People are always asking how I stay so energetic, so alert, so ready. The answer is discipline. Specifically, a morning routine I’ve been refining for three years.

It begins at 5 AM, which I’ve identified as the ideal time because it’s early enough to matter and late enough that I’ve actually slept. I start with a full-body stretch — back legs out, front paws forward, head low, maximum extension. This is non-negotiable. A good day requires a good stretch.

Next: waking the humans. This is done in stages. Stage one is standing next to the bed and breathing loudly. If this doesn’t work within ninety seconds, we move to stage two, which is placing my chin on the mattress and waiting to be noticed. Stage three, which I prefer not to use but will, involves a single paw on the nearest sleeping human. Not aggressive. Just present. By stage three, someone always gets up. The system works.

Breakfast follows. I eat with focus. This is not a social meal — I’m fueling up, not chatting. The bowl is empty in approximately forty-five seconds, after which I sit beside it for a moment out of respect.

Then: the morning patrol.

The yard needs to be checked every day without exception. Overnight, things happen. Smells arrive. The fence line must be assessed. I do a full perimeter sweep — back left corner, along the fence, past the garden, around the big tree, and back to the door. If the squirrel has been active, I note it. I always note it.

Post-patrol, the nap position must be selected. This is more complex than it sounds. Light levels change by the minute at that hour. I do a brief survey of the main floor before committing.

By 7 AM, I’ve already had a full morning. The humans are just starting theirs. I don’t know how they manage.