10 Simple Things that Make me Happy (and a Sephora Giveaway!) 8.28.2018

I’m definitely a believer in looking for the good in each day, and I also love little routines, so the simple things in life often bring me so much happiness! Of course traveling to amazing destinations and celebrating life milestones make me incredibly happy, but those don’t happen all the time, so I think it’s important to find what makes you happy and what you’re grateful for in your everyday life. 

I thought I would share 10 things that make me happy in everyday life, and I challenge you to make your own list! 

Diffusing essential oils

I’m still fairly new to the essential oil world, but the past several months I’ve loved diffusing them in our home each day! Not only do they make our home smell better and create a relaxing atmosphere, but they have a number of health benefits such as purifying the air and relieving headaches or stress. I have a few diffusers, but this one is my favorite (and by far the cheapest), I use Young Living oils because the quality is the best I’ve found (a little goes a long way)!

Finding a kickass new song or album and listening to it on repeat

I’m so bad about this, but when I find new music I love I have the listening habits of a 14-year-old girl and listen on serious repeat. Lately I’m loving Mac Miller’s new album “Swimming” and the song “Give a Little” by Maggie Rogers.

Cuddling with my doggies

Our dogs are definitely our babies, and even though our furniture would look 5x better if they weren’t allowed up there, we can’t help but to enjoy snuggling with them every day. Russell, especially, loves to cuddle and most nights he sleeps curled up against my stomach.

Getting into bed with clean sheets

So, this technically only happens once a week, but I love starting out a new week with clean sheets. It’s such a calming feeling!

Morning quiet time

I’ll share more about this in a future post, but ever since I started carving out a bit of quiet time in the mornings I’ve felt so much more awake and calm going into each day. It’s such a nice way to ease into the day, and I love to sip on my hot lemon water during this time.

Having plants around the house

I love having a bit of life and greenery around the house, and am so fond of my house plants! I had one die last week and I’m so sad about that poor little cactus! However, it does give me the excuse to pick out a new one :)

Planning for an upcoming trip

Trip planning has recently become such a fun activity to me, and fortunately I have quite a few to research and plan over the course of this year! I love everything from researching beautiful spots to visit to finding amazing restaurants to planning out which outfits I’ll bring (and photograph). I recently started making Google Docs and Sheets for different locations so that when I happen to find something cool or see a great recommendation I can add it to my list for that destination! 

Having an entire evening at home with Trey

Even though we don’t spend every moment together when we’re both home, it still makes me so happy when we both get to be home for an evening! Even simple things like watching a tv show while we eat dinner or researching a trip together make me super happy! And the dogs love it when we’re both home too :)

Drinking herbal teas

This summer I’ve really gotten into a hot tea habit (probably a weird time of year for that!), and it’s a habit I’m really happy about! I find herbal teas to be so soothing, and many have wonderful medicinal purposes as well. You can read about a couple I love to drink here.

My nighttime skincare routine

I promise I’m working on a blog post where I’ll break down my skincare routine, but anyways… I really do find calm in going through this routine every night. Am I excited to get off the couch and take off my makeup? Not necessarily. But once I’m in the swing of things I find it really relaxing, and I especially love applying my favorite face oil at the end. 

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10 Ways to Practice Self-Care Every Week 6.25.2018

"Self care" is definitely buzzy right now, but this is a trend I have zero issues following. It seems like life gets crazier and crazier the older we get and as society changes, so I am absolutely here for any reminder to pause and take care of myself.

Stress is something we all deal with on some level, but it really is terrible for you. There are definitely times I use stress to my advantage and really "get shit done," but if you let it take over you'll end up with adrenal fatigue, weight gain, or other health issues. 

So, I'm here today to give you a friendly reminder to take care of yourself. Self care isn't girly or "hippie," it just means that you value yourself enough to care for your body and your mental health. I don't see a single negative to doing that.

While there are countless ways to practice self care and to customize it to you, here are 10 ways I practice self care and think are realistic for nearly every lifestyle. 

