Adult hot Sereni-Tea. - lookmybody - lookmybody

In a few of my self-care posts (like this one, and this one), I talk about incorporating tea into my self-care routines.  There's something soothing about the process of making a cup of tea, especially a cup of loose-leaf tea.  It just gets you in the mood to slow down and relax!

I thought I'd share my top five teas with you today.  These are great hot or cold, making them great for the mixed-up weather we're having right now in my city.  I store my teas in my DIY Tea Chest, which you can see how I made by clicking here!

I also do not drink my tea with any milk, and rarely add sweetener.  When I do use sweetener, I use about a teaspoon of agave syrup, which I purchase from a local health food store.  I brew my teas using stainless steel tea filters or my travel tea mug, all purchased from Teavana or David's Tea.  I also am a fan of teas that taste great hot or cold, as I often will brew a big cup of hot tea and forget about it halfway through, returning to it after it's cooled.  

Now, onto the teas!  The teas I will share today are all from David's Tea, but I will share my other favourites in another post!

1. Alpine Punch 

(Rooibos Tea)

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Ingredients: Rooibos, coconut chips (coconut, coconut fat, sugar), coconut rasps, apple, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, rose blossoms, almonds, natural and artificial almond cream flavouring.

I received this tea as a gift from a friend, and surprisingly it has become a favourite of mine.  With its sweet almond cream flavouring, this tea is perfect without any added sugar.

2. Guava Cadabra 

(Herbal Tea)

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Ingredients: Mango (mango, sugar), apple, hibiscus blossoms, elderberries, guava crunchy (guava and apple puree, apple juice), mango, beetroot, rosehips, artificial flavouring.

I was wary about this tea, but its delicious scent won me over.  This tea is sweetened with the mango and apple flavours, but has the tangyness of the guava.  A great tea to drink hot or cold, without sweetener!

3. Me To We Tea 

(Herbal Tea)

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Ingredients: Apple, pineapple (pineapple, cane sugar, citric acid, sulfites), hibiscus, fig, pink peppercorns, cranberry, cornflower, stevia extract, natural raspberry, cherry and passion fruit flavouring.

This is another tea that I was skeptical about, but the in-store sample won me over.  This is another, that tastes great hot or cold.  The apple, pineapple, cane sugar, and stevia extract all sweeten the tea enough, to the point where it does not need additional sweetener.  Proceeds from this tea go to support the provision of clean drinking water for a village in Kenya, which is an added bonus!

4. Spearmint 

(Herbal Tea, Kosher, Organic)

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Ingredients: Spearmint leaves from Oregon and Washington State.

I have always loved the taste of mint tea - it was one of my grandmother's favourites.  This simple tea tastes great with a squeeze of lime!

5. Detox 

(Green Tea, Fair Trade, Kosher, Organic)

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Ingredients: Rooibos (FairTrade Certified), sencha green tea, lemongrass, ginger, juniper berries, ginkgo. With natural lemon flavouring.

Lemongrass is another favourite - I use to take baths in it as a child.  I love drinking this tea black, as I do with my peppermint tea.

And that's it!  My top 5 teas from David's Tea.  Stay tuned for a post with some more of my favs, including those from other tea brands!

Cheers, with a mug of warm tea!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Living Big in Small Spaces: Bedroom (Part 1) - lookmybody - lookmybody

My bedroom is quite small.  It's about 11 feet by 14 feet, with a tiny built in closet.  I've been living in this space for about six years now, and it's been an ongoing struggle to find enough space to live in AND store all of my stuff.  Embarking on this minimalist journey has helped, but not by much.  Even though I've downsized, I still seem to have way too little space.

For all of you out there who have the same challenge, here are the ways that I've managed to maximize my tiny space to meet my needs!  In the next several weeks, I will take you around my room, and show you how I've managed to live large in my little space.

First stop - the bed!

