Guest Posts

Steeped Tea Must-Haves for the Holiday Season and New Year

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by Peggy Michel, Independent Steeped Tea Consultant

Ahhhh, the holidays!!!  They are quickly approaching!  Some of us love and enjoy them and others hate them and anxiously await a new year.  Either way, they can definitely be stressful, even for those that seem to have it all together…

Today’s blog post includes some of my favorite tea items that have made my life much easier – for both serving and gift giving!

Cheeseball Mixes

Have you tried a tea-based cheeseball mix? Grab your favorite cream cheese and mix the contents of the packet together to create the perfect cheeseball. You can also concoct a dip by substituting Greek yogurt, create a pasta sauce with them, or layer in a pretty dish and add complementary ingredients. The possibilities are endless.  Having these on hand during the holidays is super convenient!

Cheeseball Mix

Flavors include:

  • Pumpkin Cheesecake – serve with graham crackers or vanilla wafers
  • Caramel Apple
  • S’mores
  • Vanilla Cookie (my personal favorite)
  • Garlic Chili – serve with chips or veggies

Priced at $12, each bag makes 8 Cheeseballs!  Money well spent!

Iced Tea Infusion Jug or Sweet Tea Pitcher

These two pitchers are fabulous! Each pitcher holds about 2 bottles of wine. I have used our Winter Sangria Tea with Pinot Grigio for parties and it was a huge hit!

The Iced Tea Infusion Jug has a removable infuser in the center.  You just add your tea leaves of choice and add your hot or cold liquid.

Steeped Tea Iced Tea Infusion Jug

With the Sweet Tea Pitcher, you add the tea leaves directly into the pitcher and add your liquid of choice.  The strainer built into the lid will catch the Tea leaves and just give you a beautiful serving of goodness!  I have used our Berry Mania tea steeped directly into vodka and seltzer and added cut up limes…it looked great and was another successful drink!  I have also steeped our Papaya Sangria in water for my daughters – which they LOVE!  I highly recommend either of these pitchers for giving or serving during the holidays.

MATCHA

I have no idea what I did before I found out about matcha. Matcha is when the green tea leaf is completely ground down into a fine powder and blended directly into your liquid of choice.  There are many health benefits associated with matcha! Personally speaking, I get an abundance of energy when I drink matcha. It is also high in antioxidants, boosts the immune system, detoxifies, and helps stimulates the metabolism, among other things.  It is much different than the burst of energy you get from coffee.  Matcha gives you a “focused alertness” with no jitters.  It is awesome and they come in a variety of flavors. One tin is priced at $39 for 100 servings!  (Only $.39 per serving!)  You can mix matcha in hot water, blend it into smoothies, mix it into yogurt, and add it to pancake or cupcake batter…another item where the possibilities are endless.

Steeped Tea Gingerbread Matcha

The available flavors are:

  • Banana
  • Fruit Punch
  • Gingerbread (pictured)
  • Mocha
  • Peppermint
  • Pineapple Punch
  • Sweet Strawberry
  • Tonia’s Pumpkin
  • Vanilla

Also available is plain Matcha ($39) and Ceremonial ($45). Not sure which to try? A matcha sampler is also available for $60 and comes with the 6 most popular matcha flavors in a sample size.

Pop-Top Tumbler

This Pop-Top Tumbler is amazing! It will keep liquids hot or cold for about 12 hours. This gem comes with a detachable infuser so you can steep your tea right into it!  I use mine every single day as I am constantly on the run with my kids.  It also has a lock to prevent spills! This is an invaluable tumbler to have for $40 (and can be personalized for an additional $10). It is available in 7 colors, is double-walled, stainless steel, BPA free, vacuum sealed and holds 16.9 oz (500 ml).

Steeped Tea Pop-Up Tumbler.jpg

Detox Sampler

This little set has it all! It comes with 50 steeping sacks and 6 different teas – all of which are must-haves for the holiday season! It includes:

  • Don’t Worry be Happy
  • Feminini Tea
  • Hot Yoga
  • Lemon Ginger Tea Tox
  • Immunity Booster
  • Stress Reliever

Steeped Tea Detox Sampler

The Detox Sampler is priced at $40 and can be separated as gifts or stocking stuffers! Who wouldn’t want to give the gift of health this holiday season?

