Slower days, ocean dips, sandy floors, afternoon gelato, tan lines.

Summer has a certain kind of energy that is undeniable. It’s the much needed reset in this go, go, go world. A time where out of the office emails are a norm and being ok with doing less is encouraged.

This summer we took an incredible escape to Costa Brava in Spain. We fully indulged in sun soaking, ocean dipping, baby cuddles and feasting on summer sights, sounds and smells.

The turquoise colors of the ocean, the sound of kids splashing in the water, the smell of sunscreen and salt. A simpler time of year that reminds us what it’s really like to be alive. To live in the present. In rhythm with the seasons. To enjoy what summer has to offer.

In lieu of this less is more energy, this months muse notes is more of a moodboard than an essay.

Hope this makes you feel warm and inspired,

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Things I find chic during the summer:

• Older women sunbathing with a book in hand

• Sparkling water with a big ice cube and lemon

• Not being on your phone

• Handwritten letters

• Being kind

• Homemade Aperol Spirts

• People who speak with their hands

• Linen everything

• A red manicure

• Leather bound journals

• Linking arms with a friend while walking

• Looking up at the stars

• Dropping judgement and fear

• Eye contact

• Being barefoot in the grass

• Taking in hugs like its the last one you’ll get

• Sunsets, always.

• Embracing vulnerability

• Orange and pink colors.

  On the Camera Roll Lately:

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I have all the time in the world.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What energy do I want to embody as I transition into the fall season?

• In “back to school” energy, what projects or goals are you ready to dive into?

• What is a side passion or hands on hobby that you want to start this season?

We’ve been taught to optimize our lives. When we have a single minute, we run through our mental to-do list to see what else we can get done. How can we save time? But what are we saving time for if we never use it? Whenever we have downtime, we feel uncomfortable simply being. We need to be doing. We check our emails, Whatsapp, and social media frantically throughout the day as if we will miss something essential. But our to do lists will never get smaller. It’s up to us to get off the hamster wheel of productivity once in a while. To be unavailable. To leave things unanswered. To waste time and enjoy it. To release the need to consume. To slow down.

I keep asking myself, when will it be the right time to give myself what I need most?

How we start our day and how we end our day set the tone for our life, our mood, our resilience, our joy. Over the past six months, it’s been my goal to “get to” my morning and evening rituals, and week after week, I don’t “get to them”, and I feel disappointed in myself. What I realized is this: I must accept this beautiful and slightly more hectic season of my life. As soon as I wake up, I am being needed. To get baby J out of her crib, give her a bottle. Make Noa breakfast, get him ready for school. Maybe I can squeeze in a workout, some breakfast for myself, and I could go to work. In the evening, I am able to put dinner on the table for everyone. Do bath time, put everyone to bed. By the time everyone’s asleep I simply do not have the energy to put out my mat, even though I know it could be so good for me. All I could muster the energy for is take a nice shower, put on my pajamas, and get in bed. And why can’t that be enough? In fact, what a beautiful life that already is.

Let’s give ourselves grace for the season we are living, no matter what that looks like for you. What if instead of always aiming for more, we simply embraced what our days look like today? In this current season. It’s time to romanticize our current lives exactly as they are.

It’s as simple as waking up and making myself a tea before getting the kids out of bed. Lighting candles in the kitchen and during all of our meals. Lighting a palo santo and taking a deep breath. Putting on music after dinner and dancing, laughing, and hugging a lot. Crying over a good book before bed. Feeling gratitude in my body for every single day, but not needing more. Not needing things to be different. Falling in love with this season versus constantly longing for a new one.

Anyways, that’s where I’m at.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Mothers Are Muses.

  We had an incredible event this month celebrating motherhood. I had the opportunity to chat to 3 incredible moms and go deep on the themes of mom guilt, the myth behind balancing it all, and the importance of continuing to evolve as a woman and as a mother. Check out more here. Will write more on this topic soon. (Ps. Comment below what you want to see on muse notes!)

• Motherhood is my meditation this season

  I’ve been thinking about the concept of a spiritual practice. I remember a mentor saying once “You think you meditate by being in a controlled space with all the factors in your favor. How about you try meditating at a rock concert? Now that’s a spiritual practice.” Since becoming a mom, my meditation practice has dwindled. But if I really think about it, motherhood is my meditation. As moms, we are constantly being called, our nervous systems constantly triggered by loud noises, screams, cries, messy floors and big piles of laundry. In these moments, the challenge is to stop, take a breath, find our center, self soothe and move forward with love. Now that is a spiritual deepening.

  

  

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• Saie Podcast

  I’ve become a fan of Saie makeup over the years but never really knew much about the founder. I listened to this podcast and I was instantly impressed. Brands aren’t successful just because. Behind every successful company is a founder working their A** off. There’s nothing I respect more than someone with vision, grit, determination and guts. Loved!

• How to stay smart in the age of AI

  It feels like life has been taken over by Ai. As a user and observer, yes, it’s amazing in many ways but it’s also a little scary. I am already seeing the negative effects in the younger generation as they choose to outsource their mind for Ai. What they don’t realize by doing this is that they are also outsourcing what makes them, them. Their unique capabilities, perspectives, and ability to think critically. If they keep going on this track, 10 years from now they’ll be asking Ai if they’re hungry. They will hand over the keys to their own brains and intuition. They will not be able to trust in themselves. Yes, you may be thinking I’m over exaggerating and I wish I was but I’m here crossing my fingers that this is not our future. Anyways, here’s an article on how to stay smart hehe

• A Chinese medicine guide to transitions

  “We are in the in-between.”

  “Between the rising of spring and the bloom of summer. This is the energetic time between the inhale and exhale of the seasons. Between who we were and who we are becoming.In Chinese Medicine, there is a name for this threshold. It is called the spiritual pivot.”

Things I’m Loving:

• Good Bacteria

  I’m back on the probiotic train and this time with Good Bacteria. I love how easy it is to take and the fact that it contains 4 rotating blends of pre, pro, and postbiotics.

• Inositol

  Started taking Inositol to balance my hormones and allow me to have a smoother less pmsy cycle. I will report back but loving it for now. I blend it with my probiotic in the morning in a shot of water.

  On my camera roll lately:

  A bit of May

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I am ready to slow things down and smell the flowers

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What energy do you want to bring to this new summer season?

• What are you ready to let go of?

• What personal projects or bucket list items are on your list for summer?

• Create a summer Pinterest board or playlist to embody what you want to feel this season.

It’s a rainy day in Miami as I sit at a coffee shop feeling the nostalgia of time pass by. The fact that summer is approaching is exciting in many ways but it also creates an uncomfortable feeling within caused by my inability to truly grasp time. I feel that I have given all of myself this year to others around me. Hyper aware of making sure everyone feels good and tended to. Someone told me recently.. “In relationships, you give so much. But you have to take some too.”

My intention for May is to “take some too”.

I’m the type of person that will do anything in my power to make sure everyone around me feels special. That experiences are beautiful and that things are done with love. When this isn’t reciprocated, I struggle. “I just don’t understand how they can be so selfish?”. But the thing is, it’s all what you’re used to. I’ve been in a partnership / relationship for 13 years. I have a business of 100+ employees. I have two children. My whole day to day is catering to others around me. It’s giving myself to others. But if i truly look at it, maybe it triggers me because it’s a mirror for me in some way. And I too need to look out more for myself. Just a little bit more. Not completely, because that makes you hard. But not too soft either. No extreme is good. As my father always says “It’s good to stay in the middle”. I love how open my heart is. It’s ok if others keep their hearts a little more closed. It’s the journey we’re all on.

Anyways, that’s where I’m at.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• We took our date night to Coachella:

  We had been to Coachella twice before almost 9 years ago! We rented a house with a group of friends and had the time of our lives. This time around, we spontaneously decided to go just us two as our little musical romantic getaway. We love listening to live music and don’t do it as often as we should. It was so magical to spend our days chasing our favorite bands and Djs. Dancing under the stars and feeling like little kids at Disney world. I was inspired to see a group of older people celebrating their 60th birthday. It reminded me that age is just a number. And it’s so important to keep connecting to your youth. To let go of your rigid ways and get out of your comfort zone. Most importantly, to simply have fun. We came back inspired, recharged and ready to go back another year hehe.

• Auditing your life:

  I recently read this Substack which I adored…

  “You’re at a dinner party, and can’t mention where you work or what you do. What makes others stare in awe of your lived experiences? If it’s challenging to drum up rich stories about your rituals, hobbies and activities that makes someone say, “Wait, what am I doing with ‘my’ life?”, then it’s very telling what’s missing.”

  “You’re likely building a life you can tolerate. A Tuesday that feels—fine, a Saturday that’s just—ok, and a whole year that just—happened. This year, we’re not doing that. We’re building a life we’re disgustingly obsessed with.”

  I love this idea of auditing your life. What does your morning look and feel like? Is this what you actually want it to look and feel like? What does your 5-9 routine look like? Do you come home to vegetate on the couch or do you have ownership of your time? Why don’t we treat our 5-9 with the same importance that we treat of 9-5? It is during that time that we are able to reset, progress on our personal goals and truly bond with our loved ones. So let’s treat it with respect.

  “If your life were a gallery and someone walked through your weeks the way they’d walk through an exhibit, would you buy a ticket? Would there be texture? Depth? Moments that stop them in their tracks? Or would it be beige corridors with the same mornings, evenings, and doom-scrolls? You can’t design a life you’re obsessed with if you won’t first admit where your current life is.”

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• Podcast : Let It Out

  I’ve been a listener of Katie Dalebout for a longtime. I love her voice and her ability to actually dig deep and have great honest conversations. Loved this one in particular about the discomfort of putting art into the world.

• The XX

  Recently fell in love with the XX again after seeing them live at Coachella. Their song angels makes me cry every time. Also, I dare you or on hold …. a vibe.

Things I’m Loving:

• Pai Instant Kalmer

  I developed a bit of rosacea after pregnancy and my skin loves this calming serum. It brings down redness and gently hydrates.

• Augustinus Bader Eye Cream

  Ok this one is a little bougie.. but wow. It’s an experience. The perfect gift to wow any mom for mother’s day. Because we all deserve little moments of luxury.

• Our SuperMama Tote

  I’m so proud of our Mother’s Day offering this year.. any gift card for mom over $235 gets a limited edition supermama tote filled with full size goodies. I haven’t taken mine off. Get yours before they’re goneee.

  On my camera roll lately:

  April you were fun.

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I am the creator of my days. I am the creator of my life.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What intentions do you want to set to transition from spring to summer?

• How can I shift my 5-9 to reflect the life I want to live?

• What do I need to spend less time on? Where do I need to refocus?

• What is one personal goal I want to accomplish this month? (not work related)

  

I started the year feeling like I needed a complete reset. Being postpartum feels a bit like getting the rug pulled from under your feet. It’s an absolutely beautiful time don’t get me wrong but you are also left feeling a little frazzled. Who am I? Not to mention the “mom brain” that makes me feel like I simply forgot the english language overnight.

I know I’m in need of a reset when I start feeling farther from my authentic self and find myself spending way too much time on things that drain me (Hi cellphone!). These are the times that I go back to my toolset and I get disciplined with my rituals that I know will make me feel better.

