We’ve reviewed dozens of the best organic, non-toxic, and eco-friendly mattresses that ship directly to your home—these are our top 10 selections.

We often think about organic ingredients when we grocery shop, pick a skincare brand, or choose baby clothes. But we spend nearly a third of our lives on our mattresses—and most mattresses are anything but organic. 

The average mattress contains a cocktail of toxic chemicals and flame retardants that harmfully impact the human endocrine, immune, reproductive, and nervous systems. The off-gassing can linger for months (I’ll never forget the potent smell in my first apartment, yikes!) and as a mattress’s protective outer layers wear over time, more toxic carcinogens are released.

In 2023, a new cohort of organic and eco-friendly mattress brands is disrupting this outdated industry and offering options that are better for our bodies and our families, and also the planet. 

So you want an organic mattress. How do you choose? 

There are now over 175 bed-in-a-box mattress brands to choose from 🤯. Our team has scoured the inventory, investigated the materials used, tested for comfort, and interviewed these companies to find the 10 best organic mattresses that are healthy, comfortable, reasonably priced, and good for the planet. (Many of these brands also make mattresses for kiddos, too, head here for our guide to organic crib and toddler mattresses.)

Our criteria:

• ORGANIC | Each of these brands uses non-toxic materials including certified organic cotton, organic wool, natural latex, and organic bamboo. None contain harsh flame retardants, and are free from toxic chemicals.
• COMFORT | Comfort is key—so we try the mattresses ourselves, spend hours reading online reviews across the internet, and, of course, we review all the comments and emails from our readers. The brands on this list are here because they are organic and because people love to sleep on them.
• AFFORDABLE | Every brand on this list sells directly to the consumer online and will ship the mattress to your home, removing retail sales commissions which will save you on the final cost.
• ECO-FRIENDLY & GIVE BACK | Each of these green mattress brands employ eco–friendly production practices. Many are made in the USA and give back to their communities by donating high-quality organic mattresses to families in need.

#1. Birch

Best For | Full body pressure relief
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | Organic cotton, natural wool fibers, natural latex
Mattress Type | GreenGuard Gold Certified & OEKO-TEX certified Talalay latex, GOTS Certified organic cotton, organic wool
Features | Made in the USA, 100-night trial, 0% financing options, 25-year warranty
Sizes Available | Kids Twin, Kids Full, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Firmness Options | Medium firm (6–7) and flippable firmness for kids mattresses
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1449
Discounts Available | Use code MEMORIALDAY25 for 25% off sitewide and receive two free eco rest pillows with a mattress purchase.

Birch’s natural and organic mattress may just be the coziest mattress in the world (Business Insider sure thinks so). The NYC-based brand boasts OEKO-TEX and Rainforest Alliance certifications and, for every mattress sold, Birch plants one tree through the National Forest Foundation. This green mattress is made with organic, natural, hypoallergenic, and anti-microbial materials, including a natural cotton cover, hygroscopic wool (from New Zealand), and sustainably-tapped latex to keep even the warmest sleeper cool. For support, the individually wrapped steel coils (steel made in the USA) offer extra comfort and optimized pressure relief. With all its awards and natural mattress components, Birch makes it easy to sleep soundly and safely.

Birch Mattress Review | “We are really impressed with this mattress; it has been some of the most comfortable sleep, and everything about the ordering, delivery, set-up was so easy and efficient. Great mattress, super satisfied.” – Michael D. (Read all reviews)

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#2. Awara

Best For | Medium firmness, hot sleepers, quick shipping/fulfillment
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | FSC certified organic latex, 100% certified organic cotton, 100% organic New Zealand wool, OEKO-TEX and GreenGuard Gold certified materials
Mattress Type | Organic latex hybrid
Features | 365-night trial, lifetime warranty, free shipping
Sizes Available | Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Firmness Options | Medium firm (6.5–7)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1099
Discounts Available | Save $799 on your purchase—$300 off hybrid mattresses with $499 worth of sleep accessories with purchase

Purchasing a quality mattress is an investment, and it can feel like a daunting decision. But Awara made it easy to take the leap. With a 365-night trial, premium customer service, and a forever warranty, we knew we had to go for an Awara (and in our dream size too, the Cal King!), we’ve slept like babies and never looked back.

We love Awara’s latex hybrid mattress for its breathability and organic components, as well as the nine-inch contouring support core for pressure relief. It’s firm yet plush, and we feel confident the mattress is supporting our bodies and aiding in a healthy night’s sleep. Its ability to keep hot sleepers cool at night is outstanding (hello, fellow sweaty-sleepers! 👋), the latex is breathable and the coils boost airflow.

The mattress came straight to our door in a cardboard box, and it was as easy as rolling it out and using the fabric handles to place it on the bed frame. Best yet, we feel confident knowing Awara’s natural and non-toxic mattress is good for our health and for the planet. 

Awara Mattress Review | “It’s been three weeks since I got my Awara mattress and I feel like my bedroom has been transformed into a spa. Honestly, it’s just that comfortable.” – Sarah M. (Read all reviews)

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#3. Avocado Green Mattress

Best For | Best organic mattress for comfort
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | 100% GOTS organic certified cotton & wool, 100% natural latex
Mattress Types | Organic certified hybrid mattress, pillowtop plush mattress
Features | Awarded #1 Consumer Reports ratings, handmade in the USA, 100-night trial, 25-year warranty, Vegan Certified mattresses available, MADE SAFE Certified, Climate Neutral Certified
Sizes Available | Crib, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Firmness Options | Avocado Green is gentle firm to medium firm (6–7), Eco Organic is medium firm (5), Luxury is soft to medium firm (3–5)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1199
Discounts Available | Use code HONOR to save 10% on all mattresses, toppers, and pillows. First time customers use code GOODTRADE to save 10% sitewide

Avocado Green Mattress is high on our list for their organic ingredients, range of products, and comfort. (I’ve literally napped on my daughter’s crib mattress because you guessed it, it’s an Avocado and it’s that dreamy). Consumer Reports polled its users on over 100 mattress brands and ranked Avocado #1 by a wide margin. 

Co­-founders Alex and Jeff D’Andrea couldn’t find an affordable, safe, and non-­toxic mattress for their family (specifically one without petroleum-based polyurethane foam, toxic fire retardants, chemical adhesives, dangerous pesticides, or other off­gassing chemicals). Even in a crowded marketplace, a truly green mattress at an affordable price point didn’t exist, so they set out to make one.

While many bed-in-a-box companies white-label products from the same factories and greenwash their eco-claims, Avocado owns their entire supply chain and meets the most stringent standards for ecology and social responsibility. Every mattress is handmade in California with 100 percent GOTS organic certified cotton, wool, and GOLS certified latex. All of Avocado’s mattresses are GREENGUARD Gold certified for low emissions, and extremely comfortable for a wide range of sleepers.

The brand also offers a vegan-certified mattress, organic cotton mattress pad protectors, and bedroom furniture, handmade from reclaimed wood. As members of 1% for the Planet, Avocado gives back to environmental and social nonprofits and offsets 100 percent of its carbon emissions via CarbonFund. If you’re still not convinced, read our editor’s firsthand Avocado king mattress review!

Avocado Mattress Review | “I was reticent to buy sight unseen. I spent hundreds of hours researching beds and going to mattress companies locally to test out beds. My gut instinct kept me going back to Avocado. We are so happy we made this decision. If you are thinking about a new mattress, do not hesitate to put Avocado Green Mattress to the top of your list.” ­- Sharon G (Read all reviews)

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#4. Bear

Best For | Athletes, muscle recovery
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | GreenGuard Gold and CertiPur Certified foam
Mattress Type | Memory foam and gel memory foam
Features | Made in the USA, 100-night trial
Sizes Available | Kids Twin, Kids Full, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Firmness Options | Original, Pro Hybrid, and Star Hybrid are medium firm (6.8–7.1), Elite Hybrid has options for soft, medium, and firm (5, 6, and 7)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $649
Discounts Available | Use code MEMDAY to save 35% sitewide and get $400 worth of sleep accessories with any mattress purchase

The Bear Hybrid is a GreenGuard Gold certified mattress designed for athletes and the most active people. A luxury mattress with coils and cooling foams, it boasts a Celliant Sleep Technology to promote better sleep and faster muscle recovery. Bear’s mattresses are GreenGuard Gold and CertiPUR-US certified, ensuring low VOCs and beds that are free from toxic chemicals and harsh flame retardants.

Bear Mattress Review | “Since I’ve been having lower back problems for the past few years, I decided it was time to invest in a mattress that supported not only my sleep, but also my health. And I’ve not been disappointed. I’ve slept comfortably and soundly since my mattress arrived.” – Morgan R. (Read all reviews)

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#5. Brentwood Home

Best For | Value and affordability, social mission
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | 100% GOLS certified organic latex, 100% GOTS certified organic cotton, 100% GOTS certified organic wool from New Zealand, Fair Trade Certifications, Carbon Negative, OEKO-TEX Certified materials
Mattress Type | Organic hybrid
Features | Responsibly made in USA, 1-year sleep trial, 25-year warranty, in-home delivery, free shipping
Sizes Available | Crib, Kids Twin, Kids Twin XL, Kids Full, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King, 11″ and 13″ options available on select mattresses
Firmness Options | Oceano is medium soft (4.5), Hybrid is medium (5), Cypress ranges from medium firm (4.5) to medium firm (6), and Crystal Cove is flippable between medium soft (4.5) and medium firm (6.5)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $679
Discounts Available | First time customers use code GOODTRADE to save 10% sitewide, view more promo codes here. For returning customers, use code HONOR to save 10% sitewide

A California brand through and through, Brentwood Home has been handcrafting natural luxury mattresses here in Los Angeles since 1987. The company sources its natural, organic, and nontoxic materials directly—following rigorous standards for environmental responsibility and the health of the consumer. You’ll get your dreamiest (and greenest) sleep on Brentwood’s Hybrid Latex Mattress, representing the pinnacle of eco-conscious mattress design and is GREENGUARD Gold Certified. Brentwood Home also gives back to several social and environmental initiatives and partners with Carbonfund to offset its carbon footprint. They are your best if you’re looking for an affordable option that doesn’t compromise on the organic certifications, their twin mattress is the most affordable on our list and makes going organic more reasonable for the whole family.

