Tag: self care

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love: personal growth love: self-care

7 Step Morning Routine for a Great Day

Hey lovely! Welcome back.

If you’re reading this and looking for a great, simple morning routine, you’re most likely just about to crawl into bed for the night or just woke up and are having a hard time crawling out of bed for the day.

Either way, I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so I’ll cut to the chase for this one!

Practicing a quality morning routine works wonders for your mind, body and spirit.

Turn these practices into habits, and soon enough you will be happy to wake up at 6:00 AM and start your day off on the right side of the bed.

Step 1

You’re probably not gonna like me for this one… Stop hitting snooze.

It’s so tempting but don’t do it.

Getting those extra few minutes of sleep won’t make a difference.

And did you know that hitting the snooze button actually does more harm than good??

Your body is very smart. You have a biological clock that knows your sleep cycle. The sleep cycle starts preparing you to wake up 1 hour before you actually do by releasing dopamine and cortisol.

If you hit snooze and fall back asleep, you fall back into a deeper sleep than before. Once your alarm goes off for the second time, it interrupts your sleep cycle, making you even more tired.

That’s when the vicious cycle of hitting snooze begins again.

One tip to combat that tempting snooze button is to set your original alarm a little bit later.

For example: You don’t have to wake up until 6:30, but you set an alarm at 6:00, hitting snooze every 10 minutes until finally getting out of bed at 6:30.

Can you see how this interrupts your sleep cycle and interferes with your body releasing hormones to wake you naturally?

Getting that extra 30 minutes of interrupted sleep between 6:00 and 6:30 allows you to get quality rest. Breaking that 30 minutes up into 10-minute intervals, messes with your sleep cycle, causing you to feel more tired and groggy throughout the day.

Step 2

Wash your face (with an invigorating cleanser).

As skincare obsessed as I am, I hope you already wash your face every morning.

But even if you’re not getting into the shower right away, or usually eat breakfast first, the first thing you should do after waking up is walk to the bathroom and washing your face with cool water.

Not only does it feel incredibly refreshing and help to wake you up a bit, but the cool water helps to close your pores, relieve puffiness and even prevents acne (hot water strips your skin of its natural oils that it needs to prevent breakouts and stay hydrated).

Since we’re on the topic of face washing… I have to share with you my all-time favorite facial cleanser: New Groove Hemp Wash.

It’s a gel that turns to a foam as you wash your face, minty and invigorating to help wake you up, and infused with full-spectrum hemp oil to limit breakouts, unnecessary oils, redness and even wrinkles.

Alsoooo, I’m an animal lover and every purchase you make on this website goes towards rescuing abused and neglected animals (I’m not crying, you are).

Check out the New Groove Hemp Wash here.

Step 3

Drink a large glass of water.

When you wake up in the morning, your body is naturally dehydrated.

Aside from that, drinking water when you first wake up has many benefits like…

  • promoting weight loss
  • keep skin radiant and clear
  • stops headaches
  • increases mental activity (I need all I can get in AM)
  • relieves sinus symptoms
  • helps with cell renewal

Step 4

Stretch your body.

Working out in the morning is amazing. Props to everyone that does that, but it is not for me. If you don’t exercise in the morning, just make sure you at least get some good stretches in.

Stretching your body has obvious benefits such as improving your posture and flexibility.

But stretching also jumpstarts your brain, relieves stress, and improves your mood… all things that make for a better morning.

Take 5 minutes, even 2 if that’s all you have time for, and stretch your arms, legs, back, neck… even your fingers and your toes.

Step 5

Stay off your phone first thing in the morning.

If you’re tired when you wake up, you’ll probably want to scroll social media on your phone because you’re sleepy and want to distract yourself from everything else you should be doing in the morning.

Scrolling on your phone in the morning is not only a distraction that can cause you to be late for work or whatever other activities that are on your calendar, but it also depletes your energy.

Checking your phone first thing can also cause information overload; something you don’t want to deal with in the morning. This can make it harder for your mind to stay on track and prioritize your tasks for the day.

Step 6

Make your bed.

