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How to stick to a morning routine

I’ve never considered myself a “morning person.” I was a night owl. During my school career I would sleep the entire afternoon and start my homework at 10pm, even at university I would work straight through the night and sleep in the mornings. When I started working I had to start getting up at 6 a.m and let me tell you… I did not enjoy it at all! I would snooze my alarm six times,  get up at the last possible minute, skip breakfast, rush to work, and then feel like I was trying to catch up the rest of the day.

It started to really take its toll on my physical and mental well-being and had a major impact on my productivity.

I’m always intrigued and fascinated with people so I started reading about morning routines of successful people. Did you know Anna Wintour editor and chief of Vogue magazine wakes up every morning at 5:45 a.m and plays tennis at New York’s Midtown Tennis Club for one hour. Scott Adams, the creator of ‘Dilbert,’ designed his morning routine to maximize his creativity he says that  the first 20 minutes of his days are exactly the same, every day. Putting his physical body on autopilot “frees his brain for creativity.”

I’m the kind of person who loves planning out my entire day. Following that perfectly planned day is a different story. I guess I just suck at following routines. I decided to overcome my struggle with my morning routine by shifting my mindset, staying accountable and staying motivated.

It’s all in the mind:

I took a look at my day and saw that I have a daily routine without even realising it. I went for a daily run, drank coffee in bed and watched YouTube while doing my makeup. If you look close enough you will start to see that you have a daily routine without even realizing it.

You do you:

I also figured out what I need to keep myself accountable to my routine. After taking the Gretchen Rubin’s quiz I now understand that I am a obligor.  Obligers respond readily to outer expectations, but struggle to meet inner expectations. In other words, they work hard not to let other people down, but they often let themselves down. Because of this I find it difficult to undertake habits for my own benefit. The key to sticking to these habits as a obligor is to creating external accountability. You can take the quiz here.

Staying Motivated:

So, I had to ask myself what’s my motivation? Why would I want a morning routine and why should I stick to it? A routine keeps me sane and the perfectionist part of me need some sort of order. I am someone who likes to be in control of everything around me which isn’t always possible. Having a routine in the morning that I can control keeps me sane even if the rest of my day is completely horrible. I can leave the house feeling good and knowing that I was in charge of my own morning.

I am not always perfect when it comes to my morning routine. Sometimes I still mess up and snooze my alarm one to many times. But I’ve been getting better and here’s some of the tips I’ve been using to crush my morning routine

 

  1. BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF

Not every morning will be 100% the same. Sometimes my hair doesn’t play along or I mess up my winged eyeliner costing me an extra 15 minutes I didn’t plan on. They secret is to not let that get you down. Have confidence in yourself. Do not let the little things irritate you. Just be patient and take a deep breath.

  1. TRACK YOUR HABITS

Lately, I’ve been using a bullet journal and incorporated a habit tracker to keep a record of my morning routine. There’s just something about writing things down that makes it more accountable and binding. Seeing all the checked boxes at the end of the day makes me feel a lot more accomplished and motivated. You do not need to start a journal, there’s lots of apps you can download to help you keep track of your habits.

  1. REMEMBER WHY YOU STARTED

In order to stick to something, you need a clear PURPOSE for doing it. If the only reason you’re starting a morning routine is because you saw you’re favourite YouTuber vlog about it, the chances are you will not stick to it. It has to be something you truly want to do for a specific reason. Before starting a morning routine, sit down and write down why you feel it’s important that you have one. Is it to reduce stress, to start your day with more energy, to feel more organised, to be more efficient with your time? Whatever the reason write it down and put it on the fridge so you’ll see it every day.

  1. MAKE IT EASY FOR YOURSELF

Do not be unrealistic with your routine. Do not suddenly thing its going to take you 5 minutes to do your make up compared to your usual 15 minutes. Start off easy and give yourself enough time. You do not want to feel rushed and stressed out in the morning. You can always build up the level of performance that you want once the behavior becomes consistent.

