Category: Lifestyle

Well+Good 

Like morning news anchors, actors often start their days while the average person is still deep in their sleep cycles. This is due in part to the fact that they need to get through hair, makeup, and wardrobe before they even head to set. Given this, it’s understandable that not everyone that sits down in a makeup chair is bright-eyed and ready for their close-up, but that’s where people like Alisha Baijounas come in to work their magic with makeup artist tips to look more awake.

A MUA (makeup artist) for television and film, Baijounas knows a thing or two about faking a full night’s sleep. She’s currently the makeup department head on ABC’s Abbott Elementary season two, for which she’s typically ready to go in the makeup trailer by 5 a.m. to start working on its cast.

“Actors rarely show up fresh-faced,” she says. But Hollywood is practically built on the mantra: Fake it till you make it. And that same rule applies to looking well-rested in the wee hours of the morning. To accomplish this, there’s one product Baijounas swears by—and it only costs $29.

How this makeup artists helps her clients look more awake instantly

The product in question is Super Bounce Serum from Glossier, and applying it prior to makeup is her number-one makeup artist tip to look more awake. “Super Bounce uses hyaluronic acid to draw moisture to the skin, so it gives an instant hydration that’s perfect for awakening the face with a subtle glow,” Baijounas says.

To really make the product work its magic, she pairs it with an ice roller and Bolden AWAKE under-eye patches. “When you pair it with an ice roller, it brings out the natural contours of the face,” Baijounas says. “All of these products are great for everyone—all genders and ethnicities—and they do the trick every time.”

How to apply Super Bounce Serum for max effect

Baijounas uses a foundation brush to smooth the serum across her client’s face. “I apply Super Bounce with the same brush I do foundation with to sort of continue hydration through the foundation application process without adding more directly to the skin,” she says.

After, she adds the eye patches, then she pulls out her ice roller. “I use a two-prong ice roller over the top of the eye patches first to drain the under eye and sinus area working from the bridge of the nose outward to the top of the cheekbone/temple,” she says. Baijounas does five to eight reps per side before moving to the chin and jaw. Once this process is complete, she moves on to applying makeup. The results are better than coffee.

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Carscoops 

Toyota drew some flak a couple of years back for ads in which it referred to its electrically assisted cars as ‘self-charging hybrids.’ But just imagine if you really could charge an electric car as you drove along. The latest step towards making that dream a reality is the announcement that a German bus in the city of Balingen will soon be juicing up on a wireless charging highway.

Though the project only involves a single bus, it doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to see that the technology could be rolled out to cars and other locations around the world in coming years. In December last year Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the state will test wireless, in-road charging capabilities on its highways. If cars can charge on the move they can be built with smaller batteries, making them lighter and more efficient, not to mention significantly less expensive.

Automotive inductive charging tech works much like it does on our smartphones. Electricity is transferred from magnetic coils in the ground and through the air to another one on the car. Static charging pads for cars have been around for a while, but charging roads are more complicated and at an earlier stage of development.

Related: Michigan To Build Test-Stretch Of Highway With Wireless Car Charging Capabilities

For the Balingen project, Israeli company Electreon and Germany’s EnBW have teamed up to outfit 1 km (0.6 miles) of Electric Road System (ERS) along a stretch of German highway, plus two static charging stations that will be placed at locations where the bus routinely stops during its schedule. Electreon will receive up to $3.2 million in funding to build the charging infrastructure.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of inductive charging roads, though it is the first that the public will benefit from it. Electreon and EnBW previously ran a successful pilot study at EnBW’s training center in Karlsruhe, Germany, and Eurovia and Electreon recently announced a project to electrify part of Germany’s autobahn in Bavaria. Sweden has its own wireless charging road project, and Stellantis opened a simulated highway test center to study inductive charging in Italy. Maybe 10 years from now we’ll look back at the Mazda MX-30 with its puny 100-mile (160 km) range and consider it ahead of its time.

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Well+Good 

While burnout is typically the result of being overworked or overtaxed, whether by your actual work or something else, the solution isn’t always so simple as working less or resting more. Sometimes, it might feel like you’re doing everything right in terms of prioritizing self-care, being mindful of your time, and setting clear boundaries, but the overwhelm just seems to follow you like a dark cloud, growing heavier with the weight of just existing in a quasi-post-pandemic world. In that case, it may be helpful to do some introspection by tapping a system like Human Design, which can offer insight into how you receive and expend energy—and, in turn, why you’re experiencing such a lack of energy, in the form of burnout.

What is Human Design?

Human Design is a spiritual personality classification system that can offer insight into your individual psychology, unique strengths and challenges, and the direction of your life, according to Human Design coach Victoria Jane. It was “channeled” (read: created) in the late ’80s by a man named Alan Robert Krakowe who claims to have received the information from a higher power in the midst of a multi-day meditation experience. (Stick with us here.) Not long after, he published a book called The Human Design System under the pseudonym Ra Uru Hu, which is essentially the framework on which the practice is based today.

It’s thought to draw intel from four different systems or modalities—astrology, the traditional Chakra system, the Chinese I Ching, and Kabbalah—and according to Jane, there’s some quantum physics mixed in there, too. “Based on birth date, time, and place, we all get imprinted with our designs,” she says. Similar to an astrological birth chart, a Human Design chart includes a variety of different elements that speak to your unique energetic makeup, but perhaps the most central to your personality is what’s called your Human Design type (basically the equivalent to your sun sign in astrology).