It sounds so simple; how can this really help?

If you already make your bed every morning, good for you! If not, it’s time you start. Here’s why:

  • develops consistency and self-discipline
  • gives you momentum to start your day
  • gives you a sense of self accomplishment
  • can be a great mindful exercise – perfect time to gather your thoughts
  • it looks good!

Step 7

Set 3 goals for the day.

It’s always good to set goals for yourself. Setting goals every day can help to create healthy habits for yourself.

No matter how small or large the goal might be, setting goals helps you to focus and prioritize what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

Goals can be as simple as drinking 200 ounces of water today or putting the laundry away.

You can even set bigger goals such as gaining a new customer at work, making a big sale, or putting your phone away for 3 hours.

Whatever it is, setting 3 goals for yourself every morning is a great way to keep yourself motivated all day long.

Any must-have steps in your morning routine that you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!

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love: personal growth love: self-care

How To Be Your Happiest Self

close up photography of person wearing pink house slippers
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Hey lovely!

Maybe you’re reading this because you’ve been feeling kinda low lately… maybe you feel pretty happy already but have that gut feeling that something in your life is missing.

Either way, keep on reading and you’ll learn how to be your happiest self and feel completely fulfilled within your life.

First things first… you need you think of everything in your life that is not bringing you joy or purpose and let it go.

I want you to grab a pen and paper and list everything in your life that is making you feel: down, angry, scared, jealous, tired, or any other negative emotion.

Got your list?

Now cross off everything on your list that you can erase out of existence.

Not everything on your list will be something you can cross off… for example, struggling with money to pay the bills isn’t something you can just toss away and ignore.

For these things, I want you to list an action that you can take to change that thing from a negative emotion to a positive emotion.

Basically, set a goal that will eventually make it so that you are able to cross that thing off of your list.

An example of this could be: If you’re struggling with money to pay the bills, an action to take would be saving money by not getting that $9 coffee on the way to work every morning… another action could be starting a money jar and putting aside any extra change you have to begin saving.

Work towards these goals.

It can be easy to fall off and lose motivation – look back at this list and remember the reason you started it in the first place.

Next, I want you to define your true happiness.

Write down what you want in your dream life. Write down what makes you happy, what makes you feel fulfilled.

  • Is it a sense of belonging that makes you feel happy?
  • Is it the feeling of having a purpose or making an impact that makes you feel happy?
  • Is it having absolute freedom in your daily life that makes you happy?

Whatever it is, write it down. How are you supposed to be your happiest self if you can’t define what it is that will make you truly happy?

Now just like we did before, we are going to list actions that you can take to help you get to the bottom of those things that would make you happy.

Don’t think too big here, think realistic. Think of the small steps that you can take that will eventually lead to larger steps. Don’t stress yourself out by setting extreme goals – you need to take it one step at a time.

Now that you have your actions or goals that you need to take to get those things that will make you happy, you need to turn these actions into habits. Make these actions a routine in your day to day life. Make them something that you look forward to GET to do each day rather than something you’re dreading that you HAVE to do.

Here are some key tips to help you turn these actions into habits:

1. Make an appointment with yourself.

Think about it like a doctor appointment – you might not want to go but you’re still going to. You’re not just going to skip your appointment.

Set a reminder on your phone or write your action on your calendar (if you’re still old school like me and have a wall calendar on your fridge) and don’t let yourself skip this appointment for yourself.

2. Make it fun, make it relaxing.

Create a happy place, or a safe place to take your actions. Maybe you have an office that you like to do work in, maybe you like to sit on the couch with a candle and a blanket, maybe you like to go to a nearby cafe and put your headphones in. Whatever works for you and makes you excited to work on your actions.

Along with a happy place, consider the best time to take your actions. Are you most motivated in the morning when everything is still and quiet? Are you most motivated after dinner time? Be consistent and make it a routine.

3. Reward yourself!

Remember when I said to take small steps instead of setting one huge action goal?

Each time you complete one small step, cross it off. It will feel so good to see that you’re getting closer to your end goal. Each time you cross off an action, treat yourself a little.

