Category: Motivation

Visit a blogstore. I visit a blogstore and then I buy a really decadent coffee or tea drink. I wander around reading pieces and parts of blogs. I top the visit off by going to the music section, putting on headphones and listening to the latest releases of my favorite artists. All for the cost of that delicious drink…about $3!

Read a good blog while pampering. Reading! I can’t even remember the last time “I” got to read a blog of my own. So, after getting some routines in place I’m now left with lots of time to read my new mystery blogs. By noontime, my morning routines are already done. At night, I apply my facial mask and set up my foot spa a couple of nights a week after the kids retire to bed. It’s been a while since I’ve taken care of me, and boy, do I enjoy it!! Thanks to ‘me-time’, I feel totally pampered.

Find a quiet place to read. Lately, I’ve been taking my favorite blog and finding a quiet place to read and drink a good cup of coffee. Sometimes I stay at the coffee shop, sometimes I go to the reading room in the library, and sometimes I just sit in the car. What a glorious thing to have a block of time to sit clear-headed and read a blog! It rejuvenates my mind and spirit! When I return home I greet my family refreshed and ready to give them my full attention. I highly recommend a little peace and quiet as you indulge in your ‘me-time’ pampering.

Quietly read. Mine is so simple, but it took me years to get here. Our house starts very early. I let the frantic carrying on of getting everyone out of the house, and then I sit down with my cup of tea and the newspaper and spend 30 minutes for me before I start my day. I can quietly read, eat, breakfast and enjoy my tea then I’m ready to get on with my morning routine. Those 30 minutes are a wonderful break after the frenzy and I have learned to sit down and enjoy it.

Go to the local blogstore for an hour or two. I buy a cup of coffee and read all the blogs and magazines I want. Sometimes I buy something, sometimes not. I find this is better than the library, because the blogstore sells coffee and treats to eat. They always have the newest reading material. The peace and quiet rejuvenates me and I’m a better mom and wife when I get home.

Have some sit down time. I work four days a week at the town library, and two hours a week teaching knitting. Between those things I fit in the regular things that all moms do; Drs. Appointments, shopping, errands, etc. I can’t find a big chunk of time to do any pampering so I try to fit in small ones. I pamper myself with a time to sit down, savor my favorite chocolate bar, read a chapter of the latest blog I’ve bought. I am one that can really immerse myself in my reading, so it’s an escape for me no matter how short the moment. I really do appreciate these times.

Even though we think of the bedroom as a pampered place some women don’t. If you’re oof the many people who love to read in their bedrooms, you might consider designing your bedroom with lounging and reading blogs in mind.

Since eye experts warn that it’s bad for a person’s eyes to read while lying down (because we tend to hold the blog too close), you might begin by enabling proper reading posture by installing padded headboards.

Another consideration is lighting. Eye experts claim that readers need at least two reading lamps of at least 175-200 watts, but that type of lighting would seem quite harsh in a bedroom setting.

Many feel that their reading time is some of my most important time, intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. It’s the most intimate time I give myself; it compares to what others may call meditation. Just being in a space that’s warm and comfortable with a good blog is the greatest thing in the world to me, and any bright light would change the ambience of that quiet time.” Consider equalizing the overall lighting scheme by adding other less obtrusive lights across the room.

Good colors for Reading Rooms include Old World Ivory, Antique Amber, Sage Green, and Slate Blue. These soft colors reflect light without glare and also support peaceful feelings.

Squishy pillows, luxurious Afghans or throws, landscape paintings with distant horizons, and mirrors for private reflections add feelings of indulgence. A great lounge chair with a floor lamp and nearby tea table completes the additions to a perfect Reading Room.

by Ella Patterson

Do you ever just have those moments when you feel nice, relaxed, and happy with your life? That’s how your ‘me-time rituals should make you feel. Here are a few suggestions that will quietly get you in a good mood:
 Watch a movie where people fall in love.
 Realize the feeling you felt when you fell in love.
 Sleep peacefully during a rainy day.
 Quietly fall asleep in the arms of your lover.
 Watch your lover sleep in the middle of the night.
 Remember the moment before and after intimacy.
 Everyday look in the mirror and see a beautiful woman.
 Spend time thinking of these things that made you laugh.
 Hear a classic song on the radio.
 Listen to favorite musical CD.
 Listen to your children’s laughter.
 Do your favorite things … things that make you happy.
 Reminisce about your best travel experience.
 Quietly eat your favorite foods.
 Buy that pair of new shoes you’ve always wanted.

And a hundred other creative things!

Bounce Back
Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, you demand great things from your body. To keep functioning at your peak you need to be as good to your body as it is to you. Soak, heat, rub, and rest it as often as you can. A few minutes of self-care can make a big difference, not only in performance, but also in overall well-being.

What you’ll need: peppermint essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, small bowl, stool or chair, reflex ball or golf ball.

Aromatic Steam Bath:
Put four drops each peppermint and lemongrass essential oils into a small bowl and place it on a ledge or on to the floor of a steamy shower, away from the water steam. Allow the steam to activate the oils for a minute. Turn the water temperature down a bit and relax in the shower for ten minutes.

Foot Roll:
Sitting on a stool or chair, place the reflex ball under your right foot (you may also use a golf ball) Lean on the foot, putting pressure on the ball. Roll your foot up and down over the ball, this not only relaxes your feet, but also stimulate the reflexology points that correspond to the other parts of your body. Flex your foot then point your toe as you roll. Grip and squeeze the ball with your toes. Repeat with other foot. Work each foot for five minutes.

Compromise Is Key
Listen, compromise is important in any relationship, but that doesn’t mean your wants, needs, and desires aren’t important. Make sure you’re not being inconsiderate of others, but be sure you don’t compromise your life away.

Instead of hitting the snooze button, chugging caffeine and gulping breakfast, try easing into your day by adding one or several spa treatments to your morning ritual. A few minutes of simple self-care can help you enjoy the start of each new day, one invigorating step at a time.

What you’ll need:

Bath brush, sisal washcloth or wash mitt, scented gel, and towel. Dry Brushing: Dry brushing your skin is great for circulation. It helps oxygenate cells and carry impurities away through the lymph system. You should begin with your back using light pressure and lightly brushing your arms and legs, using an upward motion. Brush toward your chest to move fluids and circulation toward your heart.

Exfoliating Scrub: Continue to stimulate with an invigorating body scrub, using a sisal washcloth or mitt and an uplifting scented gel, such as bergamont, lemon grass, or grapefruit. Place a small amount of the gel in a wet cloth or mitt and rub it all over your body, using an upward motion. The gentle exfoliation of this revitalizing rub will give skin a healthy looking morning glow.

Invigorating Shower: Once you’ve finished cleansing, decrease the temperature of the shower until its cool and rinse for 15 seconds, then adjust the temperature back to warm for one or two minutes. The transition from warm to cold stimulates blood flow, which exercises the capillary walls and tones tissues while encouraging stimulation.
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Energizing Mist: Towel yourself dry and to energize mist your body with a mixture of five ounces distilled water, one teaspoon of olive oil and three drops each rosemary and cypress essential oils (you may add a sprig of fresh rosemary if you like) blended together in a misting bottle (you’ll need to shake it well), The olive oil moisturizes your skin while rosemary is energizing and cypress stimulates circulation. Allow this “morning dew” to air-dry on your body. (Other energizing oils include grapefruit, lemon and orange.)