Quiet time before starting your day
Yes, this might mean getting up a tad earlier, but when I start my day with even 10 minutes of quiet time instead of diving into a whirlwind of getting ready, my day undoubtedly gets off to a smoother start. Your morning quiet time can be completely customizable to what you like to do and some ideas are reading, meditating, stretching, journaling, or even scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest. If it calms you and makes you feel happy, then it's a positive start to the day! I like to make my hot lemon water and curl up with my dogs to read or go through Pinterest for inspiration. Sometimes I'll write a blog post if I'm in a creative headspace. I personally choose not to watch or read the news first thing in the morning because it's usually not the most positive content and I don't like to start my day off by worrying about the world. Remember...calm and happy is what you're going for!

A regular workout class
I love a routine and having the accountability of a regularly scheduled workout class. Then I know if a week gets crazy, I'm at least getting in one or two quality, sweaty workouts. Having a workout class on the calendar will help you to prioritize it, will ensure you get in movement, and will de-stress you as well. Spin class is my consistent workout of choice, but the important thing is to find a workout or class that you love and actually look forward to attending each week.

A face mask on the weekend
Your skin is your largest organ (crazy, right?) so it's important to treat it well. I recently started doing a face mask or two every single weekend, and it's become such a nice self-care ritual. I'm currently loving this "radiance renewal mask" by REN Clean Skincare because it leaves my skin smooth and glowing, and helps with acne scarring and hyper-pigmentation. 

Sleeping in at least one day a week
I've always struggled with getting enough sleep and I don't prioritize it like I should. But it helps if I can sleep in at least one day per weekend and get my energy back. It's also such a great feeling to not set an alarm once in awhile! The to-do list can wait... give yourself an extra hour or two of sleep on the weekend!

Bringing water with you everywhere
Most of us are somehow coping with being dehydrated, but it's really an easy fix. Once I started bringing my reusable water bottle with me everywhere, I began drinking plenty of water and felt soooo much better. You can read about the 5 benefits I saw from upping my water intake in this post. Being properly hydrated not only keeps your organs functioning and cleanses your body, but it also increases your metabolism and gives you more energy.

Stretching
Most of us don't stretch nearly enough, and it's so healthy for our bodies! It relieves stress and tension, elongates the muscles, improves flexibility, and helps to prevent injuries. What's not to love? You can do a few simple stretches every day or every time you workout, and/or set aside 15-20 minutes on the weekend to do some deeper stretching. Yoga is a great way to get in some stretching too!  

A daily green smoothie
I love to have a green smoothie for breakfast every morning because it's an easy way to fit in a full serving of greens in the morning! Since there's no other way I'm eating a cup of spinach at 7:30am, a smoothie a day has been the perfect solution for me. In my smoothies I also pack in protein, fiber and healthy fats, so I'm getting steady energy all morning (no more shaky, hungry mornings). This is my current favorite recipe! 

Exfoliating
Exfoliating is not only good for your skin, but it's also good for blood circulation. Plus, who wants dry, rough skin? It's much better to be glowy and smooth, and your skin will thank you! I like to dry brush once a week and then use my all-time favorite body scrub (well worth the price!) in the shower. 

Make your phone off limits in bed
Scrolling through your phone in bed can be a tough habit to break, but it's well worth it. Parting from your phone is a clean break from the day, and your sleep quality will be better when you're not being exposed to the light from your device, which can prevent your brain from releasing melatonin). Try it out for a week and see what you think!

A random act of kindness
Okay, so this doesn't seem like "self care," but I wanted to include it because when I do a small act of kindness it always makes me feel sooo good. Not in a "wow, I'm an amazing person" kind of way, but just in the fact that I got to brighten someone's day or benefit the earth and overall just put a little more positivity into the world. I recently got a shirt that says "be the energy you want to attract" and I believe in that mindset wholeheartedly. This doesn't have to be anything crazy or expensive, but some ideas are: texting or calling a friend just to check in or encourage them, sending someone a card/note, paying for the coffee behind you, doing one of your significant other's or roommate's chores "just because," remembering to recycle, picking up trash when you see it in your neighborhood or in a parking lot, or even just giving a stranger a sincere compliment. Put out good energy and it will come back to you!  

romper  |  hair scarf  |  shoes  |  similar bag  |  earrings  |  necklace

How do you practice self care each week? Is this something you prioritize in your own life?

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