I Woke Up This Morning
A personal affirmation that every day is a new chance to fight, grow, and live with gratitude—no matter what. —Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.
How One Simple Line Keeps Me Focused, Grateful, and Moving Forward
By Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.
Synopsis
Most men don’t need another morning routine—they need a reminder of what’s real. In this essay, Joseph C. Kunz, Jr. shares the one private line he’s repeated to himself for years—“I woke up this morning… that’s the first sign it’s the start of another great day”—and why it’s become his daily anchor through stress, uncertainty, pressure, and hard seasons. This is a reflection on gratitude that isn’t soft, discipline that doesn’t require applause, and the quiet strength of starting the day with truth instead of noise. I Woke Up This Morning is for the builder who carries the weight, keeps showing up, and refuses to waste the gift of another day.
I woke up this morning. That’s the first sign I know it’s the start of another great day. —JCK
I. Introduction
I’ve said that to myself every single morning for years.
Not because it sounds good. Not because someone told me to. And definitely not because I saw it printed on a coffee mug.
I say it because it’s the clearest truth I have to start the day: I’m still here. I get another shot. That’s more than enough reason to move forward.
I've never shared that line with anyone. Most people only know me as a businessman and family man. I keep things private—not because I’m hiding anything, but because I believe in carrying your weight quietly. That’s how I was raised, and that’s how I’ve lived.
But this small phrase—this simple declaration I say to myself every morning—has meant so much to me for so long, I finally decided it was time to share it.
Because maybe someone else needs to hear it.
II. A Habit Forged in Reality
I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started saying it. Maybe after one of my surgeries. Maybe after a stressful season in business. Maybe after a night I couldn’t sleep, wondering how I’d handle what tomorrow would bring.
But I do know this: By the time you’ve reached my age, you’ve earned the right to be honest - with yourself and with others.
Life has knocked me around a few times. As it has most men who’ve lived long enough to carry a few scars—some visible, some not.
I’ve had major health scares. I’ve been in hospitals more than I care to remember. I’ve faced the unknown, not once or twice, but more times than I expected.
And still, every time I opened my eyes in the morning, there it was:
I woke up. That’s a win. Now get moving.
No drama. No excuses. Just a clear sign that the clock hadn’t run out on me yet.
III. You’re Already Ahead
Most people don’t realize they’re starting the day ahead. They think waking up is automatic. But it’s not.
We wake up distracted. Rushed. Overwhelmed. We scroll. We react. We forget.
But here’s the truth: If you’re lucky enough to open your eyes, you’ve already beaten the odds.
You’ve already been given something countless others weren’t: another chance. Another crack at fixing something. Another opportunity to love your family better. Another shot at building something that matters.
And what you do with that gift—that’s the difference between drifting and leading.
IV. Start with Truth, Not Tech
Don’t reach for your phone.
Reach for something real. Something that reminds you of who you are and what you value.
That first moment of the day doesn’t belong to newsfeeds or headlines or inboxes. It belongs to you—and the people you love and serve.
So start with truth.
Maybe that means scratching the dog’s ears while the coffee brews—reminding yourself that loyalty never needs a status update.
Maybe it means sipping coffee at the kitchen table and asking yourself, What are the three things that really need my attention today?
Whatever it looks like for you, make it yours.
Because if you don’t claim that first moment, the world will.
And if you start your day in chaos, don’t be surprised if chaos follows.
V. For the Man Who Feels Like He Can’t Stop Moving
If you’re a husband, a father, a provider, a builder—you carry a weight most people never see.
You wake up with responsibilities. Expectations. Pressure. People are counting on you. And some days, you feel like you're hanging on by sheer force of will.
I’ve lived that life for over five decades. And what I’ve learned is this: It’s not about having everything figured out. It’s about showing up anyway.
The discipline of starting each day with something simple, grounding, and true—that’s not soft. That’s strength.
It’s the quiet strength of men who don’t need applause. Men who carry on even when it’s heavy. Men who’ve had enough mornings to know that every single one counts.
VI. What This Phrase Has Carried Me Through
This line has carried me through:
1. Mornings when I didn’t want to face the mirror
2. Mornings after painful conversations and big decisions
3. Mornings when the money was tight and the pressure was high
4. Mornings when I didn’t know what kind of news the doctor would deliver.
But it’s also carried me through the good mornings—the ones that are easy to take for granted.
Success can make you sloppy. Comfort can make you forget.
But I’ve never wanted to forget. Not one morning. Because the second you forget that waking up is a gift, you start wasting it.
VII. How I Choose to Live
I don’t just want to survive. I want to live well.
To show up clearheaded, not distracted. To lead with courage. To do meaningful work. To love with intention. To leave something behind that lasts.
That kind of life doesn’t happen by luck or hype. It happens by choice.
And that choice starts every morning, right after I open my eyes, with this line:
I woke up this morning. That’s the first sign I know it’s the start of another great day.
It’s not just a habit. It’s a commitment.
To be present. To take ownership. To move forward. To lead from the front—even when nobody’s watching.
VIII. My Challenge to You
Tomorrow morning, before you do anything else— Before the emails. Before the news. Before the chaos…
Say something true.
Something that reminds you of the life you’re building. The family you’re serving. The legacy you’re leaving.
You don’t need a perfect morning routine. You need perspective.
And if you don’t have your own phrase yet, feel free to borrow mine.
Because it is.
Now go prove it.
IX. Conclusion
It’s a simple line. But it’s shaped how I live, lead, and keep showing up. It reminds me that grace doesn’t always come loud or grand—it often comes quietly, at 5:00 a.m., when your eyes open, and your heart remembers: You’re still here. You still matter. And you’ve still got something worth doing today.
You woke up. You win. Now build something worth being awake for. —JCK
Related Reading: For the Ambitious Individual Ready to Go Deeper
If this one made you think, these will push you deeper.
Discover how grace, practiced daily, turns love and gratitude into a sustaining habit that carries you through life’s challenges.
A deeply personal look at resilience, identity, and the quiet power of continuing to show up through adversity.
Reader Comment: This essay reminded me that just being present can be the bravest act of all.
The Book Behind This Essay: When Life Knocks You Flat — Grace Is What Gets You Back Up
Life doesn’t hand out participation trophies. It swings. It blindsides. It tries to turn you into a quitter.
Grace is the quiet counterpunch.
Not “be nice” grace. Not soft, Hallmark-card grace. I mean strength under control—the kind that lets you get back up without turning bitter… lets you keep fighting without becoming hateful… lets you rebuild without selling your soul just to feel powerful again.
If this essay hit close to home—if you’ve walked through seasons that tested your faith, exposed your ego, and left you wondering how you’re still standing—then don’t waste that pain. Use it.
The Grace Effect isn’t a feel-good sermon. It’s a blueprint for rebuilding from the inside out—faith that holds, responsibility that steadies you, and quiet strength that doesn’t need applause to be real.
And if you’re a man in the trenches right now—rebuilding your life one decision at a time—The Grace Effect for Men is the next step: a field guide for strength, purpose, discipline, and unshakable character. Same foundation. Sharper application.
Because the world doesn’t need more tough talkers. It needs people who can get hit, get up, and stay clean in their spirit while they do it.
Grace isn’t weakness—it’s strength under control. It’s the quiet fire that keeps you standing when everyone else folds. —JCK
Both books are coming soon.