Full Circle

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I must admit I kinda forgot about my blog.  Life got a little busy and I didn’t make the time to write like I planned on.  I only remembered my blog when I was searching the web for information I need for a client and I came across a blog from a programmer in Africa that is working on a similar task as I am.  Since we use the same website provider, I was already logged in and could send the programmer questions logged in as a tea blogger.  I am integrating websites in Africa and writing a tea blog which is pretty cool.  In any case, my blog came back to me.  I love how things cycle in and out of your life.  Our lives get full and we find new interests but things that really matter will always be there in the background waiting for us to come back around.

My tea tastes go through the same cycles.  I first drank chamomile tea when I was a high school exchange student in Denmark.  The family I lived with had a great family tradition of tea, desserts, and family time most evenings.  I go through nighttime chamomile phases and each time I enjoy a cup it is a true moment of “hygge” (Hygge is an undefinable Danish word that loosely means cozy, well-being, connection, warmth).  I drink my favorite Harney and Sons Tropical Green Tea every morning for months at a time and remember my favorite Tuscan Café in Northville, Michigan where I spent hours designing software sitting on a side table.  I came up with many creative software solutions while watching the regular’s chit chat about their lives as I drank tropical green tea.  After drinking the same tea for months on end, I find a new favorite and move on to my new flavor of the month.  Every tea phase I am in holds memories of the time I discovered it.   I love cycling through the phases and remembering the experiences and how much I have grown.

I am pretty sure most people don’t have tea phases like I do but I am certain people have other things that bring up similar types of memories.  It may be certain foods or restaurants or even music.  Speaking of music, the Pandora station I am addicted to right now is Counting Crows.  I may be 41 but listening to Mr. Jones makes me feel like I am 17.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what is going on right now in our lives, it is nice to take a little break and stop and smell the tea.

Tea Recommendation:  Anything that holds a memory.  Did your mom make you tea when you were sick?  Did you ever drink tea on a cold day or on vacation somewhere like England?   Drink tea and enjoy some old memories.

Be Nervous, Try Some Tea

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Are you new to tea or do you always drink the same type?  If you answered yes, I challenge you to try something different.  You will be surprised how much fine tea is out there but not being fully enjoyed.  One day this week, order tea instead of coffee or try a new type of tea.  When you get to the coffee shop and you have the choice to order your normal drink or a cup of tea, order the tea.  Just do it (if not for you, do it for me).  Are you nervous to try something new?  If so, that is GREAT.  That is exactly how I want you to feel.

I always hated the feeling of being nervous.  The physical and emotional symptoms of nervousness are something I tried to avoid.  I would over-research and over-prepare for everything in an attempt to curb those bothersome feelings.  I also avoided trying new things because I was nervous about what people thought or what would happen if I failed.  A friend and mentor told me to try to take my negative connotation of nervousness and turn it in to a positive and that is exactly what I have done.  For the last couple of years, I have been living with the motto that “Nervousness is Good.  It is How You Grow.”  How boring would life be if you were never nervous.  When I get that nagging feeling of nerves, I no longer feel anxiety, I feel encouraged because I am actively working to enjoy my life.  I also try to understand what will happen if I succeed or fail.  If you never try then you will never know.  Many of your most rewarding moments in your life start with a little bit of nerves, so being nervous shouldn’t make you feel bad.   This applies to all aspects of life and let me tell you, it has made me more confident and peaceful.  I remember my daughter trying out for a competitive cheer team.  She was nearly in tears before the tryouts.  They weren’t the type of tryouts where you go into a quiet room, show a few people your skills and move on; these were tryouts in front a crowd of prospective girls while parents are watching from above in the gallery.   The first thing I told her was to identify what she was feeling is called nervousness.   Saying the name for the emotion really helps.   It helps children and it helps adults.  I told her I was proud of her for even trying out because if she didn’t, she would never know if she had the skills to make it and more often than not, the feeling of the unknown is far worse than the feeling of failure.  After she made the team, I circled back with her and told her that before she performed she was nervous, and because she tried something new she gets to experience the joy of success.  Without the feeling of nervousness, you won’t experience that amazing feeling of victory.  So, come on, be nervous and enjoy a cup of tea.

P.S.  I am really NERVOUS to start this new tea blog.  Writing it isn’t so bad.  It is clicking the Publish button that makes me nervous.  I am doing it now because I think having my own blog is a fun idea and it is great to turn a fun idea into something real.  I think it is time for some celebratory tea.  Good thing I got my first shipment of Steeped Tea today.  I am going to try one of the many new flavors I received.

Tea Review / Recommendation:  Starbucks serves Teavana teas which are very good teas.  My absolute favorite is Youthberry.  It is a fruity, white tea so if you don’t like fruity then this tea is not for you.  Make sure you order your tea with light ice.  They serve tea with boiling water which is too hot to enjoy for at least an hour.

A CreaTEAve Idea

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I have thoroughly enjoyed tea for the past 10 years.  I decided tea was really my only warm morning drink option because I don’t like coffee.  Technically I have never had a cup of coffee but that is a different discussion.    Why a tea blog and why now?????  A couple of weeks ago, I was drinking some iced tea (enhanced possibly with some vodka) and I was telling my brother and sister-in-law how much I loved tea and that a friend once told me to start a tea blog.   I wasn’t really serious about starting a blog, I was just making conversation.  The great thing about my brother and sister-in-law is they are creative and always willing to have a fun.  We spent an hour coming up with a website name that was easy to remember and spell.  I gave my brother my credit card and now par-teatime.com is more than an alcohol-induced crazy idea.   

I hope you enjoy my blog.  I promise to give tea reviews, share life lessons, and be myself.