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Self-Care

What can you do to impact your own happiness? Read stories, learn simple tips, take quizzes and more to help build a happier life.

Self-Care

Emotionally Exhausted? Peace Is the Missing Piece

Stress has become so normalized in modern life that many people no longer recognize how overwhelmed they truly are. We live in a culture that rewards overworking, overcommitting, overthinking, and overstimulating ourselves. We answer emails while eating lunch. Scroll while watching television. Worry while trying to sleep. We push through exhaustion because there is always one more responsibility, one more obligation, one more crisis demanding our attention. Somewhere along the way, many people stopped asking themselves an important question: “What is all this stress actually costing me?” and not just physically, but in all areas of my life. Burnout is prevalent and emotional exhaustion has become a shared language. People are carrying invisible stress loads while trying to appear “fine” on the outside. We see it everywhere — in workplaces, families, schools, friendships, leadership, parenting, caregiving, and even in the way people speak to themselves internally. The problem is not simply that people are stressed. The problem is that many people no longer know how to come back to themselves once stress becomes their normal state of being. The Power of Peace That is where peace enters the conversation. Peace is not the absence of responsibility, challenge, uncertainty, or hardship; peace is the ability to remain connected to yourself in the middle of them. Our book, The Peace Guidebook: How to Cultivate Hope, Healing and Harmony for the Good of Humankind, explores what it means to practice peace in real life — not just in perfect moments, but in the messy, demanding, emotionally overloaded moments where people often need it most. One of the greatest misconceptions about peace is that it is passive. It is not. Peace is active and requires practice. It also requires awareness, boundaries, emotional honesty and courage. Perhaps most importantly, peace requires permission. Many people do not give themselves permission to pause until their body forces them to. They wait until the anxiety spikes, the exhaustion deepens, the resentment builds, the relationships strain, or the burnout becomes impossible to ignore. But peace begins much earlier than that. Peace begins the moment we notice we are carrying too much. It begins when we stop glorifying exhaustion as proof of worthiness. It begins when we recognize that constantly being “on” is not sustainable for the human nervous system. Practicing Peace One of the simplest practices we teach is this: Pause. Breathe. Choose. Pause long enough to notice what is happening inside you. Breathe deeply enough to interrupt the stress response. Choose your next step intentionally rather than reactively. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always. Especially in a culture addicted to urgency. Stress trains people to live reactively. Peace teaches people how to respond intentionally. That shift changes everything. When people are burned out, they often lose connection with joy, creativity, patience, compassion, perspective, gratitude, emotional flexibility, and hope. Life becomes survival-oriented. The nervous system stays activated. Relationships become strained. People stop feeling like themselves. We believe one of the greatest acts of healing available right now is helping people reconnect with their own humanity again. Not through perfection or pressure but through presence and compassion. Through honest self-awareness and learning how to regulate stress before it becomes identity. One of the most important things we want readers to understand is this: You do not have to earn rest and you certainly do not have to completely fall apart before deciding your well-being matters. Burnout recovery, emotional healing, and creating peace are not selfish or weak. Creating peace in your life is a practiced responsibility. Stressed, emotionally depleted people struggle to lead well, love well, parent well, communicate well, or care for themselves well. Peace matters because people matter. And the ripple effects extend far beyond the individual. At its core, The Peace Guidebook is an invitation to remember something many people have forgotten: You are allowed to live differently. You are allowed to create space to breathe. You are allowed to slow down long enough to hear yourself think again. You are allowed to choose peace. Even now. Especially now. In a world that constantly tells people to move faster, do more, and hold everything together without breaking, choosing peace can feel unfamiliar, even uncomfortable at first. But peace is not giving up. Peace is returning to yourself. It is remembering that your worth is not measured by your exhaustion. It is allowing yourself to live with greater intention, compassion, balance, and humanity. Small moments matter. One deep breath matters. One healthier boundary matters. One moment of self-awareness matters. Peace is not built all at once. It is practiced moment by moment, choice by choice, day by day. And when one person begins to heal, regulate stress differently, and create more peace within themselves, that peace naturally extends outward into families, workplaces, communities, and the world around them. That is how real change begins. Pause. Breathe. Choose. Because when you grow, the world grows with you. Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino and Dr. Katie Eastman are internationally recognized experts in personal development, resilience, grief, and peaceful leadership.
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Self-Care

