You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR<br />
In St. Lucia<br />
in a Tory<br />
Burch dress<br />
The Beauty<br />
of Self-Care<br />
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been wobbling on an emotional edge lately, sucked in by<br />
the negative news cycle and the unrelenting shitstorm that is Twitter. My natural inclination is<br />
to power through things without taking time for myself. But it’s a slippery slope. My bottledup<br />
stress eventually finds an escape, finally seeping out of my pores (damn you, cystic acne)<br />
and turning my Resting Bitch Face into an All-the-Time Bitch Face.<br />
We hear a lot about self-care these days, and I’m leaning way in. At the height of my<br />
stress, I booked a trip to bask in rum-soaked paradise at St. Lucia’s Sugar Beach for six days.<br />
Number of fresh coconut waters consumed: 5. Hours spent staring at the ocean: 20.<br />
Minutes spent toggling between Twitter and news sites: 0 (fine, maybe 5). I absolutely want—<br />
and need—to keep up with what’s happening in the world, but I’m also finding it intensely<br />
rejuvenating to take a mini holiday from the maelstrom every now and then.<br />
Beyond scheduled vacations (next up: a friend’s villa in Majorca), I’ve also preplanned<br />
massages, facials, and regular workouts, which was no easy task after a yearlong gym dry<br />
spell. I know that a bunch of you are cursing me right now because those things don’t come<br />
cheap. But even if it’s just taking 15 minutes to meditate or do yoga in your bedroom a few<br />
days a week, believe me, it’s a worthwhile investment. I’ve also committed to stepping up my<br />
regular kid cuddles and devoting 30 minutes to DIY nail art every Sunday. Frivolous fun in<br />
stressful periods isn’t a waste of time—it’s more important than ever.<br />
I’ll tell you another thing that’s done wonders for my mood: devoting time to other<br />
people. On my testiest days, I’ll do small things, like go out of my way to hold doors for<br />
moms wheeling strollers or send a handwritten thank-you to someone who made my<br />
day. Our executive editor, Danielle Pergament, recently had a wonderful idea: to encourage<br />
all Allure staffers to take a day off to volunteer. We’re now planning a group charity outing.<br />
At the risk of sounding like a huge cornball: When you feel like the world is crazy, it’s deeply<br />
grounding to put some kindness back into it.<br />
Remember: You can’t be an agent for positive change in the world if you’re a hot mess<br />
behind the scenes. Do things that make you happy. And do them often. I’d love to hear<br />
your original self-care ideas. Hit me up on Twitter. If I don’t get back to you right away, it’s<br />
only because I’m holding the door open for a mother of triplets.<br />
Michelle Lee, Editor in Chief<br />
@heymichellelee<br />
COURTESY OF SUBJECT (2)<br />
24 ALLURE MAY 2017
Change language