Whether you’re going through any life transition or simply feel like you’re in a slump, here are some of my most effective tools and rituals that I am constantly coming back to. Whether it’s daily, weekly or monthly. They help me reset, refocus and feel clear and aligned.

Prioritizing Your Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is the foundation of health. If you’re taking all the wellness cocktails and slathering on all the beauty creams but you’re not prioritizing sleep you are basically throwing money down the drain. Quality sleep means restoration for your body and mind.

After I put my kids to bed, sometimes I feel like I need to “catch up” and end up pulling out work and going to bed late… this is never a good idea and a recipe for burnout.

Instead, block out time for a bedtime routine that prepares you for quality sleep. Think of it as a gift for your future self and an investment towards your health and ultimate productivity.

My goal is always 7-8hrs of sleep so I need to plan accordingly to be able to achieve that. Doesn’t happen every night but this is the routine that gets me there:

• Starting my bedtime routine right after dinner without disassociating on my phone.

• Overhead lights go off. Candles and LED red light ON. (more on this below.)

• Next, an evening shower to wash off the day (physically, mentally, energetically.) THE BIGGEST GAME CHANGER. Once you do this you’ll never go back. Trust me.

• Put on pjs that I love (invest in nice pjs. my favorite are from Eberjey) and do my skincare routine.

• On a good day, I will put my legs up the wall and go on my acupressure mat with my LED mask on. If it’s a REALLY good day, I’ll do a meditation to go with it.

• After, I put my phone to charge away from my bed. (Ps. I found myself constantly checking the time on my phone in the middle of the night. I hated the feeling of being on my phone or even close to it while I slept. So I finally caved in and purchased the Hatch Alarm Clock and it’s been amazing for my nervous system. I see what time it is with a simple glance and I wake up peacefully with its gentle sunrise feature. (Because how you wake up is just as important as how you go to sleep)

• Finally, I’ll get in bed with a chamomile tea or magnesium water and I’ll read, watch a show, or just chat with my hubs before dozing off.

• Lights off ideally by 10pm (On a great day 9:30pm!)(Because you never know what kind of sleep you’ll get with kids haha)

Red Light LED

This little thing has been my favorite purchase of the year so far. It’s a small little RED LED light that follows me throughout my bedtime routine and instantly soothes my nervous system. Even my husband and kids love it. For my evening shower, I turn off all the lights and do my whole routine with red light. It has a 28min timer and the red light starts to progressively dim to gently lull you to sleep. Red light signals safety to the body and helps you shift from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) → parasympathetic (rest + digest). It also helps regulate our circadian rhythm and aid with mood regulation.

Dopamine Detox

When I need a reset, I’m looking for clarity. This means less noise. Put away the podcasts, the tv shows and the social media. Mute the whatsapp chats. Let yourself have stretches of silence. Go for a walk without headphones. Do a task like washing the dishes or cooking without any distraction.

Schedule Your Movement

Consistent exercise helps keep the mind and body sharp. Increase our resilience for challenges and connect you to your body. The key is scheduling workouts ahead of time to make sure your time is blocked and coordinated. I like to do this on Sunday evening so I know that I will get in at least 2-3 workouts in during the week. (Mom life!)

Nourishment

Just as sleep is foundational for your health. What we feed our body is instrumental. Going to the farmers market every Saturday not only brings me so much joy and connects me to local farmers but I am able to nourish myself and my family with the most delicious, fresh foods. Something else I started this year was taking Aminos and Creatine in my water in the morning. This helps support muscle mass, boost energy and recovery. Also.. protein!!! Nothing makes me feel better than when my body feels grounded with protein. Whether it’s eggs in the morning for breakfast or a delicious steak for lunch. It keeps my hormones balanced, my mood stable and my mind clear.

Meditation

I can’t list my tools without including meditation. However, I will say my meditation practice is almost non existent right now with a 2 year old, a 7 month old and a business. However, it’s such a powerful tool that I will never abandon it completely. These days, my meditation looks like sitting down for 2 minutes to do some deep breathing whenever I can. After dropping off my son at school or after my workout before heading home. My goal is to get back to my regular practice.. but why is it that we resist what we know is good for us? Still working on this. BRB.

Monthly Self Care Dates

Whether it’s a haircut at Studio Raupo with Wendy, getting my nails done or of course.. getting a facial at Sana. These little things keep me feeling my best. You know its a good day when you’re having a good skin day. Particularly in love with the JetPeel Natural Botox Add On at Sana right now. Leaves your skin (almost) poreless!

Nature

Yes, you’ve heard it before but there’s nothing more healing or “natural” to the body than to be out in nature. Your shoulders drop, you exhale deeper, and you are reconnected with the simple things in life. Nature connects us to our life purpose.. which is simply to be here, right now. To look up at the sky and enjoy. Nature is our biggest healer and teacher. Go to it often.

Humming

This one sounds woo woo but humming when you are feeling off or anxious can be extremely soothing to the nervous system. Think of why you instinctively start humming to a baby when you want to soothe them to sleep. Humming is like a sound bath for your inner ecosystem. Think OMMMMM.

Friend Dates

We live in a very individualistic world. We are “in our own lane”, “protecting our energy” etc. etc. But being near your tribe of likeminded women is healing for the soul. Scheduling time to see friends, truly hear each other out and LAUGH. Oh the healing power of laughter. It’s essential and refueling. So reach out and be a friend.

Till Next Time!

Valen

Hi! I’m back. Maybe you noticed, maybe you didn’t. But I took a long hiatus from writing for this Substack. For a couple of reasons..

1. 2025 was one of the busiest years of my life (work-wise especially.) We launched two new studios while working on a third, we relaunched our website, launched a new menu, rebranded with a 6 day intensive shoot, and grew our team exponentially. Phew! Very proud of the work we accomplished in the end.

2. I was very pregnant and gave birth to my beautiful baby girl at the end of August. My two year old also started PreK. (Happy tears!)

3. Everyone and their mom got a Substack. Which left me with major imposter syndrome. Did I really have anything valuable to say to take up even more room in your clogged inbox?

Because of these reasons, I slightly abandoned you here on Muse Notes. (Will you forgive me?)

But 2026 is here. We are finding our rhythm with two kids under two, I’m slowly getting back into my rituals and sense of self. And I feel the space to get back to this platform that I love so much. I will be keeping my monthly recap format but on the months where my insights or tips don’t feel abundant or significant enough, I will replace that note for something more specific (a deeper dive if you will) - ranging from beauty tips, to wellness rituals, to business advice and motherhood stories. I want this to feel like a magazine I actually want to read.

I hope you find this corner of the internet cozy, warm, inspirational and honest.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• My intention for the year:

  Since we are catching up together, let’s start at the top. I’m a pretty big intention / goal setter more than “resolutions”. But this year, I didn’t have specific big goals on my list. Instead I want to go back to the basics and get my foundation solid again. Prioritizing sleep, health and immunity, drinking more water, getting back to rituals that nourish me and getting my attention back (more on that later). I don’t have huge bucket list items to cross out this year (refreshingly).. this year is about simplicity, consistency, quality and presence.

• Getting our attention back:

  Whether we have realized it our not. Our generation is going through a huge attention epidemic. We don’t know what to do with ourselves if we run into “boredom”. Always feeling the need to be “doing” more. When we get into an elevator, we instantly check our phone. We don’t know how to be alone with our thoughts. We need constant entertainment. A song, a podcast, a show, an amazon order.

  I started noticing this behavior increasing in myself about six months ago.. I caught myself skimming when reading. Needing to get to the point - quick. I caught myself zoning out in conversations and choosing stimulating activities like watching a show before bed versus stretching or reading the books waiting on my shelf. Our attention span is getting shorter and shorter because we have gotten used to instant gratification through social media. We need a message delivered in 30 seconds or less. If not, we’re on to the next. We need quick hits of dopamine and if we don’t get it, we keep on searching for it like an addict. For that “Aha” moment so that we can justify it was all worth our time.

  We need to take ownership of our own life again. Increasing our attention span through discipline. Making yourself read for a timed amount until you start craving it again. Going for a slow walk without a phone or headphones. Practicing breath work and slowing down to perform tasks with presence without needing outside distraction.

  

• My thoughts on Ai:

  In the last years, we were all a little skeptical when it came to Ai. Fast forward to now and it seems everyone got nice and cozy real quick. My friends use it as their official therapist and I have to admit I turn to chatgbt a little too much when it comes to being a “pediatrician in my pocket”. So sure, Ai has been very helpful in many ways. It can make us more productive, allows us to feel supported in a way, and can be a very valuable resource for companies.

  However, just as social media has stolen our attention span. Ai is here to steal our innate creativity and critical thinking. I notice this a lot in the younger generation. They no longer know how to put words together to form a sentence on their own and rely on Ai to do it for them. But my warning to them is, “if you don’t use it, you lose it”. If you no longer put yourself in the situation in which all you have is a blank page in front of you, you are relinquishing your ability to create, have original ideas and express yourself as a unique individual.

  The shame in this when it comes to society at large is that we will all start sounding and looking the same. Sterile and lackluster. But hey, if you value the dopamine hit of getting it done in 5 min so you can go back to doom scrolling on your phone then go right ahead. (Please don’t.)

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• Angelo Keely Podcast Skinny Confidential

  I loved this podcast with the founder of Kion. His story and energy is incredible and I am highly obsessed with his products. I started taking aminos recently and I will never go back.

• Marty Supreme

  Ahh I loved this movie. It was refreshing, original and creative. In a time where everything feels copy/pasted. This is exactly what I needed. Also.. it’s time to get off our lazy butts in our houses and go to the theatre’s. Don’t let this art die. Watch a film the way it’s supposed to be watched. Even if it requires a lot of coordination and babysitters hehe.

Things I’m Loving:

• LED LIGHT

  This might be my favorite purchase of 2026 so far. It’s a tiny little red light LED that I use for my evening routine. I put it on in the bathroom for my night shower and skincare. Then I use it in my room while I read. The red light is so calming and the light starts going down gradually letting you know it’s time to sleep.

• Insulated tea cup

  This little thing has brought me so much joy this year. I bring it to the office to keep my matcha, tea or decaf cappuccino hot for hours! As a slow sipper, I absolutely love this baby.

• Blur + Repair Cream

  I’ve gone through maybe 4 jars of this and will always have it in my rotation… it’s so low maintenance yet delivers on the hydration my skin needs with the anti-aging benefits. My skin looks healthy and radiant. A must try!

• SuperDetox Facial + Argireline “Natural Botox” JetPeel Infusion

  Your hack to insane glowing skin (minus the botox) for the acne prone queen. I love this combo lately.. With the LED and scalp treatment and the JetPeel to keep my skin glowing for weeks after.

  On my camera roll lately:

  Ps. I became a mom that celebrates Valentine’s day. I know these days are cheesy and commercial and everyone hates on them… blah, blah, blah. But for a kid, any occasion to celebrate is magical and I chose to celebrate the month of February at our home with homemade cards, baked goods from the heart and little intentions for all the people I love. I look forward to creating more little traditions for the kids that they will look back on with wonder. It’s not about the gift, but about the intention and thoughtfulness behind gift giving that I want my kids to learn.

