![Quantcast](http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-GS-HF4BKvzCmv.gif)
![These Are The Morning Routines That Keep Our xoNecole Editors Going](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8zMzM1ODcwMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc1MjQ5MTQ3OX0.M0WIDS_DwoXmvw7mV7OhCIUkyZ1K98xreN1EjvcYqQM/img.jpg?width=1200&height=600&quality=90&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C344)
These Are The Morning Routines That Keep Our xoNecole Editors Going
We always hear about how morning routines are important to not only start your day off on the right foot but sustain success. Many of the powerful women we all admire, from Oprah to Beyoncé to Range Beauty CEO Alicia Scott, have routines in which they are deliberate about how they spend the first few hours of their day.
Well, we, the editors at xoNecole, also have special routines and rituals that keep us going, especially after spending days interviewing amazing women, editing, publishing loads of articles, engaging with the xoTribe on social, and providing you with that daily content boost you need to stay inspired and empowered. Check out how we spend our mornings (for the most part):
Sheriden Chanel, Managing Editor
Courtesy of Sheriden Chanel
Honoring The Flow: "I try to give myself grace that every morning doesn't have to look the same way in order for me to feel well or like I have some semblance of a routine to keep me anchored in how I flow through my day. Some days, the first thing I do looks like gratitude journaling. Other days, the first thing I do looks like splashing my face with water immediately after waking and doing an abbreviated version of my skincare routine."
Getting The Energy Going: "I love walking in my neighborhood and listening to a podcast as a way to hit the reset button on my creativity. Outside is medicine, so I love that, by default, that's always an element of my morning. During that time, I am either listening to my favorite sacral chakra playlist, one of my favorite podcasts likeBalanced Black Girlor Morning Microdose, or even just silence to really bond with my dog, Brownie."
Must-Have Breakfast: "My favorite breakfast is a protein smoothie, especially mornings when I do some strength training or workout. I have become a Smoothie Queen, you hear me! There are so many different ways to make them that it always feels varied enough, filling, and delicious."
London A. Whitson, Contributing Editor
Courtesy of London A. Whitson
First Thing In The Morning: "This year, I made it my mission to create a morning routine and stick to it. When I wake up, before I do anything, I meditate, and then I read a few scriptures from the Bible. Meditating helps me start my day off on a positive note."
Putting Herself First: "What gets my energy flowing in the morning is working out. I try to work out 3-4 times a week and prefer to do it in the morning. I like to alternate my workouts, so I will do cardio like walking around my neighborhood, or I'll do strength training or Pilates. Also, I recently joined a boxing gym, and so I like to go there on the weekends."
Favorite Breakfast: "Oatmeal because it's easy and healthy. Sometimes I may also cook turkey bacon or eat fruit with it. However, if I'm beginning my day with exercise, I try to eat protein first, like almond butter, and after my workout, I will eat breakfast."
Janell Hazelwood, Associate Editor
Courtesy of Janell Hazelwood
As Soon As I Wake: "I always give myself at least 30 minutes for silence. No emails. No social media. No group texts. No cleaning up or checking on work from the night before. No workouts. No TV. Just me, my coffee or tea, quiet prayer, and my thoughts. It's helped me overcome burnout and deliberately practice focus on God and self."
Music Is Medicinal: "The first thing I do before editing, writing, or opening emails for the day is put on my favorite music mixes. It helps me concentrate, and it gets my creative juices flowing. It's also a way to keep the vibes upbeat and positive wherever I'm working. I often travel, so my work environment vibes shift on the regular.
"I'm big on energy, and sometimes virtual correspondences and digital nomad life, in general, can be impersonal, isolating, and disconnected. Music helps fill the gaps. I've created Work playlists on YouTube, Amazon Music, and Spotify featuring an eclectic mix of artists, including Frankie Beverly & Maze, Chronixx, Moonchild, Hector Lavoe, Minnie Riperton, Timaya, and DJ Zinhle."
Favorite Breakfast: "Since I'm not a huge fan of eating breakfast during the week, I'll have something light, quick, and easy to make, like a green smoothie (with kale, protein powder, ginger, and cucumber) or an open sandwich of one fried egg, a piece of wheat toast and pepper sauce. A big breakfast in the morning slows me down, and I can't really think, write, or edit when I feel heavy."
Ambar Mejia, Social Media Manager
Courtesy of Ambar Mejia
Putting Wellness First: "I make myself a nutritious breakfast while I listen to a podcast or audiobook. Right now, I'm rotating between a Portuguese podcast about culture and history (I'm learning Portuguese) and the book Atomic Habits. 10/10 would recommend the book. It's already been a game-changer!"
Jamming Out: "To get the creative juices flowing, I like to have [a] solo dance party with my favorite jams. It's also really important for me to take 5 to 10 minutes a day to write down all my most important to-dos. I was really struggling with anxiety at the end of 2022, and this small habit has helped my productivity and anxiety a lot."
Breakfast Deets: "Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and fruit with a coffee or matcha latte. I have a really busy schedule, so I need to make sure I have something filling and nutritious to keep myself going throughout the day."
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Delmaine Donson/Getty Images
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
Photo courtesy
When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy