It’s time to take a breather. In this post, learn how Jess Brand (she/her/hers) of Tasteful Skin slows down to recenter. As a busy mom and entrepreneur, it’s so important for her to take care of her mind and her body – as it is for all of us. She’s giving us some helpful advice that we can use too.
You can learn more about Tasteful Skin at https://tastefulskin.com/
Who are you and what is Tasteful Skin?
I’m a purebred entrepreneur with a heart for togetherness and community. My background is in branding and graphic design and I recently launched TastefulSkin.com with my sister-in-law, Susan selling handcrafted therapeutic skincare products ranging from healing balms to aromatherapy sanitizer, and artisanal bath salt blends!
What are your tools for coping with stress?
During moments of high stress, I literally slow down (physically and mentally) and try to gain clarity and hold a calm focus — I become fully present. From there, I approach the feeling of stress with curiosity and engage with it by asking questions. Where is it coming from? Does it belong to me or someone else? Am I safe or in danger? What’s its purpose or what’s the ultimate goal? What’s the next immediate step I can take that brings me in the direction of my desire? By observing and interacting with the stress, I’m not a victim to its paralyzing grasp — I feel more in control of the situation, and myself.
How do you stay grounded in your daily life?
Sleep. Without it my brain is mush, my body is sluggish, my mood is dark, and my ability to cope with stress is non-existent. Also helping to remember why I’m doing what I’m doing and focus on enjoying the journey instead of solely focusing on the destination.
Also, the words I use are very important. Instead of saying “I have to do this…”, I say “I choose to do this…”. A simple reframing of words casts an entirely different feeling and vibration. Whenever I’m stress, it’s because I feel powerless. Changing the way I think and say can bring me back to a feeling of empowerment, and ultimately overshadowing sticky stressful feelings.
Why do you think our culture is so stressed out?
We live in a society of bigger, better, faster . . . the status quo is never enough. There’s an innate feeling of inadequacy that breeds the mentality for high achievement and material success. The constant drive for more, more, more is a breeding ground for stress and anxiety. Such results-oriented determination becomes an addiction, and it gets in the way of feeling a sense of contentment and internal peace. As a result, we live in a culture that’s drowning in stress.
How do you stay grounded in your daily life?
Sleep. Without it my brain is mush, my body is sluggish, my mood is dark, and my ability to cope with stress is non-existent. Also helping to remember why I’m doing what I’m doing and focus on enjoying the journey instead of solely focusing on the destination.
Also, the words I use are very important. Instead of saying “I have to do this…”, I say “I choose to do this…”. A simple reframing of words casts an entirely different feeling and vibration. Whenever I’m stress, it’s because I feel powerless. Changing the way I think and say can bring me back to a feeling of empowerment, and ultimately overshadowing sticky stressful feelings.
What’s the best piece of advice someone has ever given you about life, the universe, and everything?
When I was graduating high school and deciding whether or not to continue playing soccer in college, I turned to my father for guidance. He was wise enough to not tell me what do to, Instead, he reminded me that I’m the one who ultimately has to live with my decisions and that I don’t want to have any regrets in life. He opened my eyes to how much innate power we truly have over the direction our life goes, and that we aren’t meant to live our life according to the expectations of others.
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