Last, but certainly not least… enter Sleepy Chai.  The holidays could be stressful, and turning off my brain doesn’t happen easily. Sleepy Chai tea totally relaxes me at night; not only do I fall asleep with ease, but I wake up feeling well rested and rejuvenated. Available for $19 for 3.52 oz – I always make sure this is in my pantry!

Steepd Tea Sleepy Chai

All of the above items could be purchased from my Steeped Tea store. I hope my list of tea-must haves has given you ideas and I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season!

Have questions? Contact Peggy at pmic719@hotmail.com and join her Steeped Tea Facebook group!

Namaste.

Tea Must-Haves for the Holiday Season and Beyond

5 Affirmations to Get You Through the Holiday Season

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by Nicole Martin

What is an affirmation? Simply stated, affirmations are consciously controlled thoughts.  Affirmations are strong, positive statements that you intentionally think or say out loud. They are extremely helpful when your typical stream of worries and topic-hopping thoughts could rival any goldfish. During the holiday season, our minds tend to go wild.

Affirmations can also be very powerful on the human psyche.  When used regularly, they help to rewire our brain towards positive thinking and help battle negative emotions and thoughts.

The holiday season is a great time to start practicing affirmations. While we all want to be blissful and joyous during this time of year, the reality is that we are ferociously finishing our shopping lists, cleaning our houses and preparing for holiday dinners, and are often left feeling exhausted and stressed. The power of positive words and thoughts can help negate some of these holiday emotions.

Christmas

Try reading through some of the affirmations below; say each sentence out loud (it’s ok, you can go hide in the bathroom) and see how your mindset shifts towards joy.  Several slow, deep breaths only strengthen your experience and will help you to reach true peace and happiness.

  • When your To-Do List feels overwhelming: “I breathe in and out, knowing that what I need to get done, will get done.”
  • When you feel obligated to go to every holiday party and function: “I have the power to choose how I spend my time during the holidays.”
  • When you feel burnt out: “It’s okay to practice self-care and to rest, relax and recharge.”
  • When you are anxious about intrusive questions “I release all holiday stress and expectations of what I think that I should be. I allow myself to be me.”
  • When you are worried about holiday spending: “Money comes to me easily and unexpectedly. “

Feel free to tweak the wording in these statements so that they are even more meaningful for you.  Remember, positive thinking is like exercise – the more you practice, the stronger you’ll become at leveraging these statements in the thick of a stressful moment.

May you find moments of serenity during the holiday season! Cheers!

Nicole Martin is a personal development coach who empowers moms to live their best life possible!  After achieving what she believed was an ideal life, Nicole recognized that she still was not fulfilled, and set off on a DIY personal development journey. Now, she brings her life & career experiences, intuition, and a nurturing energy to other moms who are looking for “more” (don’t worry, she’ll help you define what that is!)  Find Nicole at www.wellandguidedmoms.com and on Instagram.

5 Affirmations to Get You Through the Holiday Season

Daily Mindfulness for a Healthier You

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by Yolanda of Inspire and Wander

Lucille Ball once stated, “Love yourself first and everything else falls into place.”

She was talking about self-care and taking care of YOU.  

Love Yourself First

Our daily lives are becoming busier and the need for self-care has never been more important. Advertisements for self-care are everywhere, especially social media.

Got my nails done…self-care. √

Created a healthy meal…self-care.  √

Dominated hot yoga class…self-care.  √

Yes, those are all fine and dandy, but they are all temporary band-aids.  Don’t get me wrong, I love all these things too and they are great ways to feel good. But mindfulness is a daily, personal, soulful kind of self-care.

Mindfulness is defined as moment to moment, non-judgmental awareness.  In other words, you are fully aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions.  Mindfulness is a practice that has been around for thousands of years.  It is commonly associated with Buddhism, but anyone can practice it.  It is very simple to do and has amazing benefits.

Mindfulness can:

  • decrease stress
  • increase empathy and understanding
  • create a more positive outlook
  • increase attention
  • create better focus and memory
  • improved immune system and overall health
  • improve creativity

One would think that with this list of benefits, everyone would be practicing mindfulness every day. However, we let our schedules overwhelm and drain us. Fortunately, you are reading this blog post and one step closer to a healthier you.  With my tips, you can help yourself in 10 minutes a day.  

So what is this crazy thing I want you to do every day?  

Listen to yourself.  That’s it.  When was the last time you listened to yourself?  

