What we aren’t going to do in this blog is reiterate an outdated idea that everyone has to adopt a strict set of goals to adhere to in the coming year. Most of the New Year’s resolutions of days old are often left in the unpopulated corners of our minds, living with forgotten phone numbers and high school history lessons. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the unnecessary guilt of everything we didn’t do last year, instead of reminding ourselves of all the little victories. Your value isn’t determined by how long you stuck to your exercise routine or your daily journaling practice.
This year, let’s prioritize the celebration of self! Everyday you woke up and chose to greet the day is a beautiful accomplishment, worthy of indulgence. YOU are worth it! I recently read a poem by Hollis Johnson that resonated with me and I’d like to share it with you,
In this blog we are gushing over our favorite wellness items. Life is too short not to romanticize every inch of it. Let these things be a reminder that the time we have together is not so large, drink out of the pretty glass, ordain your planner with all your favorite stickers instead of saving them for “the perfect moment.” Happy New Year to all our beautiful friends! Let’s celebrate living while also being kind to the bodies that are carrying us on the expedition.
Our Top 10 Wellness Favorites for 2023!
1.) Headspace
Headspace was started with one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world. Through science-backed meditation and mindfulness tools, the Headspace app helps you create life-changing habits to support your mental health and find a healthier, happier you. Headspace is proven to reduce stress by 14% in just 10 days. It can also help you relax your mind in minutes, improve focus, and get the best sleep ever. Personally, we SWEAR BY their “sleep casts” and “sleep sounds.” For anyone who has trouble dozing off, this is for YOU. They have a mindful meditation for truly EVERYTHING. From general anxiety, to anxiousness over starting a new job, travel, or dealing with different types of grief, they have something for everyone. 10/10 recommend!
2.) Bando Planner
Joy comes in many forms—color, music, confetti, great conversation—and Bando believes it sparks creativity, connects people, and makes us more resilient. Bando creates and curates products to inspire it. Gone are the days of cool meaning exclusive and elusive. We think it’s defined by championing others and supporting individuality. We love that this brand is consistently teaming up with independent artists and companies to celebrate you and your unique brand of cool. There are very few things that give us the same kind of serotonin as a fresh planner. ESPECIALLY when they look like this!
3. Stanley Tumbler
As if tiktok hasn’t already added gasoline to the flame of our obsession with these, we’re here to remind you once again. Our entire team has matching Stanleys—comfort water bottle club right here! From commuting, studio workouts, day trips or your front porch—you’ll want this tumbler to tag along. Thanks to Stanley’s vacuum insulation, your water will stay ice-cold, hour after hour. We LOVE how the advanced FlowState™ lid features a rotating cover with THREE positions: a straw opening designed to resist splashes while holding the reusable straw in place, a drink opening, and a full-cover top. The ergonomic handle includes comfort-grip inserts for easy carrying, and the narrow base fits just about any car cup holder. One thing we’re NOT gonna do in 2023 is be dehydrated!
4.) Ilia Skin Tint with SPF
I’m convinced that I could dominate pretty much any part of my day when my skin looks like I just came out of the womb— supple and dewy please! ILIA skin tint is THE perfect light, dewy coverage, mineral SPF for 2023. Your tinted SPF will never be the same. This first-of-its-kind formula fuses skincare, makeup, and sun protection into one easy step: a lightweight skin tint that leaves your skin looking like skin. ILIA Skin Tint features SPF 40 coverage with Non-Nano Zinc Oxide to help shield skin from UVA, UVB, UVC, blue light, and pollution. Cute skin AND protection? Put me down for two!
5.) Waterpik
If you’re like me, entering your thirties means you are probably realizing how much you want to prioritize oral health. Hot girls care about their gum health, you know? Waterpik® is the #1 recommended water flosser brand, clinically proven and accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA). This little hero removes up to 99.9% of plaque from treated areas and is up to 50% more effective for improving gum health vs. string floss. This is the kind of luxury we want in the new year!
6.) Lululemon Align Sets!
You’ve probably caught on by now that a good set of spandex is for way more than your workout. To be honest, we want to LIVE in the Lulu align leggings— comfort and cute? Yes please! Whether you’re a neutrals girl or you die for color, the align collection has something for everyone. While these are an absolute splurge, our pros are that they ward off odor better than any other and look seamless, with the upmost quality! If you needed a nudge to invest in an athleisure set this year, this is it!
7.) Square Wine Glasses
Okay, okay, here me out… WHY do we exclusively use these type of glasses for special occasions and wine only? Let’s normalize drinking from elegant glasses just because. The way I feel like the main character when I pour my favorite bev into these glasses and binge my favorite show. These beauties have a cylindrical bowl with a flat base—the dramatic, contemporary look that lends an elegant edge to the enjoyment of red wine..or Dr. Pepper (I’ll let you decide).
8.) Oura Ring
Listen, we know this one is a pretty significant splurge, but when it comes down to the benefits of this little wonder, we HAD to include them in this favorites list. When you go to sleep, the Oura ring goes to work. Sleep is foundational to improving your mental and physical health. That's why Oura started sleep tracking in 2013 and has been the category leader ever since. Oura learns about your individual sleep patterns and shares personalized guidance on when to start winding down to improve your sleep quality. Oura also tracks your overall health with the finest detail, including: Activity, Readiness, and even Menstrual Tracking. I’m sorry, MENSTRUAL TRACKING? This tiny beauty will help you stay regulated with it’s easy-to-maneuver app— all while looking elegant and sleek. That’s what I call wellness in 2023!
9.) Better Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened black tea drink commonly consumed for its purported health benefits. Advocates say it helps your digestion, rids your body of toxins, and boosts your energy— all that on top of the fact that it’s absolutely delicious. Every IBS girly can say “yes please!” to prioritizing gut health in 2023. As Birmingham’s first commercial kombucha brewery, Better Kombucha believes that an integral part of being better physically, mentally, and spiritually is related to what we put into our bodies, and that taking better care of ourselves makes us better people and better people make better community. We couldn’t talk about our favorite square wine glasses without giving you a beverage suggestion that IMPROVES your gut health.
10.) Local Library Card
In this economy, it’s sometimes hard to stay up-to-speed on buying all the books on your wishlist. Your local library is for way more than childhood story-times and middle school book clubs. Libraries are for us, too! I’m a firm believer that local libraries are one of the most beautiful hidden gems in society. Not only are these places an avenue of mindful escape, they keep our communities strong. Investing in ourselves means investing in our minds, our imagination, our wonder—the parts of us that we often leave behind deserve to be embraced sensationally, That is self-care in 2023, friends!