How Honest Conversations Are Changing Men’s Mental Health

With more vocal advocates, public health communication, and every day people speaking openly about the importance of mental health care, conversations about emotional well-being are becoming more normalized and less stigmatized. Still, while progress is happening, many men continue to face unique challenges when it comes to seeking mental health care. There remains a significant gap between the number of men experiencing mental health challenges and those who seek support and treatment — which also means many men are left to struggle in silence. “More than a third of men rate their mental health as only fair or poor. One in ten experiences daily symptoms of depression, and nearly one in five has had a diagnosable mental illness in the past year,” says Will Courtenay, Ph.D., men’s mental health expert, researcher, and psychotherapist. “But because men aren't acknowledging these struggles — even to themselves — they're not getting help.” According to him, less than half of the men who experienced a mental health issue in the past year received treatment. A limited number of men seek support from friends or family, or even acknowledge their own difficulties. While the good news is that more men are reaching out for support than ever before, there is still much work to do to in helping men feel safe expressing real emotions openly, unapologetically, and without stigma. Why Reaching Out Can Be Difficult for Men Many men grow up receiving messages that strength means staying silent about difficult emotions. “Research shows that parents raise boys and girls very differently — and largely based on false stereotypes,” shares Courtenay. “That misperception gets baked in early, and boys internalize the message that they're expected to be tough.” And that expectation to be tough, to shoulder the weight of their issues on their own, persists through adulthood. “There's the cultural myth that men don't get depressed. That myth tells men they shouldn't feel it — or at least shouldn't show it. So they don't. They're more likely than women to hide depression or try to rationalize it away, which only worsens it,” says Courtenay. These expectations create the feeling that men have to hide difficulties and deal with hardship on their own. Courtenay says that when men begin experiencing difficulties with their mental health, reaching out for support is not their first thought, and some even consider it a sign of weakness. Research suggests that many men cope through avoidance, including watching TV, playing video games, turning to alcohol or substances, ignoring the problem entirely, or scrolling on social media. Oftentimes, they might not fully understanding what they are experiencing or have the appropriate coping tools. In men, depression, for example, may present differently than the way the public or even professionals expect it to look. Courtenay identifies irritability, overwork, risk-taking, and substance use as common signs of depression in men. Mental health challenges can also manifest physically; “men are more likely than women to present with physical complaints—chronic headaches, stomach problems—that are actually rooted in depression,” shares Courtenay. How We Can Support Men’s Mental Health Together Creating meaningful change around men’s mental health starts with reducing the stigma, strengthening support networks, and helping more people recognize the unique signs of these challenges. Here are few ways we can all pitch in and help move the conversation forward. Knowing the signs. The distinct physical and behavioral presentations of poor mental health in men present an obstacle to identifying when somebody might need support. When we better understand how mental health challenges present in men, such as irritability or working too much, we become more equipped to recognizer when someone may need support or compassion. Creating safe openings. As a culture, we can continue to change the narrative by expanding the definition of strength to include openness, emotional expression, and authenticity. And, within our communities and networks, we can share stories to normalize struggle and show up for men by creating safe openings for conversation and support.  If you have struggled with your mental health and feel comfortable sharing, have conversations with your family and friends about it. These conversations can open up opportunities for others to share and introduce you as someone they can come to for support. When challenges become normalized, support networks naturally expand. Sharing how men are already reaching out. The good news is positive change is happening. “The number of men seeking mental health treatment has more than tripled since 2014,” shares Courtenay. “That matters beyond the numbers — because when men learn that other men are getting help, it gives them permission to do the same.”
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Self-Care