Brentwood Home Review | “Very relaxing, the latex feels exquisite and provides an almost floating feel when in bed, once you have been sleeping on it for a few weeks. I have experienced a cool sleep with the latex and cannot imagine sleeping on anything else again […] I researched latex mattresses for about a month before deciding on this one. Everything about it from the coils, 4 inches of latex, extra handles, covering material and price point make it the very best latex hybrid mattress anyone can buy.” – Sarah S. (Read all reviews)

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#6. DreamCloud

Best For | Hybrid mattresses
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | CertiPur Certified materials
Mattress Type | Luxury hybrid
Features | 365-night sleep trial, Everlong Warranty, free shipping, financing available
Sizes Available | Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Firmness Options | Medium firm (6.5)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $803
Discounts Available | Save 40% on all mattresses through June 5th, discount auto applied at checkout

A brand with one of the deepest options on this list (with a thickness of 14″), DreamCloud offers two luxury hybrid mattresses, both with latex, memory foam, handcrafted cashmere, tufting, and coil technology. This brand seems to suit every type of sleeper (scour the reviews, and you’ll see). DreamCloud’s mattresses are CertiPur Certified and backed by an Everlong Warranty, plus a year-long sleep trial. DreamCloud is committed to ensuring your mattress is right for you. The fine-tuned firmness of this mattress is great for folks who often wake up stiff or uncomfortable, as studies show that medium firm mattresses offer the best relief for back pain.

DreamCloud Mattress Review | “I got the DreamCloud because I was waking up so tired in the morning and I wanted to change that. DreamCloud did exactly that, restoring my faith in mattresses…The base is strong and supportive, and the cover on top felt soft and snug. If you’re looking for a restorative mattress experience that will leave you sighing in relief, this is the one for you. It definitely was the one for me.” – Kimmie N (Read all reviews)

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#7. Plank

Best For | Firm organic mattresses
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | GOTS certified organic cotton, FSC certified natural Talalay latex, organic wool, certified organic cotton & natural wool
Mattress Type | Natural latex hybrid mattress
Features | Made in USA, flippable for varied firmness, free shipping to the 48 US contiguous states, 10-year warranty, 120-night comfort trial
Sizes Available | Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Firmness Options | Flippable between medium firm (7) and firm (9.5)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1599
Discounts Available | Use code MEMORIAL25 to save 25% off in-store and sitewide through May 25th

In the world of organic bedding and green mattresses, it can be difficult to find a firm mattress option—that’s where Plank comes in. Plank’s firm natural bed is made using all the nontoxic materials we love most, and mattress is also flippable so you can choose between firmer and firmest (no more sinking into an overly plush bed!) Designed to keep your spine in line, this latex hybrid mattress also relies on the brand’s TitanCaliber™ coils for superior support and motion isolation. 

And when it comes to better sleep, you know they’re the experts: Plank is owned and operated by Brooklyn Bedding, which has been making quality mattresses in the USA since 2008 (and is one of the first brands to offer easy-to-ship boxed mattresses!)

Plank Mattress Review | “I did a lot of research before buying this mattress. I wanted an eco-friendly mattress that had all the natural upgrades: wool, organic cotton, and steel innersprings. This checked all the boxes. It’s the perfect supportive firmness—and I finally sleep through the night! Thank you, PLANK!!!” – Rebecca M. (Read more reviews)

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#8. PlushBeds

Best For | Memory foam options and back support
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | 100% GOTS organic certified cotton & wool, 100% GOLS certified organic latex, USDA Certified Organic, Eco Institute Certification
Mattress Type | Organic latex & memory foam options
Features | Made in the USA, 100-night trial, 25-year warranty, Vegan Certified mattresses available
Sizes Available | Kids Twin, Kids Twin XL, Kids Full, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King, Split California King
Firmness Options | Medium (5), medium-firm (6.5), and firm (9) options on most models
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1199
Discounts Available | Save $1,250 on any bedroom mattress and get $599 worth of sleep accessories with bedroom mattress purchase. Stack this deal with code GOODTRADE100 for an additional $100 off your purchase

PlushBeds is a leading online luxury mattress manufacturer and retailer, specializing in organic mattresses and bedding. All products are handcrafted in their GOLS and GOTS certified organic production facility in California, with free shipping within the contiguous USA. The company offers a thorough selection of certified organic and eco-friendly mattresses at accessible prices, especially through key holidays, so keep an eye out for their promotions. Each of the brand’s mattresses is GREENGUARD Gold Certified, ensuring your bed has met some of the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low chemical emissions. The company also provides environmental scholarships for college students, gives back to environmental and social nonprofits, and offsets 100% of its carbon emissions via TerraPass. For us side sleepers, we especially love PlushBeds memory foam options, which is one of the best types of mattresses for side sleepers. It doesn’t give us too much—or too little—firmness. Medium is just right!

PlushBeds Mattress Review | “This bed is by far one of the best investments I’ve ever made! I’ve struggled with neck and back pain most of my life and never thought I would find relief in a bed, but that’s exactly what happened. My husband and I couldn’t be happier with our purchase from Plushbeds and would definitely recommend this product to anyone!” – Brandi Perry (Read all reviews)

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#9. Saatva

Best For | Tempur-Pedic and iComfort lovers who want to pay a fraction of the cost
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | Certified organic cotton, plant-based materials, GOLS certified organic latex, 100% organic New Zealand wool, GreenGuard Gold Certified, recycled steel coils, Guardin botanical antimicrobial treatment
Mattress Type | Luxury innerspring mattress, Talalay latex, CertiPur Certified memory foam
Features | Made in the USA, 180-day trial, eco-friendly production, gives back to charity
Sizes Available | Crib, Kids Twin, Kids Twin XL, Kids Full, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Firmness Options | Options available on most mattresses from soft plush (3) to firm (8-9), hybrid options come with zoned firmness, Solaire has 50 precise adjustable firmness options
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1526
Discounts Available | Save $350 on purchases of $1000 or more using this link

Saatva is a leading disruptor in the mattress industry. From latex to memory foam, the company has an impressive collection to fit every person’s sleep needs and, by cutting out retail commissions, the company can sell to consumers at a fraction of the cost. Saatva’s disruptive model goes even further than distribution as the mattresses are made with plant-based, eco-friendly materials and crafted in the USA. The company also gives back, donating hundreds of natural mattresses to high-need organizations around the country.

Several of our editors rave about the luxury innerspring mattress—it’s their forever pick. For a memory foam mattress comparable to iComfort and Tempur-Pedic (but at a fraction of the cost), we love Loom & Leaf, Saatva’s memory foam line. While memory foam is not an all-natural material, these mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified, meaning the foam is low in VOCs. For a latex option, Saatva’s Zenhaven Mattress is 100 percent all-natural Talalay latex, which is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to mold, microbes, and dust mites. The Talalay manufacturing process is entirely water-based, minimizing the amount of environmentally harmful byproducts. 

Saatva Mattress Review | “I am a budget shopper, but after countless beds on sale and nights with less than stellar sleep, I caved. I called Saatva with twenty questions before I pulled the credit card lever… The bed came and it has been the best sleep my husband I have ever gotten and it has been that way for TWO years now.” – Dutch (Read all reviews)

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#10. Spindle

Best For | Customizable firmness
Organic & Eco-Friendly Materials | GOLS certified organic Dunlop latex, GOTS certified organic cotton & wool, OEKO-TEX Certified wool & latex
Mattress Type | Organic latex
Features | Adjustable firmness, 365-night trial, free shipping, 10 and 25 year warranty programs, made in USA, gives back
Sizes Available | Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King
Firmness Options | Medium to firm customizable options (5 to 7.5 based on preference)
Price | Queen mattresses starting at $1599
Discounts Available | Save up to $700 on select mattresses through May 23rd, auto applied at checkout. Plus, use code TGT100 for an additional $100 off the flagship 10″ Spindle mattress

Looking for something that falls between extra soft and extra firm, but not sure exactly where to land? Spindle’s customizable organic latex lets you adjust the layers of foam for your perfect firmness. The mattresses are made from three layers of organic Dunlop latex, surrounded by a quilted cover made from organic wool and organic cotton. That’s it—the brand keeps it simple with high-quality materials, free from chemical flame retardants, synthetic rubber, or harmful VOCs.

Spindle mattresses ship with one layer of firm latex and two layers of medium (3 inches each) and a 1-inch organic cover. This means you can re-position the layers based on your personal firmness preferences. With a 365-night trial, you’ll find the most luxurious latex layering configuration for you—or you’ll get your money back.

Spindle Mattress Review | “We knew we wanted latex, but weren’t sure about exactly what. […] A reconfigurable mattress with multiple firmness options, all latex, and a good guarantee was exactly what I needed to try buying online. I’m so glad I did. I tend to like firmer beds so I used the medium-firm layering first. It was a bit too hard for my partner and I so we just rearranged the layers to the medium ordering. It sleeps perfect! I really can’t recommend this mattress enough. They also sell additional layers, so if you need softer or firmer than the standard layers allow, you’re covered” – Ian B. (Read all reviews)

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Header image from Amber Interior Design

The post 10 Best Organic Mattresses For Non-Toxic Sleep In 2023 appeared first on The Good Trade.

