So excited to be working with Dove and getting to tell you about my favorite antiperspirant.

Mornings are nuts in our house.

Two kids. One dog. One husband. Two businesses. Two schools. Three lunches. Four schedules. Two carpools. Not enough coffee.

It’s chaotic.

Too chaotic, in fact.

I know in my heart of hearts we need to slow down.

(Shoot, I’ve read enough articles that tell me WHY I should slow down.)

But most mornings, it feels like I couldn’t find the brake to slow down if my life depended on it. We are on the autobahn of chaos. And the chaos that happens in the hour and a half before everyone leaves the house can get so bad, it has the potential to ruin the rest of the day.

So, I’ve had to learn to adapt through the chaos and create moments for me in the morning that will make me happy all day long.

5 Things To Do In The Morning To Make You Happy All Day

1. Exercise. First, I’m just going to say it. NO ONE likes waking up at 5:15 am for a 5:30 am Boot Camp class. NO ONE. That includes me.

So why do I get up so darn early? Because I like to exercise and I like the fact it is OVER at 6:30 am and I can get on with the rest of my day. I don’t have to worry about doing it later or feel guilty if life gets in the way. Plus, exercising in the morning is a sure-fire way to wake up. It gets the blood flowing and gives a boost of energy that is better than any cup of coffee.

2. Eat breakfast. It’s hard to stay calm and happy when you are “hangry”.

(Hangry is the term I use when someone is angry because they are hungry.)

Committing to eating breakfast within the first couple hours after you wake. It doesn’t need to be a HUGE breakfast…maybe just a little protein or whole grain. But a full tummy means you are less prone to overreacting to small annoyances or grabbing for a mid-morning pastry.

3. Plan your day. While you are eating breakfast, take a minute and plan your day and communicate the plan with the rest of your family.

Do you have a meeting or activity in the evening? Who is in charge of dinner tonight? Did your daughter grab her science project? Does your son have his homework? Taking just five uninterrupted minutes to plan your day (and communicate the plan), can make the difference between a smooth day or a disaster.

4. Get pretty. As a work-at-home mom, it can be pretty tempting (and easy) to just want to be in yoga pants all day.

However, I’ve learned the hard way that my outward appearance affects my inward confidence. Plus, being put-together means you are ready for anything…an unexpected lunch date, trip to the school, or errand. So every morning I find time to do the minimum and “get pretty”.

• I wash and moisturize my face.
• I apply on mascara and lip gloss.
• I put on jeans, shirt and a pair of earrings.
• I put a couple of curls in my hair.
• And I apply Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant.

On a side note, I’ve tried every antiperspirant and deodorant known to womankind. Why? Because I’m “blessed” with having sweat or smell “issues” when I get nervous. And this is usually when I’m presenting, in a business meeting or introduced to new people. Like the most INOPPORTUNE time, right?

And the ONLY antiperspirant that works – aka keeps the sweat and smell away without feeling like I put a paste on my underarms – is Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant. It offers 48-hour odor and wetness protection plus the added skin care benefits of its NutriumMoisture formula. For under $5.00 it was an essential upgrade to my beauty routine that kept me smelling fresh and my underarms soft and smooth.

5. Have grace and gratitude. It took me a long time, but I finally realized that I’m not perfect and neither is my family.

It’s easy to get caught up in everything that might be going wrong and place blame. I was a master at it. But reminding myself that no one is perfect (including myself) and that most things weren’t worth ruining my day, made it easier to accept and give grace and gratitude. Everyday is a new gift and we get to determine what we will make of it. And the best part…if we are lucky enough….we get to do it all over again.

What things do you do in the morning to make you happy all day? Are there small gifts you make to yourself (new coffee cup, upgrading your beauty products, special cereal) that make you happy in the morning?

For more information about Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant and other Dove Beauty Products connect with them at the Dove Website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Disclosure: I’m THRILLED to be partnering with Dove in a sponsored capacity on this post. With that being said, the written remarks and opinions, along with my smelly armpits and chaos in the morning are entirely my own. Want more information – check out my full disclosure statement.