What My Vision Board Knew That I Didn't
One big yes. A few nerves. And a lot of growth.
I glued words like grow, expand, and evolution onto my vision board back when 2024 turned into 2025. And ever since, I’ve tried really hard to walk that walk.
As soon as I went out on my own four months ago, I committed to experimenting with new ways I could help people feel a little better today than they did yesterday. (It’s why I launched Best Case Scenario.) This requires me to consistently push myself outside of my comfort zone. (Just for example: every time I press publish!)
So in that spirit, I’ve been saying YES to many new adventures, especially ones that scare me a little bit. Because I firmly believe that navigating unfamiliar territory is absolutely essential for growth.
Which leads me to the exuberant YES I gave when I was invited to help lead a wellness retreat at Big Cedar Lodge (BCL), a nature-centric resort nestled in the verdant hills of the Ozarks in southern Missouri.
The dreamy invitation was right up my alley and perfectly aligned with my mission to amplify the good stuff in the health and wellness space. I was eager to step into this new format of connecting with people who were curious and eager to make positive changes in their lives.
As the event approached and I worked with the retreat team to develop what programming I would contribute, the list got longer and longer. A talk about mornings? Yes, for sure. A presentation about reinvention? Obviously, it’s a topic deeply personal to me right now. How about tag-teaming with the BCL chef to talk about nutrition in cooking classes? Heck yes (because, protein!). Some Liz-led workout classes could be cool? Definitely. Some 5K rucks for beginners? LFG. These opportunities light me up.
Before I knew it, my hands—and heart—were all over the weekend.
In spite of my experience moderating, presenting, and even, once, leading three TODAY show anchors (plus, Al Roker, who chirped good-naturedly at me from a nearby stool) through four minutes of foam-rolling moves on live national TV, the butterflies were…flying.
My hard-won mantra, “Nerves are my body reminding me that I care and caring is good!” wobbled under the pressure that I know professional performers, elite athletes, and summit speakers everywhere feel before stepping into the spotlight. Would my messages land? Would I rise to the occasion in the way I hoped?
As it turned out, I had so much fun fine tuning my talks with each successive session I led, getting dirt under my nails on the trails, and smiling through my (omg, DJ’ed!) group fitness classes.
Metaphorically speaking, I feel as though I sprouted a few inches taller and wiser from all of the ways I pushed myself.
But with growth comes growing pains…which is kind of the point. I always mentally play back my performance in my head once the adrenaline wears off. I found myself mentally workshopping one particular session afterward—because it wasn’t an 11 on my made-up 1-to-10 scale. I fixated on how, next time, I could elevate the energy and make the #ApplyToLife golden nuggets shine a bit brighter. (My post-mortem “process” is either a superpower or it’s masochistic. Depends on the day.)
The Big Cedar wellness in nature retreat reinforced what I’ve always believed—that authenticity creates the most meaningful impact. It’s actually not about scoring an 11, it’s not even about me—it’s about the way we make other people feel. It’s about connecting, deeply and genuinely.
And if the women who attended realized how much of an influence they had on me, personally, in my post-legacy-media-journey? I know that they would high-five me back for all that was learned together.
Okay, dry your eyes (just me?! I’m a little raw/running on fumes today after an 8.5 hour flight delay and 3am arrival back in Brooklyn), because a lot of exciting things happened in the health space this week.
Across The Wellness World…
The Met Gala is tonight. (I’m ready to ooh and ahh over the outfits, just like Oscars night.) On the skincare front, Business of Beauty reports that facialists have flocked to NYC to set up treatment rooms for their celebrity clientele, and as a marketing play.
Rhone takes a page from Bandit’s playbook by outfitting unsponsored LPGA golfers, gratis.
My corner bodega in Brooklyn stocks many colorful cans of fizzy non-alcoholic, THC-infused beverages in the soda coolers these days, so I’m happy that The Wall Street Journal sipped on the (safety of the) trend.
Sweaty Betty wants you to “Wear The Damn Shorts.” The brand commissioned a survey, which revealed 67% of women say that their “body negatively impacts their self-esteem.” (Anecdotally, I see a lot of women of all ages and sizes wearing shorts at the gym.)
