Dear Mom,

The struggle is real, right? For us every day seems like a day survival. We are wearing thousands of hats, shuffling between all the roles, and completely becoming accustomed to our own chaos. This routine has become our haven, and that … is dangerous. 

Society has programmed us to think that the hustle and bustle is a blessing. Our culture can actually reward things like perfectionism, high-functioning anxiety and even burnout. So it’s no wonder that some of us don’t even recognize this as a problem.

Seriously, have you ever even considered High Functioning Anxiety to be a thing? What comes to mind when you think of it? Maybe you feel like high-functioning anxiety in motherhood isn’t that bad (you’re still meeting your day-to-day demands after all, right?) or that it’s even a good thing. 

To be high-functioning means that you’re still appearing normal, showing up for your kids, and not dropping the ball despite feeling anxious much of the time. 

That’s why many might dismiss it, allow it to go undetected, or even think it’s a good thing.

Let’s dissect what High Functioning Anxiety looks like in Motherhood. 

1. You look like you’ve got it all together. 

Others might seem impressed or outright admire your ability to do it all, be everywhere, and hold down the show no matter the circumstances. You’re the mom who has her sh*& together. Every day. All day. Always. 

On the surface, you appear to be thriving but beneath that, you may always feel like you’re barely just keeping it together day by day. Feel familiar? Been there. Remember: Just because someone (you, your strong friend, your sister in law) presents as though they have it all together, doesn’t mean that they actually do. 

1. You’re a perfectionist, and can be too hard on yourself.

The intention is great of course but there are two problems. Firstly, having unrealistically high standards often just means setting yourself up for failure.That can look like self-critical thinking, allowing our self critic to go rogue, and tossing self acceptance out the window. That doesn’t just affect you, it impacts those around you. Is perfectionism really so great if this is the outcome?

1. You’re terrible with the word NO. 

Mom, remember NO is a complete sentence, use it. 

If the word “no” isn’t really in your vocabulary, you may be part of the large group of women who struggle with high-functioning anxiety in motherhood. Saying yes to everything means that your to-do list ends up being miles long and your stress level increases. 

When you’re feeling anxious, you want to take things off your plate… not add to the chaos. 

This might be the time to reflect on why you say yes to everything and have a tendency to people please. At this point if it does make your load lighter, bring you peace or joy –”Get somebody else to do it!”

We are switching our energy up, mom. We are focused on pouring into our cup and not spilling out the last drop. Why wait til Mother’s Day to reward yourself? Or why wait til Mother’s Day to gift the mom in your life something thoughtful. 

Our Awakening Complete System has everything mama bear needs to feel the boost of energy, and look rejuvenated –especially our powerful plant-based eye cream. It’s sure to wake up any tired eyes after fulfilling all the mom-duties. 

Life may be life-ing sis, but you don’t have to look like what you’re going through. We all want our skin to look its best throughout life's stages; but the fact remains that more likely you will actually wear your stress every day. Did you know stress can affect the appearance of your skin? Yes, it’s science! This fact is the confirmation you need to put your mental health first for good. Afterall, you don’t need the extra stress, and your skin sure doesn't. 

Here’s the real-deal: stress and anxiety can have a negative effect on the appearance and function of the skin. In fact, stress is known to affect all components of the skin, from its appearance and texture, to its elasticity and more.

Stress can affect the appearance of your skin by causing a chemical reaction that can make your skin more sensitive and reactive. How does this work? Stress is a natural response to fear. When your body goes into (di)stress, it triggers a natural hormone, cortisol to kick in which switch you to survival mode. This hormone, cortisol, in a sense is your “fight or flight” button. While this is a completely normal process for the body, it is however survival. Your body over produces glucose and insulin, often making you more oily than usual, which in terms clogs pores, resulting in … breakouts. 

This most often appears as redness, acne, and other breakouts, which are caused as extra oil is produced to make up for the dryness often caused by stress. Stress and anxiety can also increase inflammation, worsen pre-existing skin conditions, lead to product reactions, and cause the skin to become red or itchy, develop bumps, and experience a slew of other issues. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, stress and anxiety can also cause dullness. Depression and anxiety can cause people to develop several unhealthy habits like skin-picking, pimple popping, and so much more all as a result of soothing or coping with anxiety. If this continues for a long period of time, a person’s skin can begin to dull or darken. Unfortunately, sometimes, these changes to a person’s skin color can alter the pigmentation permanently. 

Additionally, Stressful situations can trigger a shift in hormones throughout the human body, which can negatively affect the skin. Heightened stress leads to changes of the serum level of many hormones. Some of these include growth hormone, glucocorticoids, prolactin, and catecholamines. 

So you see –stressing is just going to mess you up in the end. We can’t have that, you’ve worked too hard to get the glow from YELLE Skincare. 