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I am the guide, the healer, the creator of my life. I choose to live it with intention.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• Are you living your day to day with intention or are you on autopilot?

• How can you practice getting your attention back?

• How can you spend less time on your phone and more time in the world?

Who will I be after this?

For anyone experiencing a life transition or change, whether it be a big move, a career shift, a breakup or if you’re like me at the moment - pregnancy, it can feel like you’re in the waiting line for a big transformation ahead. I can feel myself physically, emotionally and energetically expanding and shifting. But change isn’t always comfortable. Change makes us stare at our raw selves without a filter and leaves us with one choice: accept where we are with love and patience or resist as we cling on to past versions.

During any of these transitions, we can feel a grief for the person we were before. But during this vulnerable time in which we can almost feel formless, just floating along, we should ask ourselves the tough questions.

What kind of person do I want to be. What do I want to prioritize? What parts of myself have I forgotten that I want to bring back? What do I want to leave behind? What do I want to create? What haven’t I healed that is coming up for me right now?

We are always going to be in some sort of transition. Maybe this is the new normal. Perhaps life stretches us like a rubber band so we get flexible enough to be released without breaking and instead we leap forward.

I remind myself during these times of the importance of duality. You can be both things. You can want both things. I feel incredibly proud and creatively fulfilled with my work but I also feel the desire for a slower pace. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been as a mom but I am also the most tired I’ve ever been. I have all the aspirations for the woman I want to be but sometimes I let my farmers market lettuce go bad because I was too tired after work to make that recipe I saved. I consider myself a spiritual person but I am constantly relearning lessons and working through triggers. The more we embrace our own duality, the more we can understand ourselves fully. We are all living this life for the first time. So let’s laugh at the messy bits.

How can you loosen those expectations of yourself? How can you allow things to be simply as they are now?

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• creating space is my success

  Our parents have their version of success. Our friends have their version of success. Society has its version of success. My version of success looks very different from when I was in my twenties. For me it’s about having the time and space to do the things I love. I want to be creatively fulfilled but I also want to go at a pace where I have time to smell the flowers. I’m working towards a structure that allows me that pace. Success to me is being able to nurture all parts of who I am and what lights me up.

• body image

  I was listening to a podcast recently that was talking about how kids develop body image as early as two years old. It’s unfortunate we live in a society where I would say 95% of women have dealt with some type of body image issue or influence. Whether it’s acne, a certain body part, weight, aging.. we seem to always carry this on our backs. It wasn’t until this second pregnancy that I realized my own judgement on my changing body. I didn’t feel this in my first pregnancy but it seems like a lesson that was meant to come up for me as I am going to be raising a little girl. It made me realize, how do I want her to see herself? How can I model a behavior to break the cycle society keeps us in? How can I love myself so hard that she’ll have no doubt she was meant to treat herself the same way?

  

  

Things I’m Loving: Mothers Day Edition

• Century Flower Mist

  This might be my favorite toner mist of all time. It’s the highlight of my skincare routine lately. It’s powerfully healing, hydrating and soothing all at once. I could spray this on my skin all day long…

• DDG Blur + Repair Cream

  I’ve been loving using this moisturizer day and night. The packaging feels so girly and luxe. I love the hidden pump format that keeps the product fresh and hygienic. Leaves my skin hydrated, lifted and plump.

• Eye Emulsion

  Adore the experience of using this eye serum day and night. It feels so luxurious and leaves my under-eyes hydrated and bright.

• Everyday Oil

  A Sana classic. I love this during pregnancy when my body is super dry. Leaves me feeling moisturized, grounded and smelling delicious.

• Hunza G

  These are my favorite bathing suits during pregnancy. They’re such good quality and they truly grow with you through every stage.

• On my camera roll lately:

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I lean into the duality of my life.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What is your version of success?

• How can you show more kindness to yourself and others?

• What lessons have you been learning lately?

Hi again! I promised myself I would never miss a month of this substack. But then, my first trimester happened.. and if anyone knows how that is, you’ll understand. Hello, imperfection. The theme of today’s substack.

For anyone that hasn’t experienced pregnancy, I compare the first trimester to a deep winter. You are tired, not yourself, feeling all sorts of icky. You can’t bear to look at your phone and the weirdest things gross you out. It’s a time to go within, to rest, to release and make space for a new journey that is beginning.

The issue is, in today’s modern world, work and life doesn’t stop. I found myself at my regular go-go-go pace even when my battery was at 10%. And magically, as it always does.. burnout arrived at my door. I realized I had reached my burnout when I found myself crying on my kitchen floor to my husband. I complained “This is too much. Work doesn’t stop..then I have to get home and make dinner when I didn’t have time to get groceries.. and now I have to put Noa (my one year old son) to bed.” The list went on and on… When suddenly, I had a realization and something inside me clicked. Well a couple of things actually.

1. Your Focus Is Your Reality - When I started listing off all the things I was stressed about I realized.. wait a minute.. these so called “issues” are actually my blessings that I’ve been calling into my life for years. The fact that I have a demanding job and an awesome team that needs me. The fact that I have a home that I get to take care of and have the ability to prepare a meal for my family. The fact that I have a healthy son that I get to put to bed. Yes, adulting can feel like a lot sometimes but what if we simply shifted our perspective into one of gratitude.

2. You can’t pour from an empty cup - At the same time, I started thinking how did I get myself to this feeling of burnout? Had I been doing all the things that fill me up? Nope. There’s your answer. I would head straight to the office instead of going for my morning movement because I was “just too busy”. I was focusing on getting more and more done instead of blocking out time for my self care. That’s when I opened up my google calendar and said enough. We must learn to prioritize ourselves just as much as we prioritize a work meeting. Right then and there, I booked and calendared my workouts for the month, I texted friends and blocked out dates to catch up and have fun, I booked a reiki massage, I made sure that at least once a week I would have a slow morning to myself. I indulged in my self care night routines at least twice a week. And guess what, life didn’t get less busy, but I am now able to face situations with a loving and grounded energy because my cup is full again. To show up as our best selves in the world and to others, we must put ourselves first.

Live the season you are in - We are constantly evolving. Each week, each month, each year. Instead of resisting the season you are in, lean in and embrace it. For example, right now I am in my planting season. I am carefully planting my seeds in the fertile soil with intention. I am in the dirt, sometimes in the mud. The sun is strong but beautiful. I am in a season of growing my business and my family. It’s not easy but its been an incredible ride. I know one day, I will be in my harvest season. Where I will reap the benefits of these years of hard work and focus. But for now, I’m going to enjoy this expansive and sometimes messy journey. What season are you in right now?

I hope this gave you the inspiration to shift your mindset, fill your cup and honor the journey you are on.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Mom Guilt

  I was recently on a very inspiring panel and I was shocked to hear (based on audience questions) how many moms suffer with “mom guilt”. I say, let’s evaporate mom guilt from our vocabulary. It’s time we show up as women unapologetically and stand behind our decisions with unwavering confidence. I recently listened to a podcast with Lauren Santo Domingo in which the interviewer asked “How do you balance your career and building a huge business with motherhood?” Her answer was SO refreshing. She said “I set very, very low expectations for myself. I tell my kids, I’ll be there to drop you off on the first day of school and I’ll be there to pick you up on the last day of school. Everything else in between is a bonus. I am not perfect.” Most moms would roll their eyes at this statement. But why? It’s time we drop the idea that we need to be perfect. It’s time we acknowledge the season we are in and the amount of energy we are able to give others. Ps. your kids are not going to remember you were there for them every single time. But they will remember that when you are with them, you are present and happy. Not tired and resentful. So f the guilt. Do what you need to do. Put yourself first. Because the number one lesson we can leave our kids is not “How to be a martyr 101”, it’s “How to take care of yourself so you can live the most fulfilled life”. Mic drop.

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• Let Them - Mel Robbins Podcast

  Loved this podcast and Mel Robbins refreshing personality. Her whole concept is about letting people be who they are without needing to control or fix. Because let’s face it, letting go of control is a muscle we have to exercise, and the more we do it, the happier we will be.

• Meghan Markle Netflix Series - With love, Meghan

  Ok I might get some eye rolls for this.. out of curiosity, I looked up what people are saying about this show and geez. Why do some women inspire so much rage in other women? It’s really not that deep. Anyways.. if you’re looking for something light and soothing to watch to inspire you to make new things around the home.. viola! It’s manifestation work 101 for me. I visualize my future self getting herbs from the garden and baking cakes and fresh marmalade with my kids. A pinterest board come to life and I’m all in. Disclaimer: maybe the reason why I am into this is because I am so far off from being this way naturally. I tend to get home from work so tired and quickly look in the fridge for something easy I can make for dinner. However, I do inspire to be that person that finds joy in creating things at home and puts love and time into homemaking.

  

Things I’m Loving:

• Lotus Purifying PHA mist

  I love a good toner. This one feels like a fairy mist on your skin. Leaves my skin hydrated, refreshed and ready to soak in all the goodness from the rest of my products. It’s been a joy using this daily lately! Ps. pop it in the fridge for an extra soothing experience.

• Yuja Vitamin C Serum

  I’m usually not a Vitamin C girly but this serum has my heart. It’s so gentle, hydrating and my skin looks so bright after consistent use. That lit from within look that I love.

• Sofie Pavitt Omega Moisturizer

  Ok… we all know how much I LOVE my Augustinus Bader Rich Cream and this might just be the closest dupe I’ve ever tried. It soaks your skin with the necessary hydration, soothes your barrier and leaves you with the most healthy, radiant, silky glow. Obsessed!!!!

• On my camera roll lately:

  • Our Sana Ritual Guide - Aka our first ever newspaper!

  • Fresh berries

  • Outdoor adventures with Noa

  • Some sweet moments

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I embrace the season I am living with grace and kindness.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What’s season are you in right now?

• What does self care mean to you and how can you prioritize it more?

• What can you spring clean physically or energetically right now?

The holidays have always been a mixed bag of emotions for me. They’re usually accompanied by the busiest time of the year (work wise and socially) which can already feel overwhelming. At the same time, there’s travel logistics, gifting, family dynamics and the pressure of a picture-perfect-nancy-myers-style celebration.

However, this year was different. It was my first Christmas as a mom and it was exactly what I had dreamed of. Not because it was lavish or perfect (far from it.) But because it was simply.. us.

Due to a mix of unexpected circumstances, we did Christmas away from our families this year, which wasn’t ideal, but it gave us the opportunity to create an experience I hadn’t realized my soul was craving for years. In both my husband and I’s families, our siblings live all around the world. Which means christmases are spent traveling with no time for trees, holiday decor and a strict no gift policy. This has worked for years because what truly matters is spending time with one another. However, it felt SO good this year to stay put, put up holiday decor, decorate a beautiful tree, play christmas jazz, eat holiday cookies, give mindful gifts to friends and family and create memories I’ll cherish forever. Because, why not?

