I woke up at 3:30 a.m. Yep. And that was it for me; not one more moment of sleep after that. Mercy!  That day I rested and felt slightly less fuzzy. Mostly I hoped the hours would pass quickly until I could go to bed.

Does this sound familiar to any of you? Did I have something important on my mind? No. Was there a problem that needed to be solved immediately? No. I just woke up and stayed awake. I used lavender essential oil. I meditated. I rested. Nothing returned me to sleep. At least I have learned not to go crazy when this happens and I am profoundly grateful I do not have to go to work after an early wake-up like that. Been there, done that. I have also learned that, for me, reading or getting up and doing something is counter-productive. It only teaches my body and mind to wake me up every morning at that time.

These experiences have been quite profound in teaching me to go with the flow of life and simply be in the moment. There are times when I drift into a deep and...