Born To Be Happy And Free, Forced To Be Hot And Asked Out To Hoedowns. God Help Me, I Should Have Said

Summer'21 Prep&Plan

I am using this summer as a chance to completely reset my life and glow up, and you should too <3

Here's what you need to do to have the best summer ever:

Phase 1 (Plan)

Figure out what you want out of this summer, get crystal clear on who you want to be by the end of the summer

Identify the goals to get you there, for every aspect of your life (school/ work/ health/ personal/ etc.)

Figure out what you need to do on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to get there

Establish a Flexible daily, weekly and monthly routine that you can stick to

Make sure your plan makes it impossible for you not to follow through

Draft a shopping list (this tip is easier to do at the end), it can be anything from straight white jeans to stationary to a lip scrub to AirPods, anything that will help you reach your goals

Phase 2 (Feel your best)

Health is wealth

How I live a healthy lifestyle - Part 1: Nutrition and Diet

Get into a calories deficit/ surplus if you want to lose/ gain weight (Do not count calories if they are a trigger!!)

Establish an exercise routine and stick to it (bonus tip: make sure it lines up with your hair washdays)

10,000 steps per day minimum, taking daily walks will help you reach your goals

Dance more

Eat healthier, you can go on a diet like the keto/ Mediterranean/ paleo diet or you can take a more intuitive approach and just improve your existing eating habits

Look into fasting and it's many benefits, you can do OMAD, intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting, 24 hour fasts, 72 hour fasts, etc. but start small if you are not used to it. You can even have a schedule (eg. one 72 hour fast per month)

Make sure you are getting all your vitamins and minerals

Water (2 liters per day), but you already knew that, didn't you?

Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet

Stop snacking, unless you need to for health reasons

Quit sugar

Quit fizzy drinks (don't drink your calories)

Quit junk food (much healthier alternatives out there)

Skin

Do your research on different ingredients and products, you don't want to mess up your skin

Identify your specific sink type, needs and concerns (this is vital)

Figure out your AM and PM routine

Speaking of AM, wear your sunscreen!!

Get lip balm with SPF, my favourite is Palmer's dark chocolate and cherry

Try slugging (applying a thin layer of vaseline/ glycerin at the end of your PM routine)

De-puff your face in the morning, a Gua Sha is good for this or you could perform a facial massage with your hands

Ice your face in the morning, good for circulation and de-puffing

Use a facial oil, there are so many good ones out there, especially Argon and Rosehip oil

Do a weekly at-home facial

Apply a face mask AT LEAST once a week

Look into professional treatments if needed

Incorporate face yoga

Don't neglect your neck or chest

Establish an anti-ageing routine, prevention is better than treatment (will def have to make an in-depth post about this one)

Hair

Understanding your hair is a game changer!!

Identify your hair type, needs and concerns

Figure out how often you need to wash your hair and create a schedule

Establish a hair care routine for your washday

Establish a hair care routine for maintenance in between washdays

Treat any damage, Olaplex 3 is quite good

Oil your hair once a week or more, depending on your hair type and needs

Apply a hair mask/ a hot oil treatment as often as you can

Get henna treatments every 3 months or so

Look into dusting to maintain the health of your hair and keep up in between treatments

hair cuts, either a trim or to change up the look of your hair

Get any professional treatments if needed

The curly girl method is a good starting point if you have curly hair and don't know how to take care of it

Monthly rice water treatments

Apple cider vinegar rinse + a clarifying shampoo (no more than once a week) if you have hard water

A filter is quite good for hard water as well

Use a heat protectant, they work (if you get the right one)

Take care of your lashes and eyebrows, please.

Body care

Identify anything you want to change (stretch marks, cellulite, dark knees, etc.)

Figure out how to treat them

Establish a body care routine

Figure how to incorporate your treatments into your routine

Have a shower and after shower routine

Try to make sure all your body care is the same scent (either all vanilla or all peach or any other scent, Bath & Body Works is AMAZING for this)

Say it with me: SPF

Hand and foot creams are important, so are hand and foot masks

Use lip scrubs regularly

Weekly or bi-monthly at home or in salon manicures and pedicures

Look into dry brushing

Have a shaving/ waxing routine

Consider laser/ electrolysis/ IPL for permanent/ semi-permeant hair removal

Have a tanning routine if you want to

Use a body oil (bonus tip: make sure it shimmers for more fun)

Schedule weekly at home spa/ pamper days

Scent

I had to make this into it's own category just because it's that important.

How to smell good from head to toe, AKA my scent routine

Try to make sure all your body care is the same scent (either all vanilla or all peach or any other scent, Bath & Body Works is AMAZING for this)

Use a perfume oil on your pulse points, Musk and Oud scents from high quality middle Eastern brands are good for these

Have a scent for your clothing, preferably something light and a scent that can go well with most things, vanilla/ coconut/ musky/ florally body mists are good for this

Use a hair perfume, some hair moisturizing sprays have strong scents and can be used as a perfume, make sure it's low in alcohol

Have a signature scent

Rotate between scents every once in a while, this is good for scent association

Have different scents for different occasions, also good for scent association

Experiment with layering different perfumes

Invest in good quality perfumes

Teeth

Another important one

Brush your teeth 2x at least, preferably after very meal

Floss and use mouthwash

Go to a dentist regularly

Get professional cleaning and/ or whitening if you can

Get any other treatments you need

Whiten your teeth at home

Try oil pulling

Use a tongue scraper

Phase 3 (Mental Wellbeing)

This is quite personal to you but some suggestions:

Meditate

Script daily and practice LOA

Do Yoga daily even if for 5 minutes

Figure out what you need to work on

Identify any toxic traits you have

Identify where your bad habits/ traits come from and cut off the source

Identify anything stopping you from reaching your fullest potential and work on it

See a professional if needed

Essential oils can be helpful

Get enough sleep!!