“There are five different design types [manifestor, generator, manifesting generator, projector, and reflector], and they describe how our energy works and how it’s experienced by others,” says Jane. For each design type (you can find yours by entering your birth date and location into a Human Design chart generator like this one), the system then offers strategies for navigating the world “with the most ease and flow,” she says.

The concept is complex, Jane admits, but fortunately, you don’t have to understand much of what goes into creating the information in order to benefit from its insights. In fact, you can glean a ton of intel from knowing just your type alone.

How does your Human Design type relate to your experience of burnout?

As many of us know all too well, the exhaustion, productivity loss, and decreased motivation that categorizes burnout is typically caused by “performing at a high level until stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll,” licensed psychologist C.C. Cassell, PsyD, previously told Well+Good. Indeed, burnout is so pervasive that writer Anne Helen Peterson once called it “the millennial condition”—and that was before the stress of the pandemic short-circuited nearly everyone (in any generation) who hadn’t already found themselves fried.

Because the system of Human Design seeks to explain, in large part, the different ways we get and use energy, it can offer insight into why you seem to be burning right through your personal resources. Specifically, your Human Design type can shed light on what tendencies and behaviors may be fueling your burnout, which can help you work toward a more easeful state of flow, says Jane. “Knowing your design can give you a sense of not just how your energy works, but also the best way for you to be exchanging energy with the world, so that it doesn’t feel like such a slog,” she says.

“Knowing your design can give you a sense of… the best way for you to be exchanging energy with the world, so that it doesn’t feel like such a slog.” —Victoria Jane, Human Design coach

For example, Jane tells me that she’s a projector, which is a type that “needs rest even if they’re doing their favorite thing in the world,” she says. This is not true for generators and manifesting generators, who can more easily power through. But if she tries to similarly push herself without rest, she says she will almost always burn out—no matter how much she likes whatever it is that she’s doing.

Below, Jane breaks down how each Human Design type derives and uses energy, the common energetic pitfalls they face, and what they can do to avoid these pitfalls and steer clear of burnout.

How to handle burnout according to your Human Design type

Manifestor

Jane describes manifestors (which is the preferred spelling in Human Design, by the way) as having “big energy,” which drives them to initiate change in society. “They’re here to do what it is they want to do because they have strong convictions, and in doing so, they’ll pave the way for others to follow,” she says.

Manifestors tend to create optimally in waves, says Jane. “You’ll get a big creative burst, but then you’ll need a period of downtime,” she says. So, for example, you might work on a book for three months and then take a month off, or collaborate intensely on a project for a period of time and then require some time to completely unplug thereafter. This flow can be challenging to accommodate, say, in a corporate context, which can be one reason manifestors burn out; the structure of modern society just isn’t big on extended downtime.

If possible, Jane advises leaning into your peaks or bursts and investing in those urges. But when it comes time for a break, try to take it, and in a way that allows you to be fully disconnected. “The manifestor work cycle is like doing a HIIT workout: When you’re on, you’re doing burpees, but when you get the one-minute break, you’re not trying to still be exercising,” she says. “And that’s where manifestors can get burnt out—when they try to hold themselves to a certain kind of consistency.” What serves them better, she explains, is to do something only when they’re super excited about it (and to not force it when they’re not).

This will typically require some serious boundary-setting in order to manage the expectations of those around you, Jane adds. And if you still wind up on a trajectory of constant work, try to schedule a full stop as soon as possible—”like a weeklong vacation where you can actually press pause,” she says, rather than sporadic single days off that don’t offer the same kind of restoration.

Generator

Generators are also lit up by doing what they love, but they can typically go and go and go, thanks to a strong internal energy source. “This type is here to create and build what deeply satisfies them,” says Jane. “They have this consistent life-force energy, and they can theoretically be okay working longer days—even 12- to 14-hour days. They just really love doing.” For example, she says, a generator might decide to build a garden, and then be able to work and work and work on that garden without burning out. “It doesn’t feel like work, so that doesn’t lead to burnout,” she says. “There’s an inner fire that’s getting tended to.”

Still, this doesn’t mean generators can’t experience burnout. Even though generators have a lot of energy, it’s still important not to force yourself to do things that don’t light you up, says Jane. “That would be a disservice to yourself because it’ll make work really feel like work, whereas it wouldn’t if you were doing something that your gut was leading you toward,” she says.

Manifesting Generator

Much as the name implies, this type combines elements of the above two. The manifesting generator has that manifestor spark, such that they’ll come to a big idea and then be inspired to work quickly to bring it to fruition, says Jane. But also, they’ll demonstrate some of the go-go-go drive of the generator, leading them to invest deeply in different ideas as they arise.

As a result, “the manifesting generator has a nonlinear life direction—a sort of piecemeal approach to their energy, where they’re pulling together lots of different interests,” says Jane. “They might first be into design and then get into photography, and then, they’re making a website, so they pick up coding, and finally, they end up running their own business, and they find themselves doing branding for clients, and putting those various interests together.”

Where burnout can creep into the picture for this Human Design type is when they find themselves stuck doing the same thing for an extended period of time. “Watch for frustration or procrastination when you have to ‘make’ yourself do something,” says Jane. “This could be something you were excited about a month or even a week ago, but that has since lost your interest. That’s how quickly you can pick things up and move on.”