We decided to rent a cozy florida cabin and spend christmas with my brother’s family and one of my best friends family. Together we made our own version of the holidays, with so much love. We made delicous meals, talked and laughed for hours around the table, played games and embraced the simplicity of connection and celebration. Wholesome indeed.

This made me realize that I’ve reached an age in which I have the opportunity to redefine what the holidays mean to me. I no longer need to follow the plan of what is laid out for me.

It’s time to make our own rituals and traditions. It’s time to set boundaries and intentions for how we want to feel each holiday season.

If the holidays are a hard season for you, how can you redefine them for yourself moving forward?

Essential Mindset Shifts:

• Perfectly Imperfect: The holiday season is the best time to practice releasing control and allowing things to unfold as they should. Let people be who they are and embrace their quirks. Drop comparison and enjoy the beauty of the moment as it is.

• Gratitude: This season is a time of overconsumption so make sure to ground yourself back into gratitude for all that you have. For the opportunity to gather and experience love.

• Embrace Simplicity: Things don’t have to be complicated. In fact the simpler life is the happier we are. So do what makes you happy and drop the rest. Keep your to do list light and your heart open.

• Rest: The holidays are the perfect time to let go of the phone and the screens. To pick up a cozy book, a board game, sit around the fire and most importantly rest. Allow yourself to feel nourished from your time off, not frazzled.

I hope this inspired you to redefine this season to what makes you feel your best.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Being A Homemaker

  On the theme of embracing imperfection (lol). I never realized what a terrible gift wrapper I was until this year. I bought the cutest wrapping paper and had a whole vision! When I got to it.. phew the frustration kicked in. I laughed it off but realized that underneath I do want to be the person that wraps the most beautiful gifts for my family. When did the idea of homemaking become out of style? These simple skills like wrapping a gift may seem mundane but they add intention and beauty to the life you live. Creating a beautiful bouquet, cooking a delicious meal.. they add color to life. Where can I enroll in a homemaking course? Anyone haha

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• Martha doc

  On the topic of homemaking.. the queen of homemaking herself, Martha Stewart is having a moment. I loved watching this documentary that shows a women obsessed with the beauty in all things. She is headstrong, confident and doesn’t take no for an answer.

• Disclaimer

  A little dark and twisted but wow what a story. The cinematography, music, acting.. top notch. It had me thinking about it for weeks.

Things I’m Loving:

• Ghia Nutella

  My favorite non-alcoholic brand created a “healthy” nutella and its INSANE / slightly dangerous. I love the crunchy version. So much that I’m almost done with the jar… send help.

• Magnesium Calm

  This has already gotten a shout out on the Substack but had to mention it again as it’s been my savior this holiday season. Every time I spray it, I immediately exhale and feel calm.

• On my camera roll lately:

  • Sana Holiday Team Party

  • Noa in Christmas Pjs

  • Christmas Cookies baked by my mother in law !

  • Cozy mornings

  • Croissant stuffing

  • Freshly picked strawberries

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I allow myself to live life slowly and intentionally

Journal Prompts For The New Year Ahead: 

• What accomplishments or moments are you proud of from 2024?

• What is your vision for 2025?

• What does your highest self look and feel like at the end of 2025? What did you fill your year with? What did you let go of

  

I had this post all shiny and ready to wrap up November when life caught up to me and I completely forgot to hit publish. So here we are with a gratitude post in early December. A perfect segue to lean into imperfection. It’s time to drop the pressure we put on ourselves, the judgement and the fear of being “too much” or “not enough”. It’s time to go back to our childlike sense of wonder and ease. When we would look up at the sky and decipher what animal shapes made up the clouds in front of us. When we would pick up flowers from the ground and make perfume or get lost in pretend play and complex characters.

How does this relate to gratitude you’re asking? Gratitude is not about the list of things you are thankful for. Sure that’s always important. But more than that, gratitude is a mindset. It’s the way we see the world. It’s the rose colored glasses. It’s a lifestyle.

It’s about waking up each day with the awareness that each sunrise we experience is a gift that is not guaranteed. It’s looking past your to-do’s, messages, news and worries and realizing that above all we’re still grateful to be here to experience it all.

How I practice gratitude daily:

• Greet The Day: Ok, I know I’ll get a lot of eye rolls for this. But hey, I’m an open book. I love waking up in the morning first thing and saying thank you. Thank you universe for a new day. Thank you sunshine. Good morning sky. Good morning birds. Good morning trees. Good morning body. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This practice helps me ground into my body and into the world around me. It allows me to not just open my heart but live from my heart. Because each day deserves its own form of reverence.

• Acknowledge The Sweet Moments: Whenever I realize I’m currently in the midst of a “sweet moment”, I take a deep breath and truly absorb the gratitude in my body for allowing me to live this very moment. Whether it’s hugging my baby son, going to the craft store with my mom, cracking up laughing with a friend, watching a beautiful sunset. Life is fast. Take it in.

• Acknowledge The Blessings And Synchronicities: Whenever something good comes into my life, I take a moment to say thank you. Whether it’s the universe, god or just life that you believe in. Send gratitude. I also love doing this when I get a sign I’ve been asking for, an empty elevator, the parking spot I desired. The more we live in this frequency, the more the universe delivers.

• Blessings: Sending a blessing to another human is a beautiful act that we forget we can practice. It’s the highest frequency of energy. Whenever I have a negative interaction with a person, I send them energetic blessings. Whatever they are going through led them to react in a certain way. So send them the blessings you would desire for yourself.

• Thank you, more please: Lastly, don’t forget that being grateful doesn’t mean you can’t ask for more. Whenever I get really good news on something work or life related I state out loud “Thank you, more please!”. Meaning I am grateful and open to receiving even more blessings.

I hope this inspired you to weave in more mindfulness, awareness, empathy and gratitude into your every day.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Biting off more than you can chew. Oops.

  I am a very ambitious person. I always want to do more, create more, build more. But what I learn time and time again is that focus is key and that things take time. Also, my time is limited and I can’t be everything to everyone. Last month, I decided I would start a paid portion of this substack and come out with one extra content piece a week. Trust me, I love the idea. But I realized with my schedule and responsibilities at the moment, it doesn’t add up. What’s important with these realizations is to reassess and redirect. Perhaps there will be a season of my life where my time will allow for that but for now I must honor what I can do. It’s ok to admit something didn’t work out and learn for the future. This is a huge learning lesson for me because I tend to compare myself with other founders. I find myself asking "but HOW do they have the time to run a company, post daily on Instagram and TikTok, run a substack, have a podcast and a life”. The reality is, I don’t know their role in their company, their responsibilities etc. But I do know mine and how much I can energetically extend myself. It’s time to look inwards again and honor our own timelines and goals.

  

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• The lost children documentary

  An incredible documentary that hits close to home. The true story follows four indigenous children who fight to survive in the Colombian Amazon after being stranded by a plane crash. The story is deeply touching and left me with goosebumps.

• Christmas jazz playlist

  On a lighter note, this playlist is so relaxing and cozy. It’s been on the background each night and is giving me all the feels.

Things I’m Loving:

• Mandelic Clearing Serum

  I’m sooo excited Sofie Pavitt Face launched at Sana Skin Studio. I’ve been absolutely loving the Mandelic Clearing Serum. I use it almost every night, especially when I feel congested. Keeps my skin so clear and glowy.

• Boka Toothpaste

  Switching out products you use daily for non-toxic alternatives is essential. I used to use TOMS thinking it was clean but found out it wasn’t what I expected. Now I am loving BOKA.. They are super clean and uses “nHa” to remineralize teeth. It’s Fluoride-free, Paraben-free, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate free, Free of artificial flavoring, Free of endocrine disruptors and more.

• On my camera roll lately:

  • Christmas Tree Farm with bebe

  • BTS of our Sana holiday shoot

  • Clay class

  • Lesse x Sana Event

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I live each day in gratitude

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What’s on your gratitude list?

• What has been your favorite part of 2024?

• What are you most looking forward to this December?

Pull up a chair babes.

I’ve been in the entrepreneurship ride for the past (almost) 5 years. Since then we’ve grown to 3 successful locations with 2 more in the works. All self funded and growing intentionally from within. With a constant focus on our guests and our team ^{because they are everything.}

With that in mind, there are a lot of reasons for our success that I will be covering in this segment of Let’s Talk Business, but today I want to talk about one of my most recommended strategies for my fellow entrepreneurs: Criticism.

Why are we so afraid of receiving criticism as humans? My guess is it must be linked to inner child experiences or our ego (in a very Eckart Tolle sense). But to be a successful entrepreneur, you not only have to get over it and receive criticism with objectivity and wonder but you must learn to welcome it. Dare I say.. to seek it.

If you’re still getting defensive about criticism towards your business, taking things personally or letting feedback go in one ear and out the other without any plans for implementation or change, you will never scale further than your current state.

To keep evolving you have to constantly refine your business. Up leveling your business should be on the top of your list every week, not once a year. If this overwhelms you, fear not. It’s about the little things that convert to the big things.

I know a lot of small business owners and it always came as a shock that not one of them asked me for true feedback on their business. True feedback doesn’t mean the cordial “yea, everything was great! Thanks!” True feedback means asking deeper questions. Letting whoever you’re talking to understand that you want the honest truth. Not asking this of your friends and your customers is not only showing them that you don’t really care thaaat much, but it’s also a huge disservice to their future experience (that could be better, it always can) and to your business (most of all). You will never know unless you ask. Imagine how advanced we would all be in our careers if we simply asked for what we wanted and received true feedback (that we were too blind to see) that could change your business.

How I seek criticism:

• Secret Shoppers I am constantly inviting different trusted sources that I value their opinion to come check out our services and experience. I want to know everything. What did they like? What didn’t they like? What could have been better? Would they rebook? With this constant deep dive, you can place yourself in the shoes of the consumer and understand their perspective and desires to better suit them.

• Reviews If you aren’t paying close attention to your reviews, you are doing it wrong. If someone takes the time to write a positive review, read it, be proud and motivated to do more. If it’s negative, even more important. Learn from it, reach out, understand the situation from their perspective and fix it. Then put new protocols in place so others won’t have that experience.

• Your Target Market Whenever I’m in a room with someone that loves skincare, I want to get inside their minds. What do they love to use? Do they like facials? Where do they go? Why? What do they think is lacking from the experience? This can be applied to any industry. If you’re not curious, you’re not hungry enough.

If you know something is lacking and could be better but you’re not doing anything about it, you’re being a lazy entrepreneur.. (oops, I said it.)

• Add to the list If you know me, you know about my “list.” It’s on going, never ending, haunts me in my dreams at times but keeps me focused without missing anything. I add to it when theres a project that should take place down the line but it can’t be done at the moment. Week after week, I reorganize my list to accomplish project by project. If there’s small tweaks you can do (post criticism) do them immediately. If something takes more time or is part of a bigger project, add it to your list and set deadlines. What do you need to accomplish this? That way you aren’t working blindly each week on miscellaneous to do’s, you are working towards a bigger picture and real shift making decisions.

• Make the changes a priority. A good brand listens, a great brand reacts, an amazing brand anticipates. There’s no point in asking for feedback if you don’t do anything with it. If the feedback holds validity and would make your brand better, take action. It’s always easier to keep things as is. But that will also keep you where you are as you see other brands waving you goodbye. (Told you this was big sister energy.)

