Own Your Glow with Latham Thomas in Boston

If you hadn't heard, Latham Thomas has a new book out, Own Your Glow. A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living and Crowing the Queen Within.  Latham, is a wellness and lifestyle expert, author and doula. Her previous book Mama Glow, a Hip Guide to your Fabulous Abundant Pregnancy was gifted to me by my good friend Gianne, founder of W.E.L.L. Summit and co-founder of Organic Bath Co... and I LOVED it to the MAX. To say that I am excited about this new book, in this new stage of my life, well, that would be an understatement.

Latham is currently traveling to bring the good news of her book and is making another stop in Boston in early October. On Sunday October 8th, Latham and The W.E.L.L. Summit will be creating an afternoon of self care, to calm your soul, nurture yourself and oh, also snag a copy of Latham's new book and have the opportunity to meet her!

About The Event

We're taking the standard author talk and hitting “refresh” like only the W.E.L.L. Summit can! First, you’ll enjoy circulating among our “Glow Stations” to help you get glowing—including Pure Glow, workout training tips from personal trainers, chair massages, enjoy organic treats, and much more (stay tuned as we announce all the Glow Stations)!

What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Get your tickets here.

What you will get:

All attendees will leave with a gift bag of carefully curated wellness products and a copy of Latham's new book, "Own Your Glow" so that they can continue to be nourished and pampered at home.

VIP Attendees will also be treated to a gentle, deeply nourishing yoga class with Sara Divello (local yogi and author), two copies of Latham's book, premier seating, front of the line privileges for Latham's post-talk book signing, and a nourishing body butter from the Organic Bath Co.

About the Book:

Own Your Glow is an inspirational, actionable, and wildly enriching companion for change. Celebrity wellness and lifestyle guru, Latham Thomas provides soulful principles that offer an illuminated path for examining life's challenges, helping you curate your path to greatness while embracing your uniquely feminine attributes. Packed with rituals, meditations, and snackable lifestyle tips, Thomas provides a clear framework for harnessing your passion, developing spiritual fitness, and embracing true vulnerability. This guide is for anyone who wants to witness her own life transform and contribute to the positive change of the world around her. Combining spiritual, psychological and self-reflective tools, Thomas offers an antidote to the hustle-hard, make-it-happen mainstream culture and fosters slowing down, intentionality and self-care as a pathway to empowerment.

How much more potent and powerful would we all be if we embraced our inherent talents, strengths, and feminine edge, rather than dwelling in patterns of self-criticism, doubt, and catty competition? Thomas invites you to step into a soulful-fulfilling life of freedom, transcending self- destructive habits and creating a blueprint for a more gratifying, centered, and bountiful way of living. Own Your Glow is an awakening roar for women to mobilize, become the masters of their lives, hold their crowned heads up high, letting their relentless light within shine bright for the world.

So what do you say, won't you join us there?

W.E.L.L. Summit 2017 NYC

If you follow me, you know that I am on a wellness journey. I say it's a journey because I'm always learning and yearning for more knowledge on what's best for me and my family. It's not always easy but it's something that is important to me. The struggle can be really real when you're at home with two young children but sometimes we have to make things a priority... that's why I'm involved with the W.E.L.L. Summit again this year; it's important to me and it's important to my wellness journey.

You may remember my first year at the W.E.L.L. Summit and also last year's experience being very memorable for me and I expect this year's to be no different. Not only am I representing the W.E.L.L. Summit here on the blog but I'm heading up their Influencer program as well as helping to manage the online community. It's exciting and I'm throwing myself into the work because, like I said, it's important. I'm hoping to encourage others to take the chance to jump into the experience of the summit, bringing hopes and setting intentions to really take a look at where they can care for themselves better. (See my blog post on taking the chance on a solo experience) I know that with every new Summit, I am able to take something different away from it, most times what I wasn't expecting. I don't know about you but pleasant surprises are one of my favorite things ever. Here's to some new pleasant surprises this year.

What do you say to taking the step toward understanding yourself, your wellness needs and really taking some time to take stock of what is important to you? I look at the W.E.L.L. Summit as an investment. You'll meet like minded people, connect with brands + speakers and have an intimate experience that I can guarantee that you'll enjoy.