The key thing, then, for manifesting generators is to embrace variety, even if it seems chaotic in the moment, says Jane. “Give yourself the grace to drop what you don’t enjoy anymore, and let go of any worries about sunk costs or pivoting,” she adds, “because, for you, whenever you’re engaged in your current passion, your enthusiasm will make up for any ‘losses.’”

Projector

Projectors are different than the first three types in that they tend to serve more so as a guide to others than as a direct pursuer of their own individual goals. They take in the energy around them, create solutions to problems they identify within their sphere, and then share that intel as guidance for others without necessarily implementing change themselves, says Jane. In turn, their energy is less consistent (or at least, less consistently driven by things they can control) than that of the other types and more indicative of the energy around them.

Like manifestors, projectors are not built for incessant work, says Jane. Again, they don’t have access to a constant source of energy within their chart. “For this type, burnout comes from the need to be showing up in a consistent way every day,” says Jane. Her best advice is to avoid getting caught up in “keeping up” with others and to remember you have different gifts. “Think more about the impact you can have long-term versus the number of hours you have to work in any given day,” she says. And to maximize that impact, really prioritize rest in all its forms, particularly when you need to be fully engaged in a difficult project.

Reflector

Reflectors are the rarest design type; it’s thought that only 1 percent of the population falls into this category. Similar to projectors, they work with other peoples’ energy (and have no consistent source of energy of their own). But in their case, they’re largely mirroring the energy of their environment in themselves rather than serving as a guiding force.

“Reflectors are able to take in all of the energy around them in a unique way, reminding us of how we are all aligned,” says Jane. “So when you’re around a reflector, they show you what’s best in you, and they can also show you the things you need to do to integrate and become whole.”

As a result, reflectors tend to be empaths, too, soaking up feelings and emotions of others like a sponge and sorting through them to come to an understanding of themselves. This can lead quickly to social burnout, which is why it’s particularly important for reflectors to manage the amount of time they spend with others, says Jane. Overall, she doesn’t recommend going full-recluse because, again, you do source meaningful energy from others—but, at the same time, you also need sufficient alone time to rest and cleanse your energetic palate.

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Carscoops 

We just had the chance to test out the 2022 Lexus GX and when I say that we tested it I really mean it. We took the GX on a full 2,000-mile road trip from the middle of Colorado all the way down to Tucson, Arizona. Before we left, we asked you what you wanted to know about it. Now that we’re back, here are your answers.

The GX is a somewhat controversial SUV for a few specific reasons. One of those is how it looks and another one of them is centered around its platform and engine. The first two main questions that you folks had hit on both of those concerns.

Rocket asked “Do infants and toddlers really cry at the sight of it, or is that just a rumor?”

Well, Rocket, me and my merry band are all child-free and do our best to avoid kids at almost all costs. So we don’t have any hard data from our time with the GX in this regard. What we can confirm is that at the start of the journey we all (five of us) thought that it was a bit gaudy.

Driven: 2022 Lexus GX 460 Is An Old-Schooler You Can Rely On

Somehow though, by the end of the trip a week later, the design had begun to grow on us. It’s got a commanding presence in person that seems unabashedly bold. It’s by no means perfect or beautiful, but it’s an SUV that stands out, and sometimes, that’s good enough.

Holden Ute asked, “How much are you going to spend on fuel for the whole trip?”

We didn’t record the fuel price at each top up but in total, we spent just over $400 in fuel from Denver to Tucson and back. That’s a lot of cash compared to what some SUVs of this size might be able to manage but frankly, I’m impressed that it wasn’t worse. The EPA estimate for the GX 460 is 16 mpg combined and 19 on the highway. It just barely beat both of those figures in our testing.

Trackhacker wanted to know “How is parking with it around normal shopping centers and things like that?”

As one might imagine in a vehicle of this size and shape, it’s not the easiest thing to park in tighter spaces. That being said, we actually had no issues navigating shopping centers and the like. The only time that parking was an issue was in a tight city center where visibility was extremely limited and the rear camera wasn’t sufficient for seeing everything behind us. We managed to back into a space safely but having some help from a person outside of the car was key.

We hope this covers your questions about the 2022 Lexus GX 460 but if not let us know down below!

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Well+Good 

When it comes to any product that makes you feel like you’re still in bed, you can go ahead and sign me right up. Robes, slippers, blankets—these are a few of my favorite things. I’ve lived in California for years, but as a born-and-raised New England girl where the winter season lasts from basically November to May, I know the importance of bundling up—especially when it comes to your tootsies. “Cold feet” isn’t just the thing Julia Roberts gets at the beginning of Runaway Bride. I have actual cold hands and feet because I run naturally cold, but I also have poor circulation—which is fairly common and causes cold extremities, especially feet.

So when I heard about the “Cloud Bootie” from Baloo Living ($78) I was immediately intrigued. I love the name—I want my feet to feel like they’re inside a cozy cloud! Who doesn’t?

I had heard of the brand Baloo Living before, because the brand has gotten a ton of press for its bestselling weighted blanket, which I’ve also tried and love (it’s so breathable, but still weighted enough to feel very calming—just an FYI if you’re also in the market for a weighted blanket!). But I didn’t know the brand also made slippers. The Cloud Booties come in two colors, gray and black—I got a gray pair in a size medium (my shoe size is 7.5).

They’re soft, quilted and made of cotton and are designed to be worn two ways: either fold the upper part down for an ankle-length look, or pop it up for more coverage. I liked wearing it the second way more because it keeps me warmer. And they’re currently $78. Which I know sounds like a lot for slippers, but warm, high-quality slippers that actually last you all year long are usually just pricier.

