Last week, I was on my way back from spin class, in a major hurry to get home to my dog, eat some good food, and just relax after a long work day. Doesn’t sound like something you would need to hurry for, but that’s just me sometimes. My gas light blinked on and I read the words, “Warning: Low Fuel”. I was pissed at myself for not getting gas sooner but also kind of pissed at myself for even being mad that I had to stop and get gas. I didn’t REALLY have anywhere to be, I was just impatient pretty much for no reason. I have been noticing myself doing that a lot more lately and this time seemed extra prevalent. I was cruising down the street and hit a red light right next to a Shell station. I’m not sure if Shell stations are ridiculously expensive where you live, but here they are one of the most expensive gas stations around. $0.50 – $0.60 more PER GALLON, which makes a huge difference when gas is already $3.50 a gallon. Crazy, I know.
Welcome back to Vogue and a Latte! I am not sure how you found me, but I am glad you are here. We’re about to get deep here! If you are new, check out my About Me page or head on over to my Instagram to get a feel for who I am. Or just keep on reading and we will become fast friends!
This post concept/idea is going to be in two parts, so buckle up. I wrote the first part of this post when I felt lost, angry, and out of control of my life. First, I want you to feel freedom to admit that you are lost, angry, or feel out of control. Those emotions are real and hiding them doesn’t do any good. This is vulnerable and a part of me I didn’t know I would even share. But I want someone out there to not feel alone in the silence of life. Here goes.
I have had no control over my life over these past few months. Like huge, monumental things that have happened, all at once, that I literally cannot control. It’s uncomfortable. It’s sad. It’s not fun. I am mad. I am crying a lot. I don’t understand why it seems as though I had everything that I ever wanted and it was all taken away from me. I feel disconnected. I don’t feel at home. The idea of comfort is so foreign as of late. Everywhere I go I feel like I have to introduce myself, to tell my story, and explain why my life is now where it is, when it isn’t what I want.
I had a life trajectory, as I am sure that most of you have. An idea of when I would be married, when I would have kids, where I would live, how happy I would be at age 25 with my little family and life all set up. It’s comforting and also frightening how little control we have over our lives. Over other peoples emotions. Over other people’s ideas of their own personal life trajectory.
Welcome to Vogue and a Latte! Thanks for stopping by my piece of the internet. Today I am bringing another boss babe to your screen and I am SO excited for you all to learn about one of my major blogger inspirations, Peyton Baxter.
Peyton is the creator of love ‘n’ labels, a lifestyle blog filled with bright colors, happiness, ideas, and transparency.
Peyton is SO inspiring and her words bring such truth. She recently wrote this post that brought me to tears! I am so grateful for bloggers who share the deep stuff, the real stuff that grabs you and makes you think. She also talks about her faith on her blog and that brings me so much joy! Jesus is light and he definitely shines through Peyton.
On top of being so real, she has the BEST outfits and photos. She mixes high-end and low-end, which is my kinda vibe. She has such a girly and fun style while still being on top of all of the latest trends. She is super active and engaging on Instagram, which is key. She also has lots of blog posts on how to become a successful blogger and what her personal journey has looked like so far. Basically, Peyton does it all and she is must-follow and must-read babe!!
Enough chit-chat, let’s dive into Peyton’s morning routine:
I’ve never been a huge morning person … Actually, when I was a little girl, I was a bear to try and wake up for school (LOL!). I’m a complete night owl, and my most productive hours are typically later in the day. That being said, I LOVE my mornings when I can just ease into the day with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and my devotion in the other, not having to be anywhere at the crack of dawn. My ideal morning consists of waking up around 8:15-8: 30 am and easing into the morning for about an hour before I get my work day started. Ideally, I’m in my favorite pajama set from Nordstrom. I’ve gotten out of bed to brush my teeth and wash my face with my favorite Tula products. I’ve made coffee for my husband, TJ, and kissed him goodbye as he’s out the door on his way to work. Then, I make myself a massive cup of coffee from our Keurig (I drink it black). While my coffee is brewing, I go around my house and open up ALL the blinds because I love nothing more than the natural morning light shining through. (I don’t even turn on any lights in my house because I love the natural daylight so much better. It’s so energizing!) During this time, I also light candles around my house and in my office (#candleobsessed). I, then, go back upstairs and cover up with my favorite blanket (#ALWAYScold!), turn on some light music (usually my favorite worship songs or instrumental playlist) and dive headfirst into my devotion for the day. I try to start every morning off with some quiet time and meditation, just to clear my head and get started in the right direction. It’s so easy to want to jump straight into my emails first thing, but I’ve found that on the days when I skip my morning quiet time and get straight to work, it’s like I can’t get ANYTHING done, and I just feel so anxious all day long. It’s sooo important for me to spend time in the Word before I start my workday. Since I became my own boss, I’ve learned just how important it is for me to allow myself a slow, easy hour of my morning to focus on ME and get my day started off of the right foot. Here’s a closer look into my step-by-step morning routine:
8:15-30 am: Wake up the same time that TJ gets up
8:30 am: Brush my teeth & wash my face (or shower)
8:45 am: Make TJ’s coffee
9:00 am: Send Teej off to work, start my coffee & open all blinds / light candles
9:15 am: Turn on light music, dive into my quiet time & sip on my coffee
9:45 am: Make a schedule for the rest of my day in my planner & schedule out each task’s time slot (I just recently started doing this & it really helps me to stay on track with the day’s most important ‘to-dos’ which leads me to getting all my work done in a timely manner. As my own boss and someone who works from home, it’s SO challenging to make myself stop working at the end of the day. There’s always more that could be done, and since my home is my office, there’s no “leaving the office at 5:00”. This is why it’s so important for me to take 15 minutes of my morning and schedule out exactly what I need to do for that day and exactly what time I need to be working on those particular tasks.)
10:00 am: Start with emails & begin my work day (which is pretty much different each day ha!)
Let’s all give a big shout out to Peyton for chatting with me about her morning routine so that I can share with all of you! Check her out on Instagram or on her blog.If you loved this post, let her know on her Instagram! She is seriously the sweetest human.
Let me know your thoughts on this post! Share it with friends, send it your bestie who loves morning routines, or post it on social media!
Follow along my jam-packed weekend on Instagram ( @MadisonCrowley ) – it’s going to be a fun one!
It has been so long since I have been able to actually post a fun look on the blog! I have been extremely busy, as I’m sure you all are, and shooting a look has, unfortunately, been at the bottom of the to-do list. Which SUCKS because it’s one of my favorite parts of the blog. I feel like life definitely goes in phases of being super busy and then having tons of down time… I am obviously currently in the first category. But, to be honest, it feels really good to work your butt off and see results. Whether that means my blog or my health. Results and success are so motivating.