The most important thing is to stay motivated, take it slow and never stop trying. It might not be as glamorous as the YouTube videos, but I can promise you it’s worth it. Leave a comment below and tell me your favourite thing about a morning routine or what you struggle with.

 

 

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Beauty Collab

Affordable Makeup Products You Need for a night out {Collab}

One of my blogging goals for 2017 was to do a collab and guess what… I finally did it! So this collaborations I’m doing with Burgundy Beauty. If you’re not already following her stop everything you’re doing and click {here}. She runs an amazing instagram beauty blog with daily product reviews and recommendations. Her reviews are always 100% honest and to the point. I absolutely love her reviews and swear by them. Also I did a quick product review over on her instagram so go check it out. 

Highlighters:

This is one of the best multitasking make up products to use for a more glammed up look.  All you need to do is apply the highlighter to the high points of your face (cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, just above your cupid’s bow and above your temples). If you want to emphasise your eyes, you can use the highlighter as an inner corner highlight and as a brow bone highlight.  For an intense and long-lasting glow, I would suggest applying your highlighter after spritzing your face with some setting spray.  This technique prolongs the wear of the highlighter and prevents any fallout.  A super affordable and good quality highlighter is the L.A. Girl Strobe Lite Strobing Powder (R149 at Dischem).  These highlighters come in a variety of shades so there is one for every skin tone.  If you have combination to oily skin, it is best to use a powder highlighter.   If you dry to normal skin, liquid and/or powder highlighters will work well for you.  The only con with (almost all) highlighters is that they do emphasis texture and blemishes.

Bold Eye Make Up:

If you prefer sticking to nude lips and that ‘no make-up’ make up look, a bold – perhaps colourful – eye look is perfect for both a daytime and night-out look.  Here, it is best to choose a colour theme or colour combination.  For example, a black and gold smokey eye is always a winner. However, if you want to experiment with colour, I recommend pairing a bold matte eyeshadow (for the crease) and a shimmer or pearlised eyeshadow (for the lid).  My current favourite is the Nyx Full Throttle Eyeshadow Quad in ‘Color Riot’ (R164 at Clicks) and the Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in ‘Porter’ ($5 at colorpop.com).  For an easy, colourful autumn look, I blend the orange shade into my crease and apply ‘Porter’ all over my lid.  To intensify the look, I deepen the crease colour with the red shade in the palette.  Another option is to use a loose eyeshadow pigment on the lids.  For this, I love using the Nyx Loose Ultra Pearl Mania Pigments on the lids (R49 at Clicks).  Pigments can be more difficult to use so I highly recommend using a primer or cream eyeshadow underneath.

 

False Lashes:

False lashes is great for when you do not have the time (or energy) to blend a million eyeshadows together.  Just pop on a pair of your favourite false lashes and it will instantly make your eyes pop.  My favourite is the Eylure Volume No. 083 Lightweight Eyelashes (R59 at Clicks and Dischem).  Eylure False Lashes are affordable, easy to use and reusable (if you clean them after each use).  If you plan to use false lashes, just remember to apply mascara to your eyelashes before applying the false lashes.  Also, tight-lining your upper waterline with a dark eyeliner or kajal will help blend the false lashes with your natural eyelashes.

If you are not a fan of false lashes, the Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara (R149 at Clicks and Dischem) is amazing for creating that false lash effect.  The mascara lengthens, curls, defines and adds volume to your lashes.  What more could you ask for?

Metallic Lipstick

In a rush and don’t have time to do the above steps? Just apply a metallic lipstick! The Colourpop Ultra Metallic Lipsticks ($6 at colourpop.com) can easily take your look to the next level.  If you do not have any metallic lipsticks in your collection, you can make your own by mixing some loose eyeshadow pigments with a liquid lipstick.  To make this look more natural, I suggest mixing the liquid lipstick and loose pigment on a clear palette and applying it to your lips with a lip brush.  Alternatively, you could pair a bold lipstick with a lightweight, shimmery lipgloss.  The Essence Cosmetics XXXL Shine Lipglosses are perfect for this.  They retail for R39.90 and can be found at Clicks and Dischem Stores.

