What is the key to a having a good day? For me, it's working hard, playing hard with those I care about, and enjoying every step. My consistent daily routine has been my secret for staying balanced, positive and healthy.

Wake up Early (5:30 am)

I am an early riser. I do my best work in the mornings and it is definitely my favorite time of day. I love being up before anyone else. My days are always packed, so I love being able to start them quiet.

Work Out

The first thing I do when I wake up at 5:30 is workout. To me, it is the best way to wake up (and that is saying a lot because I LOVE coffee... but I save that for after). It feels like a jump start to the day that gets my flood flowing and mind working.

I also thoroughly believe is taking care of yourself so that you can take care of others (and business). I will be the best father, husband, and leader at work if I am taking great care of myself.

If you are looking for a good place to start, I would highly encourage finding a trainer who can help put a plan together for you based on your personal goals. This has been a game changer for me.

Meditate

Meditation is something I just started doing this year, but am already seeing the benefits of. To be 100% honest... I am really not good at it. Ask anybody I am close to and they will tell you that I am not one to sit still. But that is why I think meditation is so important. It forces me to be still and clear my mind when my natural state is movement of both body and mind.

If you are looking for a place to start here, I am a big fan of the Calm App and their beginner series is incredible. And don't let "beginner" turn you away. It will definitely challenge you.

Journal

Speaking of taking care of myself, Journaling is extremely important to me. Life can get so crazy which means thoughts and emotions fly around my mind all the time. Being able to write them down completely changes my mood, puts things in perspective, and allows me to pull a lot of that junk out of my mind and put it on a page.

If you are new to journaling, check out the Mind Journal. It helped me so much in my journaling practice and does a great job of helping you remember the good and positive things you are grateful for each day.

Getting ready

Getting ready goes pretty quick for me. A quick shower and shave is all I need most days. I know everyone is really into crazy skincare routines, but here I keep it simple. For my face, I love everything from Keihls. I use their face wash and SPF lotion and call it a day. It keeps my face clean and hydrated (especially on cold days after shaving). In the shower, I use the Santalum Shower Set.

I am a creature of habit when it comes to getting dressed and I wear the same thing about 90% of the time. Jeans + T-shirt (and a coat if its cold). If it works, don't change it. This saves me a ton of time during the morning because I don't stare into my closet trying to decide what to wear. Find a look and stick to it.

Once I get home from the office it is family time and now often consists of playing with Tonka trucks with my son William and cooking dinner with my wife Jordan.

Once William is down, Jordan and I love to mix a cocktail (boulevardier for me and a Gin Martini for her), throw on a Bill Evans Record, light a candle, and get lost in a good book (other times we skip the record and book and go straight for the tv show Yellowstone)

Once again, We are bad at sitting still and this happens on the weekends too. We love hosting which means having friends over for cocktails as much as we can. More and more, this is starting to consist of kids running around as well which makes it even better.

If you are looking to get into makling cocktails, I would direct you to Cocktail Kingdom to get the essentials:

• Jigger

• Shaker

• Mixing Glass

• Strainer

• Ice Molds

Head over to our cocktail pairings page for recipe ideas. And for more recipes, check out Liquor.com. Start with the Boulevardier 🙂

At Ranger Station, our candles and fine fragances are made to help you have better experiences and memories with your family, friends, while at work, and doing what you enjoy. This year is going to be an exciting one for all of us!

Cheers to making good memories this year,

- Steve Soderholm | Founder & CEO of Ranger Station