Mindfulness is being present in the now.  What are you thinking about now?  Hopefully, just reading this post.  Not what you are going to make for dinner, not taking out the dog, and certainly not what else is going on around you.  Mindfulness is focusing, being in the now.  Do yourself a favor and reteach yourself to focus and introduce yourself to being completely aware of what is going on around you. Don’t judge it, don’t overthink it, just acknowledge it, move on…and focus on that one thing, the present.

I teach this process through a technique called Mindful Art Journaling.  You definitely do not need to be an artist do this, in fact, the less you know, the better.  I invite you to play like a child and listen to your intuition.  It is always fun and always beneficial. Promise.  I teach mindfulness through this journaling technique because quite frankly, we as humans think too much.  This creative art process allows us to step outside the “thinking” and learn the mindfulness technique much faster.  Plus, it is so much fun!  

If you would like a creative guide on how you can bring the benefits of mindfulness into your life, sign up below! 

Dailymindfulness

Meet Yolanda of Inspire and Wander

A special thank you to Yolanda of Inspire and Wander for guest posting on Realm of Vibes. If you would like to contribute, please e-mail realmofvibesdg@gmail.com or fill out the form on the Contact page.

Namaste.

 

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10 Ways to Cope with Pet Loss

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by Kelly Catalano, Master Energy Practitioner/Healer, Creator of Pet Grief Relief

Anyone who has had a pet transition can find it challenging to cope with the heart break, intense pain and emotional chaos. No matter what type of pet you owned, coping with the grief of losing it is an intensely personal process.

In order to understand how to process the grief, let’s briefly review the five stages of grief.

grief

You may move through these stages very quickly or linger in each stage for a prolonged period of time.

Pet grief is very dynamic and often misunderstood. The pet owner can be shocked by the intensity and emotional turmoil associated with the death of a pet. When the brain experiences emotional trauma it takes just a few seconds for an emotional response to kick in and become associated with it. That is why when we recall the memory, we get an emotional response no matter how much time has passed. The more physical response tied to the memory, the harder it is to release it.

The longer we hold on to emotional anguish, the more we poke it, prod it, recall it and relive it, the more embedded the detrimental emotions become.

How Grief Works

Our emotions become a tangled-up mess we are unable to process, let go of and hold us hostage in a time and place we no longer wish to be in.

They say time heals all wounds but in reality, in order to heal and recover we have to actually release the emotions tied to the memory from our body. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this. They are all safe, effective and work relatively fast.

As a master energy practitioner/ healer here are my favorite ways to help clients release pet grief.

  • EFT tapping…Emotional Freedom Technique
  • Distance Reiki
  • Chakra Clearing
  • TAT…Tapas Acupressure Technique
  • Guided visualization to connect with pet heart to heart on the spiritual plane

These techniques work all the time. No need to believe to receive.

grief2

In the meantime, here are 10 coping methods I find work well to start on the path to healing and recovery.

  • Take as much time as you need to grieve. Only you know what is best for you. Don’t let others dictate your feelings. Honor how you feel and the life of your pet in a way that celebrates your time together.
  • Be open to how you experience grief. Trying to repress feelings causes more stress and anxiety than expressing them.
  • Express your grief in a way that allows you to honor your pet’s life. Write a poem, a letter to your pet, create a memory book. Engage in a positive activity that will move you forward.
  • Have a memorial service for your pet or create a memorial for your pet. Celebrate your pet’s life in a way that makes the most sense to you.
  • Find your tribe. Connect with others who understand how you feel. There are many support groups on social media or locally to help you through this challenging time.
  • Get involved. Help organize a pet food drive. Volunteer at an animal shelter. Offer your support to someone else.
  • Write it out. Keep a journal. Journaling allows you to express and work through your feelings in a safe private nonjudgmental way.
  • Get professional help if and when needed. Use a program like Pet Grief Relief to help process, find relief, heal and recover. While intense grief is normal and natural, experiencing prolonged grief, sadness, anger, and depression is a sign more help is needed as well as lead to physical illness.
  • Ease into a new routine. Join a gym, take a class, engage your brain and time toward a new learning activity.
  • Be easy on yourself. No matter how your pet transitioned, your pet loves you unconditionally and knows you always had their best interest at heart. Our pets are always with us on the spiritual plane looking after us. They are always available to connect through visualization or meditation from their new state of being.

