The alarm clock Monday morning is nobody's friend. That early morning blare is our final farewell to the more relaxed tempo of the weekend. But there are simple ways we can put a little spring in our step even on the days we feel dog-tired.

1. DRINK WATER
Dehydration causes fatigue, so stay hydrated to stay bright-eyed. Caffeine can jump start your motor, but you don't want to over do it. Energy drinks and coffee can give you a temporary energy boost by firing up your fight-or-flight hormones, but when they wear off, you crash. Start your day with a glass of water, enjoy your daily cup of coffee, and then switch back to water.

2. GET SOME PROTEIN
If caffeine jump starts your motor, protein keeps things on an even keel by keeping your blood sugar levels consistent. Try some of these super fast protein-packed breakfasts.

3. USE YOUR NOSE
Citrus smells can perk you up, so drop slices of grapefruit, orange, or lemon in your water (bonus: you feel like you're at a super posh spa.) Suds

Worn out by newborn twins and a five-year-old, Tanya's current beauty routine includes such luxuries as brushing her hair and teeth. "If I'm lucky I can take a shower," she says. We're giving this sleep-deprived mom a Real-Life Makeover with tips on how to look bright-eyed, no matter how much sleep she got last night. Watch as makeup pro Julie Murray works her magic.




CREATE A CANVAS
First, clear the decks. Clear skin of dirt and oil and get the appearance of smaller pores by using an exfoliating cleanser. Follow-up with a subtle self-tanning moisturizer containing SPF. It's easy to find one for fair/medium skin and one for medium/tan skin. "This is going to help you gradually build your tan over time and give you that healthy glow for the summer," says Julie.

BRIGHT EYES
To look alert and rested, it's all about the eyes. On the eyelids, use a cream-based primer or eyeshadow with silica to absorb oil and prevent creasing. Choose one with a bit of shimmer to make eyes subtly pop. Push

Whether you're a kid or a mom, a healthy start to the day helps you get through the morning with energy and focus. Cory's a single mom to eight-year-old Cruise, but with both of them running out the door to work and school, mornings are a mad dash. "If I had the time, I would make her a proper breakfast," says Cory. "But I'm a working mom. I just don't have time in the morning." It's a problem most of share. Luckily, Real-Life Makeover is here to take the mayhem out of your mornings.



#1 EGG AVOCADO WRAP
Even our most ambitious breakfast is done in minutes. Whisk two eggs in a small bowl, and heat two pans over moderate heat. Put a little oil into one pan, and pour in scrambled eggs. Place a whole wheat tortilla in the other pan. While egg and tortilla are cooking, slice 1/4 avocado (one of my favorites). When the edges of the egg set, flip the eggs like a pancake. Then flip the tortilla. Remove the tortilla to a plate, top it with the egg pancake, and scatter avocado slices on top.

In the "no, duh," study of the week, research has found that cosmetic surgery is no help for those with body dysmorphic disorder. And while BDD isn't your run-of-the-mill poor body image (it's a psychological disorder in which the affected person focuses so excessively on a real or perceived defect in their appearance that it causes them major distress--they might even be convinced they have a deformity), most of us know that the way we feel about our physical form is dictated largely by our brains, not our bodies. Anyone who has reached a weight-loss goal and still felt unsatisfied knows that. Losing weight can improve our quality of lives--we feel healthier, more vital, have more energy--but it doesn't fix us. An improved body image starts from the inside out. Here's how to get started on a positive body image breakthrough:

What does thin mean to you?
Sometimes we use "thinness" and diets as a metaphor for what we really want in life. We think, "When I lose weight, I'll finally be

More so even than New Year's Eve, for many of us back to school signals a fresh start. And even when you're not the one loading up a backpack and riding your bike through fallen leaves, there is still that desire to start anew. With its uncracked books, shiny new shoes, and a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils, it's a season filled with possibility. But just because you're not filing into a classroom doesn't mean you can't seize the energy of the season for yourself. And the bonus of a lifetime of learning as an adult? No homework.

PROFESSORIAL PODCASTS
Didn't get into Yale? Me neither. But anyone can listen to podcasts from the hallowed halls of learning, on everything from philosophy to literary theory. And it's not just Yale, of course. On iTunes U, you can explore a whole host of college offerings. Professors share the syllabus so you can read along, or you can just listen and be glad you don't have to trudge through an essay on hermeneutics.

INDULGE YOUR CURIOSITY
Have you

Not the bodice-ripping kind of passion (though, hey, if that's what your life needs, that's what it needs). Today we're talking about the kind of passion that makes you feel alive, and like your life has purpose. It's the sensation that comes when you feel like you're caught up in the current of life: You're energized and happy. You feel like all synapses are firing. What are you most passionate about? And how can you make room in your life for more of that feeling? We've got a few ideas, so read on.


The three passion point questions
Grab your journal, boot up your blog, or chime in in the comments to answer these questions.

1. What are you deeply passionate about? e.g., What makes you lose all sense of time? What are you drawn to again and again? What do you think about when you're lost in thought?
2. What comes to you naturally? So many of us take for granted our own talents because they come easily. We don't think a skill is worth its salt unless it's something we have to

Here's one of my favorite stories: when one of my friends was a little girl, her mom took her out for one of those special mother-daughter days. My friend looked around the room of the restaurant they were seated in and said, "Mom, that woman is acting beautiful, even though she isn't." If there was ever any doubt about it, our behavior really does influence the way others see us. A child might notice a discrepancy between confidence and physical beauty (they say the darndest things!), but an adult would likely take the behavior as fact. Because she herself was convinced of it, the woman in the restaurant was a knock out. Here are three ways to get such enviable confidence flowing yourself.

Set yourself an achievable goal.
Confidence comes from competence (at least that's one of the places it comes from). Set yourself up for success with an achievable goal, like running a 5K or organizing your digital photos. Or give yourself several smaller goals, like cleaning out a junk drawer,

Ah, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and the feel of a new backpack. You may not be the one going back to school (and if you are, congrats!), but when you're the family captain, you have to be even more organized than the kids shuffling off to the school bus. There are soccer practices, piano