Wellness

  • Blog, Self-Care

    Simple Morning Self-Care Routine Ideas To Help Get Your Day Started

    For most of my life, I’ve never been a morning person. As a mom, that’s changed. Getting up before the sun is all a part of parenthood. Despite the mental pains of rising early, I discovered some positives to it. I realized after school drop-off I fell into specific habits which ultimately became my morning self-care routine.

    This routine consisted of taking a slow walk around the neighborhood before heading back home, showering, having breakfast with a cup of tea, listening to meditative sounds, and putting on my diffuser to signify the start of my day.

    The thing about a morning self-care routine is that it doesn’t have to take all morning. It’s whatever you want it to be for however long you want it to last. It’s about ensuring you’ll be starting the day feeling at peace with yourself. Without my morning self-care routine, my day would seem incomplete.

     Morning Self-Care Routine Ideas To Get Your Day Started

    morning self-care routine

    Make breakfast / Hydrate

    You cannot start the day without breakfast. Make a little something to eat that will give you a morning energy boost that will last the morning. Don’t forget to remain hydrated throughout the day.

    Make bed / Tidy space

    When your space is tidy your mind and spirit will be clear as well. So make your bed, sweep the floors, fluff the pillows, remove dust from your furniture, and crack the window to let a little fresh air in. You’ll be shocked to discover that you won’t be tired but instead full of energy – enough to tackle the day.

    Exercise / Yoga

    Get your body moving with 20 to 30 minutes of exercise or yoga. Working out stimulates your body and gets you feeling in a better mood, boosts energy, and improves your body’s overall health.

    Meditate / Pray

    Meditation can help you clear your mind of stressors and organizes jumbled thoughts and ideas. It also allows you to really tap into your deepest thoughts and feelings.  You can meditate anywhere in your home or even outside. Choose a spot either on the floor sitting or laying the floor, whichever is comfortable, set a timer, play music or not, take note of your body and breath, let your mind wander letting thoughts come and go with ease. Praying works the same exact way instead you can read religious verses to gain wisdom and to connect further with the higher power above. Meditate and pray for as long as necessary.

    Spend time outdoors

    Going outside, especially in nature, has a number of benefits from improving your overall emotional mood, lowering stress, and helps you find inspiration. You can connect with yourself and the outdoor world around you by going on neighborhood walks, sitting in the park, going on a hike, and even sitting under a tree in the park. The possibilities for outdoor fun are endless.

    Play music that makes you feel good

    Aside from working out, music that makes you feel good is another way to get the body going. Dance around letting the music take hold of you. Use those happy vibes to release anything that’s pent up inside you.

    Take an indulgent shower or bath

    Showering is an ultimate act of privacy. Bathing is more than just washing away the dirt and sweat. It’s really about connecting with yourself and being fully present in the moment. Showers can alter our whole mood for the day. We start out feeling sluggish and unwilling to do anything but after showering we’re given an instant pick me up and are ready to face the day.

    Read / Journal / Update planner

    Read books that will feed your soul. Whatever topic or genre you feel compelled to read, dive into that. If you choose not to read then you can journal your thoughts and feelings. Oh, and don’t forget to keep your planner up to date for the day, week, and month so no appointments are forgotten.

    Unplug from social / Turn off ringer

    Unplugging from social and/or keeping your ringer off is a way to guarantee that your morning routine will not be disturbed. Social media timelines can be overwhelming at times and that’s not the first thing you want to look at in the morning.

    Set goals for the day

    Have things to do for the day? Now is your time to map them out so you can clearly see how your time will be spent for the day.

    Recite positive affirmations

    Reciting positive phrases to yourself in the mirror may sound silly but I assure you it’s not. Telling yourself these positive messages will empower you, help your focus on your goals, and most importantly, removes negative self-doubt from your mind.

    Spend time on a hobby or new activity

    Working on a hobby or discovering a new one is always fun. Work on a puzzle, learn to knit, or take up photography – the possibilities are endless on how you want to spend your time.

    morning self-care routine

    Click For Free Printable Download: Free Morning Self-Care Routine (23 downloads)

  • Blog, Health & Wellness

    Don’t Be Chained To Your New Year Resolutions Instead Leave Room For Magic

    The new year is here and some of us are already struggling to keep up with our New Year resolutions. Just like everyone else, you’ve started the year with a list of goals and ambitions containing a ton of things you want to rediscover or start for the first time.

    But sadly, you’ve barely found time to breathe, let alone focus on your New Year resolutions. Which means by now you’ve probably started being hard on yourself for your lack of consistency or even starting the task, and you might even start feeling like a failure. But I want you to know, it’s okay if you haven’t started or don’t complete every item on your list. Don’t be chained and feel suffocated by your resolutions instead, I want you to leave a little room for magic.

    What does leaving room for magic mean?

    It means as a human being you are allowed to take frequent breaks and enjoy your current life. Of course, New Year resolutions are important to you, but you shouldn’t miss out on small joys in life in the pursuit to fulfill your resolutions. It’s fine if goals don’t go the way you planned or you end up not doing them at all. Yes, it’s essential to have some goals that help you improve yourself and you quality of your life. But your resolutions shouldn’t chain you down completely. They shouldn’t become the reason why you are constantly stressed feeling like you’re not doing enough.

    I’ve been in this situation and until recently, I was really hard on myself about it. Imagine being hard on yourself about not doing enough during a pandemic when your only goal is trying to survive. I told myself repeatedly it was okay and that I would eventually resume those projects, and if I didn’t then they weren’t for me. But recently, I slowly but surely felt the spark again and I’ve allowed the magic to take hold and guide me back to plans.