Bottom line? They’re called the “Cloud Bootie,” but I’d say they’re more like little sleeping bags for your feet. Also clouds are soft, but they’re not particularly warm—and these booties are both. These are some of the coziest slippers on the market, especially if you want something lightweight and breathable that keeps you warm but without feeling overheated. A major win for this cold-footed gal!

Want to be the first to hear about the latest (and greatest) SHOP product drops, custom collections, discounts, and more? Sign up to have the intel delivered straight to your inbox.

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Carscoops 

This story includes independent illustrations of a future Giulia created by Sugar Design who is neither related to nor endorsed by Alfa Romeo.

It’s a cliché to point to classic Alfa Romeos as paragons of design and beauty, but there’s a reason some things become clichéd. As Sugar Design proved with its latest rendering, drawing inspiration from classics can lead to a stunningly beautiful, and yet still modern design.

In a series of renderings posted to their Instagram page, Sugar Design proposes a new, clean design for a hypothetical second-generation Alfa Romeo Giulia. Itself a stunner, the current car was all about gentle curves when it was unveiled in 2015.

Read: 2025 Alfa Romeo GTS Render Imagines A Muscular Italian Rival To The BMW M2

For this update, Sugar Design straightens things out a bit, and draws a pretty direct comparison to the old Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT of the ’60s. An undeniably good starting point, this modern interpretation is highly successful, in no small part because it takes inspiration from the classic car, without trying to recreate it.

Through the use of restrained details that evoke the classic car, such as the lack of rear door handles to make this four-door look more like a coupe, Sugar Design recreates the effect of the classic, without trying to repeat it. The belt line of the car, too, drops downwards ever so slightly, in a manner that recalls the Giulia Sprint GT.

But, as the designer points out, the classic car isn’t the only inspiration for this design. In addition, some of the sedan’s details are drawn from modern Alfa Romeo designs, such as the new Tonale. That’s inspiration you can see in the headlights, the front fascia, and elsewhere. And, although it’s not made explicit, to this observer’s eye, there appears to be some Volvo S60 in the rear haunches and tail of the car.

The rendering evokes the past, engages with the future, and, crucially, still looks like a modern Giulia. All in all, it’s a remarkably successful rendering, and one that I wouldn’t mind seeing on the road in a few years. How about you?

Images: Sugardesign_1

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Well+Good 

Let’s be honest: Exercise can sometimes come with serious baggage attached. Whether you’re a pro athlete or you’ve never stepped in a gym in your life, fitness is a place where it’s so easy to compare ourselves—and get overwhelmed. Am I working out often enough? Hard enough? Or should I be doing a different kind of workout entirely?

Well, I’m here to tell you that wherever you’re at, you’re doing just fine. You don’t have to compete. You don’t have to race. As a certified personal trainer, I always like to remind my clients: We have our entire lives to keep training and growing.

With that in mind, I’ve crafted this 28-day beginner-friendly workout plan that will help you see fitness not just as a way to grow muscle and burn calories, but as a skill you can build to learn more about your body and how to use it effectively in everyday life. With daily practice, you’ll begin to see relationships between different types of movement, and how you can take the strength you gain in one exercise and apply it elsewhere.

This plan is designed as a sustainable starting point for the year so you can keep getting after it every week, every month, and the rest of your life. The workouts are short—just five to 30 minutes each. If you’re used to longer sessions, there’s no problem with adding on or repeating a series a second time. But don’t feel pressured to be overly-aggressive. The goal is to build a solid foundation that actually fits into your life and is something you can look forward to, not something that burns you out.

Are you ready? Here’s your first week of workouts, with all the details you need to know to complete them confidently. Check back each Sunday for the next week’s plan.

Photo: W+G Creative

Day 1: Do this 8-minute full-body, multidirectional workout

Day one is all about challenging your body just enough to get a sense of your baseline. You’ve already scored a victory just by showing up. So count it! This eight-minute, full-body strength session is designed so that you can easily customize the intensity of the work to meet you where you are. Go at a pace that works for you, and don’t hesitate to pull back if you need—the goal is simply to keep moving the whole time. Pay attention to how these moves challenge your muscles, and how your heart rate responds. We’ll be returning to this one a few times.

The video is coming soon—check back on Monday morning to watch the full thing!

Day 2: Go for an outdoor run, walk, bike ride, or hike for 20 minutes

I know, I know: It’s the middle of winter. And, depending on where you live, it might not exactly be enticing outside. But if at all possible, try to head out for some natural light today.

Studies show that taking your workouts outdoors can increase your overall activity levels, decrease stress levels, and boost your mood. Getting some sun also gives you some all-important vitamin D. Especially if you work from home, some outdoor cardio can be a great way to get a little change of environment in your day so not you’re not just staring at your computer screen or yoga mat in the living room yet again.

Day 3: Flow through this 15-minute flexibility-focused yoga class

Your muscles might be feeling a bit sore or fatigued today, so spend 15 minutes stretching with this flow. Anytime you’re working on flexibility, make sure you’re easing into the stretch at a sustainable level—you should not be pushing to the point of pain. If you’re diving into a pose so hard that you have to pull out of it after a couple of seconds, you’ve gone too far: You want to be able to hold the position for at least 30 seconds so your body has time to accommodate it.