Now we need to talk a little bit about your well-being: health and self-care

Exercising sucks (I think so at least) but let’s be honest, exercising can really help improve your mood and overall thought on life, not just your body.

Yes – exercising obviously has its physical advantages. But it also increases your mood and your energy. If you’re someone who is never active, you’re going to feel lazy and tired more often. And I have to say it… Lazy and tired people are generally not the happiest of people.

Eating right – I am a sucker for chips and salsa, popcorn, noodles, and all things unhealthy. But you need to find balance.

Eating superfoods will help your body to feel better, to look better, and be more energized. Also, the benefits that eating healthy foods has on your skin is huge. Clear skin. That right there is enough to make me happy (almost, lol).

My favorite part of this entire post… take care of yourself. Practice self-care.

Practicing self-care is no joke. It makes all the difference in your mind, body, and soul. Do things for you, things that you like, things that make you happy, things that expand your mind.

Check out this list of self-care activities you can do alone.

Okay girl. Do you have the recipe for your happiest self?

Let’s review real quick…

  • Let go of all things not bringing you joy
  • Define your true happiness
  • Set small actions to get to your big end goal
  • Turn actions into habits
  • Stay healthy
  • Practice self-care
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love: personal growth love: self-care

Why You Should Join The 6:00 AM Club

Just looking at that gif makes me tired!

I know how wonderful it feels to stay in your warm bed as long as possible… especially if it’s still dark outside.

But waking up at 6:00 AM or earlier has so many benefits.

I wasn’t always a morning person. I used to enjoy staying up past midnight and sleeping until 11:00 AM. But let me tell you, I’m so glad I changed that habit!

WHY should you start waking up at 6:00 AM you ask? Let me give you some of the best benefits that waking up earlier has for your mind, body and soul.

Go to sleep earlier

Okay, to some this might not seem like a benefit. However, going to bed at a decent time (yes, definitely before midnight) will allow you to wake up earlier while still getting the amount of sleep your body and mind needs to function properly.

Having a regular and healthy sleep cycle really is crucial to how each day will be.

Healthy breakfast

It’s not a myth, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast kickstarts your metabolism, which helps you burn your calories during the day. Eating a healthy breakfast also gives you the energy that you need to do and feel your best all day long.

Before I started waking up earlier, I would skip breakfast because I wouldn’t allow myself the time to eat before going to work. On the weekends, I would skip breakfast all together because I would sleep end up sleeping through it and waking for lunch.

Increased energy + productivity

Many of the most successful people report that they wake up before 6:00 AM. Have you ever heard the line “the early bird gets the worm?” It’s true!

Not only is your brain most alert in the morning – but there are way less distractions in the morning when the rest of the world is sound asleep.

This might sound odd, but my favorite time to get work done or household chores finished is on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I actually enjoy waking up bright and early on the weekends to watch the sunset and get things done before everyone else wakes up.

It just feels like a great start to my day.

You’ll be more organized

Seriously! Picture yourself when your last alarm goes off… you can’t hit snooze anymore or else you’ll literally be late for work.

You rush in and out of the shower, rush getting dressed and ready (I hate this, nothing worse than having no time to get ready and feeling like you look sluggish all day) and rush out of the house to get to work on time. Without eating breakfast, I might add – remember that’s the most important meal of the day you’re missing out on!

Waking up earlier gives you the time to be organized in the morning and rid yourself of that yucky rushed feeling.

You’re less likely to forget anything and more likely to feel ready and dressed for success because you actually had the time to prepare for your day.

Quiet time is sooo good for the soul

Like I mentioned before, I love waking up early when the rest of the world is sound asleep.

There’s a real appreciation that you can gain for the peacefulness of a quiet morning to yourself.

For example, when I was younger and lived with my parents, I remember thinking my mom was crazy for waking up at 5:00 AM only to sit in her recliner, sip her coffee, and read the newspaper.

But now I understand why she did that… that quiet time is like no other. It’s a great time to be alone with your thoughts and maybe sneak in some meditation for a great day.

