Five Things You Should Do in the Morning to Prepare for a Kick-Ass Day!

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Happy Saturday! These past couple months have been incredibly busy, and I’m excited to say that I’ve finally settled down a little and started blogging again. Below are five tips you can do to set a positive, healthy tone to your day.

Prepare the night before. If you have to be out of the house at a certain time, planning the night before could be a HUGE help. Prepare things that would normally consume a portion of your time in the morning (e.g. clothes, meal prep, keeping your car keys by the door, etc.)

Drink a glass of cold water. The first thing I do when I wake up is drink a glass of cold water. Drinking chilled water is not only refreshing, but can also help rehydrate your body after waking up, boost your metabolism and lessen mood fluctuations.

Eat breakfast. Eating breakfast doesn’t have to be a feast, but it is important to have something to consume before walking out the door. Just like drinking water, having breakfast can have health benefits and set the tone to your day. Health benefits includes boosting your metabolism, increasing blood sugar to help the brain and muscles, and better memory and concentration.

Make a to-do list. Making a to-do list may sound like a daunting task, however, it can help organize your thoughts first thing in the morning. When eating breakfast, I would start making lists of things that I would want to get done that day. Writing them out or typing them on your phone works either way.

Watch or read something inspiring. Got a little more time? Try reading or watching something that inspires you to work harder and become better.

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Weekend Brunch: The Avocado Toast

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Ingredients

Two slices of Bread
One Avocado
Butter
Salt & Pepper
Paprika (optional)

Directions

Put two slices of bread in the toaster for 2-3 minutes.
While the bread is toasting, cut and slice the avocados into small cubes.
With a fork or spoon, mash the cubes of avocados as much as possible.
Take bread out of toaster and put on a plate. Butter the toast.
Add the mashed up avocados onto each bread.
Sprinkle salt and pepper to enhance flavor.
As optional, sprinkle paprika.
Enjoy!

Burano, Italy

In the midst of May, my family and I took a ten day trip to Italy. We started in Rome and headed north, driving along the western coast of this beautiful country. There was a lot of breathtaking sceneries, quaint historical towns, and lots of heavenly tasting food and wine!

Although every town was unique and memorable, one of my most favorite stops was the Island of Burano – a thirty minute boat ride from Venice. Burano is a small island with colorful homes occupied by local Italians.

My family and I arrived shortly after a storm had ended. There weren’t many tourists roaming the streets, which gave this island a more localized feel. We went through wet corridors and walked over bridges fascinated by the beauty and peacefulness that this town had to offer.

We walked passed by small shops that sold handcrafted jewelry, lace, glass, and food. Lacemaking is the main craftsmanship in Burano. Almost every store we walked by was selling beautifully woven lace. The shopkeepers selling lace were warm and friendly, and invited foreigners to see how lacemaking was done.

As my family and I head back to the docks to Venice, we saw the leaning bell tower in the distance. I chuckled at the fact that the leaning tower of Pisa was not the only crooked tower in Italy.

Even in the midst of grey skies, the Island of Burano remains vibrant and beautiful. As I reflect back on this trip, I feel a sense of gratitude for being able to travel to beautiful, artistic places like Burano, and I hope to come back soon.