messy.
One mysterious section pointing in a direction unsupported by physics.
And occasionally…
surprisingly good.
Those are dangerous mornings because I immediately think:
“Don’t touch it.” 😳
Somehow sleep has accidentally created something I could never reproduce intentionally.
If I tried to style my hair exactly that way tomorrow?
Impossible.
Morning chaos is a limited edition. 😂
Then I Splash Water Everywhere Except the Sink
Can we discuss this?
I am washing my face directly above a sink.
The sink is large.
Its entire purpose is containing water.
And yet somehow water reaches:
the counter,
my sleeves,
the floor,
possibly another dimension.
How? 😭💦
I finish washing my face and discover the bathroom looks as though a very small aquatic event has occurred.
Apparently my technique needs refinement.
But at least my face is clean.
We’ll call it a victory.
My Favorite Part Is the Tiny Pause Afterward
After rinsing, I usually stay there for a few seconds.
Eyes closed.
Water still cool on my skin.
No phone yet.
No messages.
No scrolling.
No outside noise entering my brain.
Just…
quiet.
It’s probably less than a minute.
But I really like it.
Not because I’m trying to meditate.
Not because I’m doing some sophisticated mindfulness practice.
It’s simply a tiny space between sleeping and participating in the world.
And I think that’s why this little ritual feels good.
The Internet Can Wait Thirty Seconds
I used to reach for my phone almost immediately after waking up.
Sometimes I still do.
I’m human. 😆
But I’ve noticed something.
The moment I open my phone, everybody else’s world enters mine.
Messages.
News.
Notifications.
Work.
Photos.
Videos.
Things people need.
Things people bought.
Things people achieved.
Things I apparently urgently need to know despite having successfully lived my entire life without knowing them five seconds earlier. 😂
So I like having one tiny ritual before all that.
Just me.
Water.
Morning light.
And absolutely no algorithm.
Thirty seconds of peace.
Very luxurious.
Completely free.
Then Comes the Real Boss: Coffee ☕😂
Let’s not pretend water has defeated all sleepiness.
It has won Round One.
Coffee is waiting backstage.
After washing my face, I wander toward the kitchen with noticeably more human energy.
This is usually when my brain begins forming complete sentences again.
Good sign.
Breakfast becomes possible.
Plans begin appearing.
I remember what day it is.
Sometimes.
And slowly the day starts feeling real.
Some Mornings Don’t Need Fixing
This is another thing I’m learning.
Not every slow morning is a problem.
Sometimes you’re simply sleepy.
Sometimes the weather makes you want to stay cozy.
Sometimes your schedule doesn’t require rushing.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying that.
I don’t want every quiet moment to become something I need to optimize.
If I have time to move slowly, I let myself move slowly.
Wash my face.
Stand by the window.
Make breakfast.
Choose music.
Take my time.
There are enough parts of life that already move quickly without my help.
My Tiny Morning Luxury Costs Almost Nothing
People sometimes imagine little luxuries as expensive things.
But some of my favorites aren’t.
Fresh sheets.
Morning sunlight.
Cold water when you’re sleepy.
The smell of coffee.
A clean towel.
A quiet kitchen.
Finding five unexpected minutes before you need to leave.
Realizing your hair is cooperating today.
That last one is extremely rare and therefore priceless. 😂
I love these things because they’re available inside ordinary life.
You don’t need a vacation.
You don’t need a reservation.
You just need to notice them.
The Day Can Begin Gently
I think that’s my favorite part of this ritual.
The first thing I do doesn’t need to be ambitious.
I don’t need to attack the day.
I don’t need to conquer anything.
I don’t need to wake up already performing at 100%.
I can simply splash some water on my face and say:
Okay. I’m here.
That’s enough.
The rest can happen afterward.
Emails can wait another minute.
Work can wait.
The internet will survive.
My to-do list is extremely talented at remaining exactly where I left it. 😂
For those few seconds, there’s nothing to accomplish.
Just cool water, closed eyes, and the beginning of another ordinary day.
And Yes, Splash Number Three Is Completely Necessary 💦
Do I need a third splash?
Scientifically?
I have no idea.
Emotionally?
Absolutely. 😌
One for waking up.
One for refreshing.
One because splashing water on your face is strangely satisfying.
Then towel.
Deep breath.
Mirror check.
Morning Miu officially activated. ☀️
Success rate?
Pretty good.
Side effects may include wet countertops and unexpectedly cheerful hair.
Maybe Your Reset Is Something Else
Perhaps you’re not a face-splash person.
Maybe your tiny morning reset is opening the window.
Making tea.
Stretching beside the bed.
Walking outside for five minutes.
Playing one favorite song.
Feeding your cat while receiving absolutely no gratitude in return. 😂🐈
It doesn’t really matter what it is.
I think everyone deserves one tiny thing at the beginning of the day that doesn’t exist for productivity.
Something that simply tells your brain:
We’re starting now.
Mine happens to involve water and a surprisingly large splash radius.
And tomorrow morning, when Sleepy Miu once again submits her official request for five more minutes…
I already know what Responsible Miu is going to do.
Straight to the sink.
Splash.
Splash.
Splash.
Good morning. 😂💦☀️
“You don’t always need a big morning routine to begin again. Sometimes one tiny refreshing moment is enough to turn ‘not yet’ into ‘okay, I’m ready.’” — Miu
