We all know it's important, but we often forget. So todays blog post is super simple; remember to hydrate mama. 

Our bodies have been hard at work cleansing our system while we've been asleep so I always drink a large glass of water with lemon as soon as I wake up to re-hydrate. A tip is to keep a flask with you throughout the day.. Ditch the old plastic bottle and treat yourself to a beautiful new glass or metal one. Add some fresh berries, pomegranate or mint for flavour and you'll be surprised how inviting something so simple can be to have with us and to remind us to stay hydrated through our day. 

My days are currently filled with lots of family time in the sunshine! Hope you're having a wonderful summer. Sending you love and light xxx

Hope you're having a wonderful week so far beautiful. Summer is here and I want to share 3 lovely things with you that I hope can inspire you to take some time to fill up your wellness and self-love cup. 

1. Plan a daytime date with yourself. If you have errands to run, estimate an extra 30-60min to do something just for you. I love wondering around my favourite shops and stopping by the fruit- and flower market. Taking in the smells, the textures, the people and just being in my own little bubble without anyone needing me for anything in that moment. Or perhaps sitting in a cafe reading a book or magazine... Do something that makes you feel energised by life that is happening all around us (outside to do lists and mama responsibilities). Ready to return home refreshed and focused on being a relaxed, present and happy mama. 

2. Plan an evening of self-care (this never gets old). Take a bath, put on a face mask or paint your nails... anything that makes you feel wonderful. 

3. Say no to something this week that you don't really want to do (if it isn't absolutely necessary of course like feeding your kids). So often we over extend ourselves and say yes out of obligation or fear of looking bad if we don't... and sometimes we simply overestimate how much we can squeeze in to a day or a week, leaving no time to rest and do the things that re-charge us. Sometimes we have to say no to someone or something else, so that you can say yes to yourself! It isn't selfish - its self-love. You could replace this time with point 1 and 2 above. 

Love

I read an interview with Teresa Palmer, actress and co-founder of Your Zen Mama (If you haven't checked it out, please do, its lovely!), about how she and her husband each have a "non-negotiable". The one thing they need to do everyday for themselves. For her hubby its exercise and for Teresa its taking an hour every evening to herself to soak in the bath... 

I love this idea of having a non-negotiable because then you just know that, no matter how busy the day is, you're still going to prioritise some time for self-care and me-time to do what re-charges you. 

Personally, I love my 30 minutes of gentle yoga stretches and meditation in the morning. No matter how busy I am, I always make time for this because it has such a huge impact on how I feel the rest of my day!

So this week I want to ask you what your non-negotiable is? If you don't have one, what can you start doing everyday (anywhere from 5 - 60minutes) just for you that can help you feel relaxed and re-centred? It doesn't need to be the same thing necessarily everyday, but perhaps a time you set to do something lovely for yourself. Make it a priority to take some time out of your busy day just for you :)

Lots of Love

Life as a mama is busy and we give so much of ourselves, gladly. The days are amazing and full of love and hilarious moments! But there are also moments that are stressful  and chaotic. 

So I really believe that it's so important for us not to forget to nourish the person that we are outside of our mama role. We need to prioritise moments to do the things that nourish our spirit.  

Often we just feel too tired and when we do finally get a moment to ourselves, we just want to rest and sleep! (guilty...) Now of course we should rest when we are tired, but often "sleep doesn't help if your soul is tired". So my tip this week is to take a little bit of time throughout the day or in the evening, to do something just for you that lights you up and brings you joy! It could be an old hobby or trying something new that you've always wanted to try...

Personally I love being creative and I have always loved photography, but in the past I was just never any good at it. So last year when I decided to create my blog, I knew that I wanted to share lots of helpful wellness tips while it also being aesthetically pleasing to look at. So I took it up as a hobby and, although I have a lot to learn, it's something that I love to spend some of my me-time doing.

So what brings you joy mama? what do you love to do, just for you?

Have a great day, Lots of Love

P.S I took these photo's of the most beautiful cherry blossom that you have ever seen, just outside our house. Spring is here, remember to stop and smell the flowers.

WHY I LOVE COCONUT OIL & 5 GREAT WAYS TO USE IT EVERY DAY

Coconut oil is something I use everyday because the health benefits of this multi-use oil are so many! So today I thought I would share my top 5 ways to use it daily in your self-care practice.

1. I love to use coconut oil to cook and bake with as it can withstand high temperatures, and I often add it to my breakfast porridge or smoothie. 

2. I use it in the shower and bath as it nourishes the skin! its also great to shave with... 

3. I use it when massaging and moisturising my skin.

4. It works wonders as a hair- and face mask.

5. And I love to use as a carrier oil for essential oils...

Hope this inspires you to start using this wonderful oil. Have a great week!

Lots of love

Take some time this week to do something lovely for yourself. Here are my 5 top lovely things to do for you to feel good. 

