PHILIPS HUE LIGHTS
Beyond setting the vibe, having lights in your home that you can control actually has healthy benefits. Keeping your lights warm and dimmed will support a healthy circadian rhythm and calm mental state. We evolved rising and setting with the sun and living amongst fire light otherwise— and while I’m not suggesting we go back to that (thank you Mr. Einstein, I’m a huge fan of your work), I do know that our natural melatonin release signals and sleep quality has suffered due to bright modern lighting and nighttime device usage.
Although my preference is dim red lights at least an hour before bed, these bulbs contain a wide range of colors and settings. They last a near lifetime and are sure to increase your perceived level of coolness when guests come over. It’s like health, but make it interior design.
BERKEY WATER FILTER
The last thing you would want to do when aiming to stay adequately hydrated is accidentally take in toxins or byproducts while you’re at it. Everyone has a unique set-up and circumstance, but if you’ve been in the market to upgrade or dive into a good health investment, this is the green light. Widely known for their top-tier filtration, Berkey’s water is deliciously smooth and worth it.
STUAB KETTLE
Seemingly simple but oh so integral to my day to day, my beloved Staub Kettle. This is often the first thing I reach for in a day, my routine initiator if you will. I’ll always remember it as the earliest “splurge” I made when my husband and I got our first apartment together. I knew I would be using it everyday given how beverage-centric I am. I even told my best friend I felt like I could really grow old with this kettle— on track, just me and this kettle, everyday, absolutely doing it!
O-P-E—N
Open is a beautifully designed virtual platform that offers an affordable monthly subscription to both live and on-demand classes featuring breath work, movement, and meditation. A great service to use as your go-to blood flow and stress relief tool or as a supplement to your existing routine.
THE CREATIVE ACT: A WAY OF BEING
If you haven’t already read this stunning depiction of what it looks like to live in harmony with your creative energy, here’s your green light. More than a chapter book, this is a guide you can return to again and again to summon your flow and get inspired. I keep this on my desk and read a passage every morning before staring work; it really is engaging with little things like this that keep my fire stoked. Read and then let’s debrief.
CENTERING PLAYLIST
Some people claim they “don’t know what to do with themselves” in the bath or sauna, so it’s always over quick and doesn’t feel worth it. My response to this is you need a narrative shift baby— listen to music or a podcast, read a book, body scan, text your people back, meditate, online shop, check things off your to-do list, call a friend, watch a show, or stare into the abyss! The bath is your oyster!
THE FIVE INVITATIONS
This stunning depiction of what it looks like to use death as a means for living brought me to tears over and over. Embodying these concepts rang so urgent to me, I feel everyone could benefit from reading it. A focal theme is the idea of finding peace with impermanence, which the turning of seasons is so good at modeling for us. If you want an intro to the book, listen to this powerful podcast interview with the author, Frank Ostaseski.
INVERSIONS
Regularly switching yourself into parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode is a non-negotiable for grounding down. There are many ways to do this (think slowness, breath, safety, connection) and inversions are an easy physical one. For beginners, start by laying flat on your back with your legs up on the wall for 5-10 minutes. All the better if you choose to focus on your breath or listen to a grounding song.