Happy Sunday!

If you didn’t get the memo last week, I’m sending Take A Sip out on SUNDAYS now instead of Tuesdays. Why? Well to switch things up, for one. But also, because everyone sends their newsletters out on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. And we are not everyone. We are unicorns.

Sundays have been my favorite day of the week lately. And when I say lately I mean for the past year. I feel like they are the one day of the week where I don’t put pressure on myself. Pressure to hustle more, make more money, write more articles, pitch more editors, decipher how to best discipline my 5-year-old, and expect my entire life to be figured out in the span of 24 hours.

It’s mentally exhausting to live 6 out of the 7 days of the week that way.

Not ironically, Sundays always end up being my best days for creativity. And I have a hunch it’s the result of allowing myself the freedom to BE ME and BE FREE.

If you can relate to this constant compounding of unnecessary pressure, I think you will enjoy this issue, inspired largely by an Instagram post I saw from Healthline — How To Boost Your Morning Endorphins — to which they provided (as they always do) fabulous tips to make your a.m. mood a bit more chipper, and a little less pissed off.

Healthline’s Morning Mood-Boosting Tips

Exercise outdoors

Cuddle with your partner or pet

Start a morning meditation routine

Eat your favorite food for breakfast

If you’re thinking…WOW ASH, REAL NOVEL IDEAS HERE. I get it. We have heard these tips before. But are you doing them? And are they working?

Because my best days come from my best mornings, I can only assume your best days come from your best mornings as well. And what better time to evaluate our morning routines than now, as we GLEEFULLY enter the new, bright and cheery season of Spring?

My tried-and-true (and seriously effective) formula for happier morning success is my zen trifecta:

1. Feel Good.

2. Look Good.

3. Do Good.

Feel Good

Feeling good starts with the mind. Positive affirmations like, “I am an unstoppable badass,” might seem weird to shout at yourself in the mirror, but they are highly effective in boosting your confidence. Besides, it’s fun, and a keen reminder to not take yourself so seriously.

Editor tip: Find a mantra that speaks to you and recite it every morning. Then go make yourself the best oat milk latte of your life (or whatever a.m. beverage you prefer) to wake up those taste buds and get your brain going.

Look Good

Say it with me now, FITNESS. If it isn’t a part of your lifestyle by now, it really needs to be. For so many reasons, with the endorphin increase perhaps being the best one. I am a spin class fanatic, and like to say annoying things like “My day doesn’t begin until I spin,” because it really is true. I crave the loud music and motivational instructor yelling at us TO CHALLENGE YO-SELF.

Editor tip: Find a workout that you enjoy, and stick with it. And if you’re a fitness freak like me, switch up your cardio and strength training game by introducing your bod to new workouts.

Also in the Look Good realm is physical appearance, aka getting dressed in clothes that aren’t pajamas and putting on makeup (if makeup is your thing). I’m convinced I’m meaner when I don’t have mascara on, and I know my self-esteem is shot to hell if I don’t dress myself in something more presentable than leggings and a t-shirt.

Do Good

No one is sitting on your shoulder barking at you to VOLUNTEER AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER YOU HEARTLESS WOMAN. Think smaller, but effective. Something you can commit to every day that isn’t overwhelming. Like making conversation with the school crossing guard or being nicer to your pain in the ass client.

The take-home lesson for the zen trifecta is that a little bit goes a long way.

Editor tip: While routine is *key* in staying grounded and productive, switching it up is equally as important. I’m talking switching your vanilla coffee grounds for the espresso roast, or putting your hair in a high ponytail instead of the mid-bun you’ve been doing since 2017. Small, but effective.

Related Note

I believe laughing should be how everyone starts their days. Whether you rely on your husband or a YouTube clip for a good dose of the giggles, I highly recommend laughing more. It really is the best medicine.

On that note, I can’t recommend Joey Mulinaro enough.

Weekly reminder

Here at Take A Sip, we believe what you read + what you wear + what you listen to is thee killer combo to make your wellness dreams come true — whether you’re trying to up your self-improvement game, climb the corporate ladder, or make some damn mom friends already, it all starts with grounding your life in wellness.

Thank you for reading today’s issue!

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with your friends. We are in life together.

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Be you.

Xo, Ashley