Why Aerobic Exercise Could Be Your Next Happy Pill

Your daily workout may be just as good as antidepressants for beating the blues. A growing body of research suggests that regular physical activity — from walking to strength training to yoga — can significantly reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress, offering a powerful reminder that movement is medicine for both body and mind. A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM), titled “Effect of exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis,” analyzed data from more than 1,000 clinical trials to better understand the relationship between exercise and positive mental health. Led by Neil Munro, a Ph.D. candidate at James Cook University’s Department of Psychology in Australia, researchers combed through large-scale data and uncovered surprising results. Exercise-based interventions in all formats can be a cost-effective and accessible tool to use as part of a mental health regimen to ward off mild symptoms of depression and anxiety. Who Can Benefit the Most? Researchers also found that two segments of the population may see the greatest benefit from using exercise as a mental health intervention. “There were particularly strong effects for people with diagnosed depression and anxiety disorders,” Neil said. “For depression specifically, the greatest benefits were seen in two key groups: people aged 18 to 30 and postnatal women. This finding is especially significant given how underserved these populations often are in accessing traditional mental health care.” Why Exercise Helps Mental Health The reason practicing aerobic exercise on a consistent basis improves your mood is because it changes your brain chemistry in positive ways. Physical activity boosts those mood-regulating chemicals, such as serotonin, which stabilizes mood; dopamine, which supports motivation; and endorphins, which ease stress and pain. When mixed together, it creates a powerhouse of happy meds. Exercise also lowers cortisol, regulates the nervous system, and builds resilience against stress over time. You are essentially training your body to calm itself down. There are social and emotional benefits too. Group workouts and fitness classes with other people can cultivate connections which increase social interaction and combat loneliness. Spending outdoors time in nature which is a natural mood boost and structured routines with other people keeps you accountable. Which Workouts Work the Best? The most impressive results were shown from aerobic exercise showed consistent, strong improvements in both depression and anxiety. These exercises include: Walking Running or jogging Cycling Swimming Strength-training is linked to notable reductions in depressive symptoms and tied to increased confidence and physical empowerment. The strength-training routines include: Weightlifting Resistance band workouts Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats) If you are looking for more anxiety-reducing practices, try these mind-body exercises to help regulate stress and improve emotional balance: Yoga Tai- chi Qigong For people who feel intimidated by exercise, researchers say it is key to start small. Even short sessions of movement can make a difference as people gradually work their way toward longer workouts. This builds confidence, accomplishment, and a sense of control. While exercise is not a magic cure-all that will replace professional treatment, it can be an effective tool for helping ward off mild to moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety, helping you to live a happier, healthier life.
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Self-Care

Don’t Let ‘Quiet Cracking’ Steal Your Happiness

You show up at work, hit your deadlines, and stay productive — but something’s not right.  You may be smiling on the outside and look like a model employee, but internally you feel the mounting pressures of an unsustainable work situation. Sound familiar? This emerging phenomenon is known as “quiet cracking,” and is becoming increasingly common. According to TalentHMS, a learning management platform that researches workplace trends, 54% of U.S. workers frequently experience quiet cracking and 34% report occasional episodes. Unlike traditional burnout, quiet cracking silently seeps into your life until it eventually consumes you. It’s a subtle process that slowly drains you emotionally, mentally, and even physically. Why is it so common? The digital age has blurred the lines between work and rest. With remote access and 24/7 connectivity, the “light” at work is always on — and people rarely disconnect. Many resort to a “tough it out” mentality, especially in high-pressure jobs. Dr. Leigh Vinocur, a board-certified emergency physician and author of Never Let Them See You Sweat: How Science Can Help Us Harness Stress for Success, says that fear of stigma, career consequences, and cultural expectations make many suppress their stress rather than seek help.    Dr. Leigh has been shining a light on the health effects of overwork and the physical and physiological toll of chronic stress, including cardiac risk, immune suppression, hormonal disruption, and depression. “Prolonged stress keeps the body in fight-or-flight mode,” she says. “Elevated cortisol, disrupted sleep, inflammation, and altered brain chemistry impair judgment, immunity, and emotional regulation. Over time, this not only increases the risk of disease; it also makes it harder to feel happy.” Masking this unhappiness is quite damaging, and it steals your happiness without you even realizing it. According to Dr. Leigh, the body and mind may look functional on the surface, but the damage accumulates silently until it gets to a point where it is harder to reverse. So, how do we even know if we or someone we love is suffering from quiet cracking? “Watch for withdrawal from social contact, irritability, loss of enthusiasm, changes in sleep or appetite, and a persistent ‘flat’ affect,” Dr. Leigh advises. “Often, these cues are more noticeable to others than to the person themselves.” Prevent Quiet Cracking If you are feeling more irritable or detached, constantly exhausted, or have lost the joy in things you used to love to do, you could be quietly cracking. Honest reflection, journaling, and regular check-ins with trusted friends or mentors can flag early warning signs. In her book, Dr. Leigh emphasizes building recovery time into your schedule, practicing mindfulness or meditation, prioritizing sleep and exercise, spending time in nature, and seeking therapy when needed are powerful tools. “Equally important is systemic change,” she adds. “Workplaces must create psychologically safe environments where asking for help isn’t penalized.” To prevent quiet cracking, Dr. Leigh suggests these five practices. Unplug: Know when to disconnect fully from work. Relax and recover: Take breaks, get plenty of rest, and spend some time doing things that bring you joy. Self-care: Check in with yourself frequently and listen to your body. If you feel a bit off, you are probably overwhelmed. Talk it out: Telling someone about your situation, whether it’s a trusted colleague, a therapist, or just a friend, can help diffuse your silent burnout. Find the joy: Try to reconnect to why you love your work. If the fire is gone, it may be time to move on. Quiet cracking is a lurking happiness thief. But by naming it, checking in with ourselves, and making space for joy, we can take the first step toward healing.
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Self-Care