Day 4: Take a rest day

I’m gonna be completely honest with you: I hate rest days. Personally, I just prefer training. Which probably explains my profession—I do this because I love it! However, I still take rest days regularly because I know my body needs days off if I’m going to get stronger and stay injury-free. No matter whether you love rest days or hate them, they are what will help sustain your fitness journey over the long term.

Day 5: Repeat the 8-minute full-body, multidirectional workout

Okay, we’re revisiting the workout from day one. Now that you know what’s coming, you can get in the flow and really see how much you can give each exercise. Maybe experiment with where you can push yourself just a little harder. But if you’re not yet ready to ramp things up today, that’s fine, too. Just commit to getting through the workout and getting a little more comfortable with each of the moves. We’re not done with them yet.

Day 6: Go for an outdoor run, walk, bike ride, or hike for 20 minutes

Whether you’re running, walking, biking, or hiking, there’s no one right way to push yourself on a cardio day. Customize the intensity level to where you are in your training right now, and how you feel today. Maybe you ran earlier in the week, but today you just head out for a walk. Or you decide to hop on a bike for the first time in years to mix things up. Don’t worry if you used to be able to go longer or faster. Focus on what you’ve got in you right now.

Day 7: Take a rest day or practice yoga

Today, the challenge is to tune in and really be honest with yourself: Is your body craving some movement, or do you need a day off? One of the most important skills to take away from any kind of training is the ability to feel what’s going on in your own body. So practice taking inventory of how you’re feeling. Is your energy low? It might be a good idea to fully rest. Are you not sure whether to push through the “blahs” or not? Give yourself permission to just do the first five minutes of this yoga flow, then you can reassess—and if you’re not feeling it, stop.

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Carscoops 

Customizing cars is something that many car enthusiasts get into. We often feature extremely detailed and stunning examples of such here on Carscoops but today we’re not totally sure what to make of one 2000 Porsche Boxster. Take a quick look around it and you’ll come to find out that it isn’t sure what it is either.

First and foremost, let’s take that tour together before we dive into the ad itself. The front bumper has the Porsche wordmark on it much as you’d see on the rear of some of the brand’s models. That same wordmark sits at the back with a shoddily placed GTS badge just above it.

The side skirts read GT3 RS and just behind the cabin, you’ll find what looks a lot like 911 Speedster humps. The entire car has a body kit on it that seems to widen out a lot in the rear and provides a front lip spoiler along with new headlight housings that ditch the runny egg situation for a modernized 911.2 headlights in the front. By our count, that’s at least four different models represented in one way or another on this singular car.

More: Rocket Bunny Made The 2023 Nissan Z Some Of You’ve Been Waiting For

Perhaps the ad can help clarify some of this confusion. Spoiler alert: it only gets wackier from here. According to the ad, this is a “Porsche 911 GT3 Wide Body Convertible.” The seller specifically describes it by saying “You are looking [at a] 2000 Porsche with [an] amazing GT3 and 5 wide body kit on it… this [a] super rare car GT3 Porsche GT2RS Style.”

Sure, they might just be intending to say that it’s a Porsche with a 911 GT3 (and 5?) wide body kit but note this; the word Boxster never appears in the ad at any point. The ad also tells us that at around 93k miles, the engine was swapped out for one with just 50k miles on it.

The seller is asking $39,999 for the car over on eBay. Evidently, the new engine is a “high-performance” version with no catalytic converters. We’re not sure how well that’ll pass Californian regulations but it won’t matter as we wouldn’t touch this thing with a real GT3 RS length pole.

Image Credit: 70sCar.com

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Well+Good 

As a holistic wellness expert, meditation teacher, and nutritionist, I’ve spent my career seeking the answers to two questions: What is wellness? And how do we know if we are truly well? In over a decade of working with clients on all areas of their health, I’ve found one thing to be true: If we focus on only one part of ourselves, we’re not experiencing real wellness. How you tend to the emotional and spiritual parts of who you are, for example, is as important to your well-being as the way you treat and fuel your body physically. And determining the right way to do all of the above starts with bringing your awareness to how you feel at present.

Developing this sense of self-connection is central to practicing actual self care—and not just escaping into a bath every once in a while (although that’s great, too). In order to help my clients learn how to feel more present with all aspects of their beings, I’ve developed a holistic approach to wellness based on what I call the Four Cornerstones. These include: Food (what you’re eating and your perspective on nourishment), Body (the way you move and care for yourself physically), Emotional Well-Being (how you process emotions and feelings), and Spiritual Growth (how you tend to the energy inside of you and the voice of your intuition).

Over the course of the month, we’ll learn to practice a kind of self care that addresses mind, body, and soul through small daily actions.

When you nurture all these sides of yourself, you can move toward true wellness—because, ultimately, our power to achieve wellness lies in embracing our wholeness. When we treat ourselves as fractured, we get fractured energy and results. But when we live from a place of wholeness, we feel centered, empowered, and clear.

While you can take steps toward caring for your (whole) self any time of the year, the New Year is symbolic of new beginnings, so there’s no better time to start than right now. Over the course of the month, we’ll learn to practice a kind of self care that addresses mind, body, and soul through small daily actions. Up first? A week’s worth of tips designed to help you feel more present with all the elements of yourself and build a foundation for the personal growth to come.

Graphic: W+G Creative

Day 1: Drink hot water with lemon

Without a moment of pause, it’s easy to lose your morning in the blur of getting ready and getting out the door (or signing on to your job remotely). That’s why I suggest carving out a few mindful minutes in the a.m. by making yourself a mug of hot water with a few slices of lemon. Starting the day with something hot in the belly can help you feel more present.