Don't waste your time on meaningless things/ people/ situations/ etc.

Change your mindset/ attitude if you don't like it

Start each day by dancing, even if for 5 minutes

Affirmations

Schedule mental health days

A journal is great for venting and clearing your mind, as well as organizing your thoughts (it's insane what happens when you visually see your thoughts on paper)

Have a good work ethic and be disciplined

Go on regular dopamine detoxes

Reduce stress (easier said than done, but try to find your triggers and healthy coping mechanisms, research all there is to know and experiment until you have it under control)

Compliment other people, and accept compliments graciously

Enjoy the small things and romanticise your life

Phase 4 (Look your best)

Fashion

Re-evaluate your wardrobe

Upgrade your basics

Look into creating a capsule wardrobe

Figure out if you are more into timeless classic pieces or trends

With that being said, be careful with trends

Dress your age

Follow dress codes, please.

Always put in effort

Quality > Quantity

Jewellery can be phenomenal for changing an outfit

Speaking of jewellery, real stones/ crystals/ gold/ silver is best

Color coordinate your outfits, make sure they look cohesive

Wear appropriate shoes

Find style inspo

Handbags can elevate an outfit like no other (my favorite bag from my collection currently is the Bottega Veneta chain pouch in black, incredibly high quality)

Invest in good quality shape wear and undergarments

Wear cute Pajamas ( Upgrade your sleepwear. Trust me.)

Makeup

Doesn't have to be insane

Less is more

Good skin will make this step a lot easier

Have 5 or so signature looks for every occasion

Learn different techniques/ hacks

Find products that work for you

Keep your routine and collection simple

Hair

Always put in effort to make sure your hair looks good

Align your washdays with important events/ your schedule

Have 5 or so styles that you like

Minimize frizz and maximise shine

Health > length

Misc.

Have a good posture

And a good tongue posture too

Smile, or smize, not too exaggerated

Phase 5 (Live your best)

Lifestyle

This is, again, quite personal but here are some pointers/ ideas

Start/ end/ continue working on any personal projects

Learn a new skill

Learn a new language

Learn new recipes

Academic/ career goals

Cultivate Friendships and relationships

Network!!

Plan a vacation

Or a staycation

Or a mini trip

If you can't travel then fill your day with fun activities (visiting museums, pilates classes, going to theaters, or exploring local towns/ cities

Make lots of plans with friends

Discover new music

Discover new shows/ movies

Quit social media, or take your instagram to the next level, whatever suits you most

Volunteer

Get a summer job

Follow only the podcasts, blogs, subreddits, accounts etc. that help you reach your goals

Keep up with the news and current world events

Learn the basics of politics, economics, history, geography and philosophy (good conversation topics that show you are educated, they are also genuinely interesting)

Organization

Notion is a game changer

Find a to-do list that works for you

Calendar blocking is a great way to plan your day

Be busy but not too busy

Plan your meals in advance

Schedule any events

Reminders on your phone for important things

Misc.

Cancel any subscriptions you don't want

Keep a diary to recount the events of day

Keep a Bullet journal for lists and fun things to note

Take pictures (Bonus points if it's on an ever so slightly grainy camera)

Figure out how you plan to maintain any changes made and the up keep, whether it be with your weekly facials/ academia/ personal projects/ etc., you have to stick with it!

This summer is going to be amazing <3

Best of luck gorgeous,

Serena

xx

Level Up Daily Tip

stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!

the beginning of the day is the time to do your skincare, fix your hair, apply some makeup, and find a cute outfit to wear.

don’t wait for when an opportunity arises to rush and scram to get ready half as well as if you were to have more time. this will make you feel more inclined to go out to make connections and turn heads.

Thomas Ruff

at a certain point you just get tired of your own shit. you have to force yourself to meditate, workout, eat mindfully and read the books to form a routine that gives you a sense of happiness within yourself again. it’s exhausting i know, but you gotta keep fighting for yourself because no one will take care and love you the way you can for own being. this life is not something to go bout so casually, everyday is your first and last time to embrace this moment. this life was gifted to you with a planet to explore and souls to experience. so show up for yourself.

ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!

Today get in check✅

Get your health in order! Work out , go on walks , eat healthy and drink water 💦

Keep up with you looks, hygiene and all. Your Beauty matters!

Hustle ! Make your money , save and invest into yourself! Your education, your business! You won’t regret financial freedom !

Keep your mind right 📖

Never stop learning! Network! Educate yourself , talk to people, gain some culture and vibe !

Make this life the best life you have ever lived ! You are in total control of how you live your life! Start today 💎