It’s Monday early morning and you jump out of bed full of energy and great expectations that today is going to go fantastic! Doesn’t sound familiar? No, not to me either, but it could. If we start implementing small shifts into how we start our day. It honestly just starts with just a small thought when you open those tired eyelids. Replace that thought of “oh no it’s Monday” or “here we go again” or just that familiar end of weekend grunt, with a small gratitude and thankfulness.

Gratitude that you slept in a warm bed and woke up to a start of a new day. Thankfulness that you have a whole 24 hours to achieve something and to do some positive change that this world desperately needs. And that small change can but just a smile to a stranger you sit next to on the métro on your way to work.

 

Slowly over the months Monday has became my favourite day of the week! Not only because my little monkeys go to school and childcare, although that is one heck of a reason to smile and be thankful for! Monday for me now is the start of something new … new challenges, new do to list, new recipes to cook, new text message to send, new photo to be taken and new ideas and thoughts. It also is RENEWING things like beliefs and affirmations and friendship. These things energies me and elevate my spirit which makes me a better me, and my monkeys can feel and see that. We reflect that positivity from one another and avoid major silly little boys temper tantrums and wishing the day would end!

I start Monday with the word CALM.

After I do my morning prayer, which helps me to refocus and allows me to start the day with calmness that I really do need when trying to wake my boys, dress them, feed them and send to their school. In between making sure no screaming flights erupts! I come home after the school run and have a warm drink whilst planning my day. Camomile tea offers that ultimate calmness in a mug.

Camomile is well known for this calming and soothing affects both mind and body. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties to its sweet aromatic taste. I remember being given this as a child to help stomach cramps, when I felt nauseous and not well. My mum advised me to give it to my boys when they suffered from colic.   You find this plant is even used for skin and hair treatments. So it’s one of those lovely flowering herbs that we should befriend.

Camomile can be found in tea bag form, which is simple and easy just add hot water and voila. Or you can buy dried flower which I like. When making any herbal tea, remember not to add boiling water, rather wait a minute then add to tea and let it infuse, that is paramount.

Ingredient

For a pot

2 teaspoons dried camomile flowers – or 1 tea bag

½ tea spoon of honey

Just boiled hot water

 

Method

Step 1- In a tea pot add the camomile and pour hot water.

Step 2- Whilst letting tea infuse, in a mug add honey.

Step 3- Pour tea into mug and stir.

Enjoy

NOTE: I am using Manuka honey, which is the top ranking unique honey out there (it has high level of enzymes and specific ones that are not destroyed in heat and in the body). I will blog about that another time. You can use any type of honey to sweeten the tea, you can opt it out. Also you can add a slice of lemon if you want a little zing in the morning.