Tay Lautner’s The Squeeze Offers a Safe Space for Mental Health Conversations

For most of us, the COVID-19 pandemic was defined by a constant effort to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. However, for special people like The Squeeze host Tay Lautner, a higher calling was at play—the desire to help others. When the pandemic first started, her husband, actor Taylor Lautner, discouraged her from leaving the house because of her asthma. But after completing her studies to be a registered nurse in 2019, she was thrust into the front lines of the pandemic of 2020, working in a cardiac unit that focused on those suffering from COVID-19. “I had so many patients look me straight in the eye and ask me if they were going to live, and many didn’t,” she recalls. “I had a job to do. I had to help save people, so I wasn't really thinking about myself.” A Needed Wake-Up Call Fueled by the same desire to help others that first drew her to nursing, Tay’s traumatic experiences during that trying and unprecedented time placed her on a path to an entirely new set of challenges. “I've been around mental health issues my whole life, but never struggled myself until after working through COVID-19,” she explains. “It was actually my husband who one day was like, ‘Hey, are you OK?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I'm fine. I just worked three nights in a row. I'm tired.’ And he was like, ‘No, how are you doing?’ She continues, “I had never really checked in with myself, because at that time it was fight or flight. There was no time to think about how I was feeling because people were dying.” She says, when she finally took the time to check on her mental health, she realized she was not doing well. That discovery had opened a path for her own mental wellness journey. Lemons, Love and Learning Before long, she decided to pursue an entirely new direction in her life and career—one that could help herself and others in an entirely new way. “When I left the hospital, I really wanted to use my platform to have that human-to-human interaction, so I started this blog called Lemons by Tay,” she says. “I remember having a bunch of different random names written down on this piece of paper. And then it hit me—life is actually chucking lemons at me non-stop, so that kind of feels fitting.” Tay’s blog quickly gained steam, prompting her to expand the concept and create The Lemons Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the mental health challenges that many people face every day. She and Taylor also co-host The Squeeze, a weekly podcast that delves into many of the same issues while interviewing mental health experts and other personalities. With the show gaining more fans with every episode, Tay believes that they both benefit from it just as much as their audience. “My husband and I say that the podcast is free therapy for us, because after every episode, every conversation we have, we walk away and we're like, ‘I learned this about him,’ or ‘he learned this about me,’” she smiles. “I love real conversations with people and getting to know who they truly are, so this podcast has really just been an extension of that.” Community Connections A safe space for hosts, guests and listeners alike, The Squeeze has become exactly the platform that Tay envisioned when she set a new course towards creating an open and honest community and tackling mental health challenges together. “I'm emotionally drained after some episodes because some of them can be pretty heavy,” she admitted. “It's just really cool that people feel safe enough to open up to me about what they've been through in their life. That can be really scary, and the fact that we have guests that come on and have enough trust to have those conversations with me—it's still something I'm so excited about, even two and a half years in.” After years of ignoring her own mental health struggles, Tay now relishes the opportunity to encourage others to speak up about their own challenges. But how should someone start that intimidating and vulnerable process? “Find that safe person, whether it's a family member, a friend, a coworker, maybe it's a counselor at school,” she says. “We have these amazing hotlines now, so if you don't feel like you know someone, there are trained professionals out there to have a conversation with you. And there's even text ones where you don't even have to talk.” She continues, “I know when I'm holding something in, and I open up to my husband, I feel so much better after getting it out. You learn that you're not alone again. We are all struggling with something. Sharing it makes it a lot less scary.” Photography by Courtney Chanelle Whitacre
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Self-Care

