Samantha K Schmidt

After dealing with depression and anxiety for many years, self-care moved to the top of my priority list. It didn't take long for me to realize that the key to my happiness was putting myself first in the mornings. I had to learn to slow down, take my schedule less seriously, and leave room for the things that bring me joy. Here are 5 things I've made a part of my morning routine. 1. Calm Alarm The Bedtime feature on my iPhone has been a lifesaver. I love how I can set my optimal amount of sleep, and it will remind me when to hit the sack. Then it slowly wakes me up in the morning with a gentle sound. If you don't have this feature, I highly suggest finding a calming ringtone or even investing in a specialty alarm clock that will wake you up without the jolt. Don't forget to get at least a full 7 hours of sleep. Otherwise, even the fanciest of alarms will be... well, alarming. 2. A Little Thing I've learned overtime to value the little things in life. Coffee...

This past week has been an absolute whirlwind. My husband, mom, and I got back late Sunday after a flight delay from Illinois. We spent the weekend celebrating our little man who should be here in under 10 weeks. I love spending time with family, but as an introvert it can be exhausting at times. This week was my last week of school (as a full-time teacher) which was full of end of the year events like late night theater programs and obligatory end of the year party planning. My legs felt like jello by the time I made it to Friday. That's when things started to seem off. Although, I didn't realize it right away. My mind and body were coming down from a busyness high, and subconsciously I realized that this was it. There were no more work days until August (even then I'm only going back part-time), no more travel dates, no more, well, anything until the baby comes. I had a serious "what do I do now?" moment. I immediately started trying to compensate with anyth...