We’re not saving lives here. Let’s chill.

• I hope I raised your feathers to inspire you to take action but don’t let this overwhelm you. Instead let it inspire you. It’s never fun to stay stagnant. It’s fun to keep growing and evolving. Know that no matter what, we are not doctors (if you are, that’s very cool) but what I’m trying to say is business is business at the end of the day. So when you need to shake your head and laugh, go for it. It’s not meant to be thaaat serious.

Your biz homework :

Ask for a brand evaluation: Ask for specific feedback from someone you trust. Write down 5-7 questions that could help you make some needed shifts.

Do Monthly: 

• Read and answer all reviews. Don’t have any? Ask for them! Have a negative one? Get in touch and understand their perspective. How can you make it better.

• Come up with one monthly project and one yearly project that will evolve your brand to the next level.

• Perform a focus group, survey or a 1:1 date with your target audience to know where your strengths, weaknesses and opportunities lie.

Hope you liked this edition of Let’s Talk Business! What do you want to see next? Have questions, comment below :)

We are in a constant reinvention of ourselves.

It’s been 10 months since giving birth to my son. Over these past months I’ve witnessed myself transform as a person. My life carries more depth than ever before. I’m also more tired than ever before but at the same time weirdly energized and inspired for the next iteration of me, of life, of my own inner wisdom. I feel stronger than ever yet life feels so tender. It’s a beautiful season of honoring what is, who I am at this very moment while also visualizing my desires so vividly that I can almost taste them.

The theme: Creation. How do we create? How do we bring new life, ideas and dreams into this world? It starts with inspiration.

Make space for inspiration to come in:

• Spring Clean Your Space: Remove any clutter in your physical space. Start by tackling each section of your house (bathroom, closet, bedroom, kitchen etc). If you haven’t used an item in the past year and the item doesn’t bring value or joy to your life, pass it on. Donate it to a local shelter (I love Lotus House) or to someone who would enjoy it. The less cluttered your space, the less cluttered your mind. I do this every few months and it keeps me feeling light and inspired in my space. It’s crazy how much material things we can accumulate without trying.

• Spring Clean Your Mind: Clean your desktop, your email, your phone notifications and your calendar. Create space in your day to be quiet and simply connect with your breath. Take time to go outside without screens. Put your feet in the grass. Exhale.

• Daydream: Once space has been made. Contemplate what your dream life looks like. Where do you live? What energy do you embody? What do you do on a daily basis? What fills up your passions? Bring it back to the now. What goals and projects are you itching to accomplish? Get granular, what do those projects feel like, look like, who will benefit from them?

• Become a researcher: Take notice of everything that inspires you right now. Colors, songs, quotes, books, films etc. Make pinterest boards, write like a crazy person on your notes app, journal, draw it out.

• Make a date with creation: Schedule time to sit down and start. Leave procrastination behind and get going. If nothing great comes from the work, try again tomorrow.

A big misconception when it comes to inspiration is that it just comes to you. Sure sometimes it does, but most of the time you have to create the opportunity and the structure. You have to make space for it and put in the work. You don’t find inspiration, you create it.

PS. A BIG EDITORS NOTE:

I’ve truly been enjoying myself with this substack and have gotten such great feedback from you that you want more! I’m excited to announce the next era of Muse Notes. I’ll be adding new segments to cover all that I love:

• Let’s Talk Business: Covering monthly insights, resources and tangible tips when it comes to running a business and being an entrepreneur.

• Beauty Rituals: Sharing my favorite beauty rituals, products and tips for your glowiest skin and beyond.

• For The Wellness Girlie: Sharing all my favorite healing modalities, insights, meditations and more.

• For The Mama’s: My motherhood insights, tips, favorite brands, registries and more. This space is for you.

My Monthly Muse Note aka this same newsletter will still happen at the end of the month (open to all). While the new segments of Muse Notes will be dropping once a week (paid subscribers only). Hope you join me in this new journey and tell me what you want to see, what tea (or tips) you want spilled and more.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Being selfish can be an admirable trait (sometimes)

  When it comes to motherhood, I’ve realized a lot of moms take on everything they can in a martyr-like way. My perspective is vastly different. For me to be the best mom I can be, I need to place boundaries to protect my inner peace and take care of my physical, mental and emotional health. This can be viewed as selfish but I view it as a form of self respect and self love. As children, all we want is for our parents to feel good and be happy. That is the greatest gift we can give them. So take that alone time when someone offers help, take that bath, say no to that thing, go out on a date night and trust your tribe that is there to support you.

• Trusting that what is meant for you will be yours

  I like many others are on the official house hunting journey. It’s been a few years actually and every time something falls through it feels like a tiny little heartbreak. I visualize my life in a home and then it get’s snatched away. I know it’s a privilege to even be on this journey but what it’s taught me is to trust in the unknown and know that when it is meant for us, the stars will align. At the end of the day, home is within us.

  

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• In Vogue: The 90s

  An epic inside look into all things Vogue and fashion in the 90s. A visual moodboard with delicious inspiration.

• Beauty Alchemy Playlist

  A collection of songs to get you into your feminine and into your most creative self. Thanks Emmie, Xo!

Things I’m Loving:

• Hot Yoga = A moving meditation

  I’ve taken a break from my usual workout of choice (pilates) and have been partaking in a hot yoga obsession. I love how it makes my body and mind feel. Specifically, Julianne’s class at Sol Yoga. Phew, I always feel like I just left a wellness retreat after I leave her class. The best medicine after long days hunched over on my computer.

• Recycling my beauty empties at Sana Skin Studio

  Every time I finish a beauty product, I make sure to properly clean it and store it in my “empties bag”. Once the bag is full, I take my products to Sana to our Pact Collective drop off. Pact Collective is helping to close the loop on hard to recycle beauty empties to keep them out of the landfills.

• On my camera roll lately: Lot’s of matcha, croissants, self care and inspiration ofc.

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I create opportunities for myself every day.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• Where have I been sourcing my inspiration from?

• What is your favorite thing about the current era you are living? As imperfect as it may be.

• What is something you want to do but you’re embarrassed to do it? May the cringe moment be worth it?

I blinked and the month was over.

It feels so good to be back in the energy of fall. This months Substack came faster than expected. After an audible gasp that the month was over, I tried to think about the lessons I learned. But how can we learn any lessons if we can’t even put a finger down on time?

What came through was surrender. As life gets busier, the more I am led down a path of releasing control and allowing life to lead the way. The more we try to control, the harder and heavier we become, sinking to the bottom of the fast moving river called life. Cheesy metaphor? I know. But stay with me. Instead, if we allow ourselves to float, be light and stay flexible, we’ll be led to beautiful and unexpected places. The more we are able to acquire this skill, the younger and happier we will be even as we age.

This doesn’t mean you stop trying, desiring or working hard. Instead, it means you put all of your love and energy into your days without gripping on to a specific outcome. You enjoy the scenery and make some lemonade. You accomplish your goals while enjoying your time simultaneously. You prioritize your joy.

When life feels fast. Remember that time is just a construct. We have all the time in the world. Until we don’t. I know, I got you there. But the slower we move through life, the longer time feels. We are present to the experience. We treat each day as a gift that is not guaranteed.

Ps. Change is good. It keeps us young. Doing the same routine every single day may feel good and familiar but it’s when we push ourselves out of our comfort zone that the magic happens. When we take the road less traveled, when we make an unexpected friend, when we break routine and do something completely new. When we say yes to something that scares us. When we open ourselves up to changing our minds, to listening without judging, and experiment with new ways of being.

The more we release perfection and embrace constant change, the more open we are to the human experience and all that life has to offer.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• We don’t always need to be doing more

  My days are filled with crossing things off my to-do list, delegating more things from my to-do list, and adding more things to my to-do list. Simultaneously, making sure I tend to my relationships by scheduling in friend and family time. Keeping my home organized. Laundry. Cooking. Tending to my mental health. Nourishing my spirit. Geez, adulting is a lot. Then when I have a free second to chill, my mind goes directly to “what can I be doing now"? “Should I start a scrapbook? A new hobby? Finish that book?”… We need to start getting comfortable with doing less. With allowing time for empty pockets of presence. Chilling with the goals and having some delicious unproductive days. Something I’m working on clearly.

• Success

  What does success actually look and feel like to you? I used to think success meant being the “Forbes 30 Under 30” CEO of a venture backed company with a big office and social presence. That couldn’t be farther from my vision of success nowadays. My personal version of success is someone who is able to channel their passion and creativity daily, have financial freedom and a life that allows them time and space to tend to their wellbeing, mental health, family, friendships and pure enjoyment. A life that allows for presence and adventure. It’s time for us to redefine success and walk towards a path that we desire. Not a path we’ve been taught to desire.

  

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• My Old Ass

  Go to the theaters and watch this movie. You don’t even have to watch the trailer, just trust me. A hilarious film with a simple yet powerful message that left me quite literally and embarrassingly sobbing. Ahh adored!! The themes hit home for me.

• Motherhood and Entrepreneurship Podcast

  Loved this episode so much. Reminded me once again that we each create our own version of success based on what we value most. We can be present mothers while being entrepreneurs.

Things I’m Loving:

• Magnesium

  I’ve been getting back into my nightly rituals that have helped me achieve more restful sleep and calmer energy. Magnesium is a huge one for me. I like to take magnesium in my water at night and have been loving the ritual of spritzing this magnesium spray all over before bed. It’s a calming ritual that prepares me for rest.

• That caffeine free life

  I gave up coffee almost two years ago for several reasons. Let me know if you want a more in depth story time on this lol. Anywho, last week I ordered a “real” coffee and woah. I felt jitters and anxiety for two days after. It’s crazy the effect caffeine and stimulants can have on our bodies without us even realizing. Back when I was having caffeine and multiple coffee’s a day, I felt nothing. But trust me, it’s having an effect on your body. That reminder assured me of my decision. We have so much stimulants happening all around us, we don’t need them within us. Effects I’ve felt since quitting coffee: calmer, grounded energy, clarity of mind, chronic back pain gone!

• Fall Playlist

  It’s hard to get into the fall spirit in Miami. Let’s be real, it’s still hot af. With that in mind, I made you a playlist for all the fall feels. Enjoy!

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I prioritize my joy. I open each day as a gift.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• Bring in new energy with a Spring Fall cleaning. What can I release in my life whether physically or energetically?

• What is your ideal fall morning and evening routine?

• What is your version of success? What does it look and feel like? Is it different from what you thought?

and we’re back!

Whether you officially are or not, I would say things are starting to get “business as usual” again. Summer is coming to a close, emails are piling in and you’re either feeling a new sense of energy and inspiration or you’re feeling “the sunday scaries” x10. I’m in the latter camp.

When I’m at the start of a new busy season, I tend to get what I like to call “beginners paralysis”. My thoughts are cloudy, I’m not sure where to start and I procrastinate by overly consuming media content. At the same time, I tend to steer away from the rituals and practices that keep me grounded, level headed, in my own lane and inspired.