Are You Ready to Fill Your Summer Reading Rx?

If you’re ready to explore bibliotherapy, this is the perfect time to dive in! Instead of reaching for a summer beach read, try picking up one of these works prescribed by biblio/psychotherapist Emely Rumble. Whether you prefer fiction or non-fiction, there’s something on this list to appeal to you. Check out what she recommends — and why. 1. Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro A quietly powerful novel about a tragic moment that ripples through generations of two families. Shapiro masterfully explores time, memory, guilt, and the unspoken things that shape our lives. It’s intimate, tender, and beautifully written. 2. Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan Sexy, smart, and emotionally layered, this novel explores the tension between caregiving and self-abandonment. Hendrix Barry is juggling an elite career and caring for an aging parent. Romance isn’t part of the plan. Until Maverick Bell enters her life. Ryan writes with compassion and complexity about falling in love, boundaries, and choosing joy even in the midst of responsibility. 3. Of My Own Making by Daria Burke A stunning memoir about surviving childhood trauma and rewriting your story through reflection, science, and soul work. Daria Burke traces her path from a neglected upbringing to the C-Suite, while diving deep into neuroplasticity, reparenting, and resilience. A must-read for those healing old wounds and reclaiming authorship over their lives. This one is part memoir, part mirror. 4. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong This novel is a gift for anyone grappling with questions of worth, generational wounds, or the long shadow of loneliness. It’s about the grace of second chances, the intimacy of care work, and the small, sacred ways we learn to keep living. 5. Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach Part meditation guide, part emotional healing manual—this book is a balm for women learning to let go of perfectionism and self-judgment. Brach explores the healing power of mindfulness and compassion as a guide for inner peace. If you’d like to join Emely’s book club to talk more about books, click here. Or listen to the Live Happy Now podcast episode featuring Emely Rumble.
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Well-Being

