MY MORNING SELF CARE RITUAL
Starting off my morning right with a cup of herbal tea and self-care ritual is one of my favourite ways to set the tone for a positive and productive day.
We can all relate to the feeling of how “little time there is in the day” and how “busy” life is - the juggle is real! Amongst all the commitments of work, family (whether it’s school drop offs or homeschooling), life admin, social activities and to-do lists, self-care inevitably takes a back seat. But it’s perhaps in these most stressful times, that the true value to creating space to have a moment, breathe and set intentions really lies. For me, the morning ritual around having a cup of tea is probably the most beneficial part of my day and indeed has a significant influence of how the rest of the day will go. And it’s achievable - and enjoyable.
Each morning, I begin my day with a cup of Nerada herbal tea - I’ve been doing this for years and I’m proud to have recently partnered with the brand as I love their tea so much! In 2021 Nerada celebrates 50 years of the brand, with their Aussie grown tea cultivated on the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland. They have been blending their organic herbal infusions in Brisbane since 1995 with 14 different flavours in the Organics range. I always have a few different blends on rotation such as:
All are ACO certified organic, many Rainforest Alliance certified, and can easily be found in your local supermarkets. These varieties not only make me feel good, but their flavours and healthful properties have a bit of “zing” that gently wakes up my mind, body and senses without a caffeine hit first thing! I’m one of those strange people that loves a hot tea in the morning, even during the Byron summer, but it’s equally delicious and refreshing when chilled and I enjoy my teas this way on balmy summer afternoons.
One of my favourite ways to start the day is by taking my tea or herbal infusion to the beach and watching the world wake up. More often than not I’ve got little ones that are already awake so once I’ve got my cuppa, I’ll take it outside into the garden or sit somewhere comfy for 5-10 minutes and do some journaling. This can be setting positive intentions for the day like being more patient, writing down what I’m grateful for, goal-setting or a simple to-do list. All of these things help me to organise my thoughts, be present and start the day with clarity and positive energy. Taking this moment to unwind and simply knowing what I need to do helps me to get organised and avoid things like running late which can often be catalyst for a hectic or stressful day.
The journaling aspect is quite important for me, as the flow of thoughts is very different to typing a to-do list into a phone. Making my mornings a strictly phone-free zone is also a part of starting my day with more calm and positivity. Setting boundaries around the workday (especially if working from phone), answering emails or deadlines is a really important part of avoiding the mental scramble and creating a healthy relationship with my work. It helps me to be present, and in turn calmer and happier.
The wonderful thing about a positive morning ritual with a cup of Nerada tea is that it doesn’t take time, it gives time.