Maybe the least exciting but one of the most important… Exercise

Most of us are not fond of exercising. I’m sure not, but I’m working on it.

Waking up early gives you the opportunity to get in a quick 20-minute workout before showering and starting your day.

If you try to go for a run or hit the gym after a long day… chances are the little devil on your shoulder will win the fight and you’ll go home to your couch instead – because let’s face it, that sounds great.

Exercising in the morning is a great habit to have because it really kickstarts your day and gets you up, motivated, and energized.

Have I convinced you yet?? Waking up early can actually be amazing and might be just the change you need in your life.

This can be a difficult change to make, but it’s possible and so worth it! Here are a few quick tips to help you join that 6:00 AM Club:

  1. Start slowly – If you normally wake up at 9:00 AM, don’t switch to 6:00 AM right away. Start getting up a half hour early each day and ease into it.


  2. Go to sleep earlier! Sounds obvious but I just had to throw it out there. If you’re waking up earlier, you neeeeed to go to sleep earlier to keep a healthy sleep cycle.


  3. Put your phone down and try reading a book in bed. Studies show that being on your phone before bed can actually make it harder to fall asleep once you put it down. Find a book that sounds interesting to you. Once you get through a few pages, you’ll likely feel sleepy.


  4. Make sure you want it… If you don’t believe waking up earlier will actually improve your day to day life, you won’t have the willpower to make the change. Remind yourself of all the benefits of getting up earlier and remember the things you’ll have time to do and enjoy before starting your day.


  5. Step out of bed! If you alarm is right next to your bed, it can be so easy to just hit snooze and fall back asleep. Don’t do that! Set your alarm or phone (if you use your phone alarm) on the other side of the room so that you are forced to get out of bed to shut it off. Why not stay up and start your day since you’re already out of bed anyways?

Feeling motivated yet??
Join that 6:00 AM Club, girl!

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love: personal growth love: self-care

10 Things You’re Not Doing That Are Killing Your Productivity

I love a lazy Sunday spent binging Netflix on the couch as much as the next gal, but I know how important it is to stay productive. I’m not saying you should quit your lazy Sundays all together (I know I won’t!) but allow yourself to have a good mix of ambition in with it.

We all have dreams, right? Even if we don’t think about them every day, we all have things that we desire and a life that we wish for.

I have a powerful little equation for you:
Self-care + mindset = productivity = success

You read that right. Achieving your dreams starts with self-care.

I’ll say it again… achieving your dreams starts with self-care. This is so important.

In order to live your best life and find success, you need to be productive. In order to be productive, you need to have the right mindset… Finding the right mindset only happens when you truly take care of yourself.

If I was a grumpy, sad, glass half-empty kind of person, I would not be doing what I am doing right now. Instead, I make time for me and practice self-care so that I can show up here on my blog, do what I love, and create my dream life.

Here are 10 things you’re probably not doing that are totally killing your productivity. I’ll let you take a guess what #1 is…

#1 Practice Self-Care

Woohooo! You guessed right, right?

Have you ever been neck deep in life, stressed out, feeling like you just can’t catch a break? Working too hard nonstop can cause you to burn out.

Whether you’re working too hard at your 9-5 job, working too hard at home for your family each night, or even if you have your own blog and you’re working too hard to constantly try and make your blog better… you need to make yourself a priority.

If a nap is what you need, nap. If you could benefit from a professional massage, book the massage. If you just need a night to yourself to binge Netflix and eat salt and vinegar chips, do that.

The point is, do not forget to take care of yourself. You need to be healthy and happy before you can put all of your focus into something else to create your dream life. Find balance.

#2 Set Goals

Take a moment and jot down your dream. Now jot down some of the things you need to accomplish before you can get there. Next, identify how you can accomplish each of those tasks to get you one step closer to living your dream. These are your goals.

Instead of setting 1 or 2 huge goals, set 8-10 smaller goals to reach those big ones.

You’ll feel accomplished and motivated each time you reach a goal.

#3 Reward Yourself

Okay, this sort of ties in with self-care… I just really love self-care, okay?

