Morning Routine

I haven't always been a morning person. In the past, my sleep ruled over any promise of a cup of coffee + a great book. But in the past year, as I have eased into the 9 to 5 lifestyle, I have developed a morning routine that gets me excited to wake up each morning and to get to bed early the night before. Each morning (with few exceptions), I wake up at 6:30 and make myself a cup of tea or a smoothie, depending on my mood. If I'm making tea, I gravitate towards the classic English Breakfast tea and mix in some Ho Shou Wu, Sun Potion Reishi, almond milk, coconut oil and honey. My smoothie recipes alternate but I always mix in Bee Pollen, Pearl, and Camu Powder. If I'm having tea, I will make myself a hearty breakfast as well - usually a brown rice tortilla topped with scrambled eggs, goat cheese, and cherry tomatoes. While I'm making and eating breakfast, I always listen to a podcast. I have listened to podcasts for the last 2 years and I enjoy them so much. They are the perfect length (typically 30 minutes) and they are so interesting and informative. My conversational skills have dramatically improved since I started listening to podcasts. After breakfast, I fill my water bottle up completely and try to drink the entire thing as I am getting ready. I do my makeup, quickly wave my hair, and choose an outfit. Then I am out the door and on  my commute to work! 

Recipes 

Morning Tea // 

• Hot water
• 1 bag English Breakfast tea
• 1 small pour unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 tsp Ho Shou Wu powder
• 1 tsp Sun Potion Reishi Powder 
• 1 tsp coconut oil + honey mixture 

Mix all ingredients in your favorite mug, stir gently, and enjoy hot! 

Fresh Green Smoothie // 

• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 avocado, chopped
• 2-3 basil leaves
• 1/2 cup coconut yogurt
• 1/4 banana, sliced
• 1 cup almond milk 
• 1 tbsp. Camu Powder
• 1 tbsp. Maca Powder 
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil 
• 1 tbsp. Bee Pollen 

1. Add all ingredients to your blender (add milk slowly). 
2. Enjoy in a mason jar (to go) or a glass cup! 

Podcasts 

This American Life // This is the first podcast I started listening to and it is still one of my very favorites. Each week, they dive into a theme explored in multiple acts. The themes are always centered around very human issues and emotions. Some of my favorite episodes include The Problem We All Live With 1 + 2, The Incredible Rarity of Changing Your Mind, and Batman. 

Radio Lab // Radio Lab is very similar to This American Life, but the stories in this podcast are a bit more focused on scientific and philosophical issues. If that sounds boring, trust me when I say it's not! I don't think there is one episode of this podcast I didn't enjoy. Some of my favorites include The Rhino Hunter and Birthstory. 

A Few Things with Claire and Erica // This is my guilty pleasure podcast. Claire and Erica are two of the trendiest Brooklyn-based gals I (virtually) know of. Years ago, they started sending out weekly emails with a list of things they recently discovered - everything from a great smelling candle to the best travel apps to home hacks. On their podcast, they choose two themes and dive into their best discoveries in those categories. I am always taking notes during these episodes. Two favorites are Breakfast Hacks, Clothing Care, and your 30s vs. your 20s as well as Helping You Feel Healthy with Some Good-For-You Snacks and (not even painful!) Personal Finance Advice. 

Dear Sugar Radio // This podcast is run by Sheryl Strayed (author of Wild) and Steve Almond. Each episode starts with a letter from a listener asking for advice about something - parenthood, love, shame, creativity, etc. Sheryl (who is like the mother everyone wishes they had) and Steve speak on the subject and usually bring in a guest to give advice. Even when the issues don't pertain to my life, they always tug at my heart strings and teach me something new about life. My favorite episodes are The Wounded Child Within and I'm Addicted to Painkillers. 

Serial // I'm sure you've heard of Serial. It was the most talked about podcast last year, even if the ending was royally disappointing. This season, Serial focuses on the story of Bowe Bergdahl, who walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban for nearly five years. If you are new to podcasts and want a story that'll hook you from the start, this is it.  

#girlboss radio // Sophia Amoruso, author of 'Girl Boss' and founder of Nasty Gal, runs this podcast. She interviews incredibly interesting women in creative, cultural, and business fields. Some of my favorite episodes are interviews with Sheree Waterson, Charlize Theron, and Courtney Love. 

Love + Radio // Last but certainly not least, Love + Radio is a podcast about incredibly moving human stories. If you listen to any one podcast from this long list of mine, listen to the episode of Love + Radio called 'The Living Room'. I won't even tell you what it's about. It's amazing, and sad, and brilliant. Do yourself a favor and listen. 

*To get podcasts, click on the 'Podcasts' app. on your phone, click search, and search each tittle. Subscribe to get each new episode automatically downloaded, or just download a couple of past episodes that look interesting to you!