While you might normally reach for coffee—and that’s certainly not off the table—experts don’t recommend drinking it first thing upon waking up (due to its diuretic effect and the way it quickly spikes your cortisol levels). That’s where the lemon water comes into play. The water is hydrating, and the lemons are symbolic of pure sun energy, aligning us with nature and with the abundant energy of the sun.

Day 2: Meditate for 7 minutes

If you already have a meditation practice, this is a great day to re-up it. If not, know that embracing even just a few minutes of meditation can have a powerful grounding effect. Meditation encourages you to create union between the peripheral—your five senses that constantly engage with the external world—and your inner self, reflected by your central nervous system. Over time, this is a pathway to achieving self-connection and inner peace.

I’ve created a library of guided meditations inspired by the techniques of Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian monk and yogi who’s known for bringing yoga and meditation to the western hemisphere. To get started, try the Peace Meditation, which includes a mantra designed to reconnect you with the natural calmness and stillness you have within.

Day 3: Practice a positive affirmation

Your words shape your reality and the energy you experience on any given day. As a result, part of self care is re-evaluating your relationship with words and statements to ensure the words that you feed yourself are actually nourishing the experience you hope to live.

One way to use words to your advantage is to practice positive affirmations—which are simply short phrases denoting a positive reality, spoken in the first person and present tense. A few examples that I love are, “I am peaceful and calm,” and “I get all my needs met.” But the phrase you choose can be whatever you like, so long as it’s short enough to remember and repeat, and it reflects a supportive truth.

Day 4: Eat a meal in silence

Eating is already a part of your daily schedule, so why not use a meal as an opportunity to practice mindfulness, too? When we eat in silence, we have a chance to reconnect with a sense of gratitude for our ability to take in energy every day—rather than allowing our focus to be pulled away by something external, like work or social media. It’s also an opportunity to slow down and to remember that food is sacred, while forming a meaningful connection between yourself and the nourishment you’re using to fuel your body.

Day 5: Let go of one aversion and one attachment

Yoga teaches us that the more neutral we can be—the more we can let go of our likes and preferences, as well as our strong aversions—the more we can transcend moods and limitations and become peaceful and intuitive. These aversions and attachments can entangle us in unnecessary stress, whereas letting go can help us take our power back and be fully present. In other words, letting go will allow you to move into a space of personal neutrality where you can experience the ups and downs of life without getting sucked under the wave.

To get started, choose just one like and one dislike to consciously let go of today. These things certainly don’t have to be huge. For example, if you feel like you always have to listen to a certain playlist or podcast on your way to work, make the choice to not have to do that and to embrace silence instead. On the flip side, if you feel a strong aversion to, say, practicing yoga near the front of the studio, perhaps you choose to let go of that for the day. These kinds of choices can teach you your own strength. After all, a part of self care is knowing you’re stronger than the external forces that might sometimes dictate your decisions.

Day 6: Make space for your feelings to surface

In the go-go-go of everyday life, it’s easy to keep big feelings suppressed by default. Maybe you feel like you don’t have the time or the mental bandwidth to address them. Or you just weren’t ever taught to make space for yourself to feel big feelings, so they make you uncomfortable—compelling you to distract yourself from them instead.

Whatever the resistance may be, today, choose to release it. Notice what you feel without judgment, and identify the actual sensations in your body. You don’t have to name the feelings if that doesn’t serve you (e.g., identifying that you’re feeling, for example, anger, rage, or sadness). Instead, sit with whatever is in you at that moment, and make the choice to be okay with it, rather than trying to intellectualize it, push it away, or change it. Breathe into whatever feelings may surface, and let them move through you, staying with them until they pass (which usually takes a few minutes).

Day 7: Journal for 5 to 10 minutes

By putting your emotions and feelings on paper, you’ll naturally turn your own attention to them, which can help you to feel more present with them and to understand where they might be coming from. Use these questions to get started with journaling:

What did I learn today?
What feelings are present in me right now?
What can I let go of?
What am I grateful for?

The process of journaling alone can also alleviate stress by allowing you to get out of your own head (and leave your emotions on the page instead). Not to mention, it creates a written record of your feelings for you to reference in the future, allowing you to witness your own emotional growth in real time.

Looking to hit refresh on your healthy habits this January? Check out our full 2023 ReNew Year program for expert-led plans for better sleep, nutrition, exercise, and self-care routines. 

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Well+Good 

I’ve heard it so many times: New Year, New You. As a trained nutrition professional and cookbook author who works with individuals from diverse backgrounds, I have learned that dominant Western social norms have taught us to believe that come January 1st, we are expected to attempt to transform ourselves into a whole new person—crash dieting and exercising with extreme fervor included. Toxic diet culture has an unfortunate tendency to praise individuals for engaging in restriction and shame those who choose to nourish and rest their bodies. No longer. This year, we’re encouraging you to take it easy and hone in on healthy habits that you can live with for an entire trip around the sun—and beyond.

Before we jump into Well+Good’s annual ReNew Year food program, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Maya Feller, RD, a registered dietitian nutritionist, on-air food and nutrition expert, and author. I am the founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, a private nutrition practice based in Brooklyn, New York, that offers nutrition counseling and wellness coaching from a patient-centered, anti-bias approach to provide culturally-relevant, evidence-based care.