[Picture of bed]

1. Maximize bed storage.

Eliminate the need for extra furniture with a bed that has drawers built in!  Drawers underneath the bed can replace your bedside tables, dresser, or a chest at the end of the bed, giving you some extra leg room.  My bed comes with three HUGE drawers underneath, which is the perfect place for me to store extra linens, craft supplies, old school books, keepsakes, travel bags, and even clothes!

While the bed I have is no longer available, check out these equally functional beds from IKEA!

IKEA MALM High Bed with 4 Storage Drawers
I am secretly coveting this bedroom set ... I would LOVE to own this bed one day!

IKEA MALM Pull Up Storage Bed
Perfect for rooms with no room to pull out drawers!

If you already have a bed, and aren't looking to purchase a new one, try purchasing under bed storage boxes to meet your needs.  You can find fabric or plastic containers at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Target, The Container Store, Bed Bath and Beyond, and IKEA.  IKEA even sells drawers separately from their beds, in case you were set on a set of drawers (ha!).

2. Minimize bed size.

If you're just one person, you probably don't need a king, queen, or even full size bed.  I've gotten by on a twin bed for years, and it works just fine for me.  This maximizes space for other furniture, and allows me to have quite a bit of floor space in my room.  These beds from IKEA are ones that I wish I had gotten, since they fit my personal style.

IKEA MALM High Bed with 2 drawers (Single)

IKEA HEMNES Daybed with 3 Drawers
This bed is great because it pulls out into a double bed, giving you extra room for guests!

3. Maximize Vertical Space.

Loft beds are also a great option, though not as practical or appropriate for my taste.  I do love the look of loft beds however, and these are a couple options that I would definitely go for!

IKEA STUVA Loft Bed - Bed, Desk, Drawers, and Closet in One!

IKEA SVARTA Loft Bed Frame

Utilize the empty space under the bed to keep a desk/vanity and chair, dresser, or even to create a cozy sitting area for friends and family to enjoy!  This option is ideal for a bachelors apartment with limited room!

4. Minimize bed clutter!

I know it can be hard to keep the bed made or completely clear of clothes, but I find it's a lot easier to do so if my bed is not littered with pillows, throws, stuffed animals, etc.  The pile of cushions might look cute, but if you're too lazy/tired to make your bed everyday (like me), it's best to keep your bed down to the essentials.  For me, this means 4 pillows (I like my head high when sleeping), my bed sheets, my comforter, and a throw that I cover myself with when it's warm.  That way even if my bed is unmade, it doesn't look like Bed Bath and Beyond threw up on my bed.

[Picture of made bed]

5. Maximize bed placement.

Bed placement can divide a small bedroom, giving you the chance to use the space in creative ways. My bed did not come with a headboard, making it easy for me to center it on the wall opposite my closet.  However my bed felt incomplete without a headboard, so I had to get creative.

Closetmaid 9 Cube Organizer

Enter the Closetmaid 9 Cube Organizer, also known as my $40.00 makeshift headboard!  Though this doesn't sit perfectly centered behind my bed, it is the perfect height to act as a ledge behind my bed, holding a few decorative items, as well as Kleenex and lip balm (my night time essentials).  

[Insert picture of top shelf]

The cubes are hidden behind my pillows and bed, but they are the perfect spot to store items that I don't need to see, but do need to use.  I store hair products, books, candles, body butter making tools and supplies, tea, keepsakes, and odds and ends in this little cubby.  And since this cubby doesn't show, I don't have to worry about making it neat!

[Insert picture of storage cubby organization]

The best part is that this storage cube sections off a little storage corner in my room, where I can temporarily store items such as my bags of clothes for donation, gifts wrapped and ready to be given, empty boxes for recycling, etc.

[Insert picture of storage corner]

If you're not looking to purchase any more furniture, try maximizing the ones you have by placing them strategically to create room dividers!

6. Maximize wall space.

Wall shelves come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and can be a decorative and functional addition to your small space.  Hang a shelf or two at either side of your bed to replace nightstands, freeing up floor space and giving your room an airy feel.  While I have not used this tip personally, here are a few shelves that I've been eyeing lately:

Double Decker Wall Shelf from Urban Outfitters
A good option for anyone who doesn't want to store too much!

