Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

I believe in making the most out of everything you do. Adding purpose to your daily routines can add a sense of proactivity and positivity to your life even with something as simple as tea.

Dating back to 2000 BC in China, tea drinking it has become a very appreciated beverage around the world. In history, tea drinking was a very personal experience. Today it’s become not much more than a warm beverage. But with some simple tips, we can give tea drinking a little bit more meaningful in our everyday lives.

A really important aspect to observe is ratio of water to tea. The more tea leaves you use, the stronger the tea will be. That’s pretty obvious, but a longer brewing time and hotter water also produce stronger tea. So play around with how much tea you use, the temperature and brewing time to discover your preference.

Generally, white teas and green teas tend to taste better at lower water temperatures. They are less oxidized teas and the lower temperature allows for a more full flavored brew. They’re also very light, so pouring boiling water on them will overcook them like overcooked vegetables rather than a sweeter taste. My best green and white tea experiences have been brewed for a long time at a lower temperature.

Black teas are more oxidized and the opposite effect occurs. I personally enjoy my black teas very strong. This makes sense seeing how much I love coffee. One tip is to make sure you don’t leave the tea in the boiling water for too long. This will burn the leaves and cause them to release some of the oils that create a bitter taste.

Also, experiment with loose leaf teas. Tea bags are usually filled with the “dust and fanning” of broken tea leaves. The broken leaves are lacking in the essential oils and aroma that full leaves encompass. Tea leaves need space to expand and release their flavor. So try drinking brands that produce full tea leaves.

Tea can be a very special and enjoyable experience with close friends, alone, in the morning, afternoon, night, in low light, daylight, while working, or relaxing.

If you’ve never had a good tea experience or if you’re already a tea lover, try following some of these tips. Adding heart to something like tea brewing can make for a very unique and meaningful experience.