I wasn’t allowed to have friends over when I was a child. My mother might have allowed it if I’d asked. My father probably would have, not aware of how the way we lived was seen by the outside world. But I didn’t allow it. 

I don’t remember exactly what age I was when I realized our house didn’t look like other people’s.

I don’t remember exactly what age I was when I realized our house didn’t look like other people’s. When we visited our maternal grandparents, everything was clean and tidy; everything had a place. It was calming to be there, no paths between the furniture with stuff piled up several feet high. When we ate, the table was easily set; you didn’t have to spend an hour moving things onto other piles before you could put down a plate. 

My father’s hoarding, I now understand, came from anxiety. He was a quiet man who used acts of service and gifts to show his love, not one for affection or giving attention. If he was able to give someone something they needed from his stash of assorted household appliances, car parts, or Goodwill treasures, it made his day. That was the fear, the fear that all hoarders have, that he would need something and not have it, or someone else would need something and he wouldn’t be able to help. He lived by the “just in case” philosophy, combing through thrift stores on an almost daily basis looking for stuff someone he knew might someday need. 

That was the fear, the fear that all hoarders have, that he would need something and not have it.

My mother’s hoarding came from a desire to feel happiness. As children, we didn’t understand why shopping trips with her took all day, leaving in the morning and not getting home until well past dark. There was always something she had to find, trying to feel some moment of bliss, only to toss the shopping bags into a room, forgotten and abandoned. Then she would move on to finding the next thing. She asked my husband once if he thought his own mother was happy. He told her he knew his mom was content. My mother was baffled by that answer. She couldn’t understand how a woman with so little could not want more.

As I was tapering off a medication that caused emotional blunting, I realized I’d been doing the same things as my parents, buying objects trying to feel happy and keeping things, hoping I’d get a huge grateful response when I gifted them to someone. I opened the hall linen closet and saw the evidence. The entire 60 square feet of storage was full: dozens of bottles of shampoos, conditioners, and body washes crammed in with scented candles, room sprays, and bath salts. My closet was the same; clothes with tags still on them and boxes full of shoes I’d never worn. An entire drawer of my dresser was full of costume jewelry, all untouched in their boxes. 

That moment shocked me. This wasn’t how I wanted to live or how I wanted to feel in my home. I started taking an inventory of sorts and teaching myself how to slowly declutter. The physical work caused mental evaluations of my reasons for having all of this stuff which led to more physical work of sorting and removing. The mental work was more difficult.

If you don’t deal with the mental reasons behind the hoarding then the clutter will find its way back. 

I’ve seen episodes of the hoarding shows where they pull dumpsters up to the door, don gas masks, gloves, and hazmat-type suits, then start pitching stuff out by the armload as the devastated person they’re “helping” stands in shock or sobs uncontrollably. To a hoarder, those things aren’t garbage. Those things mean something to them, just like our things mean something to us. That’s why the massive clean-outs don’t work in the long term. If you don’t deal with the mental reasons behind the hoarding then the clutter will find its way back. 

I wanted my decluttering to last, so I started small.

I wanted my decluttering to last, so I started small. The idea of a whole house clean-out was overwhelming. Some weeks I only worked on one drawer, others a closet or two. I asked myself if every item was something I wanted, needed, or even liked. I started keeping a box in the bottom of a closet. I still do this. Whenever I walk through my house and see something I no longer need or like (books, clothes, kitchen appliances, home décor, etc.), I put it in the box. When the box gets full, it gets donated—the whole thing. 

I live in a two-story house and this idea came to me one day as I was going downstairs to get something and was running bath water in the tub upstairs. If the tub flooded and water started dripping on me downstairs in the kitchen, what would I do first? Would I grab towels and try to sop up the water? Would I get buckets to catch the drips downstairs? Of course not. The FIRST thing I would do would run back upstairs and turn off the faucet. What good would it do me to try cleaning up if the water was still running?

I switched from a want mentality to a need mentality.

I took that approach with the clutter. I had to turn off the faucet of stuff coming into my house and keep it turned off until I felt content in my home again. I switched from a want mentality to a need mentality, teaching myself that feeling uncomfortable in the moment when I wanted to buy something was minor in comparison to how uncomfortable my cluttered home was making me.

I remembered my mother buying food, clothes, and craft projects even though we had plenty at home. She thought something on sale was a bargain, even if it spoiled in the pantry before we had time to use it. I looked around my home and promised myself I wouldn’t buy anything until I shopped my stockpile first, to use what I already had. It took years to finally use all the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in that cabinet. I also had over a hundred bottles of nail polish I slowly used up, feeling so proud of myself when I could finally throw away an empty bottle. 

Meals became based on what we already had in the cabinet, allowing myself to buy a few items to connect the other things into a meal. Cleaning supplies were all pulled out of the cabinets so I could see what I had, and nothing new was bought until the bottles were almost empty. I also stopped buying new clothes, combining pieces in new ways to create new outfits and donating things that didn’t fit or I knew I would never wear again. 

I studied the sentimental things I was keeping and realized I wasn’t honoring the memory of my relatives by shoving things in drawers.

I studied the sentimental things I was keeping and realized I wasn’t honoring the memory of my relatives by shoving things in drawers. If it was important enough to keep, it was important enough to be displayed. I gave most of my great-grandmother’s hats away to other family members and found a place to display the ones I kept. 

 I started looking at the true price of buying cheap things compared to making investments in things that will last longer. It taught me to take better care of my stuff and that having more wasn’t better. Having something that lasted was an investment. I slowly changed my clutter habits; not buying just to buy, not keeping things just because they were a gift, valuing experiences over stuff, and switching to buying quality over disposable. 

I want my home to be my sanctuary, a place to rest and recover from the day and recharge for the next one. Slowly decluttering my spaces, removing the things that no longer served me, revealed a calm in me, both physically and mentally. 

Now I honor my parents with the kind of home they wanted, one with room to breathe and to appreciate what really matters.

Regina McKay is the wife of a firefighter, mother of five adult children, and passionate advocate of all things vintage, especially her pink bathtub. She works as an accountant but plans on using her experiences with mental health treatment to transition into a career in Criminal Justice/Mental Health reform. After hitting her rock bottom, she learned for her happiness didn’t come in a pill bottle. She now strives for contentment and appreciates moments of joy when they come.

The post How I’ve Learned To Deal With Clutter, From A Hoarder’s Daughter appeared first on The Good Trade.

When I logged into my first online therapy session, I only had the intention of “feeling better.” I didn’t have the vocabulary for what I was experiencing—all I knew was that I was crying in my bathroom after a long weekend for no clear reason. I knew I needed a change.

When my therapist sent along a goals worksheet before our first therapy session, I was surprised. I had always imagined therapy to be a “show up, cry to a professional, become happy” kind of deal. Instead, I was getting homework. Wasn’t I paying someone else to do that for me? I didn’t understand what therapy goals were, or how important they’d become to me.

What are therapy goals?

News flash: Your therapist can’t do the work for you, they can only support you along the way. Therapy goals are the intentions we share with our therapist, who helps us create frameworks for measuring our progress and achieving them. (Plus, hello, accountability!)

Some types of goals for therapy might include: 

• Developing coping skills for anxiety or overwhelming emotions
• Reducing the intensity of symptoms related to anxiety and depression
• Increasing self-esteem and reducing negative self-talk
• Improving sleep quality and prioritizing restfulness
• Learning new communication strategies for complex friendships, romantic relationships, or family dynamics
• Processing thoughts and feelings about past trauma
• Exploring parenting questions and challenges
• Navigating a new or existing disability
• Inviting more mindfulness and presence into everyday life
• Changing harmful or unhelpful behaviors
• Sharpening your decision-making and boundary-setting skills
• Discovering more about who you are, what you want, and where your values lie

Embracing therapy as a safe place is precisely why goals, or intentions, are so important. This is your space, it’s your investment—it’s not a time to meet anyone else’s expectations but your own. I like to think of it this way: Our therapists are the personal trainers who offer meaningful feedback and support while we exercise our goal-setting muscles. If we can practice our goal setting in therapy, we may even be better equipped to set goals outside of it, too.

How do you set goals in therapy?

So say you’ve got a few ideas from the list above, or have some ideas of your own on what you want to focus on in therapy. How do you actually set them?

Not every therapist will use the word “goals,” but it’s common in your first session to let the therapist know what brings you to therapy and which outcomes are important to you. Erin Miller, a psychotherapist, asks first time clients: “If therapy ‘worked’ for you, what would that look like?” This helps focus on the optimal outcome of therapy—which is to journey a little closer to our best selves. 

If you don’t feel like you are setting goals, intentions, or feel like your outcomes are mutually understood, it’s worth exploring how to change the therapist you’re working with. (I’ve found it’s way easier to change therapists online than in person, which is a balm to my anxious mind).

The second, and equally important, half to goal setting is knowing how to measure them as you progress. “When I work with clients, I like to have them articulate their goals, and we put them in writing together,” says  Dr. Ruth L. Varkovitzky, a board-certified clinical psychologist. “We also try to identify how we would know if things were getting better, and how we want to measure progress.” That means you’re not just in charge of setting the goals but also having conversations about what progress and “success” looks like for you. 

This progress can be as straightforward as symptom improvement (which can be easier to measure in physical scenarios like fatigue, panic attacks, or sleep patterns). But not all emotional and mental progress is easy to measure, which is why you should create a framework together with your provider. Daino and the professionals at Talkspace encourage us to discuss with our therapists what it means for us to feel more fulfilled, cope with stress effectively, or find a better balance at work or with our partners.

For me, it’s usually—am I showering, eating, and staying hydrated? Am I proactively calling friends and family, and am I easefully doing the things I love to do? I can also always tell I’m on the mend from a difficult time by the state of my apartment; the cleaner it is, the clearer my mind and vice versa.

