What does "wellbeing" mean to you, and how do you incorporate it into your daily life?
To me, it means taking moments throughout the day for myself, whether that’s an early morning sauna session or 10 minutes of breathwork at lunch. I’m pretty busy at the moment so I’m definitely focusing on stacking my wellness practices, so for example when I’m doing admin, I’ll make sure to play some binaural beats. Or if I’m on the tube, I’ll take that time to journal (I use Clearful).
Do you have any specific rituals or practices that help you maintain your wellbeing?
Working out, journaling and meditating are the three practices that I really notice when I’ve skipped them during the week. I used to train really hard (so lifting heavy, lots of HIIT) and in the past year or so I’ve really paired it back to maintenance weight training (e.g. not trying to improve my strength every session) and incorporating more pilates sessions & my body seems so much happier about it. I’ve never really clicked with meditation as such, but last year I discovered an app called Othership that focuses on breathwork (think Wim Hoff vibes), and it’s helped me stay much more consistent with it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not amazing at doing it every day, but I aim for 3-4 times a week, with one session being a longer practice of 25-40 minutes.
What role does mindfulness play in your approach to wellbeing, and how do you recommend incorporating it into daily routines?
Mindfulness to me is things like noticing when my heart is beating faster than usual when I’m anxious, or noticing that I’m maybe picking at my nails more than usual, or as simple as noticing my brain go totally somewhere else mid-breathwork. The key is noticing what you’re doing and bringing it back or changing the behaviour. So if I’m feeling more anxious than usual, I’ll definitely avoid having extra caffeine that day, and I’ll often just take a really big breath, hold it, take an extra sip at the top & then do a sigh for as long as possible. It really puts me right back into my body when the day gets a bit crazy. In terms of recommendations, I’ve found what’s helped me be more mindful is sitting with my thoughts, without distraction, for extended periods of time. So for example, every month I go visit my local acupuncturist. I know I’m going to be laid there for about 45 minutes & I intentionally don’t take my headphones. I have to sit and think about how I’m feeling, what’s going on & really tune into my body. I’d much rather be playing my favourite podcast, but I’ve noticed that I seem to leave feeling like I’ve worked through some of the things on my mind and have a clearer head.
What are your thoughts on the concept of "slow living" and how can people embrace it in a fast-paced world?
Slow living is very subjective. To me, it’s those small moments of slowing down that make a difference. To someone else, it might be booking onto a retreat or scheduling in a weekly massage. It’s whatever helps you bring your adrenal levels down so you can show up as your best self day to day. I don’t think I’d enjoy being entirely slow though e.g. say I didn’t pursue my business anymore & went to live in Ibiza. I think you need the fast to appreciate the slow too.
How did you discover matcha, and what are your favourite ways to enjoy it?
I think it was in Bali, we were testing all sorts of random lattes (charcoal, beetroot etc.) and I had an iced matcha with oat milk and finally understood the hype. These days, like a lot of people, I avoid oat milk (and soy milk for that matter as I’ve noticed it impacts my skin) and I mix it with 2 tablespoons of full fat coconut milk, straight from a can, then top it up with hot water. Definitely unconventional, but the fat in coconut milk is so good for your hormones & it’s so much creamier when it’s straight from a can.
Beyond the taste, what are the aspects of matcha that resonate most with you in terms of wellbeing and slow living?
I guess making matcha is a bit of a ritual in itself, which is something I also appreciate about it. It requires a bit of love and attention to get it perfect. Obviously the health benefits are great, and as you can probably imagine, I definitely appreciate feeling less anxious when I’m drinking matcha vs overloading with coffee.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in learning more about matcha and incorporating it into their life?
Head to TikTok and find a recipe to follow along. Whether you’re fancying the classic iced or something more boujiee like a rose matcha combination, someone on TikTok will have made it.
Is there a specific quote, mantra, or piece of advice that you find particularly helpful in maintaining your well-being, and would you be willing to share it?
You have to upgrade your inputs to upgrade your outputs - it resonates with me because it’s so easy to let things into your life (trash TV, trash podcasts, gossip, trash food, negative thoughts), especially when you’re busy and your mindfulness can slip. It’s a reminder to make sure you’re aware of whats coming in, because otherwise what you put out into the world, what you create, your goals, will all take a hit.
What are some of your favourite resources (books, podcasts, websites) related to well-being, rituals, slow living that you would recommend to our readers?
Aside from all things Daily Rituals (www.dailyrituals.uk), I’d definitely recommend listening to the Blonde Files podcast, The Dream Bigger Podcast & The High Performance Podcast. They’re the perfect balance of all things wellness, mindset & beauty favourites.
Looking ahead, what are some exciting projects or endeavours you are working on that you would like to share with our audience?
Growing the Daily Rituals newsletter. I’ve got huuuuge goals & I really feel there's a space for the content and info I share in the newsletter. I want it to be that go-to place for everything that’s hot in wellness. Plus, I just love writing it & doing all the research for every topic I cover. There’s so many success stories too of ‘tech bros’ selling their newsletter for millions, but I’ve not heard of many women succeeding in the newsletter space, so I’d love to make that happen!
