As I sit comfortably in my New York City apartment writing this to all of you, I am so incredibly aware of how fortunate I am. To be safe, in my home. There is so much pain and suffering going on in this world right now my loves and as each day passes it becomes more and more difficult to pretend like it’s not happening. It is happening. In ways that are more horrific than my highly-sensitive system can make sense of.
One of the things that I have been truly brushing up against is managing my own needs while I see that the needs of thousands of people are being so harshly pushed aside. Is it selfish to want to relax after a long day of work or have a lazy morning with your favorite cup of coffee because you’ve been so crazy busy? Is it selfish to get that manicure or plan a girls night to bring some joy and fun into your life while so many others are suffering?
If you’re empathetic to what is happening, it can often feel that way, it has for me many times. But these are those moments where the tools that we have been preaching about for years have to be activated that much more. We have to stand up for what is right AND take care of ourselves, otherwise we won’t have anything to give the people that deeply need us.
One of the areas of my life that I have been most grateful for lately is my work. I have always wanted to do work that felt like it was in service to others but that also allowed me to use my skills of performance and expressing myself through content creation. Well, on Thursday June 14th, I felt all of that (and more) come true and I just had to share it with you.
I curated the most incredible room of individuals who all came together in the name of chronic illness and self-love and got to work with some of the most supportive and inspiring brands to make it all happen. If you had met any of these people in any other circumstance you might not know how much they have dealt with when it comes to these two areas of life. We had people who have hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers and seem to “have it all” who were battling serious conditions. There were incredibly talented journalists from all different media outlets that had personally gone through so much and came ready to be vulnerable. It was such a powerful evening where we all got to see just how we are much more alike than we are different.
We also got to share some of my all time favorite who are conscious, passionate about truly supporting others and deeply caring. I wanted to share some of those below so that you know where to go for anything you might need to support you in this moment in time. We have everything from some incredible media platforms dedicated to your well-being, space clearing sessions to have your home be truly aligned with your positive vibes, beautiful jewelry and lots more. Check them all out below and be sure to browse their websites to get to know them even more.
Oy-L is a skincare brand that has become a staple in my daily routine. Created by Andrea Pierce-Naymon after her daughter became ill, she wanted to give everyone the chance to use conscious products that were free from chemicals and actually effective. The brand’s promise and commitment is to have “beauty without secrets” and they have truly achieved that. OY-L is an independent line of 100% natural luxury skin care products whose original, plant-derived formulations were created to fight toxins, protect families and empower beauty. With products made with nourishing ingredients like manuka honey, rose and eucalyptus, you will be sure to find one that is the perfect match for your skin. Happy exfoliating and face washing, loves!
Turmeric Twists by Frontier Co-Op are SO fun to use while cooking up a healthy feast in your kitchen. We have all heard so much buzz about how turmeric is an anti-inflammatory super food, which is totally true. But how easy is it to incorporate into your meals? Turmeric can create intense stains, taste a bit bitter and leave you wondering what the heck to do with it to be honest. That’s why these delicious Turmeric Twists blends are so special because they take out much of the guess work for you. In either Everyday, Savory or Sweet flavors, you will find yourself creating more anti-inflammatory meals so easily when you start using these. They also taste GREAT on popcorn which is a fun way to get those delicious herbs in while you’re just relaxing with your loves this summer. Not to mention it will cut down cost for you to buy the blends because you don’t have to buy each ingredient separately. So yummy!
Liz Palmieri-Coonley and I became friends through Instagram and I am incredibly glad that we did. Her bright and beautiful spirit shine through everything she does and I absolutely fell in LOVE with the children’s book she wrote. Liz is the author of “Lizzie and the Flying Yoga Mat” which combines magic with holistic education as Lizzie’s adventures inspire her to teach easy, fun yoga poses to all her readers. Plus, it also serves as a coloring book so your child may add their own creative vision to the pages of this fun and educational tale. I was so excited to take it do a dear friends baby shower the other day and honestly can’t wait to share it with more little ones in my life!
INTIMINA is a brand I recently discovered and I am so happy that I did! My friends have been swearing by using a menstrual cup when they have their periods instead of all the other choices out there. I couldn’t believe it and had honestly never heard of such a thing! After learning more through working with INTIMINA and how cups are better for the environment, are more cost effective for your wallet and allow your flow to be more natural versus being absorbed in a tampon – I was pumped for to have this as an option! INTIMINA also does a lot to promote and support women’s pelvic health. They have devices for sale that can help with exercises to keep your body strong and they’re super easy to use. Love a brand that supports women like this one!
Healthline is a site that I have written for and done some amazing collaborations with over the years so I highly recommend checking them out again if you haven’t already. With over 90 million (yes. 90 million) views to their site every month, it has become one of the top resources on the web for all things health. Whether you have psoriasis, struggle with depression, have been recently diagnosed with diabetes or anything in between – they have got you totally covered. The thing I love most about their content is that it’s not like a lot of health-focused sites out there. They create a real human connection between all of the conditions that they cover and the people who struggle with them. Although they have doctors that contribute regularly, they also have patients that share their experiences (like me!) and it makes for an inclusive and relatable platform. I feel like I learn something new every time I am on there and I am sure that you will too!
Lisa Graham and I recently became friends as we are both chronic illness warriors and were lead to our work through our own personal journeys. Lisa is an amazing healer and coach where she supports her clients through space clearings and the use of plant medicines and essential oils. She’s a real estate agent that makes sure her clients are truly aligned with their home which is such a rare combination to find in NYC! Lisa has a beautiful way of guiding her clients through the process of healing their bodies in ways that are gentle and supportive to both the body and the soul. She combines many methods to support her clients with their healing process, including plant medicine and essential oils.
WellBe is a company, founded by Adrienne Nolan-Smith, dedicated to bridging the vast gap between the wellness movement and the healthcare system. Adrienne decided leave a career in healthcare technology to become a board certified patient advocate and found WellBe after a number of devastating personal and care-taking health experiences which made her realize that the conventional healthcare doesn’t address root causes and fails to promote prevention and healing from chronic diseases. WellBe’s weekly newsletter and instagram account provide inspirational stories of health recovery through integrative medicine, expert interviews, research wrap-ups and much more about the wellness and integrative medicine movement. Subscribe and follow along here!
Asha Patel Designs is one of my all-time favorite jewelry designers and any time I get to work with her I feel lucky. Asha creates beautiful pieces with so much intention and infuses it all into every piece.The pharmacist turned jewelry designer is inspired by symmetry. Whether it’s the dichotomy of East and West, Yin and Yang or motherhood balanced with work life, it’s the perfect blend of parts combined to equal the whole. The Asha Patel Designs wearer is as confident as they are chic, filled to the brim with intention and remembers the journey through life isn’t about how fast you cross the finish line. If you want to grab your own piece, use code BELLA for 15% off anything on the site (excluding the gilded Jhumhar collection).
I know there is just SO much happening in this world right now that focusing on self-care can seem so insignificant. But I promise you that if there were ever a time we needed to make sure that we were healthy and able to fight, it is now. I love you all so much. Please let me know if these suggestions resonated with you or if there are things that you are incorporating into your routine in the comments below. I always love hearing from you.
IMAGE: By Olga of MissO Photo
This post was made possible by all of the brands listed above however I only work with brands I feel truly aligned with and that I love. Please know that all opinions are from my heart and honest representations of how I feel. I am grateful to get to work with companies I resonate with so much.