Let’s talk about a way you can naturally cope with stress and anxiety. Some of our favorite methods to cope with stress is to:

• Strategize your day so that you aren’t overwhelmed
• Put your body in motion
• Write out your feelings on paper
• Enjoy the sun (it really makes a difference)
• Get out to spend time with friends
• Start a new hobby

Once you actually put your racing mind at rest, you will start to feel the sense of peace in your life. Not only will your body thank you, but your skin will thank you. 

Incorporating your skincare routine into your self-care routine is the surest way to take care of your skin while also taking care of yourself. Our 5-Piece Essential Kit comes with everything you need to ensure that you can practice a little self-care in your own bathroom. Take a look at all of the natural ingredients that can be used for your entire family. 

After the initial courting phase, the engagement, wedding and then honeymoon phase of marriage, it can be easy to lose sight of the importance of dating. You already know your partner very well, and it can seem less important to dedicate time together as a couple. Or maybe it’s just harder to find one-on-one time, because life is getting in the way. Whether it’s busy work schedules, busy social lives, raising children or taking care of parents, etc., it can be difficult to take time out of your busy life to prioritize your time as a couple. But, after saying “I do”, it’s important not to get lazy and put your relationships on auto-pilot. Keeping your marriage, or any romantic relationship, in the forefront of your life is crucial to keeping your connection alive and showing your partner that they are important to you.

Here are a few tips to help you embrace dating, even if you are married:

Carve out the time, often!

Many may not agree to the routine of date-life but this might be the only way to make it possible! Having something on your schedule, (and sticking to your schedule!) will make date night more likely to happen. This doesn’t have to be a weekly occurrence (though it can be) and it doesn’t mean that you can’t have spontaneous date nights (you totally should) it’s just a way of setting aside time to be together. Date night doesn’t need to be some elaborate ordeal (even if it is marked on the calendar), it just needs to be a few hours or an evening set aside to cultivate closeness in your relationship.

Prioritize intimacy, always.

Like we said above, dating should be fun. Going on dates can be a great way to blow off steam after a busy couple of days and try something new with your partner. But it’s also important that you work to incorporate intimacy into your date nights. Afterall, you are romantic partners! Yes, this does mean sex. And, yes, sex is important, but when we talk about intimacy we also mean romantic and physical intimacy. 

Romantic time can be a nice date night out, cooking a fancy meal at home, taking a romantic trip together or even just going on an evening walk, distraction free so that you can soak in each other’s company. Finding ways to be intimate with one another will improve your connection, strengthen your bond, and also improve your sex life by increasing your attraction to your partner.

Do more dating inside!

Many couples feel like date night has to be a special occasion outside, but you can date inside the comfort of your home. Get creative with each other and remember to meet each other’s needs and desires. Fun way to do this is to really learn to listen to the things your partner is thinking. 

Fun Date Night In Ideas

• Making art together
• Binge watching your favorite shows
• Have a game night with drinking games incorporated
• Do a spa night

Ladies –remember don’t leave it all to the fellas to figure out. Your man deserves to me surprised by your planning as well. I challenge you to bring the spa to him in the comfort of the home you both have worked hard to build. Grab your BRAVE Collection from YELLE and use every piece from the 4-piece system to pamper his skin. 

The Brave collection was formulated for men because"the only thing sexier than a smile Is healthy skin.”

This 4 Piece System Includes 1 Each Of The Following Items:

• Brave Milk & Honey Cleanser 
• Brave No More Grit Scrub 
• Brave Daily Moisturizer
• Brave Smooth and Clear Aftershave 

Need more datenight inspo? Keep up with us on social and check out our stories for dating advice and tips!

We are 3 weeks into Women’s History Month, and I hope you’re inspired by ALL of the Phenomenal Women-Owned brands we’ve spotlighted lately! 

I can’t stress this enough —Support FEMALE Businesses, daily! Why? Because the system won’t support us. Did you know that 80 percent of women-owned brands fail within the first 18 months of business due to lack of resources? 

So we all have to do our part by continuing to share more stories about women who decided to dream big and leap into entrepreneurship even though the odds are stacked high against them.

We couldn’t celebrate Women’s History without shining a spotlight on our girl, Jesseca “Judy'' Dupart. Sis is the epitome of, “Don’t Believe Me, Just Watch!”

Jesseca Dupart has been doing hair for as long as she can remember. After obtaining her license Jesseca’s hustle went into overdrive. She did hair out of her home and had a constant stream of clients knocking on her door at all hours of the day and night looking for Jesseca’s creative touch. She was the queen of the big, tall, spritz molded styles that were hot back then. Jesseca was in her element and she loved creating new and unique styles and exploring color. So in 2013 she started her own salon called Kaleidoscope Hair Studio. Within six months business was booming. Not only did she learn how to leverage social media and marketing to increase visibility for her business, but she launched her own line: Kaleidoscope Hair Products. Jesseca’s first viral campaign was called Edge police and was a remake of cops. Her and her friends ran around the city slicking down edges in party city cop uniforms recorded from a cell phone. This campaign eventually lead to millions of dollars.

