Wellness has become an over-saturated topic online. With viral TikToks re-branding historic Ayurvedic practices into fads, to the rise and fall of both ‘hustle’ and ‘protect your peace’ culture, the global wellness industry is now valued at $6.3 trillion. 

It is forecasted to hit $9 trillion by 2028. 

Distilling the overwhelming amounts of information available down to tangible habits you can implement in your own life has become tough. And it is something that Lipi tackles in both her content and her presence.

If you haven’t seen Lipi Chokshi on TikTok, go check her out immediately. You will find enough positivity to fill both your cup and your best friend’s, and small wellness habits that are seamless to integrate into your life. 

For her first event, Rooted, health and wellness coach Lipi partnered with Ayanna, founder of The Apartment Cafe, to host a Sunday morning workshop. Hosted in a cozy, sunlit apartment that served as a refuge from the New York humidity, the environment somehow felt both lazy and productive. Every detail of the event was perfectly curated, from wellness shots to tarot cards, to sharing exercises. 

The event opened up with a thoughtful breathing exercise led by Lipi. With a calm voice, she guided us to set an intention and feel rooted in the space.

This was followed by a values worksheet, a visualization and manifestation exercise, and finally a guided journaling session with thoughtful prompts. Throughout the event, participants shared their epiphanies and insights. 

What I learned from Rooted

Here are three tangible tips, including one of Lipi’s special life hacks, I learned from Rooted that you can easily implement in your life:

1. Being rooted in your values will guide you towards your future self. Not to sound overly corporate, but think of this as a strategy for your life. What words describe your core being and values? Words that resonate with why you enjoy creating, or that resonate with why you don’t enjoy doing laundry? Keeping these words front of mind at all times, use them to guide your actions and decisions. This will help you to feel like your most authentic self. In fact, decisions might even become easier to make if you can follow your values as a roadmap. 

   
   

2. Journaling can be in bullet-point form. What a game changer. We often put so much pressure on ourselves to have the most perfect journal entry. Whether it is to document every aspect of our lives, or have the perfect handwriting, or write endless pages. As South Asians, we often put too much pressure on ourselves to reach perfection. This may come from pressures surrounding immigration and what our families gave up to put us in a position of privilege, or from the model minority stereotypes we encounter. But here’s the thing. Journaling in small doses… is still journaling. And doing that little step is more likely to feel pleasant, and more likely to encourage you to do it again the next day. This becomes more of a step in the right direction than a curated journaling process full of judgements. So stop chasing perfection in your journal, and do what feels comfortable for that moment. If that means jotting down some bullet points, that’s great. If it means writing for five minutes, great.

   
   

3. Glimmers will change your life. What is a ‘glimmer’, you ask? A little moment in life that brings you joy. Lipi’s personal favorite is the sound of her iced coffee being mixed with a straw. Mine is how the sunlight reflects off of the gold decor in my room. Noticing these little moments helps you to practice gratitude for all the little moments, of which there are many in a day despite anything else negative that may be going on. This can, in turn, rewire your brain, promoting positive changes in brain structure and function. 

The best bonus of the event was tasting Ayanna’s delicious homemade treats. From cheddar biscuits (my personal favorite), lavender lattes, and raspberry lemon muffins.

Lipi’s Journey with PCOS

As someone who had struggled with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, a hormonal disorder that almost 50% of South Asian women struggle with, Lipi had navigated controlling her symptoms before. 

“My advice to other South Asian women who struggle with PCOS is you can navigate it with education and awareness,” Lipi said. “Be curious about it and experiment with it, but don’t be harsh on yourself.” Lipi has found that using Allara Health, a virtual healthcare program specializing in women’s hormonal healthcare, and doing regular bloodwork to be helpful in her PCOS journey. 

Kick starting a wellness journey

On her inspiration for becoming a health and wellness coach, Lipi mentioned feeling stuck in her busy life in New York. In search of growth she stumbled across coaching certifications and something instantly clicked. 

“We have a hard time sitting with ourselves. We don’t give ourselves permission. I want to change that.” 

If you want to get started on your own wellness journey, I strongly recommend reaching out to Lipi, or joining her for her new ‘Manifest Mondays’ series in NYC!