Many of us have so much on our plates these days that we tend to forget to stop and appreciate the little things around us that make life worthwhile. So many people are either anxious about the future or depressed because they are living in the past; not enough of us live in the present. Living in the moment, where life is happening, centers our awareness on the here and now and makes us happier. Despite having a busy life or schedule, it is important to know how to be truly present. This winter, we invite you to adopt a ritual that connects you to “right now.”

Don’t have a ritual? The nice thing is anything can be a ritual — chopping vegetables, folding laundry, getting up in the morning, the list is endless. Our favorite winter ritual is drinking herbal tea because it is not only good for health, but the soul, too. There are many health benefits that come along with drinking herbal tea, like hydrating dry winter skin and promoting digestion relief after meals. Here’s a morning herbal tea ritual for inspiration:

• Choose a tea based on your mood.

• Take in the aroma of the herbs and dried tea.

• Boil the water in your kettle of choice.

• Portion the tea according to your flavor preference.

• Add the boiling water over the tea to infuse in a teapot or a tea press, and steep covered for 10 minutes.

• Remove the teabag or push the plunger to stop infusion. I like to add a small squirt of honey because I believe it brings out the flavors of the tea.

• Take a whiff of the tea and wait (im)patiently for it to cool enough to avoid burning your mouth.

Dig into these bulk tea recipes, provided by Seward Co-op staff member, Amanda Reeder.