“Not all emotional and mental progress is easy to measure, which is why you should create a framework together with your provider.”

Can your therapy goals change?

I’m several years into therapy, and I speak from experience: let your goals change when they need to. Clients will frequently come in with one area of focus in mind, says Miller, and “through their work, they understand new goals and challenges that would be meaningful to conquer in therapy. Therapy is a journey, and throughout your work, your goals should be ever-evolving as you grow.”

This can be the same for your approach, too—maybe you thought you needed help solving an immediate problem but instead discover that it’s more worthwhile to explore the roots of why you’re experiencing it in the first place. Varkovitzky puts it succinctly and without a twinge of judgment: “Sometimes life presents us with situations that change our priorities.”

I’ve learned that mental well-being is a process, not a product, but the effort and investment is worth it. I admit, being honest and sharing your goals with someone else feels vulnerable. But the real vulnerability, the real work I think, lies in acknowledging our own need for healing. We deserve to feel fulfilled, and to have a network of friends, families, and professionals, who will uplift us and hold us accountable.

Because sometimes we just need a little help reaching our goals.

Looking to start therapy? Here are a few tips for finding a therapist and our favorite online therapy options. Additionally, here are our favorite online couples therapy options.

This post is in partnership with our friends at Talkspace. Use code GOODTRADE at checkout for $100 off your first month of therapy.

Emily Torres is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. Born and raised in Indiana, she studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, caring for her rabbits and cat, or gaming.

The post How To Set (Actually Helpful) Goals For Therapy appeared first on The Good Trade.

Consistent alcohol consumption in large quantities can adversely affect physical and mental health, especially for those with addiction or heavy drinking tendencies. But for much of the population, enjoying the occasional cocktail, beer, or glass of wine with friends is a common and harmless socialization practice.

As a freshly minted legal drinker during college, I admit to having my fair share of such hangovers. Attending the number one party school in the nation meant I while excelled in my classes by day, I also learned to excel in beer pong by night, followed by football game tailgating by the weekend. Hangovers in those college days seemed easily managed with a nap, a sports drink, and a large meal.

The effects of happy hour and book club came with a more significant and longer physical recovery to the extent that I wondered if I’d developed an allergy to alcohol.

As I matured into adulthood, my beverage intake lessened, and my preferences became more refined. I could consume skinny margaritas or red wine in moderation and seldom feel yucky the next day.

Now in my early 40s, that has changed. More regularly, even just one glass of wine or one cocktail can leave me with next-day regrets, including anxiety, migraines, and digestive upset, and taking up to two days to recover. The effects of happy hour and book club came with a more significant and longer physical recovery to the extent that I wondered if I’d developed an allergy to alcohol.

But as I started to research, I found that a true allergy to alcohol is uncommon. I also learned that people with non-life-threatening allergy-like symptoms—e.g., sneezing, congestion, headaches, nausea, flushing—during or after drinking are more than likely experiencing intolerance to substances within the alcohol, often added in the process of making it. These include sulfites, eggs, grapes, yeast, hops, barley, and wheat. 

Pertaining to my particular situation though, I discovered it just might be simply getting older that’s the root cause of my reaction to alcohol. Here’s why:

Dehydration

Dehydration causes a problem no matter what age we are while drinking. But as we get older, our bodies naturally hold less water. Since alcohol is a diuretic, consumption leads to quicker and easier dehydration—one of the primary sources of classic hangover symptoms.

To combat this, we need to hydrate more than usual the day we drink (I like Ten Water), then replenish lost nutrients such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium the day after by sipping low-sugar electrolyte drinks and lemon or coconut water.

Poor Sleep

Alcohol can affect sleep in several ways. But as we get older, how much we sleep and the quality of our sleep declines. Per a study published by the National Library of Medicine: “While alcohol is initially sedating, this effect disappears after a few hours, resulting in a fragmented and disturbed sleep in the second half of the night.”

That means drinking before bed hits you with a double doozy in the lack of restorative sleep. To ensure you get your zzzs, avoid alcohol for at least two (ideally four) hours before turning in.

Body composition

Somewhere north of 40, we lose muscle mass and gain fat. A person’s body fat percentage contributes to the amount of alcohol that enters the bloodstream and the time it stays. According to an article by the University of Texas, “Alcohol diffuses more into muscle than fat because muscle tissue has a large amount of blood that flows through it. An individual’s muscle-to-body fat ratio will impact their BAC, as it correlates to the amount of blood available for alcohol to enter.”

Although age and body composition matter, so does weight and sex. Women tend to naturally have more body fat and so feel the effects of alcohol quicker and longer than men. 

Liver function

Liver function declines as we age, making the processing of alcohol slower, and keeping it in our systems longer. Older adults also have less of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) used by liver cells to metabolize alcohol. 

Consider taking a quality milk thistle supplement to support liver function and detoxification. Milk thistle is said to support liver function and stimulate the immune system. Look for milk thistle that contains at least 80% silymarin to be effective. Milk thistle comes in capsule and tincture forms and is also effective as a tea. Some people experience minor digestive discomfort while taking it, so use caution and always consult your doctor.

Digestion

We absorb alcohol through the lining of the small intestine. Still, it can wreak havoc on multiple parts of your digestive system and gut health, causing bacteria imbalances, slowing the production of helpful mucus, causing acid reflux, and more. As we age, we are already fighting such imbalances and a natural slowing of gut motility. Drinking can compound these issues. 

To support your gut while having cocktails, avoid drinking on an empty stomach, as food can help slow the absorption of alcohol. To aid in the prevention and recovery of hangovers, avoid processed, fatty junk food and high-sugar beverages. Fight the urge for a fountain Coke and fries and instead reach for fresh fruits like cucumbers and watermelons, green juices, and whole foods that support detoxification and hydration.

Planning for and keeping all of these elements in mind can help curb the adverse effects of light drinking as we age and allow for social drinking time as part of a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. 

However, if you continue to have poor or worsening reactions when you drink, it’s best to avoid alcohol altogether, which is certainly not the end of the world. Thanks to the sober-curious movement, there are many great alcohol alternatives available so you can still relax or even be the life of the party and wake up feeling great the next day.

Randi Donahue is a freelance writer who lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida and is fortunate to live right next to a glorious nature preserve and a few miles from a white sandy beach. She and her family are passionate about nature, health & wellness, and sustainable living and believe the path to a healthy and prosperous life requires authenticity, kindness and a whole lot of fresh air.

The post How Alcohol Affects Our Bodies As We Age appeared first on The Good Trade.

Historically, my feelings around food have been pragmatic. 

It wasn’t uncommon to sit down to eat only to look up just a moment later and find licked-clean forks and a few crumbs left. 

I grew up in a productivity-focused environment that sang clichés like “Food is fuel” and “Eat to live; don’t live to eat.” My mom dutifully cooked most nights—roasted chicken, macaroni and cheese, the occasional frozen lasagna. After piling up our plates in the kitchen, my family would collapse on the couch, and we’d wolf down dinner without much thought as to what we were tasting. It wasn’t uncommon to sit down to eat only to look up just a moment later and find licked-clean forks and a few crumbs left. 

With so many dinners spent in front of the TV, mealtime wasn’t a moment for my family to unwind from our days as we filled our bellies. Rather, it was an irritating pit stop before the stint of chores or schoolwork before bed, and we routinely checked it off as just another item on the to-do list. The underlying message was that eating was a burden. Eating was a task to complete as quickly as you could chew, making the potential delight of a thoughtful meal not worth investing in. 

The busier I was, the less eating well, if at all, was a priority.

This passive relationship with food carried over into my adult life. The busier I was, the less eating well, if at all, was a priority. I’d spend many late nights scrounging the back of the freezer in hopes of a TV dinner I forgot I purchased, or I would slather a slice of bread with peanut butter just to get my stomach to stop growling so I could get back to work. 

It wasn’t until developing severe acne in my mid-20s when something changed. After my dermatologist prescribed me a medication I didn’t want to take, I heard an internal voice whisper, “Your face is telling the story of what’s happening beneath your skin.” I politely declined the prescription and left the doctor’s office that morning, determined to find a holistic approach. I had little control over the factors that contributed to my breakouts—I couldn’t force them to heal quicker or prevent new blemishes from forming—but I could control what I was feeding my body. As I learned how to be more thoughtful of what I ate, food began to not only bring me healing but bring me surprising joy as well. 

I started with grocery shopping. Previously, this was a tedious errand. I’d grab my basket and mindlessly zoom through the aisles with the same enthusiasm as driving my morning commute. I’d throw in the usual items—a box of this, a can of that—and get out of there as quickly as I came in.

Suddenly, I was exploring the color cornucopia of the supermarket, and it began to shift my relationship with food. 

In my revamp, however, I began to walk the store slowly, letting my eyes wander. I took note of what caught my gaze without judgment—the hues of reds, greens, and yellows speckling the apple selection, the starchy rough skins of heaps of potatoes, the variety of bread and rice and pasta. Even if I had no idea what an item was or how to prepare it, I honored the fact that my eyes were drawn to it and placed it in the cart. Suddenly, I was exploring the color cornucopia of the supermarket, and it began to shift my relationship with food. 

I started seeing ingredients in the grocery store like art supplies I could take home, blend, and play with. With the inspiration of open cookbooks on my coffee table and the feeds of a handful of Instagram accounts guiding me, I started experimenting with ingredients new to my kitchen and new to me. A new world gradually opened up, and it smelled delicious. 

My most beloved meal became a hearty breakfast of pasture-raised eggs cooked over-easy with roasted sweet potatoes prepared with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. I’d break the yolk and it would run over the potatoes like a gentle waterfall. On the side, I’d add fresh microgreens and a handful of blueberries. With this dance of colors, my breakfast plate became a delicious treat for my eyes each morning, and as time went on, that flimsy beige packet of oatmeal I was previously settling for would no longer do. 