Bryn Mountain Display Shelf from Urban Outfitters
Great for storing the bare essentials.

Diamond Cross Planes Shelf
Again, great for the essentials

Invisible Book Shelf
Imagine the fun you could have with this minimal shelf!

If you're feeling crafty (and brave), you could purchase or DIY your own set of floating nightstands.  I personally love this one by www.mylove2create.com:

Check out the AMAZING tutorial by clicking here!

I didn't realize this post would be so long!  I had more space-saving tips than I thought!  Stay tuned to find out how a worked my way around my tiny closet, and managed to end up with clothing storage fit for a minimalist diva!!

Cheers to maximizing space, while minimalizing clutter!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Grownups. - lookmybody - lookmybody

I'm 23 years old.

I know that 23 is relatively quite young. But when 23 years is all you have to your name, it's a lot.

Recently, it's dawned on me that I'm technically a "grownup".  I think what really did it was the day that I was buying groceries, and was called a "nice lady" by a mother with her young son.  It took me a solid minute to realize she was talking about me.

You've arrived at adulthood the minute someone calls you a "nice lady".

I was at a baby shower the other day with some friends, and one of them turned to me and said "Man, we're old!".  Watching the teenagers and little kids run around, while my friends and I sat down and celebrated our friends pregnancy, I had to agree.  We are getting old.

I've done a lot in my 23 years.  And I still have a lot that I want to do.  Traveling, exploring, hitting new milestones, that's all on my bucket list.  And I don't intend to stop, even when I get "old".  Old is subjective, and while I'm old compared to what I used to be, I'm still young compared to who I will be in the future.

I've got a lot of life left to live.  And I do solemnly swear to live it to the fullest.

Cheers to being a grownup, and enjoying life!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Spring Cleaning for Mental Clarity. - lookmybody - lookmybody

"Mental happiness is total relaxation."

Back in the Winter, I wrote a post about how I cope with the winter blues.  Many of those tips involve hibernating and keeping to myself.  But now that Spring is here and the Winter blues are fading away, it's time for me to reorganize my life in a way that allows me to feel renewed, refreshed, and revitalized.  I also reorganize my space in a way that clears the leftover fog and fuzz from the winter blues.  So without further ado, here are my tips for spring cleaning for mental clarity!

1. Put away winter items.
Moving winter coats, accessories, boots, heavy knits, and winter decor out of sight is one of the best ways to renew your space for spring.  If you're living minimally, this won't take long.  But if you're still on the path to minimalism (like me), this is a great opportunity to purge items you haven't reached for that winter, or items that are worn out and need to be tossed.  Put anything you're keeping in a drawer, or in the back of your closet.  If your seasonal items are out of sight, that season will also be out of mind!

2. Open a window.
Fresh spring air is amazing for clarity of mind.  While you're working on decluttering your indoor spaces, open your windows and let your space be refreshed.  Let that stale winter air move out, and welcome the fresh scent of spring in!

3. Make a spring playlist!
I find that my taste in music changes as the seasons do.  Music is a big part of my life in any season, so changing up my music to fit the season is one of the best ways to lighten the mood, and get me ready to tackle spring cleaning!

4. Thoroughly clean your space.
This is a given for spring cleaning, but cleaning your space from top to bottom is the best way to kick start your move to mental clarity.  For me, this means clearing off all spaces, wiping everything down, and sorting items out before putting them back.  This also means purging decor items if I have to.  This is in preparation for my next tip ...

5. Re-organize your space.
Not everyone wants to/can afford to redecorate their space each season.  But reorganizing furniture and decor items can help your space feel new, even if you haven't actually introduced new items into the space.  Trust me, your mind will feel renewed, as if you have moved into a completely new space!