This week, I noticed myself getting to bed late after mindlessly scrolling on social media (eeks, never a good feeling.) I also found myself getting brain fog and constantly reaching for stimulation during the “in between moments”. Whether it be listening to a podcast, reading an article, sending messages to friends and not leaving myself any room in between to simply take a deep breath. That same week, I had dinner with a friend that told me she had just finished doing a “dopamine cleanse”. Clearly, I was intrigued. As I poured myself another sake, I couldn’t help but laugh that this is what it’s come to and I was all in.

“Dopamine is known as the feel-good hormone. It gives us a sense of pleasure and the motivation to do something or crave doing it.” A dopamine cleanse involves reducing exposure to activities (or bad habits) that cause a dopamine release therefore resetting the brain's reward system. The goal is not to live under a rock with zero dopamine exposure (in fact, that’s impossible since it’s a hormone our body naturally produces) instead, it’s to break free from excessive stimulation and compulsive engagement and refocus your time on habits that feel rewarding to your mind and spirit.

The perfect challenge when you’re feeling funky, unmotivated or unfocused. A challenge to practice self awareness and bring more clarity and joy in. Why is our generation so repelled by silence, boredom and being alone with our own thoughts? Why do we resort to watching others live their lives on our phones rather than living out our own. It’s time for a little reset. Join me?

First step of the challenge: identify behaviors that you turn to too frequently and leave you feeling meh. Then make a list or as they call it a “dopamine menu” of habits, practices or behaviors you want to turn to instead. Give yourself a timeline for the challenge whether it be a day, a week or a month. Realize how much fuller your life feels when you are simply present to experience it, when your thoughts have room to wiggle around, when inspiration comes from within and when there’s nothing external needed to seek. Ah, that feels more peaceful already.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On: behaviors that leave me feeling meh

• Over Consuming Media

  When we start going overboard on something, our brain makes it strangely addictive. I tend to fall into phases with this. When I notice myself constantly searching for the next podcast to listen to, youtube video to watch, or story swipe.. I know things aren’t right. Over consuming media is the new binge eating. We have a false illusion that the next piece of content is going to leave us with an “aha moment”, make us more interesting or give us a sense of enjoyment. But when we over consume, we hardly remember what it was we even listened to or watched. With elections coming up, I found myself in a rather depressing rabbit hole of content consumption. I needed to step away from it all and refocus. Less is always more.

• Eating Out Too Much

  Another marker for me feeling at my best is when I prepare most of my meals at home. When things get busy and I get off track, I find myself eating out unnecessarily or ordering UberEats. Resetting for me is getting back on track with stocking healthy groceries and preparing at least 2 out of my 3 meals at home with love. There’s nothing more loving than taking the time to nourish yourself.

• Anxiety

  Sometimes we feel it. And that’s ok. Allow it to come in and out like a wave in the ocean or a cloud in the sky. Instead of resisting it, acknowledge its presence and know it is temporary. In a few minutes you will probably feel better. So let feelings be feelings and let them go. (Ps. I love taking magnesium at night whenever I feel the infamous sunday scaries coming through)

  

For Your Eyes & Ears: dopamine cleanse edition

• Trees

  Have you seen them? Have you really though? It’s pretty incredible what nature can do for our nervous system. It’s been proven to me even more lately with my 8 month old baby. Whenever he’s getting fussy, I try to take him outside and show him the trees. He automatically starts smiling, taking in the details of the leaves and instinctually reaching out to touch the trunk. If you’re feeling like you need grounding, get outside, sit under the trees and simply observe the details. If you need a little help, listen to this meditation to guide you.

• Silence

  Have you heard it? Have you really though? I challenge you to truly listen to the sound of nothing at all. You’ll realize it’s more than that. Silence has a texture to it. You’ll start picking up background noises you hadn’t heard before. The buzzing of a bee, the sound of distant voices, the flutter of leaves. There’s no better practice for presence.

  

Things I’m loving aka on my “dopamine menu”

• Morning Movement

  I love doing a semi challenging workout first thing in the morning. When we give ourselves experiences that are challenging, we build a tolerance muscle. We build the confidence that we “can do hard things”. This helps us take on challenges throughout our day that get us out of our comfort zone and into our “growth zone”.

• Meditation

  I’ve never once sat down to meditate and regretted it. The mental clarity it gives you is hard to believe. Which is why so many people shy away from the practice. They think how could something so simple be the answer? What I like to tell people is that it’s called a practice for a reason. It takes “practice”. There will be times where it will feel messy or frustrating, times where it will feel just right and times where it will feel slightly enlightening. The benefits are cumulative and subtle but overtime, undeniable.

• Journaling

  I once heard someone say journaling was vain. For me it’s anything but vain. It’s a tool for self reflection, healing and clarity. It’s not always pretty. In fact, it is deeply honest, raw and vulnerable. The physical act of getting thoughts off your mind and heart and onto a page makes us lighter and able to understand things from a more objective perspective. After all, the better we understand ourselves, the better we can understand others. Empathy is a practice as well.

• Screen free time

  Scheduling activities that get you off the screens and into the real world. As the weather starts getting nicer, I plan on doing more picnics in the park with friends, hosting dinner parties and reading good books! I also want to start making analog photo albums with all my printed film photos. There’s nothing I love more than looking through old school albums and I want my future family to be able to have that same experience. Digitally printed books just don’t hit the same way…

  

  

  

For Your Month Ahead : (Dopamine Cleanse Edition)

My Reset Challenge Rules:

• No Podcasts

• No Non-Fiction Books

• No personal social media or scrolling

• No Youtube or TV

• 2 out of 3 meals made by me

• Bed by 10pm latest

• Morning & evening rituals (want to know more about them? Lmk!)

  

Affirmation for the month: I am mindful of how I nourish myself physically, emotionally and spiritually

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What behaviors do I want to shift ?

• What is on my dopamine menu?

• What foods, habits, places and people make me feel my best?

  

mid summer feels

I always consider July to be the peak of summer. We get comfortable in a new routine or lack thereof, the heat rises to what feels like its maximum and our slow, warm days start melting into each other. What I love most about summer is the feeling it gives us. Summer is a time to be and feel light in all ways. Light in the mind, light with restrictions and light with control. It’s a time to welcome spontaneity, to color outside the lines, to sleep a little longer and let the sunshine restore us. I recently got told by my astrologer bestie (lol) that my Leo rising is the reason I identify so much with the sun. In the summer I love to welcome its energizing presence and feel nurtured by its warmth. Sunlight not only boosts our mood, but it also boosts immunity, improves eye health, decreases inflammation, lowers blood pressure and the list goes on. Pair it with an ocean dip rich in magnesium and minerals to soothe our nervous system and balance our hormones. It’s no wonder why we always feel amazing after a beach holiday. Our bodies crave it.

Pause. Create Space. Reflect. Carry On.

Summer is a time where we are able to feel a bit more spaciousness in our lives. People are traveling, our emails feel more manageable, there is less rush in the air. I like to take advantage of this slower pace to get centered with myself, reflect and reassess. I’ll take inventory of the previous months: what goals I achieved, what I experienced, what were the central themes and points of focus, what lessons I learned, what I enjoyed and what I didn’t. I like to do this exercise both for my work / career and also my personal life.

After reflecting, I’ll make a list of the goals I would like to accomplish for the rest of the year. How I want to feel, what I want to do more of and what I want to do less of. Make sure this list isn’t extensive. It’s not what you want to do in 5 or 10 years. It’s your game plan for the next five months. It should be simple and effective. Your non-negotiables. The most important things you can do to make the most difference for yourself this year.

The reason why this mid-year reflection is so important is because what we desire shifts and it’s important to get quiet (and honest) with yourself and understand what is it that you truly want. What do you truly desire for yourself as a person, for your relationships, for your career or for your business. What is your mission and does your current path align?

Instead of continuing the year on a blind path, this check in serves to realign and course correct. We can all get a little distracted, make mistakes, start focusing on the fluff.. that’s a part of the journey but the more you course correct and get specific with your goals the stronger you’ll arrive to them.

But remember, it is summer.. so take it easy, light and extra sunny.

I love you to the (sun) and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Packing for a trip

  I usually have a very specific strategy when packing for a trip. I look at what the plans are (excursions, dinners etc) and what outfits I want to wear for each “event”. This has worked great in terms of always having something cute to wear but let me tell you my suitcase is heavy (and I’m over it.) I think this era has come to an end for me and I will now be subscribing to the capsule wardrobe strategy. Packing around 10 outfits and doing laundry along the way. Because the stress of traveling with a jam packed bag is not for me anymore. What kind of packer are you?

• Why I love Miami

  You know you live in the right place when you are just as excited to get back from vacation. Every time I land in Miami, I have so much gratitude for my beautiful city. So I thought I would dedicate a little corner of the internet to it. Apart from the weather (yes, we get a couple of months of hellish heat.. but the rest of the year: paradise.) I love that the city is big but manageable. I love the warmth of the mix of south american and european cultures. The huge community of women entrepreneurs and the amazing local businesses. What I love the most? I’ve never felt judged here. People do as they please and let you be who you are without having to fit in a perfectly polished box. All is welcome. Besitos, Miami!

  

For Your Eyes & Ears:

• In case you missed it

  One of my favorite things to do for Sana is think up, create and execute fun campaigns. One of my favorite ones to date was our muse summer campaign. Here are some of my favorite photos and official video. What did you think?

• On my camera roll

  This month, I don’t have any recommendations to watch or listen to so to make up for it I thought I would share some favorite moments from my camera roll. I traveled to Ibiza with my six month old and a group of my college best friends. It was magical!

Things I’m Loving:

• Eliou x Sana Muse Summer Necklace

  Our Eliou x Sana collab launched this month and I’m still so excited about it! Eliou is a local jewelry brand created by two best friends. We’ve partnered to create a limited edition Muse Summer necklace only available at Sana. I’ve been wearing our limited edition necklace all month. It’s perfect for the summer, inspired by the constantly changing colors of the ocean. Each necklace comes with our limited edition tote bag, another favorite! Only a few left, collect yours to be twinsies!

• Muse Summer Pouches

  My all time favorite pouches got a new spin for the summer in our signature summer blue. These are a lifesaver to travel with. I use the big pouch for all my skincare, hairbrush, bodycare etc. (so much fits it’s wild) and the small one for my makeup. They are limited edition for the summer so don’t miss them :)

• Candlelit Showers

  Such a simple way to romanticize your routine and make your daily shower a restoring and relaxing experience. Turn off the bright lights and turn on some candles. Be present to the rejuvenating power of water and the company of the flame. I’ve been doing this at night and feel so relaxed and ready for bed in the best way after my evening shower. It’s giving spa.. try it!

• The Rich Cream

  If you had to try one Augustinus Bader product I would go for the Rich Cream. Even though I tend to reach for “The Cream” as my everyday moisturizer. The Rich Cream stands out for me in terms of the glass skin effect it leaves on your skin. So much that makeup artists keep it in their kits as their secret weapon for celebrity makeup. I love using it before a night out or event. Ps. let your previous products fully dry before applying the rich cream for the most seamless application.

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I am on the right path. My timing is divine.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• How can I lighten my mind in the next month?

