As simple as I may be, I am that much more consistent. My daily schedule looks pretty the same. There’s not much change going on over here. Unless I am introduced to something that changes my life in a spectacular way, I remain just as carefree and boring normal as ever. In today’s post, I decided to share 10 things I can’t live without.
After my family and friends, these items are integral parts of my life. In some weird way, these items keep me sane and less obsessive-compulsively. I’ll go over my morning schedule in another post as well as my beauty regimen (or lack thereof).
My Keurig 2.0
I’ve been a daily coffee drinker since my freshman year of college. There have been times when I thought about quitting, but the cravings and headaches prevented me from going more than two days without my fix.
Like most Keurig owners, this is my second machine. My first machine was the Keurig Vue, which had it’s limitations, such as hard to find Vue cups. I learned a hard lesson and decided that I would no longer purchase any of the Keurig machines that do not use the K-cups.
The Keurig 2.0 got a lot of backlash for not allowing consumers to use any other brand cups but theirs, which is a bummer if you want to use ground coffee. However, I got around this by purchasing this filter here. The Keurig prevents me from wasting a big pot of coffee when I only drink a cup at a time.
Diet Dr. Pepper
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I have an issue with caffeine (this doesn’t even include my nightly cup of green tea). So it should not surprise you that I drink sodas. Diet Dr. Pepper is, in fact, my favorite soda to drink. If I don’t have it, I am just not a happy camper.
I used to drink two and three sodas at a time, but now I’m down to only about 3 to 4 sodas a week. Even though it is diet, it is still a soda. It doesn’t have any calories, but it does contain Aspartame and I’m not at all convinced it’s completely safe. I got hooked on diet sodas over 20 years ago because that’s what my mother drank. I also figured if I was going to jug down a bunch of calories, I might as well eat them not drink them.
My iPhone 6
A few years ago I purchased my first iPhone, which was a 4S. Up until then, I had been a Blackberry girl. I didn’t want an iPhone and I didn’t want to hear anything about Apple.
My contract was up and it was time for me to pick out a new phone. I intended to walk into the Sprint store to purchase a newer Blackberry, but something happened. The sales person mentioned to me that they were giving away free iPhones and right at that moment I converted and have been an Apple lover ever since.
I do almost everything with my phone, such as record videos and listen to podcasts. I have a lot of apps on my phone, most of which I don’t use. The apps I use the most are Stitcher, iTunes, Facebook, Gmail, YouTube, Periscope and Pet Rescue (don’t judge).
I even read some of my Kindle books on my phone, even though the screen is a little small and at times like this I wish I purchased the iPhone 6 Plus. When I upgrade, I will definitely get the plus version of whatever phone is available.
I am currently on my third iPhone 6 and will tell you in a later post what happened to them all.
Melaleuca Oil
Melaleuca is an essential oil I use practically every day for the last few years. Melaleuca, also known as Tea Tree Oil, has antiseptic qualities that make it one of the best items to have in your medicine cabinet. I call it a miracle in a bottle. There are many uses for tea tree oil and you will be pressed to find any other product that does so much with so little.
You can purchase Melaleuca oil from the store or online through Amazon, however, I purchase mine through a shopping club I’m part of. I believe they offer essential oils of a higher quality than any you will find at the drug store.
I used to have dandruff that was so bad I hated wearing black shirts. Not only would it leave white traces everywhere there were also embarrassingly large flakes falling from my scalp. I tried almost every shampoo and right before I was scheduled to see a dermatologist, I began to use the Melaleuca oil. I would put a few drops in my shampoo and let it sit on my scalp for a minute or two longer.
Since then, I have not had a problem with dandruff and attribute it to the tea tree oil. I now use a shampoo that has tea tree oil in it. I also use the oil for foot baths, mouthwash and on funky skin rashes. The smell tends to be a little strong, but as long as you dilute it with water or a carrier oil, it’ll go away after awhile.
Amazon Prime Membership
I can’t remember the last time I purchased a book anywhere else but from Amazon. This is quite a shame because I actually miss walking through the aisles of my local bookstore. The combination of low prices and convenience of Kindle books, many of the bookstores I frequented closed their doors forcing me into the arms of Amazon.
