Be Ruthlessly Selfish: It’s a Wise Habit

Key points

Protecting your energy daily helps you stay grounded and generous.

“Ruthless selfishness” means creating space to refuel and reconnect.

Wise habits start with choosing moments that truly restore you.

Most mornings, my body wakes me up before my alarm… 4:58 a.m. Or maybe 4:59. Ping. After so many years of following a formula, it’s become a wise habit. Even if it’s Sunday and my teen woke me up at midnight making a bowl of cereal, my body is up. My body knows that waking up early helps me untangle my day.

It’s dark now when I wake, the last few mornings lit by the full moon, and I tiptoe out of bed to find my way to the espresso machine, my meditation cushion, my journal. I practice Noble Silence—a habit I learned at Plum Village Monastery: give yourself the gift of quiet