Day 5, December 8, 7:04 a.m.

Prior to today if you had asked me what my favorite kind of walk was, I would have said quickly and surely that it was a loop. But today I did the kind of walk that I have always classified as “out and back” and I realized something: On the way out, I pay attention to external things, while on the way back, I can let my mind wander internally. Seeing as this is as much about the search for clarity and direction as it is about getting up earlier, this might just change my mind about loops.

Another thing I noticed today is that when you walk to make friends with weather, it’s easier to make the right choice in footwear. Today I got up and it was snowing. So I pulled on my Bean boots and set out. If I had been aiming to get in a walk or a run, I would have felt compelled to wear sneakers, and that would have made the whole thing a bit more miserable and a whole lot more like a workout, even if the actions might be nearly identical.

Today the dawn crept in through the snow. It came gradually with a lack of fanfare, a good reminder that not every entrance need be announced. #MeetingMorning