Subject: Therapy, the 15% Pledge, shoe tips, & something new from Thrive Market!

Hi Friend,

I hope you're doing well and enjoying your weekend! I'm soaking up these summer days with my family and also enjoying outdoor visits with close friends while we have some nice weather.

To my friends and family in California: I'm thinking about you and everyone impacted by the fires and smoke (I still get the air quality alerts for SF and I know how tough that aspect can be as well). Please stay safe!

Here are a few updates for this week - hope you find this useful!

What I've Been Reading

My sister and a dear friend both recommended the book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb. In reading the story of her patients and her own therapy through a personal crisis, I feel like I had a few sessions on Lori's couch myself. I've always loved psychology, and the book is interspersed with theory and great quotes like this one from Viktor E. Frankl. I really enjoyed it.

Though I mostly share resources that pertain to physical health, I believe our well-being is inextricably linked to what’s going on in our minds (and of course that includes one of my favorite topics, the gut-brain connection!). This book was just what I needed right now. I think a lot of people could benefit from reading, and using it as an opportunity for self-reflection.

Shoe Tips for Runners & Walkers

I'm due for some new shoes, and after two relatives recently confessed to using athletic shoes that are YEARS old, I decided to put together a post outlining some basic tips - including how often you should replace your running or walking shoes. I've had some issues in the past and am really mindful about my footwear given that I typically put more mileage on my feet than on my car, so this topic is close to my heart!

Check out this in-depth post from podiatrist, Dr. Stephen M. Pribut for more a lot more info on selecting the right shoes.

New From Thrive Market

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m being more deliberate about supporting and sharing products I love from Black-owned businesses (did you notice that the book above isn't an amazon link? ;)). In the spirit of this pledge, I wanted to share a cool new feature on Thrive Market*, which is the ability to filter by "BIPOC Owned."

Quick spotlight on Alaffia, one of the featured brands that I buy regularly: I use one of their shampoos, body wash, kids shampoo & body wash, and whipped shea butter cream in the dry winter months. (Their products have clean EWG ratings of course!)

I also wanted to mention that Thrive Market is now offering a free gift, up to $22 in value with a membership purchase. Click here to learn more.

This is where I get my non-perishables and most of our personal care products. They have great prices (25-50% off retail), I love their line of products, and they do a lot to give back and run a sustainable operation. I have several Stories saved to my Shopping List Highlight on my profile you want to see some of my Thrive Market favorites.

By the way, if supporting BIPOC-owned businesses is important to you too, check out the 15 Percent Pledge and consider signing on. This non-profit is calling on major retailers to commit a minimum of 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses to align with their representation in the population. I was happy to see that their site highlighted pledges from big brands like West Elm and Sephora and I look forward to following their progress.

As always, thank you so much for reading! Wishing you a safe and healthy week ahead.

Be Well,

Jess XO

P.S. Do you know someone who'd appreciate yummy recipes, clean products recommendations, and healthy living tips? Here are some links you can pass along: weekly newsletter sign-up, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Thank you so much for sharing!

*Note: I partner with a select handful of companies (that I shop from regularly!) and I'm also an Amazon Associate. I receive a small commission on qualifying purchases made through the provided links at no additional cost to you. In fact, I'm usually able to get you something extra, like a $.01 bottle of wine or a gift when you make a purchase -- so just ask if you need a link! These partnerships help cover some costs of running this site. Thank you for your support!

Please feel free to ask if you have questions about any of these products. I will always give you my honest opinion and do my best to point you in the right direction!

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Subject: Therapy, the 15% Pledge, shoe tips, & something new from Thrive Market!

kaleifornian

What I've Been Reading

Shoe Tips for Runners & Walkers

New From Thrive Market