Tickets are on sale now so make sure to get yours before they are gone. Follow along on the W.E.L.L. Summit Blog to keep up with all the people that are involved with the event, whether they're sponsors, speakers, attendees or even people like me; it truly is a community!  Their social media is a great place to keep updated as well, so be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Will I see you this year?

Local Lovin': Thorn & Bloom

I was first introduced to Thorn & Bloom at this past W.E.L.L. Summit and actually purchased a fragrance from them (Savage Garden, Thank you!). Finding a fragrance that isn't filled with chemicals is as important to me as finding a face oil that is safe and non-toxic so as you can imagine, I was really drawn to Thorn & Bloom for their dedication to using natural ingredients to provide a long lasting, quality scent... when I found out that they were out of Somerville, MA I knew that I wanted to reach out to the founder/creative mind behind the brand, Jennifer Botto, to catch up and give her some Local lovin'. She'll be hearing from me soon, since I regret not grabbing the Orange Blossom scent as well... I mean, a girl has to have options! OK, now let's chat!

Give us a little background as to how Thorn + Bloom came about. What initially drove you to start your brand?

I'm very sensitive to synthetic perfumes and could never wear them without experiencing discomfort. When I switched to natural perfumes, I found many 'aromatherapy' style blends on the market but nothing that really spoke to me. I missed the complexity, sophistication and longevity of synthetics but could do without all the harmful ingredients and 'synthetic' olfactory qualities. I started Thorn & Bloom as a way to bridge the gap between aromatherapy and fine fragrances, naturally. Since then, I've found that many of my customers have gone through the same search and are thrilled to see a brand that addresses these issues. Perfume is often the very last item in a person's beauty repertoire to be replaced with a natural formulation because wearers are so reluctant to give up on the qualities they've grown accustomed to in synthetic perfume. Thorn & Bloom strives to make that switch easier, offering truly fine 100% natural fragrances that rival the very best synthetics.

When creating your products, where do you take inspiration from?

I often rely on memory and nostalgia when formulating. For instance, Stranger in the Cherry Grove is an homage to my father's cherry pipe tobacco that I remember so vividly from childhood. Scent can be such a powerful trigger; it's very satisfying to recreate those memories in the form of an ether, almost like bottling a memory.

I love that you have shaped your business to be authentic and ethical in the creation of botanical perfumes. Why is this important to you?

Integrity is extremely important to me. So much of what is on the market is misleading when it comes to the terms 'natural' and 'ethical', especially in the world of perfume, as labels don't require full disclosure. This is why I joined the Natural Perfumers Guild and became a Guild Certified Natural Perfumer. The Guild defines and identifies natural perfume and has the strictest certification requirements of any organization in the world. For instance, the Guild does not approve the use of GMO isolates, which are commonly found in many 'natural' perfumes. These isolate are often derived from a complex genetic modification procedure in which bacteria are designed to produce a certain aroma. So many commonly known brands that consumers trust as 'natural' are using these isolates without having to explain their GMO origin status to consumers. When formulating for Thorn & Bloom, I knew that I wanted to keep the ingredients as pure and whole as possible. While we do use isolates derived from fractional distillation (stopping the distillation process at different times to collect various stages of an essential oil), we do not use GMO isolates. We also choose not to use animal musks and source endangered aromatics from ethically harvested sources (our Sandalwood comes from cultivated groves in Australia).

What do you love to do in New England, when you aren't busy running your business?

I love to eat! I'm constantly find new and interested places to dine out and love trying 'strange' food. My passion for fragrance spills over into taste and mine is insatiable! 

You have certainly found some fantastic early success! Where do you see Thorn + Bloom headed in the future?

I'd love to expand the line into body care and candles. Scented bath salts will be available in the spring 2017 with scented body oils to follow. I'm currently getting my certification in aromatherapy and will use this knowledge to formulate more therapeutic blends for the body, mind and soul.

You can find Thorn and Bloom online, on instagram, facebook and twitter!

Make Your Own Mala Beads with Satya Jewelry Plus the Propah Prosperity Project!

