

Celebs Are Reminding Us Of The Power Of Taking Mental Health Breaks And You Can Too
Gabby Douglas is the latest celebrity to announce that she is taking a break from social media to focus on her mental health. The 3x gold medal gymnast wrote an extensive message on social media that gave fans insight into what she’s been dealing with over the course of her journey.
“I know i don’t post a lot on social media, but i just wanted to let you guys know that i will be taking a step back from the socials to work on myself and focus on my mental health,” she began.
“My life has never been smooth or easy. I have carried a heavy weight on my back for quite some time and it has weighed me down, physically, mentally, and emotionally, so many things and people have tried to crush and break me. I no longer want to run but fight and heal. I refuse to be defeated by this weight, i refuse to be hardened by this weight. I want to feel light and happy again.”
She concluded her message by saying, “I want to be the best representation for all of you and be the best version of myself. I love you all so much and i am forever grateful for every single one of you. Your love and support does not go unnoticed. Don’t forget to take some time off for yourself.
Taking a mental health break is important as it is a way to recharge and not burn out. There are several ways to take a mental health break. See them below:
Daily Breaks
Sometimes work, family and other daily obligations can stress us out and we need a mental break. However, taking a week or even a weekend-long vacation isn’t always feasible but you can have moments to yourself. If you’re working, you can take 5-10 minutes and step away from your computer or your workstation and walk around, eat a snack, catch up with others or take in some sun rays. You can even use that time to meditate, relax or do something creative such as writing or drawing. Ten minutes later, you are recharged and ready to get back to the task at hand. Your brain and your body will thank you.
Vacation
For those who can take an extended break, don’t hesitate to use those vacation days you let stack up at your job. We have vacations for a reason. It’s okay to let your hair down and relax on a beach in the Caribbean Islands or finally go backpacking in Europe. If you can’t travel too far away, check out some cool things to do in your city or a city close by. If the mountains aren’t too far from you, try the cabin life or take skiing lessons. If you rather stay close to home, explore everything your city has to offer such as brunch places, trails, or tourist attractions.
Stepping Away from Social Media
Lastly, you can take a cue from Gabby and take a break from social media. Social media users know that while it can be used for good, there is also a downside. From online drama to falling victim to comparing your life and your body to others, social media can be a cesspool of negativity. While many of us need social media for work, personal branding, and just entertaining purposes, it is okay to take a break from it every now and then and enjoy the physical world around you.
Try going one day without using social media. If you can achieve that, then try a week next. If you’re not able to completely stop using social media, try limiting your daily use. Maybe you only regulate yourself to using social media 1-2 hours a day or you make it a habit not to get on social media before 11 a.m and after 11 p.m. Make it work for you.
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Featured image by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
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Meet Tiffany Capri Hainesworth, The First Black Woman To Have Her Own Tequila Brand
July 24 is National Tequila Day, and so it was only right that we highlighted the Black woman breaking barriers in the tequila industry. Tiffany Capri Hainesworth founded T Capri Tequila after the success of her gourmet treats business. However, at the time, she had no idea she was going to be making history.
Tiffany grew up in Washington D.C., and after her high school sweetheart was murdered, she decided to go into criminal justice and got her first job in the Secret Service. She continued working various federal government jobs, but a traumatic car accident that caused a brain injury changed her life forever. The accident caused her to reflect on her life, and she began focusing on things that make her happy, thus leading to her embarking on a journey in the spirits industry.
The mother of one would frequently have her girlfriends come over for girls’ night, and she would make liquor-infused desserts. But after the car accident, she decided to turn it into a business and called it Boozy Bears. Boozy Bears was a “handcrafted gummy bear made from wines and spirits.”
“I drank tequila. I love margaritas. Like, I love margaritas,” Tiffany told xoNecole in an exclusive interview. “So, I was like, okay, let me get my little first batch of tequila for my Boozy Bears. So, I researched where tequila was made, [and] found it was only made in the highlands and lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico, and I jumped on a plane and went by myself.”
“So, I was like, okay, let me get my little first batch of tequila for my Boozy Bears. So, I researched where tequila was made, [and] found it was only made in the highlands and lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico, and I jumped on a plane and went by myself.”
During her time in Jalisco, Tiffany visited the agave fields and the distillery and worked with the jimadors to soak up as much knowledge as she could about tequila so that she could make her own. Her original plan was to just have her own tequila for her Boozy Bears business, but once people got a taste of it, they convinced her to start selling bottles of it.
She began documenting the ins and outs and ups and downs of starting her own tequila business. While Tiffany described the agave fields as “one of the most majestic feelings I’ve ever experienced in my life,” flying back and forth to Jalisco by herself, the language barrier, and many other things were challenging.
That’s when it was brought to her attention that she was the first Black woman to own her own tequila. “Shawn Yancy from Channel 4 (NBC4 Washington) was like, you know, let me tell your story, and when she started doing the research, she said you know that you’re the first Black woman to do this all alone,” she revealed.
“Shawn Yancy from Channel 4 (NBC4 Washington) was like, you know, let me tell your story, and when she started doing the research, she said you know that you’re the first Black woman to do this all alone”
After launching in 2021, Tiffany shared that once Chanel 4 aired her segment, it went viral, and her first 1500 bottles sold out in two months. T Capri is 100% Blue Weber agave tequila and additive-free. Their hashtag is #youcansipwithus, which according to the D.C. native, it means you can drink it straight. “You don’t need to put any juices, any mixes, anything in my tequila. You can drink it on the rocks because it’s that smooth, that pure,” she said. “We pride ourselves on being certified additive-free by Tequila Match.”
Photo courtesy of Tiffany Capri Hainesworth
Tiffany calls her journey “tragedy to triumphant.” From the many seizures she faced following her car accident, even after starting her Boozy Bears business, to being heralded as an innovator in the spirits industry, she has overcome a lot and is just getting started.
“It has been an amazing journey. I appreciate, and I am so grateful for the true, genuine support I’ve gotten where people have purchased my product taste unknown. They’ve supported me sight unseen, they understand the dynamics of being a sole owner, making history being a sole owner in a male-dominated industry,” she said.
For more information about Tiffany and T Capri Tequila, you can follow her on Instagram @tcapritequila, Facebook T Capri Tequila, and her website is tcapritequila.com.
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Feature image courtesy of Tiffany Capri Hainesworth