When Jesseca’s products were grossing six figures a month she continued doing hair. She remained behind the chair until March of 2017 well after she saw her first million dollars.

Today Kaleidoscope has retail distribution in Target, Walmart and Sally Beauty. As Jesseca’s vision continues to grow so does Kaleidoscope. Her goal with Kaleidoscope is to continue to grow and expand the brand and the ways in which she uses God’s gifts to help others on their health growth journey and in life period.

Recently, Kaleidoscope launched Da Brat Collection, which is inspired by the amazing protective stylings worn by Da Brat throughout the year thats promotes healthy and happy hair for an afforable price! You can keep your hair slayed and protected, who does not want that?! 

Even this woman with all the businesses, creativity and loyal supporters comes from beginnings so humble that her message to you today and everyday is “if I can do it, you can do it.”

Did this inspire you? Trust us, we are inspired too! So inspired that we got our girl Judy to offer up a discount! Use code YELLE20 for a special discount. 

Stay tuned because we have a lot more in store. We will close out Women’s Month with a banger! Let’s YELLE together. 

It’s happening, folks –the hormones are raging and as a parent, you’re also about to lose your mind! Let’s all calm down for a sec and remember puberty is an uncomfortable and challenging part of life for adolescents. As a parent, you want to make sure you have all of the necessary tools to ease this transition for your kids.

Did you know that in the early 1900s, puberty was around 15 and 16, today it sets in between 11 and 12. To best support your children through puberty, you must ensure they are eating a nutritious diet, getting plenty of exercise and outdoor time, avoiding toxins when possible, and learning to manage stress.

Let’s talk about how to effectively support your child through puberty. 

OFFER WHOLE FOODS AND ENOUGH DIETARY FATS

From the moment children are born, offering whole and minimally processed foods sets the stage for healthy hormone levels and lifelong balanced eating habits. Even babies are given processed foods that come in plastic packaging, and this pattern often continues as kids get older.

TEACH AGE-APPROPRIATE STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

Learning age-appropriate stress management techniques can make a major difference in a smooth transition through puberty.

Adrenal hormones have a powerful effect on all other hormones, and high levels of ongoing stress in kids and adults predispose them to hormonal imbalance. High stress can cause hormonal issues and increase discomforts of pre-existing hormonal problems. Stress management is essential for downstream hormones like thyroid and sex hormone production, transport, and processing.

Today, children are much more tethered to screens and are less physically active than previous generations. Paired with increased school, family, and societal pressure, these lifestyle shifts can impact adolescents’ transition into adulthood. Helping your children manage stress is vital to preventing an uncomfortable puberty experience.

ADDRESS NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES 

Adjust your child’s diet to address any nutrient deficiencies, and speak with your child’s integrative doctor about supplementation if needed. Common deficiencies that can exacerbate puberty discomforts include omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA), vitamin D, dietary cholesterol, and B vitamins. All these nutrients, except vitamin D, are naturally occurring in wild fatty fish, dark leafy green vegetables, and eggs.

SUPPORT ADEQUATE SLEEP

Adolescents need more sleep during this developmental stage, and it’s important for parents to allow this. Inadequate sleep can lead to hormonal imbalances, trouble managing weight, an unhealthy circadian rhythm, and poor insulin and blood sugar control. According to John Hopkins, teens experience a natural shift in their circadian rhythm during puberty, making them more likely to stay up at night and sleep late into the morning. Most teens require at least nine hours of sleep per night.

STAY HYDRATED

Plenty of water is essential for detoxification and hormonal balance, and adolescents tend to prefer high-sugar beverages to water. As a parent, encouraging water consumption and incorporating fruits and vegetables into each meal helps build this healthy habit from a young age.

Remember, kids are entering puberty earlier, and their physical, emotional, and mental well-being could suffer the consequences. As a parent, understanding how to best support your children is key for helping make this transition as smooth as possible. Another big part of this lies in physical support. With all of these changes, your child is likely to experience changes in their skin. Building out a healthy skincare routine, or hygiene routine in general can support their skincare needs and create healthy habits that they maintain as young adults. The Fresh Start collection is perfect for teens entering puberty; it’s a preventative treatment skincare regimen created especially for youthful skin.  It includes: 

• Fresh Start Milk & Honey Cleanser 4oz.
• Fresh Start Daily Moisturizer 2oz.
• And One (1) Mask - Fresh Start Blemish Away Mask or Fresh Start Mattify Mask