You all know I was super excited about the Make Your Own Mala Beads session at the W.E.L.L. Summit. I pretty much talked to anyone about it who would listen. Obviously, the breakout with Satya Jewelry was not a disappointment. I didn't know what to expect except to know that I would be, of course, making my own Mala Bracelet. I was far more satisfied with the overall experience than I thought I would be. Actually, satisfied is totally the wrong word, because I was inspired (more about that later!)... The session started with Satya herself telling us about her journey and where jewelry making has led her, her charitable efforts and what she's currently doing. To say that she is a positive creative force would be an understatement. She's already donated over a million dollars to charity in her career, which speaks for itself plus her jewelry is gorgeous and to be treasured. You can call me crushing over here and it would be accurate. In addition to learning about Satya and her brand, she led us in an interesting (new to me) meditation which was meant to center the mind but get the creative juices flowing. Then when actually making our bracelets, rather than rushing through the experience, we concentrated on breathing which each bead. This was kind of a struggle for me but also forces me to making each bead purposeful and important. I would love for Satya to bring one of her Mala Making events to Boston in the coming year, so I can experience what making a full mala necklace would be like because I think it would be an excellent exercise in centering, meditation, mindfulness, and bringing purpose to what I'm doing. If you're lucky enough to be close to one of her events, I would very much recommend it! But since, it doesn't look like I'll be able to partake any time soon, I was inspired to create a project at home, which I think will prove useful in keeping me as "on track" and "grounded" as I can be until this babay comes....

It's called the Propah Prosperity Project and today is Day One of me sharing (technically I started last week.). Here's the details, all most of which came to me during the Satya session. I worked out the rough edges when I got home from the WS and got to work on myself and spreading positivity. When Satya was talking, she mentioned making magic through mala beads and also the significance of an experience she had at an intensive yoga training years ago. She also mentioned the significance of 40 days in a lot of different journeys so I have decided to launch this project that combines the following: mindful meditation every day, making magic through mala and spreading positivity to those in my world.

For 40 days, I will make it a priority to wake up early or make the time at lunch to meditate and create with positive vibes. Taking the inspiration from my mala making session, I will meditate on my purpose for the day while also focusing on positive energy and the things that I am grateful for (which isn't always easy for me). Since I love the energy of "good vibes", I obviously want to share them with others, so for the 40 days of this practice, I will create a mala bracelet a day, focusing on what I love about them/how I appreciate them and send a note of positivity on to that specific person (and also literally using the USPS). I will also share with my readers about that person and in short what it is about them that I admire. My goal is to bring Prosperity, as in the state of good fortune, comfort and well-being to both myself and my people.

To start the project, I did mass produce the handmade note cards by whipping out my watercolors and creating a few different variations to use when writing my notes each day. That exercise in itself was a relaxing one that I hadn't done in awhile. Already it began with positive energy, am I right? I ordered some special beads that had meaning and also decided to incorporate ones that I have been collecting over the years from vintage vendors, flea markets and the like. I wanted these to be special and personal, so that if the recipient did want to use them as prayer beads or worry beads (more likely my use), they'd have something special to hold.

For Day One, I chose to honor Gianne of both The W.E.L.L. Summit and Organic Bath Co. It may seem obvious that since I was inspired by a session at the summit that it would make a lot of sense to start with Gianne. Not only was The W.E.L.L. Summit her brainchild but she has built both this event as well as her brand from the ground up with some sass, hustle and hard work. She has amazing ideas and a creative energy that I adore. I've only known Gianne a little less than two years (I think we physically met Summer of 2015?) but I think that it's been wonderful to get to know her and now call her a friend. Heck, I was able to give Gianne her bracelet in person, because we ate some dinner together, which as you know, is something that friends sometimes do. ;-) I've loved watching The W.E.L.L. Summit grow and am so excited to see what she has in store for us, wellness-wise. I used mainly Earth Jasper for Gianne. Known as the “Supreme Nurturer,” Jasper is a stone of grounding and stability, providing comfort and security, strength and healing. Its presence balances the aura to a level of wholeness and peace, and acts as a reminder that one is not here on the physical plane simply for oneself, but to bring joy and substance to others. Kind of perfect, right? 

Will you follow me along in this journey? I'd sure love the company!