A new study confirms what Huberman et al have been saying for years: Post-workout cold plunges impair recovery. (The cooled body part got 70% less blood flow and 30% fewer amino acids from a refueling protein shake.)
Celebrity book clubs were cute, but now they’re lacing up for celebrity run clubs.
Remember Bandier? When it fizzled in 2023, it left a chic little hole in the boutique activewear world. Now SoulCycle is eyeing that gap—ramping up its in-studio apparel game, adding beauty products, and even floating the idea of retail-only stores.
Brick-and-mortar fitness is lit. Nike opens a new Strength Studio concept in Austin, and, soon, the Green Bay Packers will open a schmancy gym in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Athletech reports on gyms moving into abandoned malls.
Ozempic + weddings = dress fitting dramahhh. The New York Times is all over this new GLP-1 angle.
Rucking comes to Equinox. I love to see it!
America’s spending on GLP-1s skyrocketed from $14 billion to $72 billion in five years, per Athletech’s reporting.
In the car ride from BCL to the Springfield airport yesterday, my driver Liam and I geeked out about various wellness things, including hyperbaric chambers. Check out this NY Mag piece and prepare for your mind to be blown.
Ulta just hosted an experiential beauty event to connect brands with customers in Texas and it sounds very different from how Sephora approaches such things. Business of Fashion checked it out.
This piece by Running Sucks’s Raziq Rauf is the epitome of why I’m obsessed with Substack. He profiles Tracksmith founder Matt Taylor and it’s rad seeing an independent writer get this access.
Malia Obama (yep, Barack’s daughter) directed Nike’s new A’ja Wilson ad.
Cadence continues its marketing buzz by launching a NYC run club series with everyone’s fave $18 lunch spot, Sweetgreen.
Fitness chain F45—where a lot of my friends love to sweat—just partnered with Dietitian Live to provide members with leveled-up nutrition support.
Emma Specter reflects on “outlasting Weight Watchers” (the brand is purportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy) in Vogue.
You can now use your HSA/FSA funds to pay for a subscription to the Alo Moves fitness app.
Young people aren’t as happy as they used to be, according to a new landmark study in the journal Nature Mental Health that spans 22 countries and over 200,000 people. Interestingly, at least in the U.S., at about 50-years-old, we enter peak flourishing.
The Sweetgreen co-founder dishes on robo-salad chefs.
Want a little tug on your heart strings? Read this beautiful essay by PostScriptByLiv about how we never really know what anyone is going through. (TL;DR: Be kind.)
Longevity, but make it emo: How to be a Happy 85-Year-Old (Like Me) in the NYT gave me mercury-emoji eyes (this one: 🥹).
Another from the NYT, this “How to be happy” piece is quite sweet.
Psilocybin services are now being covered by insurance in Oregon (holy mushrooms, whaaa?).
Does lip gloss undermine how seriously people take you? The beauty staple becomes a metaphor for how women are perceived in Arabelle Sicardi’s latest piece and I’m into the deep dive.
Sir! Magazine debuted on May 1, proudly embracing non-toxic masculinity, per writer and director Nick Love. I hope this new print product thrives.
Now through May 20, New Balance pops up at the Nordstrom flagship in NYC. Expect boxing and yoga classes.
Girl power goes global. The International Olympic Committee shared that, for the first time in history, female athletes will be in the majority at the 2028 LA Olympics.
Cheaters never win—but they sure try. Brian Klaas digs into the wild psychology of recreational marathon frauds chasing unearned glory.
The Abercrombie & Fitch x Prince collab takes me back—to childhood tennis clinics, giant “P” shirts, and the golden age of neon Umbros.
Swing by and swing with me! I’ll be at my neighborhood Prospect Park YMCA tonight leading a donation-based kettlebell class for our fundraising Annual Campaign.
This Friday at 12:30pm EST, I’m leading an IG Live with elite climber and book author Jenn Drummond and GORUCK co-founder Emily McCarthy. Expect some badass mama energy.
Finally, a big thank you to Jenny of Biohacker Blondie for inviting me onto her podcast to talk aminos, creatine, strength training, and more. You can listen here.
If you get invited to do this again, please share! I’d love to visit!
thank you so much for including my piece in your lovely newsletter ☺️💕