I learned to trust my intuition as I developed my taste buds and began to see my plate like a canvas.

I won’t lie. As I toyed with ingredients I’d never cooked with before, I made a lot of bizarre, unpalatable meals. Trial and error led many items to the trash in blurred memories of rubbery eggplant and couscous gone wrong. But gradually, I learned to trust my intuition as I developed my taste buds and began to see my plate like a canvas. If a meal came off visually bland, I’d find the right color to make it pop. Maybe it was a handful of dried cranberries for a dash of deep red or chopped walnuts for crunch and a neutral break between hues. Whatever the ingredient, I found the relation to color, taste, and nutrition intertwined in such a way that it made meal prep an exciting arrangement to create rather than a mundane task to endure. 

For the first time, food became a space for joy. After a while, I learned to concoct dishes I could feel my heart and body thanking me for as I ate them–dishes I no longer wanted to mindlessly devour in front of the TV or quickly consume between sessions of work: Fluffy quinoa served as a bed for angle-cut asparagus dressed in tangy, dark balsamic vinegar. Chunky chorizo stew sprinkled with thinly sliced green onions made each steamy spoonful feel like a loving hug from a burly grandpa. Toasted bruschetta peppered with fresh basil and a glass of chilled Pinot Grigio—are we in Italy? 

Nutritionists call this eating the rainbow. Colors in fruits and vegetables indicate the presence of rich phytonutrients, a compound that Harvard Medical School reports protects us from chronic diseases. Suddenly there was intentionality put into every bite, and I could not resist savoring it. 

Meals are still “fuel” to me, but now in a way that is much more joy-driven, creative, and life-giving. The act of preparing a nutritious and colorful plate is no longer a task to put up with. It’s a daily gift to indulge in. 

The act of preparing a nutritious and colorful plate is no longer a task to put up with. It’s a daily gift to indulge in. 

Rethinking our relationship with food and cooking can feel complex, emotional, and daunting. So let’s start with one meal. Let’s start with one plate. If we stop to notice its hues, textures, temperatures, and portions, we can identify the gaps and experiment to create balance. Whether it be a different color to add depth or a grain or veggie to incorporate a new shape, our plates are our canvases, and we have all the intuition we need to paint them beautifully.

Cheyanne Solis is a writer from California. When she’s not planning weddings or acting like a grandpa by bird-watching in the park with a copy of the Sunday Times, she is falling into fascination about the human experience, working to write words to wrap around it all. 

The post How Joy-Driven Eating Has Changed My Relationship With Food appeared first on The Good Trade.

Looking to freshen up your plate this year? Why not start with an organic produce subscription box. They’re great for the environment (less international shipping), fantastic for local farmers (less food waste), and good for your budget. No shade to conventional grocery stores though; shop where you can, however works best for you!

Our editors have rolled up their sleeves and dug up the five best produce delivery companies for organic fruit, vegetable, and protein boxes right to your door. We’ve paid special attention to finding produce boxes in a wide range of locations, from Los Angeles and New York to Minneapolis, Tulsa, Houston, and many others.

Some of the organic grocery delivery subscription services on this list work with surplus fruit, while others sell “ugly” vegetables that don’t sell in stores. These boxes are bringing fresh, seasonal goods to the forefront, rescuing produce from landfills, and making delivery more convenient than ever. Win-win.

If you’re looking for full meal delivery, check out our guide to organic meal delivery services, and our CSA guide to learn more about community-supported agriculture. If it sounds like something you’d like to try, you can search Local Harvest to find one near you.

(Psst! Have you made the switch to sustainable cookware or eco-friendly knives, yet?)

  Best Overall | Most Affordable | Best Nationwide Delivery

1. Misfits Market 

Best For | Accessible organic produce delivery across the US
Price | Boxes start at $30+ with flat-rate shipping
Delivers To | Contiguous US (See all)

Misfits Market finds fresh, certified organic produce that major stores can’t sell due to scarring, surplus, or cosmetic blemishes, and ships boxes directly to you at up to 40 percent off regular costs. (Think onions that are too small, oddly shaped squash, or twisted carrots.) With up to 22 pounds of organic produce delivery coming your way, this biz uses compostable plant-based bags, eco-friendly insulation, and recycled cardboard. Box minimums start at $30 to minimize packaging and carbon emissions, and MM delivers to nearly all zip codes across the contiguous US.

Misfits Market Review | “I love saving food so it doesn’t go to waste. And I love the challenge of creating meals out of the products that are available each week.” –@chefjennyben (Read all reviews)

Sign Up For Misfits Market

2. Farmer Jones Farm

Best For | Fresh greens, supporting regenerative & sustainable farming practices
Price | Boxes start at $69
Delivers To | Nationwide (See more)

Farmer Jones Farm is a second-gen family farm as part of The Chef’s Garden in Ohio. The team invests in organic and regenerative farming practices such as rotating field plantings between produce and multi-species crops, which benefits both the plants and the soil. In addition to one-time produce boxes such as “powerhouse vegetables” and “high-nitrate fresh greens”, Farmer Jones Farms has robust subscription options as well, with a five percent discount. You can also donate fresh vegetables locally to tackle food scarcity!

Farmer Jones Review | “The most amazing assortment of beautiful veggies. Things I’ve never heard of before, like oca. And the flavors! NOTHING like what you get in the stores. Doesn’t even compare.” – Mary L (See all reviews)

Sign Up For Farmer Jones Farm

3. Hungry Harvest

Best For | Waste-free produce
Price | Boxes start at $15
Delivers To | Maryland, Washington, DC, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, Northern Delaware, and Raleigh, North Carolina. (Check your zip code)

Hungry Harvest wants us to use every part of every plant. By working with farmers to rescue fresh, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste, the company delivers fresh produce to our doors instead. Starting at $15, the boxes come in a variety of sizes and Hungry Harvest shares simple recipes, storage tips, and kitchen hacks so that we can make the most of our produce. It’s worth noting that every delivery saves at least 10 pounds of food from going to waste.

Hungry Harvest Review | “I love getting fresh food delivered. I know my money is going to people who truly care about the community.” – Eileen (Read all reviews)

Sign Up For Hungry Harvest

4. Oddbox

Best For | Affordable, varied produce deliveries
Price | Boxes start at £12
Delivers To | The UK (See all)

Oddbox, a certified B Corp based in the UK, ethically sources fresh produce from dozens of fairly paid farmers and suppliers across the country. Delivered overnight to minimize excessive emissions, Oddbox’s fruits and veggies arrive at your doorstep in recyclable packaging. Weekly sustainable produce boxes start at £12 perfect for a couple, or you can opt for a large family-sized box for £23. Leftover produce is donated to orgs fighting food poverty in the UK.

Oddbox Review | “It’s great to test your ideas for the week incorporating the latest group of veggies and fruits from oddbox whilst knowing you are helping to reduce unnecessary waste. Brilliant initiative.” – Deborah L. (See all reviews)

Sign Up For Oddbox

5. Farm to People

Best For | Vegetarian, paleo, & omnivore boxes, protein & dairy add-ons
Price | Boxes start at $25
Delivers To | NYC & Jersey City/Hoboken (See all)

Farm to People brings the farmer’s market experience to NYC’s door with its organic, seasonal produce, protein, and groceries. The produce, in particular, is sourced from GMO-free, organic, and regenerative farms. Best yet, half of every food dollar raised goes directly to the farmer or small-batch maker. You can go a la carte or opt for a subscription—and swap with items you don’t want and add the ones you do. Paleo, omnivore, and vegetarian diets are also accommodated with specific boxes.

Farm to People Review | “I’ve been using Farm to People for over 2 years now. I love the fact that the produce is sourced locally, which reduces travel time, waste, and emissions. It’s also a great way to support local farms & farmers.” – @thevicstyles (Read all reviews)

Sign Up For Farm To People

The post 5 Produce Delivery Boxes For Fresh Fruits And Veggies (2023) appeared first on The Good Trade.

At the most basic level, protein helps our bodies function—and we can’t live without it! It’s an essential macronutrient, supporting everything from gut and immune health to muscle building to hair and skin growth. The National Academy of Medicine suggests that we get seven grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight daily, so for most folks, the range runs from 35-70 grams. But many diets don’t include enough protein…and that’s where protein powder comes in!

Unfortunately, not all protein powders are made equally since there aren’t strict regulations for protein supplements in the US. Instead, for a cleaner alternative: You’ll want to look for a plant-based or whey protein as the first ingredient in their labels, double check for unnecessary sugar or synthetics, and prioritize powders that have at least 20g of protein per serving. (Ideally, it’ll have verification like NSF Certified for Sport or USDA Organic, too!)

We’ve found six protein powders that are free of processed fillers, focus on organic or bioavailable ingredients, and are independently tested for efficacy and purity! Plus, the products below are made with women’s health in mind, with options for prenatal and postpartum support.

Whether you want to level up your workouts, support your baby’s development, or just enjoy an energy boost to avoid the 3 PM slump, these protein powders will do just that—and more. Drink up!

1. Ritual

Best For | Pregnancy & postpartum
Clean Ingredients | Choline, organic pea protein, organic coconut oil, organic monk fruit extract
Price | $40 for 1 lb. (15 servings)

Ritual offers the best daily essentials for women, whether it’s for living life or creating it! These non-GMO, vegan, and third-party tested formulas are about as clean as they come, and the Essential Protein for Pregnancy and Postpartum has everything you need for strong bones and muscles (yes, for you and little ones!). That’s all thanks to the 250mg of choline and 20g of plant-based protein. And while it is a powder, it goes seamlessly into any smoothie or milkshake with a subtle vanilla taste. And best of all, you can see exactly where every ingredient comes from on the product page, down to the supplier and final location for manufacturing.