Dr. Tiffany Moon Finds Her Prescription for Joy

No one understands the pressure we place on ourselves more than Dr. Tiffany Moon. A lifelong overachiever, the former “Real Housewives of Dallas” star has amassed quite the professional and personal resume: medical school graduate at only 23 years old (at the top of her class, no less), award-winning professor of anesthesiology, TV star, social media influencer, entrepreneur, and — most importantly — wife and mother of four. Yet, despite her success, Tiffany felt unfulfilled. She began to realize that her constant pursuit of excellence caused her to miss out on many of the beautiful moments that came along the way. Her new book, Joy Prescriptions: How I Learned to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Connection, is the result of that revelation. “I was getting so many questions on social media or when I was giving talks, and it's hard in a 60-second Instagram reel to really explain your life,” Tiffany explains.  I have such a deep love and passion for books, so for me to be writing about my journey through joy and everything that I've learned, it's really like a full circle for me.” Obsessed with perfection [caption id="attachment_21665" align="alignright" width="264"] Image: Jonny Ngo[/caption] For Tiffany, the obsession with perfection began early — even before moving to the United States as a child. “It probably started in elementary school,” she recalls. “Having come from China, not speaking any English, getting dropped into first grade, not having any friends, moving all the time… it didn’t leave a lot of room for connections, making friendships or even being close to my mom and dad. I found solace in reading and studying and thank God I was good at it. It was all I really knew as a child.” Tiffany believes that, like many of us, her mindset during those formative years resulted from a combination of her own natural personality and the expectations of her parents and those around her. “As a child, I was praised for being quiet and obedient and getting straight A’s, and I was not praised for being kind or curious or creative or funny,” she explains. “You figure out as a child what gets you praised and fulfills you, and for me, it was all of those things. So then I just tried to fill my cup with more achievements, more accolades, because that's how I determined my self-worth.” Dr. Moon’s book shares her personal journey that leads to forging a more joyful path for herself, offering plenty of inspiration for readers to explore their own lives and find ways to achieve the same results. However, she is quick to acknowledge that everyone’s situation is unique, and that they need to empower themselves to take a break from their to-do lists and smell life’s roses. “As long as you decide there’s more to do, there’s another finish line to cross, another star to get, you’ll never feel like you’ve done enough,” Tiffany says. “The hedonistic treadmill of life keeps going, and you have to decide to slow the speed down or hit the stop button once in a while. If you don't, you will keep going because it will not stop on its own.” Discovering joy As the book’s title suggests, Dr. Moon’s endgame for readers is joy, a concept that she believes is even more powerful than happiness. “I think we have joy as children,” Moon shares.” You see children dancing, playing, being in the mud, blowing dandelions, chasing butterflies. And what happens to that? As we get older and we go to school and we go through puberty, adolescence, early adulthood, the joy gets sucked right out of us because people are like, ‘Oh, you need to go study. What are you doing? You’re being silly. Oh, you just got your brand-new boots wet.’” For Tiffany, joy comes in many forms: “Getting a massage, playing with my kids, laughing, cuddling with my dogs. Not everyone’s joy looks the same,” she says. “My friend's joy is going for a 50-mile bike ride. That sounds like torture to me. So I think different people have different versions of joy, and it's upon themselves to find what truly brings them joy.” With a new lease on life and a message to share through her new book, her popular social media presence, and her second upcoming LeadHer Summit (November 7-9 in Dallas), Tiffany is ready to embrace her own life’s journey from now on. “I had missed out on so many moments of joy that I could have cultivated during the journey, and I don’t want to live that way anymore,” she declares. “I still have 40 years ahead of me, and I don't want to keep hustling and missing out on all those moments of connection because I was so singularly focused on the finish line.
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Well-Being

Finding Your Comfort Zone: Kelly Rizzo Chats About Love, Loss and Living Life

Three years ago, the world lost the great TV star and comedian Bob Saget. For most of us, he was one of TV’s most beloved stars. For Kelly Rizzo, he was the love of her life. “There is no guidebook on how to handle when your husband dies when you're 42 and literally the entire world loved him, and you have to do it publicly,” Rizzo recalls. ”It's a very strange thing when everyone feels that loss, because Bob was a very special person in that world.” The weeks and months after Bob’s passing were understandably tough for Rizzo, but she found unexpected inspiration in her overwhelming gratitude for their time together. “Focusing on that overshadowed everything,” she smiles. “Just being so grateful that I got to know him, be in his life, and be the one who made him happy.” Rizzo is better equipped than most to understand her late husband’s tightrope walk between his private life and his everlasting bond with generations of fans. A longtime journalist and TV host, she’s built a career around bringing viewers into her travels all over the world, an interesting contrast to her previous career as a local real estate agent. “I am this kind of strange dichotomy. a homebody who also wants to see the world,” she chuckles. “For me, the happiness is finding that perfect balance, a little bit of both, and making sure that they're kind of playing off each other.” A master of multiple languages, Rizzo’s desire to explore new places is driven by the same passion that has fueled her career in journalism: a keen interest in the human experience. “I think I've always been incredibly interested in different cultures and people,” she explains. “My adventures are not just about seeing places, but meeting people and learning about new cultures. Who can you meet along the journey? I love connecting with people on a deeper level.” That yearning to connect, explore, and learn has driven Rizzo’s success in hosting everything from Extra to her own content about cooking (her “Eat Travel Rock” blog), motorcycle riding (“Unfiltered with Kelly Rizzo”), and everything else under the sun, but her greatest adventure kicked off when she married Bon Saget back in 2018. “He was such a part of people's even childhood for so long,” she recalls. ”He had so many people come up to him on a daily basis crying and saying, ‘You don't understand. I didn't have a dad, and you raised me. You're my dad.’” While shouldering that type of attention after Bob passed was stressful, Rizzo also found it strangely comforting. “It was a big extra added sense of support going through this to know that I literally had millions of people who were also there supporting me because they looked at me as an extension of him,” she reflects. “If he wasn't there for them to pour all this love out on, I got the brunt of it in a beautiful way. I'm very grateful for that… it was very extraordinary.” Rizzo’s personal experiences, as well as her constant interactions with fans who shared their own struggles with mourning Bob and their loved ones, led her to create a brand new podcast that blended delicious food with deep conversations with popular celebrities about the loss of loved ones: “Comfort Food with Kelly Rizzo.” “I'd wanted to do a podcast that still involved food, because that was a huge part of my business,” she explains. “So I thought, how can I incorporate the food aspect, but make it about grief? And I was like, duh, Comfort Food.” The podcast quickly amassed a loyal following of fans who found solace in the stories and insights shared on the show by guests like John Mayer and Katie Couric. However, Rizzo wanted a more direct way to engage with her newfound community. Before long, her own interactive membership program, Comfort Club, was born. “Some people feel very, very alone in their grief, or if they're just going through a tough time - maybe a divorce or breakup or loss of a parent,” Rizzo says. “So this is just a place where people can come together and share their experiences and feel some sort of sense of comfort by being among other people who just truly get them.” As for her own grieving process, Rizzo has learned that the path to moving on is a marathon, not a sprint. “In those early moments, it truly feels like, ‘Oh my God, am I going to feel like this forever, where I cry hysterically 12 hours a day?’” she remembers. “It didn't seem like it would be possible for that to ever taper off, but it really does. Every day is a little bit better.”
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Self-Care