Don’t forget to follow Burgundy Beauty on instagram and show her some love! 

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Beauty

Tresemmé Heat Protecting Spray

So how bad can heat styling be for your hair? The answer is really bad if you do not treat it properly.

If I’ve learned one thing about my hair it is that you have to protect it from heat styling tools. And for someone who straightens her hair every second day, a good heat protecting spray is a must. So while browsing the aisles of my local drug store I came across the Tressemé heat protecting spray. This small bottle is perfect for travelling and retails for about R29 (£1.50) for 100ml.

I’ve been using this spray for about a month now and I absolutely love it. I have very difficult hair. It’s curly but tends to frizz, I have an oily scalp and dry hair so finding the right product isn’t always easy. What I love about this product is that it does not make my hair feel oily or greasy. After towel drying my hair I spritz a generous amount on my hair before brushing it. (I don’t know if it’s just me but it also helps with the knots in my hair!) I then proceed to blow dry and straighten. You can also use this on dry hair without having to worry about any sticky residue.The result is softer and shinier hair.  The best part about the product is that it does not weigh down my hair at all. Oh and it smells absolutely amazing!

Quick tip to tell if your heat protecting spray really works:

Spray one of your palms with your heat protecting spray, wait a minute for it to dry, then turning your blow-dryer on high, time how long you can hold it over your hand. Switch hands and hold the dryer over your unprotected one to see how long it takes for the heat to become unbearable. If your heat protecting spray really works you will feel I noticeable difference between the two palms.

Have you tried any heat protecting sprays that you love? Let me know in the comments down below.

 

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Personal

20 Signs that you’ve already succeeded in your early 20’s

I’m just going to say it… Adulting is not easy. There is no guideline or manual and sometimes I feel like I am doing it all wrong. That’s why your twenties can sometimes feel like a completely messy part of your life that you just want to forget. You are experiencing some things that are scary and completely foreign at the same time.  A few days ago I felt completely fed up. I am almost 22, still studying and living with my parents. I found a note a wrote when I was 12 saying in 10 years I want to have my own flat, a cat, be engaged and have a well earning job. The note completely caught me off guard. I am nowhere close to any of those things (except the cat she is the cutest thing ever).

So I wrote down 20 things that made me feel like I’ve succeeded in my early 20’s

  1. You’ve experienced failure and realized it is not the end o f the world. The most important part of failure is the lesson you learned. I felt like such a failure when I decided to change degree’s. Today I feel like it has been the best decision of my life. I am now studying something I am passionate about and that makes all the difference.
  2. You’ve put effort into being a really good friend and apologized and tried to make amends for the times that you were not. This is sometimes the hardest lesson you learn. Realizing that you were wrong and having to say you’re sorry is never easy. You also realize that people you thought you’re going to be lifelong friends with you outgrow. Never try and force a frienship if each start going their separate ways.
  3. You’ve gotten out of bed when it feels like the entire world was against you. For me getting out of bed before 7 is a victory itself. Sometimes you just get those days when it feels like everything and everyone is against you, but you still kept going and that’s what’s important.
  4. You’ve learned not to get frustrated with the small things in life.
  5. You’ve accepted the fact that you’re not perfect… And that is not always easy. We would all like to believe we are perfect.
  6. You’ve stopped apologizing for your feelings. You have come to the realization that you’re going to experience different emotions and sometimes you’re going to want to cry for no apparent reason at all… And you know what IT’S OK
  7. You’ve learned to like whatever you like whether it is cool or not.
  8. You’ve started doing the things you’ve always wanted to instead of just talking about doing them.
  9. You’ve realized that you’re favourite things often don’t involve money. Things like friendship, long meaningful conversations and nature.
  10. You’ve filled more than one coffee loyalty card. This is a big deal… Believe me.
  11. You’ve done something for someone else without posting it on facebook or expecting anything in return.
  12. You’ve learned to say ‘thank you’ .
  13. You’re fine with being in your own company.
  14. You’ve started realizing that not everything on social media is as perfect as it seems.
  15. You’ve spent an entire day in your pajamas, hair in a bun and binge watching series like Friends, Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars.
  16. You’ve started to appreciate the person in the mirror. You feel comfortable in who you are and don’t feel the need to constantly change your appearance to keep other’s happy.
  17. You feel passionate about things and pursue them.
  18. You’ve learned to say ‘no’ .
  19. You’ve learned to take time for yourself and do things you enjoy.
  20. You’ve loved someone or something.