2. Momentous

Best For | Whey protein
Clean Ingredients | Grass-fed whey protein isolate, ProHydrolase (probiotics & enzymes)
Price | $50-$65 for 1 lb+ (20+ servings); discounted subscriptions available (10%+)

Some of the best athletes and doctors in the world love Momentous—and we can see why. There are a number of proteins available here supporting joint and bone health, gut health, and recovery. Our favorite, though, is the Grass-Fed Whey Protein, since it’s full of essential amino acids, easily digests, and quickly boosts energy day after day. Momentous sources its grass-fed whey isolate from German cows (who are each fully traceable!), where it’s then cold-processed to keep the most important nutrients. Whether you’re about to head to your workout or coming down from one, Momentous’ Essential Whey Protein will help you feel (and look) your best!

3. Be Well By Kelly 

Best For | Formulas sweetened with monk fruit
Clean Ingredients | Grass-fed beef protein isolate, organic monk fruit extract, chocho bean protein
Price | $60 for 1.59 lb (30 servings); discounted subscriptions available (5%+)

Be Well By Kelly was founded by celebrity holistic nutritionist and wellness expert Kelly LeVeque. With a minimalist but precise approach to nutrition, the brand wants to help you ditch dieting by embracing a clear and simple approach to clean nutrition using Kelly’s Fab 4 formula of getting the right amount of protein, fat, fiber, greens in every meal. They make the protein part easy with their grass-fed beef protein powder or vegan plant-based protein powder, available in unflavored, chocolate, or vanilla. 

4. Needed

Best For | Collagen protein & prenatal protein
Clean Ingredients | Hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides
Price | $50 for 1 lb (30 servings); discounted subscriptions available (15%+)

Needed recognized the gap in the market for quality prenatal support, so they filled it! Today, this brand also offers collagen protein as a two-in-one powder. With just one serving, you’ll support your blood sugar, joint health, gut health, immune function, and more—the pure collagen peptides act as both a source of protein and skin support. We also like that it’s unflavored, and many users claim it dissolves well into drinks and smoothies without the “funky texture or flavor.” If you’re hoping to conceive or on your way to optimal health, Needed’s Collagen Protein is a great choice.

5. Ora Organic

Best For | USDA-certified organic vegan protein
Clean Ingredients | Organic pea & rice proteins, organic cranberries, blueberries & blackberries, lactase, cellulase
Price | $40 for 20 oz (20 servings); discounted subscriptions available (20%+)

Deriving its ingredients solely from the earth without the manmade fluff, Ora Organic’s Plant-Based Superfood Protein is a best-seller. Available in chocolate, vanilla, vanilla chai, and unflavored, these ingredients are all ones you’ve heard of before blended into one powerful mix. The flavors are subtly sweet enough to be mixed into water, milk, or even baked goods—that’s our kind of daily nutrition. If you’re not ready to commit to the full-sized bag, you can grab one serving for $4 to test out first. Green, clean, protein.

6. Cymbiotika

Best For | Gut health & energy
Clean Ingredients | Organic hemp & pea proteins, organic spirulina, organic mushrooms, organic raw greens, organic baobab & banana powders
Price | $88 for 24 servings; discounted subscriptions available (10%)

Want to up your gut health and your energy? Cymbiotika’s Plant Protein is our go-to. This formula is thoughtfully made to include complex proteins, fiber, pre and probiotics, digestive enzymes, and adaptogenic mushrooms—so food really is the best medicine sometimes. Plus, Cymbiotika prioritizes full transparency and traceable ingredients, avoiding fillers and chemicals, and sustainability as an ethos. According to the science-driven team, you can enjoy this power booster any time of the day but especially after workouts to aid in recovery and lean muscle mass development.

Featured image is from Needed.

The post The Best Protein Powders For Women Who Need A Little Extra appeared first on The Good Trade.

By now, you probably know all about the benefits of using sulfate-free shampoo to help preserve your hair’s shine and color and to reduce irritation. Sulfates can also be potential endocrine disruptors, meaning they can dysregulate your body’s natural hormone production, causing you to produce too much or too little of certain hormones. 

But good shampoo doesn’t need sulfates to do its job—we’ve rounded up some of our favorite shampoos that clean hair with other surfactants or cleansing agents. These science-backed brands use clinically-proven formulas to boost hair health and target specific hair goals, like repairing damage, managing frizz, or adding volume. And our very favorite formulas keep sustainability top of mind—some are even Certified B Corps. Read on for our favorite sulfate-free shampoos.

1. Prose

Best For | Custom formulas
Natural & Organic | Organic & natural ingredients, free from parabens, sulfates, & GMOs
Price | $32

Prose believes that all hair is different, so all shampoo should be, too. They make custom clean sulfate-free formulas based on your hair type, specific concerns, and where you live, adding in more of what your hair actually needs—like oat oil for color protection, honey for volume, arginine for heat protection, or apple cider vinegar for shine—without the junk. Prose is a B Corp and Climate Neutral, and they’re constantly updating their formulas with the newest research from their Paris lab.

2. Jupiter

Best For | Dandruff
Natural & Organic | Naturally derived and plant-based ingredients
Price | $25

Jupiter’s Balancing Shampoo calms scalp irritation and rejuvenates locks with a color-protecting, sulfate-free formula that controls oil production. It’s made with 1% zinc pyrithione, an active anti-fungal commonly used to treat skin conditions that cause flaking (like dandruff), while keeping hair moisturized with ingredients like squalane and coconut oil. Best combined with Jupiter’s Nourishing Conditioner, the shampoo leaves a natural mint, vanilla, sage, and lavender scent, to make fighting dandruff one of the most luxurious parts of your day.

3. Vegamour

Best For | Sustainable ingredient sourcing
Natural & Organic | Nontoxic, 100% vegan ingredients from fair trade partnerships
Price | $38-58

Vegamour develops its hair products with four core pillars in mind: vegan ingredients, a holistic approach to hair wellness, clinically-proven formulas, and bioavailability, or the body’s ability to absorb ingredients. Their shampoo line includes products formulated for different hair types or hair concerns like volumizing or strengthening. They’re all color-safe and free of sulfates, phthalates, silicones, and artificial fragrance—they scent their products with natural ingredients like citrus and ylang ylang. The brand is committed to sustainability, too, creating its own supply chains and fair trade partnerships. 

4. JVN Hair

Best For | Patented hemisqualane
Natural & Organic | Free from silicone & sulfates
Price | $21

Founded by Queer Eye star and hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness, JVN Hair makes products created with 100% clean ingredients, keeping sustainability and inclusivity top of mind. They make three shampoos—hydrating (for all hair types), volumizing (for finer hair types), and strengthening (for damaged hair types). All three formulations are color-safe, vegan, and free from sulfates and silicones, and they all use JVN’s patented hemisqualane, a molecule made from sustainably sourced sugarcane that penetrates the hair shaft for deep nourishment.

5. Sienna Naturals

Best For | Curly, coily, and textured hair
Natural & Organic | Nontoxic, free from sulfates, silicone, & parabens
Price | $24

The breakthrough line by actress Issa Rae and entrepreneur Hannah Diop makes hair care products formulated for textured hair and rooted in technology. Sienna Naturals products are all vegan, cruelty-free, responsibly sourced, and dermatologist approved. Their H.A.P.I. Shampoo is a moisture-rich cleanser that’s effective enough to remove build-up from styling products but gentle enough to restore natural curl patterns. It’s making waves in the beauty world, winning 2022 beauty awards from Elite Daily and Byrdie. It soothes irritation, detangles, and leaves a subtle spa-like lavender and geranium scent.

6. Authentic Beauty Concept

Best For | Ingredient-driven products
Natural & Organic | Sulfate- and silicone-free, 95% naturally-derived ingredients
Price | $31

Authentic Beauty Concept has five straightforward shampoos: one for colored hair, one for dry hair, one for fine hair, one for damaged hair, and a deep-cleaning shampoo for all hair types. Each one is formulated with different botanicals—date extract helps color-treated hair appear more shiny and soft, mango’s vitamins C and E give dry hair more bounce, and green tea and lime add body to fine, thin hair. All of Authentic Beauty’s products are vegan, cruelty-free, and sulfate-free.

7. Ursa Major

Best For | Sustainable packaging
Natural & Organic | Free from parabens, sulfates, & silicones
Price | $26

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Featured image is from Prose

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“You’re too sensitive.” 

It’s a statement I’ve heard all my life. Depending on the context, it’s either meant as an insult or offered as well-meaning feedback. Regardless of the intention, I’m always left with the same feelings: Toughen up. Be stronger. Bury your emotions. Be different than who you are.

“Toughen up. Be stronger. Bury your emotions. Be different than who you are.”

When I was a teenager, my parents and friends noted how emotional I was. I think they feared I was too delicate and might break. I cried as often as I laughed and my mood swings were vast and frequent. I was also easily influenced by the opinions of others.

“Why do you care so much about what other people think?” I remember my dad asking me one day after school. I was upset about a petty rumor started by my ex-boyfriend and I’d been moping around the house all evening. I looked up at my father, a six-foot man with the thickest skin I know, and shrugged. “I just wanted to be liked, I guess.” He met me with a confused gaze and a look of pity. I didn’t know how to explain that it wasn’t popularity I was after, it was belonging. I wanted to feel accepted for who I was.

“From as early as I can remember, my world has been shaped by sensitivity. I process experiences and relationships through my heart first, then my brain, and then my body.”

For years, I’ve been ashamed about my bottomless well of emotions and my paper-thin skin. From as early as I can remember, my world has been shaped by sensitivity. I process experiences and relationships through my heart first, then my brain, and then my body. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. I often wonder how it’s possible to experience joy and sorrow in the same hour, and sometimes simultaneously.

