Tag Archive for: how to relax

How to Hygge: A Lesson in Self Care

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I love rules.

Clear cut, simply defined rules.

I also love a good mantra. You know a few words to remind you of your goal or purpose.

These two things are most perfectly combined in Marie Kondo’s idea of realizing if an item in your home sparks joy for you.

It’s a simple yes/no question that evokes an emotional response.

I’m doing research for my new book, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You, and I came across the idea of hygge, which I quickly became obsessed with. I first heard of it from my media-training client Melissa Coleman, who is the author of The Minimalist Kitchen.

What is Hygge?

It’s a Danish word pronounced “hoo-ga,” which is broadly defined as a feeling of cozy contentment. Read more

Never Drink Cold Tea Again

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Let me guess – this has happened to you.

You’ve made a cup of tea or coffee, then got so absorbed in your work and it went cold. Right?

Or found that there’s a small window of time when your drink is at perfect drinking temperature and then you miss it and keep running back to the microwave.

This has been my reality and it drives me nuts. It’s so unproductive.  

I absolutely HATE drinking cold tea!

Ok fine – it’s a minor inconvenience, but it’s also one I don’t have to deal with anymore.

This past Christmas my parents bought me one of my favorite gifts ever – the Ember cup!

The idea is that it allows you to keep your drink at the precise temperature that you set.

No more cold teas!

I know it seems kind of crazy to spend $80 bucks on a mug but I’m telling you it’s been a game changer for me.

I’m much more productive actually because I’m not always running back and forth to the microwave. And it makes me happy to drink tea at the perfect temperature. It makes the experience that much more joyful.

I’m spoiled for all other tea cups!

If I could change one thing I would prefer a slightly less plain cup. I’m a sucker for a pretty tea cup. And sometimes the app is a little wonky. You use it to time how long your tea will steep and what temperature you’d like to maintain.

But I’ll overlook it all for a cup that stays a perfect 137 degrees. The Ember cup also comes as a travel mug as well.

It’s Never Too Soon to Plan Weekends Away for the Summer

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After all the bad weather we’ve been having lately, I’m really looking forward to the summer. So to help me lift my spirits and prepare for warmer days I’m bringing you the Summer Series. This blog post was inspired by my friend and regular reader, Sandra Keros. She’s a total expert on how to unplug and recharge.

In the last post Sandra explained how she takes little mini-destination breaks in the day to get out of her house and be inspired by the world around her. Read more

Plan Mini Destination Trips to Recharge and Rejuvenate

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I recently wrote a post on the importance of making time for myself now that I work from home. When your home is also your office it’s not easy to make as clear boundaries with your time. In the comments section of that post a friend and regular reader, Sandra Keros, wrote  that she likes to plan mini destinations to get out of her head and out of her apartment. What a great idea!

Since I loved it so much I got in touch with Sandra to talk more about her mini destinations and what she does. This is what she had to say:

“As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about and working on your business around the clock. From time to time, a little recreation is necessary to give yourself a break, have some fun, and “recreate” your thinking on projects you’re working on. Read more

I Finally Figured Out How to Meditate

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I’ve tried to meditate lots of times.

I’ve gotten into the groove once or twice, but it just never stuck.  I’ve done countless stories at work as a senior health producer about all the benefits and it sounds great.

One of those benefits is better focus and increased productivity.  And you KNOW I want that. But I just couldn’t figure it out.

I always struggle to switch my brain off and so I’ve never had the “enlightening moment” everyone always talks about.

Well it turns out I was doing it wrong.

My intentions were all screwed up.

But thanks to Oprah (of course) and an all day meditation retreat with world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg I figured it out.

If you know me personally or have read my book Listful Thinking, you know  I have a generally positive and sunny outlook on the world. It’s the thing that many people tell me is one of my best qualities. Read more