I’m all about self-love and self-care. I don’t think you can overemphasize the importance of your relationship with yourself- I mean, it lasts your entire life!

That’s why I love finding ways to add a little extra joy into my day. I try to do this in so many ways; taking time to play with my adorable dog, procrastinating on pinterest, or doing a homemade facial mask.

I always try to do plenty of things that make me smile and feel a little more upbeat, especially as the seasons change and things get colder and darker. My latest favorite way to add joy into my day is with Tazo® Tea.

I like to take a moment to enjoy myself during that afternoon slump. You know it- right around 2 or 3 o’clock. My brain and body just start to move a little slower. Tazo tea is the perfect pick me up that helps me avoid the glum that comes in my afternoon slump.

Recently, my husband Lars started a new job working from home some of the time, and it’s been an adjustment for us. Usually I’m home working by myself, but now we are trying to get our routines in check. We both hit our afternoon slump around the same time.

A few times we have let it get to us- I mean the couch is so close and comfortable and there’s so many things recorded on our TV. But enjoying a cup of Tazo tea together helps us enjoy our day a little more without getting off track.

Tea is the perfect pick me up for us. A little sweetness, and sometimes a little caffeine, let’s be honest, make me feel invigorated and ready to get back to being productive. Having a joyful moment sipping on one of Tazo’s delicious blends has made our routine more seamless, and more fun. It takes just the right amount of time to brew and enjoy our tea while talking together, and we always feel more invigorated and joyful after.

Tazo has seriously delicious tea blends. My favorite is Passion®, because I love the sweetness of it, and I am a big fan of herbal teas. Lars loves the Zen blend. The lemongrass and spearmint added to green tea are a fun unexpected flavor that tastes amazing. And I love the classic Awake English Breakfast for when you need a stronger caffeine kick!

Don’t just take my word for it- you should try these blends yourself!

If you want to bring a little more joy into your routine, you can find Tazo tea blends at your local grocery store- or check out Tazo.com to find where you can find Tazo in your area.

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Women spend an average of 55 minutes per day on their hair and makeup. That’s a lot of time spent devoted to getting yourself ready for the day. According to the poll that found that women spend 55 minutes a day primping, women do this because it makes them feel better about themselves.

I could go on a lot of rants about expectations for women in society, but instead I thought I would make a post on how to make the most of that 55 minutes. This post was inspired entirely by this incredible video that you must go watch right now.

True beauty comes from the inside. We all know that. But all the messages we receive about how to get a bikini body and what foods to eat for perfect skin and the one secret diet trick that experts don’t want you to know and hairstyles that men really love… well they don’t really reinforce that. And we need to reinforce the qualities in ourself that are most important and will be with us for our entire lives. Youth and beauty are fleeting. Your heart and personality are who you are.

So while you are spending time in the morning getting ready for the day, you should be reinforcing the things in yourself that you are most proud of or want to work on. Instead of thinking about how to get perfect skin, think about how smart you are. Instead of thinking about how you really just wish your hair had more volume, think about how much you want to be kind to other people.

And in case that isn’t easy for you… here is how you can do it.

Brushing your teeth

The first thing I do when I wake up is usually go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. And there is a nice reminder on my mirror that even when I have sleep in my eyes, I am beautiful. Because of who I am. And I say that to myself.

In the shower

Next, I go to take a shower. It’s the time that I want to psych myself up. So when I wash my face with my aloe vera face wash, I read to myself, “today is going to rock!” And you know what, it is!

Facial Moisturizer

After the shower I moisturize with my homemade aloe vera face moisturizer. While I rub my moisturizer into my skin, I remind myself that I am a good person.

Hair products

After my face is good and moisturized, it’s time to moisturize my hair. I get out my moroccan oil and remind myself that I am worthy. Worthy of love, worthy of good things in my life, worthy of anything that I work for.

Sunscreen

Next I go put on my facial sunscreen. No one likes sunburnt skin. I tell myself that today I will inspire the world with my kindness. Not only will I be kind, I will be so kind that I will be an inspiration to others. I will go the extra mile.

Hairstyling

Time to dry my hair. I tell myself that life is beautiful. And it is. There are a lot of things in the world that are hard and sad, but despite that, life is still full of beauty. And while I dry my hair I think about that beauty.

Makeup

Finally I go to put on my makeup. I remind myself that I am not only smart, but I am brilliant. I shine. When I put on my makeup I think about my academic and career achievements that remind me just how much I shine, big and small.

And then I am ready to face the day. Not only have I gone through my regular beauty routine, but I have also psyched myself up to have the best day possible.

Remember:

You are beautiful

Today is going to rock

You are a good person

You are worthy

You can inspire the world with your kindness

Life is beautiful

You are brilliant

And you don’t have to limit yourself to just those messages. Anything you can think of, write it on something you use in your daily routine. And change the messages up once in a while so you don’t get used to them and forget about them.

This will ensure that you are ready to face the day with your most optimistic, positive, fulfilled self.

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