• Plan a date for yourself this week or go on a spontaneous outing with a friend.

• What’s the best thing you’ve heard and tasted in the past month?

A good old family vacay

I just got back from a week long vacation with my family. We went to Mexico for my dads birthday but instead of lounging on the beach all week, we spent it inside playing rummikub trying to escape the “almost a hurricane” like weather. Not ideal, but we made the best of it. The saying “You think you’re spiritual, go spend a week with your family” always makes me laugh. What I’ve learned through the years is that letting go of control is not only essential, it’s a prerequisite. We all have our unique quirks, flaws and triggers which at the end of the day are a beautiful thing. Once we accept others for exactly who they are without trying to fix or get our way, peace is found. Yes, this requires patience and empathy but once we are able to root ourselves in this place, our relationships will deepen and thrive. Most importantly, always return back to love. Because that’s what life’s about. Everything else is just frosting.

Let’s keep it neutral

Another thought that’s been ruminating in my mind this month is our constant desire to be happy. Don’t get me wrong, living a happy life is everything we could hope for but what if instead our aim was neutrality? Our generation seems to live in the extremes. Either broadcasting their highest moments on social media and living life from one big moment to the other or getting stuck in a cycle of anxiety, feeling low and wanting more. Sure, the ups and downs are a part of life. But what if success meant being able to live more consistently “in the middle”. Feeling grounded, calm, neither happy or sad, just at peace. In your own lane. Being observant of the world around you instead of judgmental or fearful of it. Having reverence for the present moment instead of living in the past or future. Enjoying “what is” in the most gentle, neutral and welcoming way. We all need a little more nonchalance in our lives. Am I right?

Let’s welcome summer with open arms and let it show us the way,

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Planning for a trip

  I’m a big planner and I love to travel. So when it comes to trips, it’s a whole ordeal. I like to research the destination where I’m going through a variety of avenues: friends lists, locals lists, magazine guides, social media etc. Once I’ve compiled the top recommendations and things I’m interested in, I make sure they align with what I find important. For me that’s quality, top hospitality, not pretentious, aesthetically beautiful or interesting and most importantly has a vibe. It can take me months to get all the details right for a trip but once we’re there its 100% worth it and my travel companions usually thank me! Do you do the same or am I extra? (Let me know if you would like to see more travel tips!)

• Preparing for said trip

  A few days before a trip I like to do a bit of beauty prep. I start at my favorite place in town, Studio Raupo for haircut with Wendy. (I call her my hair fairy). This is a women owned hair salon that is oh so chic yet welcoming. (Think Sana but hair.) I’ve lost so much hair postpartum that I was in desperate need of a healthy chop. Then I head to Mano another women owned spot for the best nails and of course I stop at Sana for all my beauty essentials. I always like to travel with a new face wash, this time I picked up Indie Lee’s Brightening Cleanser. I also picked up my Vitamin C for immunity (see below), my Bader Cream and Lesse SPF!

• Launching something cute

  I know it’s annoying that I can’t mention what it is just yet but Sana Skin Studio is coming together with another well loved Miami brand for an extra special collab. Can you guess what it is? Clue: You’ll be able to wear it all summer long. Stay tuned for our launch this July.

For Your Eyes and Ears:

• Summer Playlist:

  I’ve had this playlist for about two years now, every summer I try to make a new one but I keep going back to this one and adding more songs instead. It’s just too good in my humble opinion. Perfect for a beach day, boat day or just a simple summer day to yourself. Let me know if you like it!

  

• Tiny Desk ft JT:

  I put this on to have background tunes as I packed and I ended up dancing and singing along the entire time. (Not a great packing plan) Then without me noticing I went into a deep dive of Tiny Desk episodes..I recommend Coldplay & Harry Styles too! (Clearly not a great packing plan.. oops!)

• Shogun:

  I haven’t watched a lot of tv lately.. but when I do turn it on I’ve been watching Shogun, a historical war drama based on a novel by James Clavell. I love that it’s based in Japan and requires attention since it’s mostly in Japanese with english subtitles. Not a fan of the war and gore bits but do love the Japanese customs and rituals. (and the costumes!!)

Things I’m Loving:

• Vitamin C Packets

  One of my top priorities in the summer is keeping my immunity high while I travel. I love these Vitamin C packets because they’re so easy to pop in your bag and take them on the go so I never forget them. They are also 1000mg so you are getting a powerful dose without having to take big capsules.

• LED Mask

  Lately, before going to bed I’ll pop this on and do a short meditation to get me ready for bed. It’s been so relaxing and I’m able to get in all the skin benefits for red and blue LED light. (If I can do this at least twice a week, I’m killing it haha)

• Mouth Tape

  I’ve been wanting to try this for so long and finally took the plunge.. I’ve gotta say I’ve been sleeping so much deeper and wake up feeling more energized. Will keep you updated on the benefits after using it for a month. So far it’s been a week and I get it! If you didn’t know, most of us are breathing through our mouths at night which can cause all sorts of health issues down the line. Mouth tape helps to train your brain and jaw to stay closed throughout the night and breathe through your nose.. think of them as training wheels. Breathing through your nose can help you sleep deeper, wake up with more energy, reduce snoring, and strengthen your jaw. Let me know if you try it! (The things I do for Sana!)

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I go slowly and gently. Only now exists.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What is one ritual you enjoy that you’ve been procrastinating? how can you reintroduce it into your routine?

• Write a list of simple things you want to do this summer.

• What do you want to do less of this month?

Summer is (almost) here

I’m not sure if it’s just me but this year felt like it flew faster than ever before. Spring felt like a millisecond and here we are at the start of a new season. I usually take a morning for myself at the beach or at a nice cafe to write these monthly newsletters. It’s a treat for myself. This month, I’m writing from bed on a Sunday morning with my husband feeding my baby besides me. Lot’s of interruptions and not the ideal writing environment… but hey that was the theme of May for me in a nutshell. It was all about learning to do my best with the time in front of me and embracing the imperfection.

Everyone is always talking about achieving “balance”. But what I am realizing is that balance is a rare encounter. It’s really about accepting whatever phase you are currently in and knowing that it will soon shift. One week you’ll feel full on at work and seem to have no time for your personal life. The next, you will prioritize your relationships and your self care while allowing work to slow down. It’s ok to accept that a 50/50 balance is not always possible and that life comes in waves. With that being said, it’s important to remember that your to-do list will most likely never disappear or get smaller. So it’s essential to create space and boundaries to live a life that feels giving, fulfilling and energizing.

Is biohacking really making us happier?

As a Colombian with a French husband, I’ve been pondering lately about the approach to life in Latin America and Europe versus the US. In the US, we are constantly being targeted with products to make our lives easier, hacks and routines we should follow and trends we should be adopting. We are constantly on the lookout for more convenience, sharing amazon links to items “we can’t live without”. But are all these extra things actually making us happier? Or do they just make us more rigid and calculated? What would life look and feel like if we just let go. If we stopped trying to hack and perfect. If we released the root cause of needing more (aka fear) and got comfortable with less. With loosening up our shoulders and being a little (dare I say?) carefree… What if the secret to happiness was simplicity? and instead of trying to biohack our days, we aimed to simplify them. Ahh doesn’t that feel relieving already?

In simplicity, we find freedom.

Keep it simple this month!

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Postpartum, Baby!

  Woah woah woah. My admiration for women is beyond words. Not only accounting for the miraculous feat that is pregnancy but then going through the silent and sometimes lonely recovery that is postpartum. Recollecting all parts of yourself figuratively and literally. Getting “back to life” and being the person others expect you to be while trying to understand your new identity, body and new emotions. Oh and did I mention the hair loss? (HAIR EVERYWHERE.) Love you mamas!

• Embodying Who We Want To Be:

  Being a good friend, partner or leader isn’t necessarily innate behavior. It takes practice. The more you embody the characteristics of the person you desire to be, the more natural those behaviors will be to you and you will eventually become that desired person. Meaning if you want to be a good friend, get in the habit of checking in on them, of making plans and offering your help. Like the book, Atomic Habits explains “every action you take is a vote for the person you want to become.”

For Your Eyes and Ears:

• Rewatching 90s-00s movies:

  There’s something so comforting about rewatching old favorites. This month, I rewatched There’s Something About Mary, 10 Things I Hate About You and SuperBad. They didn’t disappoint.

• This Movie: The Challengers

  Another controversial one..(heard some people didn’t like it oops..) but I LOVED this film. Directed by Luca Guadagnino who directed one of my favorite films Call Me By Your Name. I adored the originality when it came to the cinematography, the music and of course the steamy chemistry. Ps. Go watch it in a theatres.. it makes all the difference.

Things I’m Loving:

• Fresh Tarts For Summer

  If you haven’t already seen them all over instagram.. you must try @mindfulmoroccans tarts! Her strawberry and key lime tarts are so delicious, fresh, and guilt free since they are filled with the healthiest, high quality ingredients. They are perfect for a summer get together. Just send her a DM to order and let me know what you think :)

• Linné Refresh Face Mist

  My favorite skincare category has always been toners. They are so underrated and do wonders for the skin. I don’t feel complete without them in my routine. Lately, I’ve been loving Linné’s Refresh Mist. It’s a perfect consistency and helps to calm inflammation, redness and breakouts. Star ingredients include Magnesium to oxygenate and protect skin health, Sulfur to prevent acne, Copper to suppress bacteria and Olive leaf to accelerate wound healing. LOVE.

• Sana x Pact Collective

  Making beauty more sustainable is high on my list. Very happy to have launched our Sana x Pact initiative. Now you can properly recycle / process your beauty empties at Sana.

  

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I allow life to be simple and sweet.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What is one thing you can take off your plate or delegate to add more spaciousness to your month?

• Write a list of simple things that make you happy. Do more of these things.

• Think about your dream self. What kind of qualities does your dream self have? How can you start embodying these qualities in your day to day?

April has come and gone

as we find ourselves at the start of my favorite month: May. As I write this, it is the last day of April and one week away from my 32nd birthday. So this month, I’m not only reflecting on the month prior (which felt like a minute) but this past year that was full of changes. What this past year taught me the most is the power of flexibility, adaptability, and trust. The more that we allow ourselves to be led, to bend our rigid ways, to release control and to simply trust, the more we are able to leap forward without snapping like a tight rubber band. The more we let people be as they are and let others operate in their own way, the more ease we will find in our relationships. The lesson is: it’s ok to feel discomfort. In fact, the more comfortable we get with being uncomfortable, the more enjoyable our lives will be. When I need a reminder of this, I look up at the trees. Strong and rooted in the ground but flexible to the ways of the wind. They are present to what is. Not trying to fix, not trying to change, just allowing life to be.

I noticed this skill (I say skill because you will get better at it with practice) come in handy as I became a new mom. When I would first change my delicate newborns diaper, I would find myself getting nervous. I learned to catch myself, stop for a second even if he cried, take a breath and carry on. Because babies (and people) are like sponges of energy. If you are calm, so are they. When someone would hold my baby and do things in a different way than I would, I would hold back my impulse to jump in. The less I try to control the “perfection” of my baby’s world, the more adaptable he will become and the more trust he will have in the world around him. Just as we try to make others feel safe, we need to trust that we are too.