W.E.L.L. Summit 2016

If you follow me on any of my channels, you'll know for sure that I attended the 2nd Annual W.E.L.L. Summit last weekend in New York City! You might also remember how much I gushed about last year's summit and get ready, this year is a lot of the same. Spending time with friends from last year excited me. Making new friends was a goal as well. There were things I was super excited to take part in (Making Mala sesh with Satya Jewelry) but there were sessions that I signed up for that I did not know what to expect, and that's what I love. Really taking stock of where I'm at personally and trying to find the right "track" when choosing what I'll spend time doing. I did not regret one step that I took, except maybe walking to the wrong room a couple times!

Despite the pouring rain and my "delicate" state, I made it in one piece to the Friday VIP lunch with Dig Inn and Steaz, which obviously did not disappoint. I was ready and open to receiving some great messages while also kabitzing with my "tribe"! The ever wonderful and exuberant Sara Divello made sure that we left the lunch with a great outlook on what we could do, because this isn't just a one chapter journey. We can be open to new experiences and people, we just have to let ourselves be. I love her positive attitude and it really set the "mood" for me to allow myself to be open to all that the W.E.L.L. Summit had to offer over the course of two days. It's the type of message you'll need to receive in order to really get the most out of your time with like-minded people.

The opening keynotes were awesome. There was a clean beauty panel as well one on Fair Trade (which were both spot on and thought provoking) but it was Dr Drew Ramsey, who was a complete surprise... but the best kind. He's the type of guy that you'd probably have a laugh with but is so super smart that you can't help but take what he's saying to heart and be encouraged to make changes. I bought his book, Eat Complete and have the goal to make out with him our family healthier, more well-rounded eaters, one meal at a time. He's also suuuuuuper cute, so that didn't hurt things one bit. ;-) He was my "new find" from the W.E.L.L. Summit, hands down.

The second day of the WS was chock full of sessions that it was literally hard to build my schedule. There were certain time slots where I had to flip a coin because I just couldn't decide on my own what would be best for the goals that I had in mind. What I chose ended up being perfect for me. Like I said, I don't regret one step I took. One of my favorite sessions from last year, the wonderful Sacred Beauty Salon with Rebecca Casciano, yet again did not disappoint. I love open discussions about how we view ourselves, what we can do to be more positive and what we can do to uplift one another. I was so blessed to connect with Khaki of Khaki's Bomb Balm in what was another great exercise that Rebecca put out to us. The W.E.L.L. Summit really is all about connecting with people and finding our similarities while celebrating our differences all in the pursuit of personal wellness. I think that making the most out of your time with your people includes taking yourself out of your comfort zone. Whether it's opening up in a session like Rebecca's or attending a Tea Time Chat solo, you really have to put yourself out there to discover more about yourself. I hit up said Tea Time Chat on my own but I had the opportunity to chat with a couple of different fabulous ladies about life and wellness all while looking silly with our Josh Rosebrook facial masks. It really was one of those things where, sure, I could have gone to bed early, because it had been a long day. Instead, I put myself out there and did what I went to NYC to do. (Shout out to Emily of True Moringa for taking a face mask selfie with me and Rishi Tea for giving me all the samples of Blueberry Hibiscus!)

I took some major inspiration from my two days away from the norm and hopping around NYC. You'll see some of it manifesting in the coming weeks because it's really my goal to take the positivity that I harnessed at The W.E.L.L. Summit and spread it around if at all possible. It's tough to keep on a "high" but I'm as determined as ever to keep it going.

Oh and also, sure, the WS swag is great too! Shout outs to Eco Diva Beauty, Organic Bath, Steaz, Rishi Tea, Thoughtfully Magazine , Navitas Naturals and the list goes on because a little swag is always worth mentioning; it's part of the fun isn't it? All this combined makes for one wonderful and worthwhile weekend spent away. I can't wait to gear up for next year, where I'm going to try to recruit family and friends to experience it all with me!

Follow along on the W.E.L.L. Summit Blog to keep up with all the people that are involved with the event, whether they're sponsors, speakers, attendees or even people like me; it truly is a community!  Their social media is a great place to keep updated as well, so be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Will I see you next year?

Satya Jewelry + The W.E.L.L. Summit 2016!

One week from today, I'm hopping on the train and headed to NYC to the 2nd Annual W.E.L.L. Summit! I'm pretty stoked because I had an amazing time last year, as you probably remember and this year, I've been fortunate enough to a Brand Ambassador for their team (YAY!) so have truly been getting involved! I love the community so I'm looking forward to seeing my friends again and of course, making new ones. We are all of like and open minds when it comes to attending the summit and I am so grateful for that!

