Friends, Romans, countrymen… lend me your eyeballs. I’ve decided to start a new, highly irregular monthly series where I share the random junk, habits, and gizmos that are currently making my life better. Think of it as a peek into my wellness junkie’s shopping cart.
Some of these are legit tools. Some are just silly little habits that spark joy. All of them are things I’m actually using and not just getting paid to say (unless my cat starts a sponsorship deal, which, honestly, is probably imminent).
This month’s haul includes an app that tells me when to sun myself like a lizard, a lamp made of salt (no, really), and a drink that’s basically coffee’s chill younger cousin. Let’s get into it.
1. The App That Treats Me Like a Houseplant: d-minder
Turns out, we all need sunlight. Shocking, I know. But apparently, my vitamin D levels have been running on empty, and popping supplements does nada for me. So I downloaded d-minder, an app that basically treats me like a very fragile tomato plant.
You tell it your skin tone, location, and how much leg you’re scandalously showing that day, and it calculates exactly how long you need to sit in the sun to get your daily dose of the D without turning into a lobster. It’s nerdy, it’s precise, and it makes my morning sunlight session feel like a mission. Highly recommend for all my fellow photosynthesizing humans.
2. My “Anti-Screen” Glowy Rock: The White Salt Lamp
My evening routine is now sponsored by a lump of salt. I’ve swapped my harsh overhead lights for a soft, glowing white salt lamp. It gives off this warm, ambient light that doesn’t scream “HEY BRAIN, IT’S STORY TIME!” to my circadian rhythm at 9 PM.
It’s basically the opposite of my phone screen. While my phone yells at me with blue light, this lamp just whispers, “Shhhhh, maybe read a book? Or just stare at me blankly? I’m a nice rock.” It’s a simple, cozy upgrade for winding down.
3. Coffee’s Cool, Non-Jittery Sibling: Slacka
I love coffee, but sometimes it loves me back a little too hard, leaving me both wired and tired. My friend David created Slacka, a drink that’s like if coffee went to therapy and worked through its anxiety issues.
It uses something called paraxanthine, which is what your body turns caffeine into after it’s already taken a chill pill. The result? Clean energy, no jitters, no crash, and no 3 PM regret. It tastes like a healthy soda and gives me a smooth, focused boost. It’s my new secret weapon for the afternoon slump.
4. Rubbing My Face In a Good Way: Facial Fascia Release
I’ve jumped on the fascia bandwagon, and let me tell you, it’s a wild ride. Apparently, stress doesn’t just live in your shoulders; it also sets up camp in your face, creating what I like to call “Resting Stress Face.”
I’ve been using gentle tools to release the fascia in my mug, and the results are bizarrely amazing. Less tension in my jaw, fewer “why are you so angry?” frown lines, and my sinuses have never been clearer. It’s like a mini facial massage that convinces your face it’s on vacation. It feels amazing and is now a core part of my “stop taking life so seriously” ritual.
5. The Brain’s “Control-Alt-Delete”: Rapid Emotional Rewiring
Life has been… a lot lately. And while I’m a big fan of traditional wellness stuff, sometimes you need something more powerful than a deep breath.
Enter Rapid Emotional Rewiring. This isn’t talk therapy; it’s more like a neurological reset button for your brain. It helps scramble those old, unhelpful thought loops that keep you stuck. For me, it felt like the mental equivalent of finally defragging a super slow computer. After a session, I felt lighter and less reactive. It was a game-changer during a tough time, and they’re offering free sessions to try it out.
So that’s my random assortment of August favorites. From high-tech sun-tracking to rubbing rocks on my face, it’s a mixed bag. But that’s what wellness is to me—finding the weird, wonderful, and actually useful things that make life a little bit better.
What about you? What’s in your bag of tricks this month? Let me know in the comments