So early starts are easy and enable me to enjoy the best parts of the day. Knowing that we humans are all creatures of habit that same can be said of me with me morning rituals:

1. I make a big mug of green tea as soon as I get up (I’m loving the Ti Ora combo at the moment – green tea and kawa kawa) and snack on a pip of Lindt 70% dark chocolate. Hmmmm maybe two pips.
2. An hour or two of emails or work on the computer is the start to most of my days. This early am time is perfect for blogs, proposal writing, planning and research (general dreaming, scheming and problem solving) with no interruptions that my busy day will bring. Some of my best ideas occur in both the fashion and the social venture space between the hours of 5am and 7am.
3. I prepare the 2 dogs breakfast food having had a boxer dog with cancer (mast cell tumour) I decided to try to cure her with food. So far so good, her blood tests are now clear. To achieve this required a lot of research and trial and error. Now our two boxer dogs live on a diet of RAW meat with certain vegetables and additives (such as turmeric powder, fennel, chia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, garlic and ginger, hemp hearts, dandelion root and pollen amongst other things). This however does require effort and a focused period of time to get their food ready each morning.
4. Twice a week at 6.30am I have a private Pilates session. This is a non-negotiable if I am in the country, especially given that I generally don’t like conscripted exercise. Making sure that I include movement in my normal day is my priority. I have been attending Pilates sessions for over 15 years and love the flexibility that I still have.
5. Just before I leave the home, I rush around sorting and tidying, hanging out washing, emptying the dishwasher, watering plants, putting things away. I love a tidy space to live in and return to and it helps me declutter spaces. I am looking for simpler life.