The highlight of each morning is that brief moment after my workout. I put away the weights and exercise mat, and swing the door open. That moment is an opportunity to breathe in the morning not just for me but for the house itself. It’s as if the house expels the air it has collected throughout the night and exchanges it for the cool, fresh morning air.

While the door remains open, I sit down to scribble down my thoughts for five minutes. This usually occurs in the 5 o’clock hour and I’m in complete solitude. It may only be five minutes but it’s five minutes of silence, freedom, and inner peace. I write furiously trying to fill as much space on the paper while birds on the trees outside carry a melody that can’t be replicated. When time runs out, I close the notebook, close the door, and prepare for the day ahead. Thanks to the five minutes to myself, I do so with a clear mind.