02.23.2017

My New Favorite Morning Routine

Because I’m all about that balanced life and, also, I’m totally NOT a morning person…

When I moved to LA eight years ago (yes, omg, eight years ago) I knew that one of my goals would be to make sure that I spend more time outside, on a daily basis. Have I always been great at keeping that up? Um, no.  Ever since leaving my last in-office job back in 2013 I feel like I’ve actually spent even less time outside, which makes all kind of NO sense, right? You’d think working for myself would allow for more “me time,” but truthfully, it’s really easy to just wake up and go right into work mode on the couch (or now on my new dining room table- the first table I’ve ever owned, btw).

That said, the past few weeks (when it’s not raining, that is) I’ve been taking my yoga mat down to my pool (yes, one of the perks of living in Los Angeles!) for my new “morning routine.”  And when I say “morning routine,” sometimes this happens closer to noon, and that’s totally OK too.

All I need is my yoga mat, a quick swipe of Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant (because I hate being sweaty and feeling like I smell after stretching- more on that below), my BKR spiked water bottle, a small towel, my cell phone (only for the meditation app!), and sometimes I bring my headphones down (but not always, depending on my mood).

What I’ve been loving about this particular Dove antiperspirant is that it it gives you 48 hours of odor and wetness protection (way more than I need between showers, which is great), plus it’s super moisturizing and uses Dove’s NutriumMoisture so that you have softer, smoother underarms. Win-win.

First up, about 15-20 minutes of mediation. I’ve been using the Simply Being app for awhile now. It’s pretty basic and let’s you choose the amount of time and having music versus no music, etc. I’ve tried a few others and I realized I’m super affected by the voice of the app person. I realize I sound insane, but I tried one app where an Australian guy was talking and I just could NOT get past his accent enough to concentrate. Yep, that’s me, but try a few different apps before committing to one…much like dating.

Next up is stretching. I’ve been having some pretty bad lower back issues since September and I’ve tried basically everything at this point to fix the issue at this point; I’ve tried the chiropractor (nope…also, scary), a slew of muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory medications, etc. The only thing that seems to help is a series of daily stretches (like the ones above and below) that a physical therapist gave me, in addition to acupuncture on a weekly basis. Woof is all I have to say about getting older you guys. Woof. I seriously miss my twenties, if for nothing else than the fact I could legit NEVER exercise or stretch and have zero repercussions. #IDigress

Let’s also discuss these ballet-inspired leggings for a minute, because I LOVE THEM. I originally spotted the Free People version, but it’s not in my DNA to pay $88 for leggings, unfortunately (though they are now on sale over at Shopbop). I’m kinda weird about it actually. I’ll gladly pay $200 for jeans, but for leggings I’m like “you can’t be serious” at anything above 50 bucks.

By the way, my photographer was all “I love how you’re talking about a balanced morning routine and you’re wearing a tank top that says ‘tacos and tequila, Jamie.” YEP. That’s just it though. It’s all about balance; a balanced diet (mostly), a balanced mind set. I’m almost half way through my thirties at this point and I feel like I’m just now getting it…

SHOP

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.