    This is what it’s all about. Letting things happen naturally in whatever direction it takes you in. Allow yourself to focus on other things besides your resolutions and treat them like something that you know will improve your life. That’s the magic.

    Can I leave room for magic AND accomplish some goals?

    Absolutely! If you really want to try and stick to your New Year resolutions you just need to plan. Not obsessively because if you’re obsessive about your plan you’re definitely not leaving room for magic. All you need is a flexible, keyword there, step-by-step plan that you can follow to help you work towards your yearly goals. The purpose of planning, as you might already know, makes the process a lot less overwhelming, which is always a nice thing.

    The last thing that you need to remember is to keep it simple. For example, instead of setting a goal to read 100 books in a year, start by setting a goal to read a couple of minutes each day. Don’t focus on the amount of time you read but the idea you took time to do it. And if you couldn’t read one day because you went out with friends or you took an online hobby class or you just didn’t feel like it, that’s fine. It doesn’t mean you failed your goal. You’ll read the next day.

    Simple also means putting things on your resolution list that you have an interest in. Nothing on your list should feel like a burden so be sure to include things that you truly enjoy doing which will help you accomplish tasks on your list.

    New Year Resolutions

  • Blog, Health & Wellness

    40+ Hours of Soothing Christmas Music To Calm You This Holiday Season

    Traditional Christmas music, as a whole, can be jolly and bright but if you’re feeling stressed and are looking to slow down and unwind while keeping the spirit of the season these soothing Christmas music playlists will do the trick.

    Below you’ll find a curated mix of artists and instrumental sounds ranging from piano, harp, cello, and guitar. These soothing Christmas music playlists are great for meditation or ambiance. Combined these playlists have almost 1000 songs spanning almost 45 hours of relaxed listening time.

    Soothing Christmas Music

    Relaxing Christmas Music 2021 101 songs | 4 hr 30 min

    Christmas Spa Meditation 14 songs | 1 hr 8 min

    Relaxing Guitar Christmas  270 songs | 12 hr

    Cat Trumpet 10 songs | 26 min 59 sec

    Cozy Christmas Jazz – 51 songs | 2 hr 40 min

    Cello Hymns Peaceful and Relaxing – 92 songs | 2 hr 56 min

    Christmas Calm Instrumentals – 328 songs | 13 hr

    Relaxing Christmas Music – 10 songs | 29 min 13 sec

    Christmas Study – 83 songs | 3 hr 53 min

    Christmas Harp – 120 songs | 2 hr 45 min

  • Blog, Health & Wellness

    Feeling Down and Out? Here Are 5 Ways To Bring Joy Into Your Life

    The past two years have not been easy on anyone. The uncertainty of the pandemic has, quite obviously, led to a sharp rise in the number of those hit by anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Being cooped up at home for over a year coupled with a complete change of our daily life and routine has been stressful for all.

    My world (like yours) was turned upside down. The bouts of depression, anger, confusion, and sadness have taken a toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I found myself at times unable to deal with any of it. The kids slept in for as long as they wanted, ate snacks for breakfast, and online school meant they were on zoom in their pajamas or assignments sometimes weren’t completed. I felt guilty and embarrassed but I was dealing with everything happening the best way I could. It wasn’t perfect by any means but it also prevented me from truly losing it all.

    Today things are slowly going back to “normal”, and I use that term loosely as I don’t think we’ll be living like it was 2019 any time soon, so I find myself trying to readjust to routines that I’ve forgotten. To gain back inspiration for projects I shelved. To find strength and joy in my life once more. If you feel the same I assure you the concept of regaining all is not lost. It takes time, patience, and trust within yourself to know happiness is on the horizon.

    Be Close to Family & Friends

    If there’s one thing this pandemic has taught each one of us, it is the value of closeness to some of the best relationships in our life. Being at a physical distance from them can be tough, and sometimes, overwhelming too, but thanks to the power of technology, you’re just one video call away from being able to see them. And if you’re not in the mood to Zoom a good ole fashioned phone call will do the trick. It’s all about staying in regular contact with your loved ones.

    Spend Time Doing What You Truly Like

    Now’s the perfect time to pamper yourself a bit, and do more of the things that you love doing, but didn’t get the chance to do earlier. It can be anything from painting, watching your favorite TV shows, or playing an instrument. Use this time to do a little something for yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to be productive just for the sake of it. No matter how big or small the activity it’s totally worth doing something that will make you feel better and recharge you.

    Make Your Favorite Meals

    If there’s one thing that can instantly make you feel better and is something that everyone in the world enjoys, it’s a good meal. So go ahead and recreate a delicious meal in your kitchen, and enjoy it with everyone in your home. Since moving into an apartment with modern amenities, I’ve been able to savor the moment of this simple pleasure in life. I’ve never happily cooked so much. I’ve discovered new recipes that become new family favorites.

    Catch Up on Sleep

    Sleep can be the most relaxing, yet fruitful activity you can engage in during the lockdown (or at any time). Sleep in with no regrets this time, and get your body the chance to truly heal and recover from the previous days. Getting enough sleep will, in fact, also improve your mood and make you feel happier in general. Additionally, cat naps are another way to catch up on sleep. If you find yourself feeling drained and unable to focus during the day. The sleep will rejuvenate you allowing the creativity to flow in your newly refreshed mind.

    And lastly,

    Start Being Happy TODAY

    I learned a long time ago that we are in charge of our own happiness. Once I realized that then the only sensible step would be to wake up telling myself that it would be a good day and that I’m going to be happy and enjoy whatever moments are put forth. I also told myself that no one can take my joy unless I gave it away. I guarded my happiness and made sure nothing and no one around me had the power to make me miserable. From there on out I saw a difference in my life and never looked back.