How Beverly Hills 90210 Star Jennie Garth Found Happiness

From Beverly Hills 90210 heartthrob to modern-day influencer, Jennie Garth has experienced an abundance of happy days in her life…but today isn’t necessarily one of them. Two weeks earlier, Garth’s entire neighborhood was evacuated during the Los Angeles fires, and it was apparent that the effects of this frightening event would be long-lasting. “Thankfully, we are home and safe, and our house is safe,” she says. “You’re never prepared for things like that, so I think everybody that was affected by the wildfires is having their natural feelings and responses.” Facing a life-threatening disaster is a far cry from Garth’s younger days growing up in Urbana, Illinois before relocating with her family to Glendale, Arizona. By then, the performing bug had taken hold as she dove into the entertainment business. “I didn't have any expectations because I had no knowledge of the landscape of the industry,” Jennie says. “I was just going with the flow, learning on the job, and wanting to be a professional, wanting to always deliver what I was supposed to deliver.” Finding Fame — and Uncertainty Beverly Hills 90210 quickly became a global sensation after premiering in 1990, but the world was unaware of the negative effects that instant celebrity had on Jennie and other members of the teen cast. “There was a lot of uncertainty about being thrust into immediate adulthood and worldwide fame,” she recalls. “I often say that, for 10 years, I feel like I didn't really develop in a normal way because my circumstances were extraordinary, and nobody my age was going through any of the things I was going through except my fellow cast members. While it was incredible and fortunate, it was also scary, and we were unprepared for it. “ After years of learning how to resist being pushed and pulled by the hectic nature of her career, Jennie realized that the key to happiness could lie in three words – “I choose me,” a phrase she infamously declared as Kelly Taylor on 90210 while rejecting the pressure of being pursued by the show’s male lead characters, Dylan McKay and Brandon Walsh. “I don't think a lot of young women knew that that was something they could say,” she smiles. “It made me so proud to know that I had contributed to their growth and stories.” A Lasting Choice By embracing this mantra from her past, Garth has found a new purpose in her immediate future by pushing forth that message through her inspiring I Choose Me podcast and live panel discussions. “At almost 53 years old, I feel even more proud somehow because I’m able to deliver that message in many different ways that people can thrive from,” Jennie explains. “The concept is pretty big, but you can start with the little things, like, ‘I’m going to take five minutes to have some protein,’ or ‘I’m going to read for 20 minutes today because I know that’s good for me.’ That leads to more and more little things until it’s part of your daily routine.” It isn’t lost on Jennie that she’s no longer sharing inspiring words with fans as a character on a TV show. Whether it’s her podcast or frequent appearances on QVC to promote her fashion line, her authentic self is now taking center stage – a proposition that initially scared her. “I'm getting more used to it,” she admits. “At first, it felt like I had just taken all my clothes off in front of the world, and I felt very vulnerable. Sometimes, I second-guess myself or get in my head about things. But the rewards that I get from sharing with people on such a personal, authentic level and the world allowing me just to be me…it feels really good.” Jennie continues to embrace the life she’s cultivated with her family, even while weathering life’s peaks and valleys. Her terrifying experience with LA’s wildfires has encouraged her to focus more than ever on something we all need in our daily lives: self-care. “Some people think of self-care as self-serving, but it comes in many forms and it affects everyone in your life,” she explains. “Even just like sitting down to conversations with the family about how they’re feeling and just staying checked in. To me, one form of self-care is keeping ties and connections close with the people you love.” “I think one of the biggest things for me right now is just practicing gratitude; going out in my backyard, and just appreciating that it's still here and our family is okay,” she concludes. “I have gratitude for every photo I see in my house, every plate I use, I feel more grateful for everything, so that’s a form of self-care in itself.”
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Well-Being

