Community Spotlight Series
Highlighting those that inspire us and spread their magic with the world. Join us for our bi- monthly series.
A Little About Rachael:
She's a nutritionist, chef, & adaptogen enthusiast. Founder of The Cupboard, a boutique organic meal delivery service in San Francisco, and Goldmine (!). With years in nutrition and supporting others through food, she's gotten an intimate view on people's health and their daily stresses. Really, there isn't a day that go by that she's not thinking of a new recipe, seasonal produce, or a new product for Goldmine.
Today, she answers 7 questions about how she stay well.
1. What are a few things that help you find a rhythm in your daily life with everything going on?
Rachael: My morning beverage, afternoon walks, and evening tea are things that I do most days of the week and help keep me grounded and in a rhythm.
A walk between work and dinner is one of my favorites, it's a great way for me to clear my head and wind down from the day.
Every evening after dinner I make a big pot of herbal tea. I love this ritual, it's a wonderful way to calm my body and mind from the day. I have large canisters full of dry tea and mix + match. My go-to blends are: holy basil with rose hips, hibiscus with chamomile, or nettles with peppermint.
2. What are three things you do to be well + immune healthy during the week?
I think this is universal, but moving my body, prioritizing sleep, healthy foods + herbs, and checking in on my mental health/attitude are all key in keeping myself well. Also, remembering to breath deeply throughout the day, especially if I'm concentrating on a difficult task!
3. Stress is inevitable — What stresses you out?
Everything about our modern society is stressful. From the current political issues, injustices around economic + health access, making positive impact on the world around us, to societal pressures of "doing it all".
There are an incredible amount of nuances and decisions to make when running a business, and, as a founder of two businesses (with very different needs), some days are overwhelming with the amount of tasks on my to-do list. Running a business is just one element though — but to make decisions rooted in integrity, sustainability, environmentalism, and one that really honors our fellow humans/farmers/employees/clients — it requires an added element of awareness and thoughtfulness. I wouldn't have it any other way and am proud of the work we're doing, but there's certainly inherent pressure to making sure everyone + our planet is taken care of.
Another stressful area for me is that finding balance can be tricky between all the different elements of being a business owner, a wife, a friend, and someone who doesn't want to be locked to my computer screen 24/7; Finding balance between being serious about my work and letting myself relax can be challenging when the work never really ends.
On top of it all: a pandemic and somehow still there doesn't seem to be a day that goes by without another devastating event. It's a lot.
Really, this is why Goldmine exists. Life is messy and imperfect, we're all just doing the best we can, and herbs + adaptogens help make it all just a little easier.
4. When you’re feeling under the weather or having a suboptimal day, how do you take care of yourself?
I do my best to get any tasks that are time sensitive done, then I put on my out-of-office auto reply and give myself permission to take the rest of the day off. I drink lot's of herbal tea (love Resilience for a hit of turmeric, a big pot of holy basil - peppermint - chamomile tea, and our Supershroom Immunity Support).
I try and listen to myself and what my body + mind is wanting. Sometimes it's a walk, a nap, an early bed time, other times it's a really nourishing meal, or a bath.
If I'm feeling upset, I'll meditate and journal. Sometimes I'll practice a breathing exercise (my go-to is alternate nostril breathing) and some movement through yoga, or dance. I really just try to listen and go with what I feel in my body.
5. If you recall an intense or stressful period in your life, what/who helped you move through it?
Alone time in nature; exercise (especially weight training to get those frustrations out!); trusted friends who will listen and offer constructive ideas; time to process and gain new insights and perspective (often through reading!).
Honing in on my intuition; identifying feelings + my authenticity that might be in conflict with the situation unfolding around me; letting go of expectations / fear of judgement / wanting to be accepted by others — all have been critical for me during tough times.
6. When you think about the little things in life, what brings you joy?
I'm a nerd for earth science and space — the history of this planet's life + new discoveries and the mysteries of our universe are so incredibly mysterious and awe-inspiring. We humans think we know all the answers, but these two fields really show us that there's still so much to learn. This isn't necessarily "small," but continuing to learn about our planet and our universe brings me a lot of joy.
7. What lessons have you learned that help you keep things in perspective?
There's nothing that takes the place of integrity and kindness.