6. Spend more time outdoors.
While this isn't really about spring cleaning, this tip is essential for mental clarity.  Being outdoors has so many benefits for you, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  This tip could be a blog post in itself!  Just get outside and enjoy a cup of tea on a porch, backyard, or balcony.  Go out for a meal, and enjoy the patio.  Take a walk, sit by the lake, hike through a forest.  Get outside.  Your entire self will be refreshed!

And there you have it - my six tips for spring cleaning to inspire mental clarity.

Do you have any spring cleaning tips?  If so, leave them in the comment section below!

Cheers to a clearer state of mind!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Content. - lookmybody - lookmybody

In high school, I was incredibly insecure.

Now, my experience isn't much different than that of the typical North American high-school student.   Insecurity seems to be a common part of puberty.  And I was no different - high school was one of the most unsettling points of my life to date.

It's been about six years since I graduated from high school.  Since that time, I've spent a lot of time away from people I used to envy, and I spent a lot more time on my own, growing into myself.  I recently met up with some of these friends, and I was surprised to see how much I had changed.  I was able to admire them and their achievements, while feeling secure about myself and all that I have accomplished.  I'm able to talk and laugh with people whose presence used to make me so uncomfortable, because I've stopped comparing myself to them.

Being comfortable in your own skin doesn't come easily, but when it does, it feels amazing.  I guess that's a key part of growing up.  Giving up the insecurities of childhood/adolescence, and being happy being yourself.

I like ending my blog posts with a lesson, so here's the lesson for today: Being content with who your are is inevitable.  As you grow, focus on your strengths, embrace your oddities, and accept yourself for who you are.

Cheers to contentment.

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot The Lifesaving Magic of Purging People. - lookmybody - lookmybody

The Lifesaving Magic of Tidying Up has taken the world by storm.  Okay not the world, just the niche YouTube decluttering community, but it's still made quite the ripple.

I haven't read the book - I'm not one to read about cleaning up - but from what I gather, this lifechanging book is about how to declutter your life because "Less Stuff, Less Stress" right?  The principles the author has laid out are supposed to be quite effective, and based on the many YouTube videos I've watched, they are great for getting people to clean out their junk.

For me, tidying up is only part of the problem.  If I want to live a life of less stress, it's not about just having less "stuff", it's about leading a simpler life all together.  I've already talked about purging my possessions, but what I haven't touched on is purging people.

Now I know this seems a bit extreme.  Cutting out the people in your life is after all the surest way to end up alone.  But bear with me, I promise there's something to this.

Take a look at your contacts in your phone.  How many of those people do you actually contact?   How about the people on your Facebook friends list?  How many of them do you care about, and how many of them are just on your list so you can show off/stalk them (and vice versa)? How many social media accounts do you have, and how many of those are adding value to your life?

Now, imagine what would happen if if you cut back on the people in your life.  You know, cleaned up your contact list (get rid of that ex-best friend from high school, ex-boyfriend, ex-crushes, ex-friends), removed a few people from your Facebook friends list, closed down a couple social media accounts that really were just a waste of your time.

Would you feel free-er?  Would you feel happier?  I know I did.  After purging the people that didn't matter from my view, I found that it was a lot easier for me to connect with the friends that I actually wanted to connect with.  When I logged onto social media, I connected with the people I truly cared about, rather than being barraged with people who added no meaning to my life.  That's not to say that I'm not open to new people or new experiences.  It just means that I have made room in my life for the people that matter, and I have closed the door on the people that don't.

Why don't you try it?  Let me know how it goes.

Cheers to purging the wrong people, so you have more room for the right ones!

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Stance. - lookmybody - lookmybody

I'm non-confrontational.  I avoid conflict at all cost, even if that means keeping my mouth shut on topics that are controversial.  I also avoid taking the unpopular stance - If I do not believe in something that goes against the majority belief, I will not voice my opinions.

While I think being non-confrontational is a good trait, I think there's something to be said for taking a stance, even if it is the unpopular one.  We are what we believe, and if we are afraid to stand for what we believe ... who are we?

I'm starting to learn to take a stand for my beliefs.  To voice my opinions and stand by them.  To be open to changing my stance if I am wrong, but also to understand that sometimes there is no "wrong".  Sometimes there is just your opinion, and the other opinion(s), and the only right way is the way that sits well with you.