I’m especially embarrassed about my sensitivity to the opinions of others. As soon as I walk into a room full of people, my senses are heightened. Even when I’m lost in thoughts, I notice the way the room feels. I note body language and absorb moods as if they were my own. “Read the room,” they say. Trust me; I read it cover to cover.

Of course, sometimes, my feelings get the best of me and lead to an unhealthy headspace. There are days I don’t handle conflict and criticism well; I’ll take someone’s tone personally and create false narratives about my worth. But I have to remind myself that most people aren’t out to hurt me, especially not my loved ones. I owe it to others to interrogate my feelings and reflect on any negative emotions. When in doubt, I put my brave pants on and communicate. Almost always, people are happy to reframe their initial words so that I more clearly understand their meaning.

“I cry and laugh and scream and worry all before lunchtime.”

Most days, though, I operate in a healthy headspace, which includes responding to the world as a person deemed “too sensitive.” I cry and laugh and scream and worry all before lunchtime. Without permission, my tear ducts well over—whether I’m talking to my mom, my boss, or the clerk at Trader Joe’s. I can’t escape my sensitive nature; this is how I’m made. I need to cry and express myself to process life and experiences. And I’m tired of all the tropes telling me I’m “too much” and “a lot to handle.”

Perhaps I don’t need to get ahold of myself, grow thicker skin, or channel my feelings into creative projects. My feelings aren’t something to be fixed or released. They are as much a part of me as my limbs. Maybe, just maybe, my sensitive spirit is a sign of strength and power. I am an empathic and emotionally aware person. As author Glennon Doyle reminds me, my superpower is my sensitivity.

“I am an empathic and emotionally aware person. My superpower is my sensitivity.”

I’m not alone in my wondering. A quick Google search shows the magnitude of sensitive people operating in the world, asking the internet questions like, “Am I too sensitive?”; “Why am I so emotional?”; and, the most heartbreaking, “How do I stop being a sensitive person?” 

Sensitivity is an innate characteristic, not a learned or malleable trait. We can’t change our sensitive nature, nor should we have to or want to. Learning to love ourselves as we are may take some rewriting of old scripts, but it’s so worth it. We can choose to embrace and even celebrate the sensitive spirits living inside us. And then we can pass the freedom on to others who’ve for too long believed they are “too sensitive.”

Because sensitive people are just another breed of people, and the more often I remind myself of this, the less I believe there was ever such a thing as being “too sensitive.”

Self-Care Tips For Sensitive People

1. Inhale your feelings, exhale truths. Sometimes, we feel shame when our feelings are hurt or someone deems us “too sensitive.” And it can be easier to avoid this hurt by pretending it’s not there.

But feeling our hurt can be helpful, and embracing the harder feelings doesn’t mean we have to stay there. Artist and writer Morgan Harper Nichols explains this beautifully on her podcast (a mini-meditation series):

Acknowledging that we feel discouraged or let down or embarrassed is the inhale that then leads to an exhale—an exhale that says, It really hurt to receive that message. Their words got to me. I will choose to keep going anyway. I will learn from this situation and carry on.

May we inhale how we are truly feeling, then exhale objective truths (“I am hurt, but I will be okay”) to move forward.

2. Communicate with loved ones. Sometimes our loved ones need gentle reminders about the way we experience the world. Even after 10 years with my partner, I often have to remind myself that he doesn’t see or experience life the same way I do. Communication is key then, to keep our loved ones in the loop with the many emotions we may be experiencing.

3. Respect their boundaries. But, as often as I need to process my emotions and talk through feelings, my loved ones can’t be my sounding board—we can communicate without offloading. It’s essential that we respect the boundaries of others, just was as we’d ask others to respect our boundaries too. This isn’t to say our loved ones don’t want to listen (many times they do!), but may we get in the habit of asking before sharing our feelings or processing emotions aloud.

It takes a lot of emotional bandwidth to listen to and be a safe space for someone else, and it means a lot to others when you respect these boundaries and ask before divulging your feelings.

4. Remember that not everyone is a sensitive person. Just as the world needs us, the world needs people who process their emotions through their brains and bodies. It’s not fun being told you’re “too sensitive;” neither is it fun to hear “you’re insensitive.” Everyone processes experiences and relationships differently. May we be kind to others and use words to bridge communication gaps.  

5. While nurturing self-trust, seek out objective truths. Sometimes our emotions don’t tell us the full story—and it’s okay to ask questions of our feelings and seek out objective truths. Our feelings are valid, but they can sometimes limit our understanding as well—both things can be true at the same time. 

Journaling and therapy (if that’s an option for you) are helpful for gently challenging our emotions and considering alternative angles or perspectives. Ultimately, widening our lens will only help us to move through the world as more balanced individuals.

And if you love a sensitive person:

Remember, words hold power. As the old saying goes, sticks and stones break bones. But—for sensitive people—words can hurt too. My advice is to be gentle, direct, and transparent in your communication. Please don’t dismiss our feelings, even when they seem incomprehensible. The truth is, most sensitive people enjoy experiencing the world through an emotional lens; it makes us feel alive and gives experiences a deeper sense of meaning. We just want to feel accepted and normal in the process. 

How are you learning to love yourself as a sensitive person? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below. 💛

Kayti Christian (she/her) is a Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside, a newsletter for sensitive people.

The post No, You’re Not “Too Sensitive” appeared first on The Good Trade.

Alcohol is a tricky bag to unpack for me, and for others that I know and love. Some days and weeks, I don’t care a lick for it; others, I care a lot of licks. It’s easier than most of us will admit to default to a glass of wine or a beer out of habit. Soon, we’re reaching for another glass or can.

Others among us are evaluating their consumption carefully; it doesn’t matter the reason, and it doesn’t matter the duration. Some people will be sober their whole lives (or the rest of their lives), and some may dabble in sobriety throughout various seasons. 

To start building a better relationship with ourselves, we can try to be more intentional about how and when we drink—or don’t. I know I am trying to after this hellscape of a year. Wherever you are on the spectrum of sobriety, know that you’re not alone. Now, especially, is a difficult moment. No matter your reason (pregnancy, mental health, don’t like the taste, or otherwise!), I hope you understand that your experiences are valid.

Here are some of my favorite ways to connect and unwind—with 0 percent ABV.

Psst! For a mindful way to start your day, subscribe to The Daily Good, a 30-second read delivered to your inbox each morning with sustainable recipes, podcasts, artists, articles, and more.🌿

Beyond habits, alcohol addiction is serious and has severe consequences for the communities it impacts. If you or someone you love is struggling, using alcohol to numb feelings regularly, or is regularly and negatively affected by drinking, seek out a local support group or call a hotline to find the best ways to help.

1. Establish a daily meditation or mindfulness habit—you can schedule it for moments when you are particularly craving a cold one.

2. Get good at crafting mocktails. You can make simple syrups (here are seven unique ones), use your SodaStream, and add beautiful garnishes for the full treatment. Here are some fun recipes to start with.

3. Go on a photo walk and see your neighborhood through a new lens. Bring a pal along and make it a social call.

4. Participate in a community cleanup and meet your neighbors. Here is a resource for our Los Angeles friends, but here is a handy guide to planning a cleanup no matter where you’re at.

5. Go camping, even if it’s only in your backyard (or on your patio, if it’s safe to do so). Hey—who says you can’t cook s’mores over a candle? 

6. Kick back and read a collection of poetry, and allow yourself to read slowly and reflect on the experience and meaning of each poem.

7. Or if you’re feeling inspired, give writing your own poetry a try. It doesn’t have to be good—just try putting pen to paper and see what you discover!

8. Drop some eucalyptus oil in the diffuser, and give yourself a professional-grade facial at home (here’s how).

9. If you are out and about and find yourself at a bar, ask the bartender for soda water with lime. You’ll have an inconspicuous drink to sip on through the evening!

“Go camping, even if it’s only in your backyard (or on your patio, if it’s safe to do so).”

10. Go to your temple, church, or mosque. Or spend the evening at home in prayer. This does not have to be connected to a particular religious practice—quiet reflection and gratitude are universal. Learn more about creating a spiritual practice even if you aren’t religious.

11. Plan a trip, or make a moodboard for your dream vacation.

12. Break out an old game, book, or activity you enjoyed as a child (Pokémon or mini-golf, anyone?).

13. Give yourself the gift of having an event to look forward to, by browsing sites like Groupon. Schedule a spa day, class, or outing based on what deals you can find.

14. Start a Substack newsletter about a topic you’re passionate about. Spend your free time learning more about it so that you can share even more info!

15. Become a volunteer or a mentor for youths. (Psst—you can even volunteer online).

16. Sip on some of these non-alcoholic beverage alternatives instead.

17. Go to breakfast; if you can, snag takeout from your favorite local diner and set up a brunch picnic in the nearest park. This’ll have you awake and walking first thing—just not the “walk of shame.” 😂

18. Or, host brunch at your home with elaborate fixings. You can make a waffle bar, offer fresh-squeezed orange juice, and finally break out that good coffee you’ve been holding on to (better to share with friends, no?).

19. Or, skip the food altogether and host a coffee or tea cupping. Invite your guests to bring their favorites and discuss the experience together.

“Do a mental health check in. How are you, really?”

20. Do a mental health check in. How are you, really? Write it out or talk it out with a friend (or your voice memos app).

21. Go to a playground and rediscover your favorite youthful pastimes like swinging and hanging on the monkey bars (just don’t steal the slide from the kiddos, okay?).

22. Keep a basket for garments that could use a little TLC. Instead of sipping on a boozy beverage while you watch your favorite show, give them a new life by darning them.

23. Or, make something new by picking up a stress-relieving fiber-based art—whether that’s sewing your own clothes, crocheting, embroidery or otherwise.

