January Reise's Round UP
Updated: Feb 8
Happy 2024! I don't know about you, but I am so excited for this year. I have never felt so confident going into a New Year before, which is a huge contrast to last New Year. 2023 was very much a 'Planting' year for me. While it may have been a bit unintentional, I really set a foundation for 2024 by planting seeds, working hard, and gaining experience and knowledge. 2024 is the year that I am seeing the fruits of my labor. If I haven’t seen certain goals bloom yet, I am extremely confident I will this year.
I hope you feel just as optimistic about this year as I do; and if you don't, that's okay! The New Year doesn't have to be this massive, life-changing impact on your psyche. Nor do you need to put a ton of pressure on yourself to make it work in your favor. Despite how you currently feel about your New Year, it's still a great opportunity to turn the page, start a new chapter, and romanticize your dreams and goals in a way that is fun and refreshing to YOU.
I wanted to share some things that I have been absolutely loving this month that have been helping me get through January and assisting me in my New Year's reset. Whether it's a self-care product or a new agenda that helps sort my brain, I really believe you will benefit from these items/things as well! Let me know which one of these things you're most excited to put to good use this year!
Chat soon
-Lex
Emergen-C
While I am fully aware I didn’t discover the importance of Vitamin C, I am here to remind and encourage you to start a daily vitamin C regiment. I prefer to drink my supplements because pills and tablets make me nervous, so Emergen-C is my go-to. Emergen-C is a powder form of vitamin C that you mix in 6 ounces of water. It kind of tastes like a less sweet, watered down Fanta.
Growing up, I didn’t have a great immune system and was quite prone to getting sick. Seeing as I sing and lead a busy city life, I knew I needed to be proactive this winter season. I started taking an Emergen-C packet every morning to start my day, and I can proudly say that I have not gotten sick once this season (knock on wood). While everyone at work was dropping like flies due to the common cold, I have fortunately stayed healthy. I fully attribute this to Emergen-C. Don’t sleep on it. Stay healthy my friends.
2. Elta MD Moisture Seal
Sticking with my Winter Essentials, this moisturizer has SAVED my skin. I'm currently on an oral acne medication as well as a topical retinoid which removes all moisture from my skin. Combine that with dry, cold weather, and my skin was burning, cracking, and peeling. I tried all kinds of moisturizers that claimed to intensely moisturize thirsty skin, and nothing was helping. After a conversation with my dermatologist, he gave me some recommendations. First, he instructed to wait 10-15 minutes after you wash your face before applying any other products. Any hint of dampness mixed with any product could cause irritation. He also said to sandwich your products with moisturizer. For example, the order of application would be : moisturize, wait 10 minutes, apply retinoid, wait 10 minutes, then apply any other products, and then ending with a last layer of moisturizer to lock it all in. It sounds like a lot, not to mention time consuming, but it truly did work for my skin.
He then gave me a sample packet of this Elta MD Moisture Seal. He described it as what plastic surgeons give their patients after a procedure. It's no joke. If you are looking for a quick fix to give your skin an extremely dewey, quenched look, this is your friend. Now don't get me wrong, this is no weightless, lightweight moisturizer. It is HEAVY DUTY. But during these cold months, with the cold wind whipping in my face, my skin is staying nice and hydrated. I particularly like to pack this on at night. If I wear it during the day, I mix it with my SPF, and I receive so many compliments of people saying how glowy I look.
This technically isn't classified as one of their moisturizers, but as a post treatment product. The best part of it all is that it is only $19, which is very inexpensive compared the rest of their line. I honestly can't say enough good things about this product and how it has transformed my skin.
3. The Daily Grind Planner
When I say this planner changed my life, I am not exaggerating. If you have goals you want to reach, or make a lifestyle change, you absolutely need this planner. When it comes to goal setting, it’s very easy to set a goal without action. The Daily Grind planner is the solution for that. It has the perfect combination of written goal setting and taking actionable steps. Within the first two weeks I hit goals I set for the entire month. By creating my to-do list based off of my goals, it was really easy to stay on track. I also enjoy the fact that I can write in a journal every day yet it doesn’t take too much of my time.
I have been following content creator Angie Bellemare for at least five years now. I greatly admire her work ethic, type A personality, and authenticity. When she came out with this line, not only did it make sense for her and her brand, I also felt like it would help me and so many other people. Seeing how successful she is in her business and personal goals, I am quick to take her advice on anything “Goal Setting.” She has come out with so many fun, seasonal designs that keeps the year fresh and exciting. While those designs didn’t necessarily resonate with me as a first purchase from this line, I was so thrilled when she introduced The Luxe Collection. The collection dropped just in time for the New Year and boy did I count down the days for the launch. I was so nervous it would sell out, so I snagged my bundle immediately. While I unknowingly didn’t purchase the entire collection, I still received the clip-in cover, discs, and 4 month Daily Grind System inserts. The line also offers stickers, dividers, and washi tape.
When I received the planner, I immediately got to work on setting goals for the year. The planner requires you to set 10 goals a month. I know it can seem daunting but it allows you to set a goal in every area of your life. EX: self-care, career, health & fitness, relationships, family life, finances, etc. As I write this, I have accomplished 4 out of 10 goals this month.
If you struggle with setting goals and sticking to them, I highly recommend The Daily Grind Planner. It has genuinely changed my life on a daily basis and I am confident it will have the same effect for you!
4. The Mel Robbins Podcast
This one does not contribute to capitalism…WOOHOO. If you don’t know who Mel Robbins is, what are you doing with your life? Let me introduce you to one another. As Mel proclaims, she is your new best friend. Mel Robbins is not only a motivational speaker, but a realist on the concept of achieving your dream life. I added this podcast to my list not only because I listen to it almost daily, but because it is the perfect motivation to kick off your New Year.
Mel offers a free podcast that discusses how to overcome relatable, daily conflicts that each one of us can relate to. From anxiety, to feeling stuck in life. From coping with heart-break to the importance of sleep. Mel covers it all in a tough-love, kick in the ass, manner. The Mel Robbins podcast is great for all demographics, but as a woman, I really appreciate how she can speak to us from a female experience.
I enjoy listening to the Podcast in the morning while I write in my Daily Grind Planner to spark motivation. I like to tune in while cooking diner as a background show to hit my subconscious. On my commute home from work, i’ll put an episode in the queue. Podcasts are a great way to spend your free time that’s not scrolling. If you’re looking for an extra boost of motivation for your New Year’s resolution, a chat with Mel always does the trick.
5. Hearts of Palm
Okay, hear me out…Don’t knock it till you try it. Although, now that I think about it, I always say that I can literally eat grass and enjoy it, so maybe my judgment isn’t the best. Any how, when I first started to enjoy the delectable snack, I genuinely thought they were the same thing as artichoke hearts. I was obviously mistaken. They are in fact the hearts of palm trees. However, if you do enjoy artichoke hearts, you will like hearts of palm.
Many people eat them in a salad, but I like to eat them straight out of the can. If I am craving something salty, this is usually my go to. I have seen people make vegan mozzarella sticks out of them, which seem interesting to me. I’ll give that a try and get back to you on that one. I like to add them to a snack plate with hummus, veggies, and crackers.
Hearts of palm are very inexpensive, low in calories, and high in fiber. I don’t really have much more to say on this item, other than to give them a try. It’s just been a genuine infatuation lately and I couldn't NOT mention it. Let me know how you feel about Hearts of Palm!