I'm writing this post to encourage someone out there to take a stance.  Don't be afraid of what will happen if you do.  Or be afraid, it's up to you.  Just do it - take a stance.  Voice your opinion.  See what happens.

Cheers,

xoxo, Jayy.

Adult hot Empty Vessels. - lookmybody - lookmybody

I'm a social worker.  And if you know anything about social workers, you know that social workers are great at taking care of everyone but themselves.  I think it comes with the territory - anyone who has a passion for helping others also has a tendency to lose themselves while doing so.

It's an oddly tough lesson to learn.  But not caring for yourself comes at a high price.  You can lose a lot - your sanity, your happiness, your ability to function - all can be lost if you do not consider your mental health to be a priority.

You can't serve from an empty vessel.  You can't help anyone when you can't help yourself.  If you are to save the world, you must first be able to save yourself.

I'm writing this as a reminder to myself, and as encouragement to everyone out there who forgets to fill themselves up before serving others.  Serving on empty is pointless.  It's meaningless, and it's a sure path to failure.

Love yourself.  Serve yourself.  Care for yourself.  Then serve others.

Cheers,

xoxo, Jayy

Adult hot Mixed Up, But Not Confused - lookmybody - lookmybody

A few years back I wrote a paper entitled "Mixed Up, But Not Confused", where I discussed mixed-race female identities as empowered beyond what academic literature recognized.  In other words, I talked about how mixed-race females know who they are despite what research says.  This paper was the groundwork for my Major Research Paper (thesis), which I finished almost a year ago.

My thesis used social media to challenge the idea of mixed-race females as disempowered.  One of the themes I kept coming across on YouTube in particular is the story of mixed-race females as confused because of their multiracial identities.  It makes me upset to see that so many mixed-race females out there are not taught to recognize the strengths associated with their identity.  So many mixed-race females identify with the story of confusion and struggle, and very few (at least from what I could find) actually seek to break free and empower themselves.

It also upsets me to know that so many mixed-race people have had bad experiences growing up due to complete failure of parents and teachers to educate their children about diversity.  In a world where mixed-race people are "the next big thing" according to National Geographic, it's sad that we aren't able to love ourselves in the way we should.

The message I tried to get across in the paper I wrote a few years ago, is that all mixed race people are not confused about who they are.  We just identify ourselves in different ways than the norm.  For us, we sit in between categories and above definitions, and that's normal and okay for us.  Conforming to the the boxed-in identities that people with monoracial identities are comfortable in doesn't work for a person who belongs to multiple racial categories.  And that's okay.

I hope to further my research in this area one day, and delve more into the complexity of mixed-race identities.  Ultimately, I hope that one day I can contribute to the academic knowledge on identities such as my own, and help people understand that mixed does not mean confused.

Cheers to complex identities, and the power they hold to challenge the norms!

xoo, Jayy (The Defiant Dougla)

Adult hot Creative Intermission. - lookmybody - lookmybody

I hope you have all been enjoying These are the Words.  It's truly been a pleasure for me to share a piece of poetry with you each morning for the past 60 days.  The process of writing and sharing my thoughts and feelings has been cathartic, and I am glad that I decided to take the plunge and embark on this journey.

(For those of you who have no idea of what I'm talking about, check out the entire series of poetry by clicking this link.)

While I've enjoyed writing and sharing with you all, I have found myself needing/wanting to take a break from posting poetry for a while.  I'm calling it a 'creative intermission', a time for me to get the creative juices flowing by taking a break.  My writing has always been sporadic, and I currently have not been finding the passion to write anything I'm proud enough to share.  So I thought I'd take the pressure off myself for a while, and return to posting about my minimalist journey, my natural hair journey, fashion, etc.

Again, I hope you have enjoyed These are the Words.  If you have any requests for content, please do not hesitate to let me know!

Cheers to a creative intermission!

xoxo, Jayy