To help you kick your year off feeling energized, balanced, and well-fed, I’ll be sharing some of my key nutrition pillars, customizable tips for cooking and shopping, and deliciously nourishing recipes with you daily throughout the month of January. Over the course of the next four weeks, we’ll take a gentler and more sustainable approach to your new year together. This approach aims to celebrate you, the individual, in all of your glory, respect your heritage and culture, encourage gratitude, and, most importantly, ask you to prioritize the culturally-relevant foods and routines that can be added to your nutrition and wellness routine.

I also want to challenge you to reframe how you think about and define what foods are “good” for you. There are many healthy foods that are not kale, brown rice, and grilled protein. In fact, many of the foods outside of the Western “wellness” scope come from countries and cultures that have historically been marginalized. It’s time to branch out and expand what’s showing up on your plate.

In my upcoming cookbook, Eating From Our Roots (out January 24), I ask readers to shed the negative and harmful social norms around food and nutrition while encouraging them to spend time in the kitchen creating nourishing, nutrient-dense dishes. No more restriction or feeling like you aren’t part of the nutrition elite; no more shame for enjoying foods that haven’t been crowned with a health halo. There is space to include a variety of grains, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, fruits, proteins (yes, both plant- and animal-based), herbs, spices, and so much more in your pattern of eating.

This month, together, we will celebrate flavor! I will encourage you to make mindful and intentional choices about food based on what is accessible to you. You’ll have the opportunity to explore all parts of the grocery store as well as farmer’s markets when available. Additionally, I’ll help you make culturally-relevant food choices that are free of shame or guilt—all while reminding you that you deserve to be well-nourished and satisfied.

Ready to get started? Let’s jump in.

W+G Creative

Day 1: Get your kitchen equipment arsenal ready

The many delicious dishes you’ll be making this month require a well-equipped kitchen. Having a reliable supply of basic kitchen gadgets on hand—including pots, pans, sharp knives, cutting boards, and storage containers—and keeping them well-organized will make it so much easier to prepare and serve homemade meals.

Start by surveying your pots and pans. Do you see any rusty spots or places where the surface is peeling? If so, you might need a replacement. (Pro tip: Cast iron pots and pans are brilliant when it comes to longevity; they work on the stovetop as well as the oven and they last a lifetime if well-maintained.) Find a chef’s go-to guide for what pieces of cookware every kitchen needs here.

Next, check your knives—sharp knives are a must, especially when it comes to slicing and dicing fresh produce safely and efficiently. If your knives are not sharp, it is time to invest in a sharpening tool.

A few good cutting boards of varying sizes are always good to have at home, too. And lastly, reusable storage containers allow you to meal-prep dishes ahead of time and safely keep them in the fridge or freezer for later use.

Day 2: Conduct a pantry audit—and consider adding a few new nutritious staples

Now that your kitchen tools are stocked and ready for use, we can focus on your pantry. If you ask me, a well-stocked pantry can save a meal; it can take it from lackluster to spectacular. You don’t need to have an abundance of items, though—it’s all about the curation of ingredients you keep on hand.

Just as you did with your kitchen tools, take stock of what dry and canned goods you already own before buying anything new. See a can of tomato sauce from the ‘90s? Toss it. Discover an unopened, still-fresh jar of chicken broth? Don’t buy a new one this week. Get in the habit of surveying your pantry, fridge, and freezer before you go grocery shopping to cut down on food cost and waste.

Now, onto the fun part—what I recommend adding to your pantry for flavorful, nutritious, and fuss-free meals. Consider stocking up on these options:

Grains: Fonio, black rice
Beans: Low-sodium canned beans (if you can’t find low-sodium beans, rinse your beans to reduce the sodium content) and dried beans
Tinned fish: SMASH fish (this stands for sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, and herring; each of these options contains high amounts of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids) and sustainably-caught tuna (look for an MSC certification on the label)
Nuts and seeds: No nuts or seeds are off limits; choose the ones that are culturally relevant to you
Jarred tomatoes
Oils: Plant-based oils are excellent for cooking and finishing; choose the options that fit within your flavor profile and budget. Pumpkin seed oil is one of my personal favorites—it’s an excellent finishing oil and tastes delicious on everything from yogurt to roasted vegetables
Dried herbs: These can add major flavor without being costly. Look for dried herbs that don’t contain added sodium (and season on your own if you want to dial up the saltiness)

Day 3: Identify realistic, attainable health and nutrition goals that work for your body and lifestyle

Now that your kitchen is ready for action, I recommend level-setting with yourself by setting intentions for the weeks ahead. When identifying and setting a health goal, I like to remind my patients that it should be realistic and attainable. So rather than trying to turn back the clock or striving for something insurmountable, let’s work from the “now.”

In my practice, I often work with people who are at risk of developing (or have already developed) a chronic condition. I remind these patients that while a cure or reversal of their diagnosis may be possible, in the event that isn’t, living with a well-managed diagnosis is.

I encourage you to think about your current health situation. Do you have any diagnoses or pre-diagnoses that would benefit from nutrition modification, and what are the small steps that you could take to move toward your goal? Would you benefit from having a consistent bedtime, reducing your alcohol intake on the weekends, or finding ways to include pleasurable and intentional movement into your day? Start by jotting down these health goals in a journal, then try brainstorming some ways to make progress on them that fit within your current lifestyle.