The Brain-Water Connection

How hydration impacts cognitive function Hydration for body health is a universal truth, but few associate it with having benefits for the brain. Generally, it is recommended each day we drink between 2.7 and 3.7 liters of water, depending on gender. Volume demand rises with exercise or hot weather, and other factors, as the body aims to keep our water levels in balance, typically equating to 60% of our total weight.  Most of what we drink (water, or other beverages) goes toward the digestive system, maintaining a healthy temperature and other functions. But, few people consider water’s benefits for the brain. Without water, people suffer from mood swings, have trouble concentrating or sleeping in the short term. Over long periods, dehydration can lead to poor cognitive function and the rise of brain diseases through the buildup of plaques around the brain cells and neural paths.  Those effects are more pronounced on the young and elderly, but whatever your age stay hydrated for better brain health. [caption id="attachment_21503" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Tatiana Shepeleva/shutterstock.com[/caption] The benefits of good hydration on the brain While we don’t recommend it, the simplest experiment to test dehydration is to drink alcohol. If you know too well what happens, feel free to skip this step! Despite its water content, the diuretic effect of alcoholic beverages sees most of the water intake lost to a combination of urinating, suppressed diet and sleeping it off. Those effects limit the body’s water supply, shrinking the brain, causing headaches and lack of clear thinking. The same result happens, less dramatically, by not drinking enough water. Through good hydration along with a healthy diet of good brain foods, you can keep the brain well-watered, ideally through regular sips  or small cups throughout the day.  You don’t just have to stick to drinking water though. Most teas, berry juice drinks, vegetable and fruit smoothies are also great for the brain, providing nutrients and vitamins, as well as vital water. Even coffee can help reduce the risk of some diseases, but should only be taken in moderation compared to other beverages.  This approach maintains your brain-water balance, which protects the brain physically from bumps and knocks, while helping clear out toxins and waste. A healthy approach to water also keeps your brain cells healthy, reduces shrinkage of the brain and can help in the longer-term against conditions like dementia.  The result is a healthier, happier, smarter you. Someone who finds it easier to get to sleep, remains in control of their dietary urges, and through clear thinking can react better in all kinds of situations. Risks to your brain’s wellbeing from drinking [caption id="attachment_21505" align="alignright" width="300"] 2p2play/shutterstock.com[/caption] Do be aware that chugging too much water at once can have an adverse effect, which is known as water poisoning. This is where the excess amount of water in your body swells the brain’s cells, creating pressure on blood vessels, risking strokes and other illnesses.  Another no-no for good brain health is a constant diet of sugary beverages like sodas and energy drinks. The sugar content and its effect on the body increases the risk of brain disease or strokes, and can even lead to depression and dementia. Even the “sugar rush” is a bad thing that soon wears off, even if it has some very short-term benefits.  If you are concerned about your brain health or water intake, there are plenty of apps you can use like Luminosity Brain Training, to see how your brain reacts at different stages of hydration, and are great mental exercises too.  Your brain is your number one asset. Keep it in good health through the regular intake of pure and simple water. When used in line with your level of exercise or environment, it is the best way to feel good about yourself and protect what’s in your head from damage.
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