I purchased an Amazon Prime membership for the main reason most people do and that was for the free 2-day shipping. At first, I thought it didn’t make sense to spend money for a membership but trust me when I say that it is 100% worth it. At the time of signing, I was in graduate school and purchased all of my textbooks through Amazon. The free shipping paid for itself for the cost of the membership.
Other benefits of Prime membership include monthly select free Kindle ebooks, unlimited streaming of TV shows and movies through Prime video and an invitation to member only events.
Kindle Fire
As an avid reader, my Kindle Fire stays as close to me as my iPhone. Most of my library consists of ebooks so my Kindle has become a necessary part of my life. Not only can I download ebooks, I’m also able to surf the internet, download apps and watch videos. I own an iPad and I can honestly say that if you don’t want to or can’t spend the money on an iPad, get a Kindle.
I read mostly nonfiction books, which can be downloaded and read in a short amount of time. An Amazon Prime membership allows you to lend out and borrow any books you or someone else have purchased. I have also signed up for their Kindle Unlimited, which is a godsend for me. It allows me to borrow up to 10 books at a time for about $10 a month.
My Fitbit
I am actually on my third fitness tracker, having lost the last one while picking up my son from the airport last year. The first two were FitBit Zips, but considering how easy it was for me to misplace them, I finally decided to get a Fitbit Flex. I’m looking at the Fitbit Charge HR, but at this moment it is more of a want than a need.
My Fitbit is solely used to track my steps each day. Yes, there are phone apps and less expensive pedometers that do the same thing, but I don’t walk everywhere with my phone. Since I’m in competition with myself, I need to track every single step I take.
I’ve noticed that without my Fitbit, I’m not as motivated to get in any fitness each day. Sitting on your butt all day is one thing. Having concrete evidence you sat on your butt all day is another. If it’s 11:45 PM and I haven’t reached my goals, you’ll find me walking around the house to get in those last few steps.
Tracking my steps keeps me accountable and helps me to get closer to my health and fitness goals. I also like how I can transfer my steps from my gym’s app to the Fitbit’s app and vice versa. There’s a record everywhere, which is helpful when tracking exercise for weight loss or training.
My Dog’s Thundershirt
Once a year, he get’s to wear it during the Fourth of July fireworks. My dad laughs at me when he sees my dog with his Thundershirt on, but I don’t care. My neighbor lost her dog during this time because she ran when startled by the fireworks going off in a nearby park. I refuse to let that happen to my dog.
Vitamins
I used to take like a zillion vitamins. After reading the benefits of different vitamins and minerals, I would mosey on down to the store and purchase my vitamins bottle by bottle.
Well, eventually it got too much for me and I just thought it would be best just to eat better to get the nutrients I can get through my diet and supplement the rest. I also alternate between the types of vitamins I take simply because your body just needs to certain ones at different times of your life.
Now I take the following vitamins everyday – Vitamin D (5000 iu), folic acid (800 mg) and a probiotic.
A few years ago, my doctor told me that I was deficient in Vitamin D and gave me a prescription. She stated that I could take Caltrate to maintain. Now I may reevaluate this since a new study has shown that the test that is used to measure vitamin d deficiency may not make sense for African Americans.
A Journal
My journal stays attached to my hip on a regular basis. I used to write my thoughts and feelings in my journal, but these days I’m jotting down notes, ideas for posts and anything that can help me to improve my business. I feel it is important to actually write things down, which most of us don’t do anymore because we’re always on our computers.
Anytime I can find a journal while out shopping, I always stop to pick one up. I’ve found my best journals from places such as Ross and TJ Maxx. The prettier the better. I think having something that looks nice encourages me to write in it.
I usually don’t do anything fancy with my journals but write in them. However, there are plenty of printables you can use to put in your pages or create your own journal as well.
If you don’t already keep a journal, I highly recommend getting one and writing in it. I recently found my mother’s journal she often wrote in and it gave me some insight into her mindset the months and days leading up to her death. You may find it to be cathartic or at the very least use it to help get those creative juices flowing.
There you have it, the top 10 things I can’t do without.