Day 4: Study the most common food label claims to be a savvier shopper

You can’t accomplish your goals without the proper tools, right? We already tackled the kitchen—now we’re diving into the task of understanding food label claims. Because let’s be honest: Grocery shopping has become increasingly complicated. Front-of-box labels on packages make so many claims, and they may or may not actually be relevant to consumers. In order to be a savvy shopper, it’s important to be able to parse out the important information from the superfluous claims. Ultimately, you will need to decide what is valuable to you. Below are some common claims and their current definitions.

Organic (as defined by the USDA):

Produce: “Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.”
Animal proteins: “Regulations require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100 percent organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.”
Packaged and multi-ingredient foods: “Regulations prohibit organically processed foods from containing artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors and require that their ingredients are organic, with some minor exceptions.”

Non-GMO Project Verified (as defined by Non-GMO Project): “The Non-GMO Project Verified mark assures consumers that the product bearing the label has been evaluated for compliance with the Non-GMO Standard. The verification mark does not state that a product is ‘GMO Free,’ and it does not state that the product is safer, better, or healthier. It simply states the product is compliant with the Non-GMO Project Standard.”

Regenerative agriculture (as defined by California State University Chico Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems): “Regenerative Agriculture is an approach to farm and ranch management that aims to reverse climate change through practices that restore degraded soils. By rebuilding soil organic matter and soil biodiversity, we significantly increase the amount of carbon that can be drawn down from the atmosphere while greatly improving soil fertility and the water cycle.”

Natural (as defined by Consumer Reports): “Has no clear meaning on a majority of foods.”

Pasture raised (as reported by Certified Humane Raised and Handled): “There is currently no legal definition for ‘Free Range’ or ‘Pasture Raised’ in the United States, therefore these terms are often used on poultry packaging with no unilateral definitions for the consumer to trust.”

Grass fed (as defined by the USDA): “Grass (Forage) Fed means that grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.”

Day 5: Craft a personalized grocery list that will set you up for success

We’re officially ready to hit the grocery store, which means it’s time to make a shopping list. Because you are your own individual, I encourage you to honor your likes, dislikes, current health status, finances, cooking abilities, culture, and so much more when deciding what foods to put into your grocery cart. For instance, when working with patients, I often speak with them about their favorite foods and the dishes they find most comforting so that we can find ways to incorporate these foods into their weekly grocery lists without guilt or shame.

Your grocery list should include foods that you are comfortable making, ones you enjoy, and familiar items. In addition, I encourage adding a few partially-prepared foods (or chef’s helpers, as I like to call them)—this might include bagged salad greens, pre-chopped vegetables, frozen fruit, marinades, simmer sauces, dips, and spreads.

Next, think through what boxed, jarred, and canned foods you might need this week, as well as fully-prepared items like rotisserie chicken or fresh bread. And don’t forget an assortment of fresh and dry herbs and spices!

Your grocery list should always reflect your current health needs as well as your personal preferences. Follow this template as a starting point:

Sample Grocery List

Fresh produce:
Frozen produce:
Canned goods:
Dry goods:
Boxed and jarred goods:
Fresh herbs and spices:
Dried herbs and spices:
Dairy products:
Meat and/or poultry:
Seafood:
Prepared foods:
Partially-prepared foods:
New-recipe needs:

Day 6: Get to know the whole grocery store

Nutrition providers—myself included—have been shouting the phrase “Shop the perimeter!” (aka the section of the grocery store where fresh fruits and vegetables are typically found) for many years now. But somewhere along the way, we forgot to remind folks that they should also shop the rest of the grocery store, too—not to mention prioritize food choices that support their current and desired health as well as their budget.

Let this be your reminder to explore all of the lovely aisles of your local grocery store. After all, food is expensive, and we need to find creative, nourishing, and delicious ways to stretch our food dollars. Packaged goods are not off-limits. Here are some tips to help you become an informed consumer when shopping for them:

When looking at the Daily Value (DV) percentage on a product’s Nutrition Facts panel for any given nutrient (i.e. carbohydrates, sodium, saturated fat, potassium, vitamin C, and so on), a number hovering around five percent of the DV would be considered low, and a number close to or above 20 percent of the DV would be considered high. So if the fiber content of the packaged goods is listed as 30 percent of the DV, then that would be considered a high-fiber item; if the sodium content is three percent of the DV, then that would be considered a low-sodium item.
Now that we’ve studied up on label claims, we know not to get too caught up on the front of package labeling like “organic” or “gluten-free.” All that tells you is that the product is organic or gluten-free, right? Instead, flip the package over and read the ingredient list. The first five ingredients make up the majority of packaged goods. If the first five ingredients are something that you want to eat (or have heard of), then great! If not, consider moving onto another option that better suits your needs.

Day 7: Make space for expansion and diversity in your diet

You officially have one inspired and important food shopping trip under your belt. Kudos! Today, as you dig into your delicious groceries, give yourself the space to think about what you can add to your diet (rather than remove) as you continue to introduce new ingredients and dishes into your meal rotation. The goal is to start a pattern of eating that includes all the foods you love and keeps you excited about the new flavors and nutrient-rich foods you might be trying—this is a more sustainable method, and therefore likelier to “stick” in the long term.

If your desire is to increase your intake of plant-based foods, expanding the varieties of plants that you consume is an excellent option. For example, leafy greens can mean collards, dandelion and beet greens, chard, taro leaves, and so much more—it’s not just kale, folks. Or, if you want to increase your intake of seafood, exploring smaller, more sustainable types of fish such as sardines and anchovies is a great place to start.

Considering ways to incorporate more diversity, exploration, and flavor into your meals is a pretty wonderful way to round out the first week of the year, no?

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