It’s a dreary day here in New York and one of those days that makes it hard to wake up in the morning. So I decided to round up five quick energy boosters to help you get your day started. And you can use these tips along with coffee, because honestly I’m not giving up my a.m. cup anytime soon!

Let in the light: Don’t stay in the dark! When your alarm goes off, get out of bed and open your shades–the sun or natural light will give you energy.

Pump up the jams: Studies have shown that music can improve your mood and positive thinking so turn on your favorite tunes or try a Jiva Jam.

Drink water: While your pot of coffee is brewing, chug a glass of water. Dehydration saps your energy so if you wanna wake up, you’ve gotta drink up.

Indulge in an energizing shower: Use a body wash with an invigorating scent like Organics by Noah’s Naturals Rosemary Mint Body Wash.

Get down and give me 20: LifeHacker shares a quick push up routine from personal trainer Dan Boyle that’s supposed to wake up your body and in turn your mind.

“The future depends on what we do in the present.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

I was reading InStyle’s Special Shape Issue at the gym this morning and the more I read, the more annoyed I got. First there was an article on summer clothes by body type–as much as it makes sense I still don’t like having to match my body to one of only four options. Next up, swimsuits that are best for our body troubles like wide hips, tummy, large bust or small bust. Can’t we accentuate the positive? Later, a quiz (”Hate your hips?”) that will determine our body-image index. Results: 44% of you “hate your stomachs” and only 10% of you “love your body–yay.” Really? And for the final kick in the body image butt, directly following is a story about four real women with four real bodies who need to solve their fashion dilemmas. They’re quoted: “I don’t like my thighs,” and “I hate my stomach.” Hmm, I wonder where we get that body complex?

It’s not like this is the first time I’ve noticed the negative angle. All too often fashion magazines ask us to focus on what we don’t like about our bodies instead of loving what we’ve got. But isn’t it time to start choosing our styles based on flaunting our favorite body parts and the results of your work outs? So I ask you, what do you love about your body? What are you looking forward to proudly showing off at the beach this summer? And when you put on your favorite party dress, why is it that you look so hot?

“I wake up every morning with a great desire to live joyfully.”

-Alexandra Stoddard

Ever heard of wabi-sabi? Yeah, me neither, until the other day when I became a little bit of an instant fan. Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that appreciates nature for all of its imperfections and its ever-changing ways. It also calls for a more minimalist, simple and less-consumerist approach favoring handmade and homegrown items over mass-produced cookie cutter products.

Maybe with a little wabi-sabi, we could begin to have a greater appreciation for all the imperfections in our lives—our own imperfections, those of our friends and all those things that don’t go according to plan throughout our days. Those imperfections and unexpected occurrences are truly what make life interesting.

I’m blogging from Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. Today we hiked the Stawamus Chief, a cliff-faced granite monolith over 2000 feet tall. Here are a few snapshots from the trails. See you Wednesday.

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”

-Ralph Lauren

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

-Robert Louis Stevenson