As an ambassador, I have been keeping an eye on the brands that are involved, because as you may know, the W.E.L.L. Summit team are really doing a fantastic job curating only the most wonderful people to bring on board to support. One particular particpant is Satya Jewelry. I am pretty much SO stokes to meet them next week for a couple of reasons. #1 their jewelry is gorgeous and that's enough just to have that foundational crush on them! Satya Jewelry is created with simplicity, style and global consciousness. Semi-precious gemstones renowned for their ancient healing properties are combined with 18kt gold plate, sterling silver and sacred symbols to create jewelry that brings peace and hope to its wearers. Rooted in its mission to inspire each person’s own individual truth. Satya Jewelry is designed for your own individual journey. #2 Satya, the founder and creator, is leading a workshop which you KNOW that I signed up for! We will learn the sacred art of Mala making and how Malas are used in daily practice with meditation. Swoon... creating and making and spending time with people doing those things! I am excited to meet Satya, a philanthropist, yoga teacher and Reiki healer. She lives a lifestyle dedicated to giving back to the world community so I am sure she has some nuggets of wisdom to share with us! 

There are so many sessions that I am looking forward to taking part in. I know that I am going to learn a lot over that wellness weekend and cannot wait to share with you all that I experienced and those that I met. If you're in the NYC area, there are still a couple days to grab your W.E.L.L. Summit ticket and be spontaneously WELL!

Are you going to be at W.E.L.L. Summit? Be sure to say Hi! 

An Afternoon Tea Time Chat with The W.E.L.L. Summit, Gabby Bernstein and Sara DiVello

You know when you're going to have FOMO before you even have the FOMO because you know that people are going to be able to experience something so cool and you're not going to be able to go? That's how I feel about the Tea Time chat being hosted by The W.E.L.L. Summit in early October. I'm traveling for work (BOO!) but if you're in the Boston area on October 2nd, please do yourself a solid and snag a ticket for the Tea Time Chat with authors Gabby Bernstein and Sara DiVello, two thought leaders (in my opinion) who will no doubt leave you feeling refreshed, inspired and just damn good! You'll sip on organic teas and snacks. You'll have soulful conversations with other likeminded people. You'll be like this close to Gabby Bernstein *me holding my fingers close together*. I'd like to think this is one of those events that you walk away feeling like a new person... that's how I'm viewing it anyhow. That's what is so great about the events that The W.E.L.L. Summit puts together (including the Summit itself). They are intimate and thought provoking. You're not one of 200 people sitting in a room. You are a person contributing to the conversation and leave feeling heard/validated/accepted/loved... This is yet another event that will leave you feeling inspired, I promise. You can snag tickets here or click the picture below to take you to the event page!

What you will get with your ticket:

• All attendees will leave with a gift bag of carefully curated wellness products and a copy of Gabby's new book, "The Universe Has Your Back" so that they can continue to be nourished and pampered at home.($150)

• VIP Attendees will receive copies of Sara and Gabby's books, premier seating, front of the line privileges for Gabby's post-talk book signing, gift bag of carefully curated wellness products (value $150) and a as a BONUS: access to Gabby Bernstein's True Power Digital Workshop ($297 Value). In this five-hour program, Gabby teaches her favorite techniques to combat our most common problems -- from anxiety and addiction to burnout and resentment. Please note: In order to receive this Workshop, the WELL Summit will need to share your email address with Gabby Bernstein.

So have I piqued your interest yet? I'd love to hear ALL about the event from those who attend so that I can live vicariously through you, so please do let me know EVERYTHING! Oh and can someone grab me a signed copy of GB's new book? Please and thank you!

Find out more about Sara DiVello, author, Where in the OM Am I? Best Memoir Winner, NIEA, and a Shape Magazine  Book Selection on saradivello.com or find her on social media @saradivello and Facebook.com/saradivelloOM

Find out more about Gabby Bernstein, author, The Universe Has Your Back: Transform Fear to Faith, and more on gabbybernstein.com or find her on social media @GabbyBernstein and Facebook.com/gabriellebernstein