1. Flex your self-love muscle and write down 5 things you love and appreciate about yourself.

2. Buy yourself a beautiful bunch of fresh flowers, just for being you...

3. Plan to get up 30 min earlier tomorrow to enjoy a delicious breakfast and listen to an inspiring podcast or feel good tunes before the rest of the world wakes up. 

4. Stop whatever you're doing and have a good stretch. Take a few deep breaths to calm and centre yourself.

5. Olalla by Blanco White has being playing on repeat all week. Take a break from whatever it is your doing, hit play here and dance around the room before continuing your day. 

Wishing you a lovely week ;)

Lots of love

After a long day on my feet, having a long soak in the bath is my favourite self-care ritual. However if you don't have a bathtub or want to do something simple and lovely for yourself, try a luxurious (but very simple) foot bath! Its a perfect way to de-stress after a long day and lets be honest, our feet do so much for us and we hardly ever pay them any attention.  

For this foot bath I used:

A bowl filled with warm/hot water

2 tbs of pink Himalayan salt (but epsom salt and sea salt are great too)

1tbs of coconut oil

A few slices of lemon

3-4 drops of peppermint and lavender essential oil

A few fresh flowers and dried lavender petals in to make it feel extra luxurious and inviting. 

After soaking them, dry your feet and give yourself a loving foot massage. There is an acupressure point called KI1 located under the soles of your feet. Add some pressure here to help ground and relax you. 

Breathe, relax and show your feet some much deserved love.

Lots of love

I am all for any excuse to celebrate love and take some time to do something lovely for yourself and/or the one you love.

Anyone who knows me knows that chocolate is my weakness and I love to bake. So this morning I carved some me-time out of my busy schedule to make a quick and simple chocolate mousse that I decorated with dried edible lavender and rose petals, to surprise my boys with tomorrow.

I'm also throwing a dinner party on Saturday so now dessert is done too, yeay! 

It's all about balance so this weeks tip is to make or buy yourself and the one(s) you love, something yummy!

Wishing you a day full of love and happiness. 

P.S. Got a few questions about what recipe I used and it was a super quick and simple one by a Norwegian baker. But whenever I want to indulge in some delicious (but also nutritious) treats, I love love love Deliciously Ella. Check her out if you haven't already!

3 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR RELAXATION

I have been using essential oils for a few years now in everything from homemade cleaning products to massage oil. But my favourite time to use them is in the evening when I need to relax...

So a little self-care tip for whenever you need to relax and unwind is to put a few drops of Lavender, Bergamot or Chamomile essential oil in the bath water, on the floor of your shower or in a diffuser. You can also dilute them in water and spray around the room or on your pillow before bed. Ahh I can feel my shoulders relaxing as I'm typing.

Choose whichever one you like the best, in my experience its usually the one I need the most. You can buy single or ready blended oils for different uses depending on how you want to feel. (Just remember to follow the instructions on how to use them because they are strong!) I've also come across a few Etsy shops that sell ready diluted room and body sprays!

Take care, Lots of love

5 HEALTHY MORNING HABITS FOR A CALM & HAPPY MAMA

Creating my own morning routine has ultimately transformed the way I feel and go about my day. This used to be me: Snooze, drag myself out of bed, rush around like a crazy person, run out the door a little half put together and feeling like I was somehow behind on everything all day... (this got a little worse after having my son...).

So about a year ago I created my own personal morning routine - a fixed set of positive habits that help me start my day feeling focused, present, calm and happy, and I want to share them with you! It requires a bit of self-discipline, but its oh so worth it.

We are all different and need to find what works for ourselves. But here are my 5 top healthy habits for a calm and happy mama who's ready to take on the day!

1. Get up 20-30 min before you need to (with no snoozing). I have always been a snoozer... but the past year I have forced myself to get up the moment the alarm goes off so that I can have a some me-time. Simple things like taking an extra long shower, do my makeup and put on "nice" clothes (not half dirty sweatpants) or simply enjoying a cup of coffee in peace before the rest of the world wakes up, makes me feel like a person.

2. Re-hydrate first thing in the morning. Our bodies have been hard at work cleansing our system while we've been asleep so I always drink a large glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice to re-hydrate and cleanse my body. 

3. No technology for the first hour of the day! It's so easy to reach for our phones and start checking our social media and emails the minute we're awake. But we're really only filling our minds with other things going on in the world before I've even had a chance to check-in with myself. So my 3rd tip is to be present with your family and to tune in to yourself first. The rest of the world can wait...

4. Close your eyes and focus on your breath for a few minutes. Ask yourself: how am I feeling today? Focus on 3 things you are grateful for. 

5. Movement. I personally don't like to exercise early in the morning (I'm always amazed at those who manage to squeeze in a spinning class first thing), but its just not for me... However doing some gentle yoga stretching or going for a short walk in the fresh air helps clear my head and get focused. 

I hope you find these tips helpful! 

Take care, lots of love