Something else that came up for me this month. I forgot what it felt like to make life sensual.

No, not in that way. (lol) But in all seriousness, as life gets busier and our day to day feels like a juggling act without enough hours, its easy to forget to make life sensual. What do I mean by that? I mean the simple act of turning candles on around the house as the sun goes down. Lighting palo santo in the morning. Putting on jazz on a rainy day at home. Stretching. Dry brushing and lathering yourself with body oil after a nice shower. Giving yourself a scalp massage. Taking some deep breaths with your feet in the grass. Giving yourself a foot massage in bed at the end of a long day. Making yourself a cup of coffee or tea and sipping it slowly and intentionally. Living through our senses not our minds.

It’s these simple acts that you can fit in here and there that make life delicious and rooted. Because let me tell you a secret? This life is short and we are here to enjoy. So if we live on a hamster wheel of chores, work, to-dos and planning for the future.. we’re simply living it wrong. There is so much simple enjoyment that we may be missing in our daily lives and sometimes we just need a little reminder. Let’s invite the romance back into our lives.

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

Thoughts On:

• Being A Working Mom

  It’s not all rainbows and butterflies over here. There is the definite “mom brain” aka brain fog that has made me forget zoom calls and leave me wondering who I was emailing as I stare at my blank screen. It’s getting better, but woah that was unexpected. Also, the “mom guilt.” I always thought this was a ridiculous concept that I would never experience myself but boy was I wrong. After a couple of days of leaving him with our nanny (a privilege I don’t take lightly) to go to the office, my heart was hurting and feeling guilty for not being with him. What I’m learning is that being a mom makes me SO happy… but working, building something, collaborating and being creative fills me up in so many ways too. I need both. I know he will be proud of me, so I do it for both of us :)

• Friend Breakups

  Pregnancy (or any life transition for that matter) either brings you closer together in your friendships or pushes you apart. I dealt with a lot of grief, seeing friendships that used to be so close, dissolve for no real reason. I would think… “but it’s crazy, I would be there for them if they had a baby”… but I realized that was simply my ego speaking. What is true is that there are phases for every relationship and that’s ok. We must learn to let people be and also let people go with love.

For Your Eyes and Ears:

• This Song: Agosto

  There is something so dreamy about this song. Play it in the car, with your windows down as the sun sets.

• This Show: Shrinking

  I ADORED this show. It’s the story of a therapist (Jason Segel) that recently lost his wife and is navigating heartbreak and parenthood. But it’s a comedy, I swear! It made me laugh, felt so wholesome and made me sad when it ended. Let me know if you like it…

• This Movie: Tetris

  We’ve all played this legendary game and it probably got you through many scenes of boredom. Anyways, this is the story of the man (Alexey Pajitnov) who invented the game during the Soviet Union and what it took to bring it to the masses. I had no idea there was such a fascinating story behind it and found the movie incredibly entertaining.

Things I’m Loving:

• Best Mother’s Day Gifts

  These are some of my favorite’s I’ve been using lately that would make an A+ Mother’s Day Gift: 

  • Retinol Renewal Peel: I started using these Retinol peel pads a few times a week and have seen such a difference in my pore size and skin texture. Love them for an extra glow boost the night before an event.

  • Augustinus Bader The Cream: Trust me, I didn’t want this to happen.. but my love for Bader keeps increasing as time goes on and I find myself reaching for them the most. I love “The Cream” for everyday… the most perfect moisturizer. But I also ADORE the “Rich Cream” for when my skin needs extra love or before applying makeup on a night out. It gives your skin a glow like no other.

  • Lip LED: This is a fun little gift that becomes a ritual. It’s so easy to use daily as its only 3min a day. I like to use it while I apply my skincare in the morning. LED helps with collagen production and reducing fine lines. Who wouldn’t love this gift?

  • Body wash: Talking about making life sensual… nothing better than a deliciously-smelling-and-luxurious-feeling body wash to up level a ritual you already do everyday. This one is my personal fave that I look forward to every morning.

  • SuperGlow Facial: This month we have special Mother’s Day Gift Cards at our studios that make giving the Sana Glow extra special. I personally love gifting others an experience and nothing better than giving mom a self care day she deserves. My recommendation: Get her a SuperGlow Facial & a Boysmells Candle and you are golden! (Ps. you have to come into the studio for a physical card but we also have digital versions!)

    

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I invite romance into all areas of my life.

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What is one thing I can add to my morning and evening routine to make life more sensual?

• What choices can I make each day to romanticize my life more? (Whether it is how you choose to dress / adorn yourself, how you prepare or eat your meals, what music you listen to, taking yourself on a date, getting fresh air…)

• What is one mindset shift I want to make this month?

It’s always around this time of year

in which I finally feel like I’m settling into the new year in a way. It wasn’t until recently that I learned that the Spring Equinox which happens on March 19th is considered by many cultures to be the official start of the new year. This makes so much more sense to me energetically speaking. Closing off the previous year and creating the space and clarity for what I truly desire, always takes me more time than expected. This year it felt even more prevalent. 

I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy in January and since then the little energy I’ve had has been spent on gathering my inner forces, recollecting all parts of who I was, who I am and who I want to be. I am just starting the delicate process of finding my footing once again, of creating new goals while honoring my need to go a lot slower than usual. 

I find that with any life transition, whether it be becoming a mother, navigating heartbreak or embarking on a career change. Things take time.

Life changes can feel like the universe is pulling the carpet of familiarity right from under our feet. Like the puzzle pieces of who we knew ourselves to be have been spread out on the ground, ready for us to slowly place them back together or build something entirely new. Sometimes we need space to grieve who we were to become who we are meant to be. We need space to make mistakes, to fail, to daydream and to question what makes us feel most aligned. 

In a society that pushes us to go faster, keep going, keep producing and keep growing. It can feel counterproductive or even shameful to take our time, release the timeline and stop the comparison game. In a generation obsessed with self development, we feel the constant pressure to achieve a sense of self mastery, of perfection and validated success. We think that until we have the perfect routine nailed down, our dream body, a successful career.. we can’t relax. but guess what, there’s always more you will strive for. The finish line doesn’t exist so let’s stop living like it does.

Let’s normalize being ok with being a constant work in progress.

With being perfectly content with where we are even if we have goals ahead. With being able to loosen up our shoulders, relax, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment you are living in this instance. For enjoying all of the blessings in your life without counting all the things you’re currently missing. Let’s live for now, not for later. Say yes to that trip, that friend date, to giving yourself a massive hug and to feeling good in your own skin. 

This year, let’s allow success to be defined by our mindset and not by our output. By coming back to love every time we resort to judgment of ourselves or others. By allowing life to unfold as it should while releasing control. By allowing ourselves to live freely, simply and happily. 

I love you to the moon and back, 

Pinkie Promise to be kind to yourself? Cool.

Xo, 

Valen

For Your Eyes and Ears:

• Spring Playlist 

  The playlist I’ve been listening to on repeat lately. It’s happy, it’s dancy, it’s old school. And it’s giving me joy.

• 432HZ music 

  Play 432HZ to automatically soothe your nervous system. I played this at the hospital when Noa was born and when in need play it for him to fall asleep. I also love it for an evening bath. Major relaxation for the brain. Try it out.

• Movies To Watch:

  This spring the stand outs for me were Poor Things and Saltburn. Poor Things was absolutely brilliant, absurd and original. Hello Emma Stone! I finally got around to seeing Saltburn and I regret listening to people who told me it was “meh” and I missed it in the theatres. Lesson learned to make your own judgments because I LOVED it. The cinematography was 10/10. Yes it’s also quite wacky and if you get offended easily perhaps skip it but it kept me thinking for weeks. Which are my favorite kinds of movies. Also the ending scene… ahhh! Cue “murder on the dancefloor”.

• Miley Cyrus Grammys performance 

  I probably watched this video 10 times. She is such an underrated powerhouse. 

• Actors On Actors Interviews 

  Lately, I’ve been weirdly fascinated by actors and the fact that their job requires them to be completely in touch with their body and emotions. I’ve loved these interviews in particular because we get an insight into actors minds, their craft and their shared admiration between artists. They discuss the amount of research and preparation a role requires and the fine (and dangerous) line between acting and reality. (Linked one of my favorites!)

Things I’m Loving:

• My Favorite Places To Glow Up Edition 

  Almost 3 months postpartum, I felt the craving for a “glow up. Here’s where I went: 

  • Studio Raupo: No better feeling than a fresh haircut done by a literal artist (Hi Wendy!)

  • Mano Nails: The best place for a fresh manicure with nontoxic polish. (Hi Monique & Priscilla!) 

  • Sana Skin Studio: I mean, I had to include it… I was so excited to get my favorite SuperGlow facial with microcurrent included that I had missed desperately during pregnancy. (Ps. if you are preggers, you can still get facials at Sana just skip microcurrent)

  • Moe Studio: Went to take some cute photos for this very substack and felt so much more confident and joyful when I left. The Moe team (Dani & Arden) are the absolute best. Go take some pics + have some fun!

• SuperGreens 

  • Love putting this into a glass of water with ice and a splash of lemon. Because let’s be real, no time to make green juice right now. Loving it for clear skin & energy. 

For Your Month Ahead :

Affirmation for the month: I Create My Own Reality 

Journal Prompts For The New Month Ahead: 

• What do I want to do less of this month?

• What do I want to do more of this month?

• What are 3 things I would be happy to accomplish this month ? (Teeny, Small, Big)

Hi, 

I’m Valen. Thank you for being here.

It’s crazy to think it’s been 4 years since Sana was first born. If you’ve been following for a while, you might have been a reader of our monthly wrap up newsletters written by me. They used to be my favorite piece of content to write. A chance for me to release any thoughts I had been carrying throughout the month and an opportunity to share all the products, rituals and mindsets that carried me through.

These newsletters made me aware of a particular phenomenon.

As a society, we collectively go through similar experiences and life themes at the same time. It’s the same phenomenon that leads a slew of similar books or movies to be released at the same time without ever having had the knowledge of one another. It was simply information that needed to be shared. A sense of expression that the collective needed at that particular time. Not to say that I’m going to be delivering any life changing information to your inbox, but it's about those “me too” and “I really needed to read that '' moments that make this newsletter so special. We truly are more connected than we think. 

A lot has happened since I stopped writing last year.

I am now a mother. Navigating an entirely new landscape of life. I’m excited to bring back my monthly wrap up through Muse Notes. A monthly collection of insights, intentions and little things that have brought me joy. I hope you think of these as love notes slipping into your inbox each month, leaving you a little bit more inspired and replenished. Like the warmth of the sun on your skin after a long winter or an ocean wave slipping through your fingers on a hot summer day.

I’ll be here waiting for you.

Xo, 

Valen

What you can expect to see here each month:

• A Note From Me 

• For Your Eyes And Ears Section (Everything I’ve loved watching and listening to this month) 

• What I’ve been loving (New rituals, products and people I love)

• For Your Month Ahead Section (Affirmation / Intention for the month, Journal Prompts etc.) 

Don’t miss it + Subscribe :) See you soon.

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