24. Make body butter or other zero waste toiletries.

25. Spend time pampering yourself in private. (These sex toys are a fun addition!)

26. Pack some hot cocoa (and a sweater since it’s getting chilly) and catch a sunset at the highest point in town.

27. Explore your family tree by contacting your family members to preserve their stories or via Ancestry.com.

28. Get inspired to live minimally by joining me in my love for the Never Too Small channel on YouTube.

29. Start a scrapbook and enjoy the walk down memory lane.

“Pack some hot cocoa (and a sweater since it’s getting chilly) and catch a sunset at the highest point in town.”

30. Have a bonfire (make sure it’s contained properly and check current fire regulations for your area first). Spend time with your loved ones—or just have a quiet evening alone.

31. Start learning a new language with one of these apps.

32. Go through your clothes and have a fashion show for yourself—what still fits? Which pieces suit your lifestyle? Only keep the pieces you love and resell or donate the garments that still have life left.

33. Set up a still life or find a beautiful location for inspiration, and dive into watercolor painting. 

34. Need a little metaphor for picking up scattered pieces right now? Give puzzles a go.

35. Brush up on your basic survival skills and create preparedness plans for any emergencies in your area.

36. Get to those home repairs and projects that have been on your list for a while. (I’m looking at you, half-assembled TV stand.)

37. Follow a makeup tutorial online. (Seriously, someone please teach me how to use eyeliner.)

38. Take archery lessons and head to an archery range to practice what you’ve learned.

39. Get on a bike! It makes everyday local errands much more fun and fruitful, plus it’ll cut down on your gas usage.

40. Call your parent or grandparent, cousin, aunt, nephew—you get it. Get in touch with your family (chosen family works too!), and ask them how they’re feeling right now.

“Set up a still life or find a beautiful location for inspiration, and dive into watercolor painting.”

41. Or, write a letter to a dear friend who hasn’t heard from you in a while.

42. If you’re forgoing the price of drinks, why not order yourself an appetizer with your next takeout? Or better yet, get dessert. 🍰

43. Host a craft night. This is something you can do solo or with friends (even virtually!), and what you make is up to you. Giving yourself something to do with your hands is a helpful deterrent for habitual sipping.

44. Have you misplaced the hot glue gun, or just plain not into crafting? Grab some supplies for an at-home manicure and pamper yourself a bit.

45. Have a music sharing party. Ask for contributions to a Spotify playlist and spend an evening listening and sharing what’s on your heavy rotation.

46. Attend a sound bath, or listen to one virtually.

47. Set yourself up for an evening of reaching out to your elected officials, signing petitions, and advocating with others in your community (remember those high school classes that could have been improved? Reach out to your former principal!).

48. You can always write gratitude notes to your local officials as well. (Yes, even to that same former principal!)

49. Light a candle, then make your own candles! Repeat indefinitely. 🕯️

“Explore a new area of town and meet folks through Meetup’s sober activities in your city.”

50. Explore a new area of town and meet folks through Meetup’s sober activities in your city.

51. Take up gardening, whether it’s in a little window herb planter or a full-on indoor vertical garden. 

52. DIY a little punch-needle rug for your bathroom, bedroom, or kitchen—tutorial here.

53. Explore your surroundings in a surprising new way by going geocaching or becoming a Randonaut.

54. Clear out your inbox. Delete what you don’t need, file what you do, and unsubscribe to everything you’re not finding useful. While it may not sound fun, it has mental wellness benefits. 

55. Do an exercise outside of your usual movement routine; try out yoga, dance in the kitchen, or do slow and steady hill repeats. 

56. Take an afternoon nap! Bonus points if you have a person, pet, or cozy blanket to snuggle up with.

57. Video chat with someone in a different time zone than you. Have a friend or family member overseas? Stay up late or plan to wake up super early to chat with them and catch up.

58. Get your game face on and host a board game night. Don’t be afraid to try a new game. (These are some of my favorites, and Catan is always a winner, too!)

59. Do yourself a favor by prepping the chopping, marinating, and pureeing for all of the meals you will eat next week. Pop some dry beans into the crockpot while you’re at it—you’ll thank yourself later!

“Get your game face on and host a board game night.”

60. Or, cull down your food waste and toss your veggie scraps and ends into the freezer, then make a stock! Let ‘er simmer all day long and enjoy the aromas that come with it.

61. Play trivia with your friends or family—or just listen to a podcast like Triviality for casual and less competitive trivia.

62. Take a creative writing workshop, or organize a writing group of your own. Communicating about each other’s work and facilitating feedback are excellent skills to practice. If you’re not sure where to start, check out these writing prompts.

63. Plan a date night around cooking a new dish together. It can be as elaborate as you’d like—just put on your favorite playlist and enjoy doing something tactile with the person you love.

64. If you’re not feeling date night, bake yourself a loaf of bread. There’s nothing more satisfying than hand-kneading a gooey dough, smelling the yeast as it rises, and eating a slice of bread you made from scratch.

65. Take your sweet tooth to the next level by making candy at home. Toffee, truffles, and fudge, oh my!

66. Go to the library and browse for something new. If your local branches don’t stay open into the evenings, snag a book you’ve been meaning to read and head to a café or park with ample seating. 

67. Or, support a local bookstore and peruse the aisles. Be sure to ask the staff for their favorites!

68. Take in some art and wander the halls of the closest art museum. Museums may be open into the evenings, or you may be able to find virtual versions of interesting exhibits.

69. Share an evening of massages with your partner. If you’re flying solo, you can always do a self-massage! 

“Take in some art and wander the halls of the closest art museum.”

70. When it’s safe for you to do so, go bowling. It’s a stimulating, challenging, and competitive way to spend a weekend night. You can even join a league for a social outlet. Not your style? Maybe lace up and go roller skating instead.

71. Create a vision board. How often does a social night out get in the way of your grounding routines? If you’re an introvert like me, spending a couple of hours alone can help recharge and reset you on the path towards your goals.

72. Go down the YouTube rabbit hole. Catch up on late-night comedy, follow along with someone’s daily life, or even get involved as a vlogger. Why not?

73. Host a clothing swap. Here are some tips on how to do it.

74. Host your own painting night. Have everyone chip in a few bucks and snag some canvases and paints from a local craft store. Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks top it all off.

75. Whether it’s old-school Nintendo or you’ve somehow secured a PS5, break out the controller and get gaming. This is a great hobby to do solo, or hop online and connect with friends and new people! Here are some game suggestions for mindful play.

76. Take yourself to dinner and a movie, and enjoy your own company for an evening. (It’s more fun than it sounds.)

77. Catch a game from a local sports team, whether it’s a high school team, college athletes, or an intramural league. You might even end up joining them next season!

78. Or craft an elaborate snacking spread full of your favorite fruits and cheeses (if that’s your thing) and watch a game at home with your friends.

79. Look for jazz cafés, open mic nights, or community bands playing. Many cities and towns will have live music in public spaces, especially during the warmer months.

“Look for jazz cafés, open mic nights, or community bands playing.”

80. Go to a late-night yoga or fitness class, or take one virtually. It can be a pain when all you want to do is veg out on the couch, but you’ll sleep soundly and wake up feeling refreshed.

81. Borrow a shelter pup for the afternoon and take them on a walk. (Ask your local shelter if they do this.) Or if you have the time, space, and energy, foster a pet in need.

82.  Have some spare shipping boxes that haven’t gone out to recycling yet? Make a castle for your pets, or just have fun improvising a cardboard creation.

83. Dye your hair or try cutting it at home. (It’s not so scary, I promise—but it’s also great to trust a professional!)

84. Create care packages to send to seniors or folks in need in your community.

85. Put together a playlist, turn on a disco light, and grab your dancing shoes. Yep—it’s a dance party at home! You can even take dance classes online.

86. Try your hand at tie-dyeing or freshen up an old t-shirt with this guide to DIY natural dyes. 

87. Give birdwatching a go. 🐦 👀

88. Extend your to-read list using this website or by exploring glowing reviews on Goodreads. You can even sign up for a book subscription service and let someone else curate your list for you.

89. Then start a book club, whether in-person or virtually and discuss your favorites with a group of your peers.

90. Find a local chapter of Toastmasters and confront your fear of public speaking (or fine-tune your already-fabulous skill!).

“Put together a playlist, turn on a disco light, and grab your dancing shoes. Yep—it’s a dance party at home!”

91. Paint a room in your home a color you’ve always been nervous to try out—if it doesn’t work, you can paint it back. (Or try one of these peel-and-stick wallpapers instead.)

92. Take a factory tour of a local production business. (Strangely, touring a pickle factory has been one of my favorite adventures with my family.)

93. Have a pizza-making party. Let your friends and family each toss their own crust and add their toppings of choice. You can also make the dough from scratch, though we don’t have to be overachievers. 😉

94. Read and subscribe to a magazine in your field of interest—you may even be able to find ‘zines made by members from your community at the local bookstore.

95. Lace up your hiking boots, whether you’re going with a group or for a solo hike, and find scenic trails near you for a good ol’ afternoon hike.

96. Then learn how to forage safely, sustainably, and successfully. Teach others to do it as well! 

97. Join a sober group on Reddit or Facebook, if that’s your jam. This may take some careful vetting to find one that works best for you.

98. Whether it’s a guitar, piano, or that old recorder you had in fourth grade, pick up a musical instrument and a beginners book. (You can find lots of instruments secondhand online.) You may be bad at first, but you’ll get better. Toot, toot! 

99. Go. To. Bed. Early. Tuck yourself in earlier than normal and wake up feeling fresh and being fully rested at your own pace. If you want extra motivation to get to sleep, plan an early morning meetup with a friend.

Emily Torres is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. Born and raised in Indiana, she studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, caring for her rabbits, or gaming.

The post 99 Sober Activities To Do This Weekend Instead Of Drinking appeared first on The Good Trade.