five tips to help you unwind

over the years, i have realized i have a

difficult time prioritizing self-care. sure, i enjoy

painting my nails (and getting frequent manicures!),

and i find writing therapeutic. i am also a skincare junkie,

so i often apply a face mask before bed. these activities,

in addition to keeping active by going for walks or
visiting the gym, help minimize stress.

however, simply relaxing at home is

 not something i often do. between working,

babysitting, striving to keep active, and of course,

juggling a blog, i rarely have 'down time.'
there's always a family trying to squeeze in
a date night or a photo i simply must post to social media.

 i like to stay busy, but recently, i have made a goal for myself

to occasionally say 'no' to social engagements and 

work-related functions, and instead take that time for

myself; it hasn't been easy! 

i recently had the opportunity to attend a
glamorous, yet relaxing 'blogger pajama party,'
hosted by mattress firm and revolution pr.
i must admit, it was far more relaxing than the
slumber parties i recall from my middle school days --
pizza and french fries, nail painting and staying
up far too late watching the olsen twins --
those were the days.

this pajama party included complimentary facials
and/or hand massages by the estheticians at skoah,
braids galore by the talented stylists at gary manuel,
organic miniature donuts from mighty-o and a
presentation by a local dream interpreter. when preparing
to leave, i felt utterly relaxed and pampered! 

upon arriving, we were given cozy pajamas

to change into. i have a special place in my heart for

fuzzy and/or fleece pajama bottoms (particularly

pajamas with dachshunds). this sweatshirt, courtesy of

big feet pajama co, has quickly become a favorite!

much to our delight, our slumber party adventure was 

complete with tasty treats. we enjoyed miniature donuts and cupcakes 

(provided by trophy cupcakes). my sweet tooth was thrilled!

^^^ getting pampered spoiled ^^^

photos by vivian hsu photography

five tips to help you unwind:

1. before bed, pamper yourself

this is open to interpretation -- i enjoy washing my 

face with warm water, applying a face mask (if i start

the night-routine early enough!), and then applying a serum

and lotion to my face, and often, moroccan oil to my hair.

find a ritual or regimen that works best for you!

2. light a candle and/or drink a cup of tea

as you're winding down

i love valuspa candles, and my favorite 

tea as of late is celestial seasonings' 'sleepy time' herbal

tea. i drink a cup before brushing my teeth and

crawl into bed feeling warm and relaxed.

3. write down your thoughts in a journal

i know i am biased, as i find writing to be 

incredibly therapeutic. i often blog before bed 

(gotta finish that new content sometime, right?!). however,

writing down reflections or thoughts on your day

can be equally beneficial. not

a writer? i sometimes find it helpful to simply

(mentally) look back on my day.

4. stretch!

this may sound silly, but stretching your neck,

shoulders, arms and back can do wonders

for your body. taking a deep breath in, and then

exhaling deeply, can relieve stress that manifests

itself mentally and physically.

5. avoid screen time 30 minutes before bed

i am terrible at this! i constantly scroll through

blogs (and then instagram, pinterest, twitter 

and facebook) before finally saying, 'what am

i still doing awake?!' i am working to be better at putting

my phone away before crawling into bed and 

instead taking those last few minutes before sleep to

read and calm my mind (i set this goal a week ago,

so i will let you know how it goes!).

do you have any helpful relaxation tips?

i appreciate any advice! a very special thank you to 

revolution pr for inviting me to this unique and 

incredibly relaxing event!

xoxo.