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Personal

21 Things I learned the year I turned 21

 

So this year I turned 21 and thought I would look back at the things I learned so far.

  1. Be yourself: Life is too short to try and be someone else. Do what make you happy. Just be you. There will always be someone who disagrees with you or dislikes you. Just be you!
  2. Take time for yourself: Just take time away from everything and everyone. Switch off your phone and go for a massage or get your nails done.
  3. It’s okay to make mistakes: Making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn. Perfection is overrated.
  4. Cats are the best pets to have: They love you no matter what. Studies have shown that people with cats live longer… Just saying.
  5. Going out is not a priority: I don’t know if I’m just getting old, but I enjoy having a relaxed night with friends at home just as much, if not more, than a nigh out.
  6. No one really knows what they are doing: Life is complicated. Just go with your gut.
  7. It’s okay to cry: Just cry. You will most probably feel better afterwards. It is also alright to eat chocolate in these situations. Chocolate understands.
  8. Call for help: If you are unsure about anything you can always call your mom or dad. There’s always someone you can phone who will help you. Just don’t be afraid to ask.
  9. Get rid of negative people in your life: You don’t need people constantly bringing you down. It’s not worth it.
  10. Don’t drink bad coffee: It’s not worth it. Coffee is an essential part of life. It is necessary to properly adult.
  11. Never look up health symptoms or illness on the internet: A stomach cramp will be diagnosed as Ebola or something and you will freak out. It’s not worth it.
  12. You are allowed to change your mind: Nothing is set in stone. Change your mind as often as you like, as you long as it makes you HAPPY.
  13. Never stop dreaming: You’re never too old to dream big.
  14. It’s just a bad day, not a bad life: Just put on some yoga pants, throw your hair into a bun, pour yourself a glass of wine and relax.
  15. Appreciate the small things in life: Big romantic gesture is great; I mean who doesn’t love a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates. But the truth is the roses will die and the chocolates will disappear. It’s the small things that really matters. The things that often go unnoticed.
  16. Never go to bed angry: You will never get a good night’s rest if you go to bed angry. Remember Tyra Banks said the best product in your make up bag is a good night’s sleep.
  17. University is not just about going to classes: You will be surprised how much you can learn about people and life outside the classroom. Just be open to change, meet new people and experience new things. Personal experience is just as valuable as knowledge in a textbook.
  18. Get a hobby, something that’s interesting and makes you feel alive: It’s easy for life just to pass you buy, take time out of your week or month to do something new and exciting.
  19. Treat people the way you would like to be treated: Everyone has their own problems and things they are going through. No one can completely understand what another person is going through. Everyone experiences things differently. So treat others the way you would like them to treat you. It won’t cost you a thing.
  20. Do not dwell on the past: The past is the past. There is nothing you can do to change it. Do not waste precious time dwelling in the past. Make it a learning experience.
  21. Love yourself: You are amazing. You are one in a million. There is no one else like you. Do not let anyone bring you down or tell you, you are not good enough.

These are just a few things I learned in the past 21 years. Believe me when I say I have a lot more to learn. And strangely I cannot wait… Let me know in the comments down below what you have learned. I love reading other people’s advice.

Xxx

 

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