10 Ways to Cope with Pet Loss

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Plan a Cruelty-Free, At Home Spa Night

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

by Leah of Skin & Satori 

Every now and then, everyone needs a little me time; and what better way to pamper yourself than to have a cruelty-free, at home spa night!  So light some candles, put on your PJ’s and get your favorite movie on the big screen.  This post will contain 5 simple steps to have a relaxing and revitalizing experience that only uses cruelty-free products. Before we begin, click here to read some interesting information on why you should buy cruelty-free skin care…

First Step – Treat your Hair

Give your hair a big messy hug with a home-made hair mask.  To give your hair some extra shine try this Honey Banana Shine mask.  Or to add more moisture, try the Avocado & Egg Yolk Mask.

Avocado & Egg Yolk Hair Mask

  • ½ an avocado
  • 2 egg yolks

Mix ingredients well. Apply to wet or dry hair and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing and washing hair.

Hair Mask

Apply a Hair Mask

Second Step – Draw a Bath

After you have washed your hair mask out, draw a bath!  It’s so relaxing and gets your skin soft for the upcoming steps. To get your skin soft and moisturized then you can either add a DIY Soothing Oatmeal Bath sachet; find the recipe here.  Or, add a bath bomb!  LUSH have the best cruelty-free bath bombs with heaps of options.

Soak for as long as you want and make sure you take your book with you!

Bath Balls

Third Step – Give your Face some Love

Working from the top down, start with giving your face some intense hydration and nourishment.

My top pick would be to start with a mask such as the Leahlani Mermaid Mask, which is suitable for all skin types.  This gorgeous mask will help to purify and renew the complexion. This emerald beauty will feed your skin a nutrient dense blend of super food ingredients that will strengthen the skin cells, boost circulation, fight breakouts and add moisturize.

Next, use a hydrating toner such as Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator.  This toner is full of so many amazing organic ingredients that help not only hydrate and tone but calm any redness or irritation.  Improves elasticity, detoxifies and brightens your skin.  This is one of the best toners on the market!

Lastly, use a facial oil or moisturizer.  My picks for a decadent spa night would be either The Jojoba Company Jojoba Oil or Korres Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer in Pomegranate.

Fourth Step – The Hands and The Feets

Mani/Pedi time!  Moisturize your hands with Burt’s Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream. And for your feet use Heel Chemistry by The Chemistry Brand (part of the Deciem company)  For your nail polish some great options are e.l.f., Wet n Wild, Barry M, China Glaze and ORLY.

Fifth Step – Look after your insides!

Your insides are just as important to look after so make sure you finish your night with a light, healthy meal and a refreshing fruit infused water:

Strawberry-Basil Infused Water

  • 2 cups of water or sparkling water
  • 2 cups of ice
  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • handful basil
Strawberry Basil Infused Water

Strawberry-Basil Infused Water

OR

Blueberry-Lime Infused Water

  • 2 cups of water or sparkling water
  • 2 cups of ice
  • 1 cup blueberries, whole
  • 1 1/2 limes, sliced

The Importance of Self Care

Self-care is important for your mental and physical health. If you don’t practice self-care, your relationships may suffer.  Self-care is important for your physical body as well as your mind, soul and overall health.

Yoga Pose

Some people think self-care is selfish or inconsiderate. Self-care can actually make you more effective and energetic. When you avoid things that make you feel physically and mentally capable, you deplete your confidence and self-esteem. Self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself, and can be called self-love. It produces positive feelings, which improves confidence and self-esteem.

Self-care is important for your family and friends. They can learn from you, so setting functional boundaries to take care of yourself shows them that they also need to put themselves first and not overextend or overwork. Unhealthy relationships form when you don’t take time for your needs.

Have an Cruelty-Free Spa Night

Plan your next Cruelty-Free Spa Night!

Click here for more self-care ideas.

Don’t feel guilty to take time for yourself to have an at home spa night.  It’s not only good for your skin, hair, and nails but your mind and overall health. It recharges your mental batteries when you focus on something that makes you happy.  So be sure to try to have an at home spa night at least once a month or when you need to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

Do you have any steps that you include in your at home spa nights?

Thank you, Leah of Skin & Satori for guest posting on Realm of Vibes.  Make sure you follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

An At Home Spa Night Using Only Cruelty-Free Products

If you would like to guest post on Realm of Vibes, please go to the Contact page and fill out the form. Realm of Vibes believes very strongly in using cruelty free products, and encourages you to only support businesses who don’t test on animals.