How do you remain free?

Bit of a paradox, for me feeling free stems from a degree of discipline. Staying consistent with a yoga practice has been instrumental to developing self awareness to spot when I cage myself by buying into a limiting narrative or not staying accountable to commitments I know are important to my health, growth and fulfillment. Walking in nature, breath work, mantra and writing are a few ways that help to disrupt rumination or unhelpful habits and create the needed shift to keep myself on a path aligned with my values and not driven by fear of the unknown or external pressures.

What is your path to vitality?

Listening! Sounds basic but at twenty I was addicted to routine and disconnected from intuitive knowing. It took feeling burnt out, emotionally turbulent, injured, etc. for me to slow down enough to see the patterns that were subtracting from my vitality. Weaving more pauses into my day to check in with my energy and emotional body helps me to honor my needs as they evolve with the seasons. Sometimes that looks like charging up a mountain and other times it’s time lounging in my apartment, or cooking things I find from the farmers market to replenish my body and mind. Learning to listen, communicate and take action to support my body has been revolutionary for my energy, creativity and for the health of my relationships.

How do you comfort yourself?

Permission. When I feel uncomfortable, whether that’s physically or on a more subtle level, I start by giving myself permission to feel whatever it is rather than adding the extra resistance of wanting the moment to be different. From there, reminding myself of how temporary sensations and experiences are... often what my mind makes out to seem like FOREVER is a small dot in the very large constellation of life’s experiences. Once I do this mental re-framing, I often take refuge in movement, music or the company of people and environments that help me feel grounded and simultaneously uplifted. A walk in Topanga canyon or in the sand, paying attention to my breath never fails to soothe me.

When do you feel the most seen?

In those unspoken moments when my eyes lock with another and I know that they know we are sharing in this very wild experience of being an evolving being in relationship with a world of other evolving life.

What was your last really good idea?

Impulse buying an online course on women’s health from the lens of Chinese Medicine. Learned ways to support myself and fellow women as the body goes through different hormonal phases and experiences with movement and acupressure. Learning ways to help people out of psychological or physical pain is immensely rewarding.

What is your most beloved experience with water?

I find myself asking, who would I be without water? I lived most of 30 years within walking distance of the Pacific. The water has been one of my greatest teachers, a mirror to my nature and a medium for inspiration and rejuvenation.

What is your superpower?

I don’t hold grudges or feel resentful toward anyone. Is that a superpower?

What do you look forward to in the spring season?

Seeing which wild flowers burst forth from the earth. Longer day to be outside under the sun.

What are the top three products you want to try from the ON&ON pantry?

Sun Potion He Shou Wu and would add it the Saffron Latte by The Fullest. Also got my eye on the Ila Black Lava Salt to bring the flavor out in fish and veggies.

Thank You Hannah!