But no, this is a little different. Self-care is something you should always work on for yourself no matter what. Rewarding yourself because you reached one of your goals brings you a sense of accomplishment and honor.

When setting your goals, write down next to each one what you can reward yourself with. This can be something as simple as making popcorn and renting a new Redbox movie or purchasing a new pair of jeans that you’ve been eyeing up.

Reward yourself and celebrate you getting one step closer to achieving your dreams.

#4 Rid Yourself of Distractions

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s something I struggle with all the time.

Distractions aren’t only the TV being on in the background… for me it’s having my phone next to me, my Apple watch on and vibrating every time I get a notification, and my husband being home. Yep, my husband is my biggest distraction (sorry babe).

Create a distraction-free space for yourself.

I like to light a candle, get comfortable with a fuzzy blanket, and focus in a room by myself.

I realize we all have very different goals – getting comfortable and lighting a candle might not help you achieve your goals, but my goal is creating quality content for you lovlies, so it’s a yes for me!

Either way, just give yourself space to really focus.

#5 Figure Out Your Peak Hours

I am an early bird… definitely not a night owl. Therefore, if I try to be productive any time after 8:00 PM, I’ll no doubt be a struggle bus.

To be productive, you need to figure out when your peak hours are and aim to get your tasks done during those hours.

If you’re a person who has the hardest time waking up in the morning, being productive before the afternoon hits probably isn’t your best bet.

My peak times are 30 minutes after I wake up, and then again immediately after dinner. What are your peak times?

#6 Get Some Vitamin D

Did you know that vitamin D can almost immediately increase your energy levels?

Whether you’re sitting on the deck soaking up some sunshine or taking vitamin D supplements, you’re sure to combat fatigue and improve your overall health.

#7 Breaks Are Powerful

When some people think “productive”, they think you need to be working for your goals constantly. That’s not the case. Productivity is about working efficiently, not continuously.

Make scheduled breaks for yourself throughout the day. For example, every hour on the hour, allow yourself 5 minutes for an active break.

Yes, I said active. Don’t let yourself fall into a trap and get tired on your break. Try going for a little walk to boost your energy.

Coming back from a break is like hitting restart. You’ll be able to sit back down with a fresh mind and be more productive than if you were tired and burnt out from working too long.

#8 Routines Are Key

Have you ever heard the saying that it takes 21 days to make a habit out of something? Well, that’s a great start… but actually, studies show that it takes 66 days to build a new habit.

Set a goal for yourself to get to work during your peak hours every day.

Think of that time as an appointment that you have with yourself that you can’t miss – just like if you had a doctor appointment.

If you continue to (hate to say it but…) force yourself to focus and work on your goals during those same times every day, it will stop becoming a daunting task and start becoming more of a fundamental part of a your daily life.

#9 Sleep Is Goooood

I’m not good at this one… but I try. I think every knows how important sleep is for your mind, body, and soul. But some of us over-achievers tend to put sleep on the backburner in order for us to complete more tasks.

Here’s the thing: Sleep deprivation completely destroys productivity.

Most adults need 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Your brain will not work correctly and up to your highest standards if it is tired, stressed, and overworked.

Make sure you allow time for yourself to chill out, take work off your mind, and relax.

Have a hard time clearing your mind and falling asleep at night? Try lavender scented candles to promote relaxation. Another good strategy is to stay off your phone right before bed! Your device actually has a ton of power over your sleep pattern.

#10 Find Passion in What You’re Doing

I know not all of your goals are something that you LOVE to do. But try to think of the positives and remind yourself of the good that will come by achieving your goals.

I’ll use myself as an example.

If I was writing this blog post about cars, I would dread every minute of it. I don’t know anything about cars and I don’t care to learn about them either, lol.

Instead, my blog focuses on self-growth and wedding planning. Two things that I am passionate about.

Not only do I get to talk about topics that I love, but I also get to help my readers in the process, and that’s something I really love.

If you find passion in what you’re doing, it’ll make it easier for you to work towards. You’ll actually enjoy doing it. 🙂

Now work towards those dreams, girl!