Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh. The alarm is going off.

The snooze button is just out of reach and you’re still half submerged in a vivid dream about purple elephants sailing across a sea of green grass with your best friend’s cousin, the chicken mascot from high school. Sounds awkward, right?

Good morning Colonel Groggy Eyes. It’s time to wake up. But how do you transport yourself out of the fog of sleepiness and dreamland into the stellar, fully productive, day-time individual that most people know you as?!?

Yup, COFFEE.

(Plus a quick, refreshing shower and a good breakfast, but today’s posting is about roasted beans and caffeine.)

There are folks out there who can’t stand coffee and others who consider their first cup the official start of the day. I personally fall in between when it comes to my level of consumption. But with that being said, I am a firm advocate of a quality cup to get the day rolling. Let me give you a few reasons why.

1. The aroma of a freshly ground, well roasted coffee bean can be enough by itself  to perk the senses and open the eyes in the morning.
2. Even if you don’t think your body responds to caffeine, the placebo effect alone is often strong enough to fake a little extra energy for the short term.
3. You’re actually starting your day with some health benefits, such as stimulating the metabolism, consuming antioxidants, and potentially lowering your risk of some cancers.¹
4. A clean, crisp roast with a pinch of sour bitterness can pair nicely with a breakfast of sweet pastries, peanut butter toast, eggs and bacon, or one of my personal favorites: steel cut oatmeal with bananas, pecans and coconut syrup.

Hopefully my small list of motivations resonates with fellow coffee drinkers. Maybe, with a little luck, I’ve even intrigued a few non-coffee drinkers to try a good cup of joe with the rising of the sun. No matter which category you fall into, there’s a big world and a new day getting started each morning. Make sure you’re a part of it.

P.S. I had my coffee in a pretty sweet moustache mug today.
What did you serve yours in?

 ¹. Evaluate for yourself by visiting sites that I referenced, such as CNN and bebwellbuzz.com, or by doing a basic web search for benefits of coffee.