Wellness

Is Birth Control Bad for You?

Lauren Zielinski is a Certified Nurse-Midwife, and the founder of a grassroots women’s health movement called New Moon Rising Events. New Moon Rising works in cities across the US to hold free, day-long workshops that foster discussion about reproductive health, political advocacy, natural medicine options, and community connections.  I. Feel. You. Navigating our option-overloaded world and […]

The Unexpected Thing I Learned From Doing a 5-Day Detox

How does that saying go, “You plan, God laughs?” This piece was supposed to be about my wonderful experience with a 5-day detox. And while it’s not too far off, I can’t help but laugh at the fact that I didn’t consider the detox might not go as planned, or the outcome would be much different than expected. You […]

Up Your iPhone Photography Game With These 5 Tips

We’ve all been there before. There’s a beautiful sunset right outside your window, or all your friends are finally together and you have to get a group pic, but then you’re disappointed when the photos you take on your phone never turn out quite like you thought they would. It’s no wonder our standards are […]

Weekend Notes: Stress-proof your holiday and take a social media break

Good morning, friends! Hope you’re all having a cozy holiday weekend. Ours has so far been full of all the clichés (decorating Christmas cookies, wrapping gifts, sipping hot cocoa by the fire), and I COULD NOT be happier about it. It feels like the season flies by in such a blur that I’m determined to […]

Are We Living In a Culture of Flakes?

Six days, three reschedules, and two time-sensitive text messages that went unanswered for 14 hours. That’s what it took recently for a friend to pick up a couch he’d already agreed to buy from me. This behavior got the entire Career Contessa office talking, and our Editorial Director Kit Warchol was so enraged that she has deemed […]

These Are the Best Apps for Saving Money This Holiday Season

Why does Black Friday always manage to sneak up on us? We have plenty of time to prepare, but most of us scramble to compile our holiday gift list before the big day. But now, scoring a great deal doesn’t have to mean waiting in line outside of the mall. As more of us transition […]

Weekend Notes: The Best Hot Chocolate & How to Be More Present

Morning, friends – and happy weekend! Are things starting to feel a bit holiday-ish where you are? Our weekend so far has included an epic sushi dinner at this spot, decorating and organizing our new guest bedroom (stay tuned), and yesterday I did a fun cooking class with Marcus Samuelsson. Oh and last night, we […]

Do These 6 Things As Soon As You Start Feeling Sick

If having personal experience with sinus problems qualifies you to speak to the topic, I’m basically a medical doctor. All joking aside — I’ve suffered from regular sinus infections for as long as I can remember. Ask anyone else who deals with this and they’ll tell you, it’s a frustrating and unfair condition that can […]

What Kind Of Side Hustler Are You?

I’ve always been an avid side hustler. Even now, while running Career Contessa, I still take on the occasional odd jobs on weekends. For me, it’s not only a great way to earn some extra cash, it’s also a way to shake things up by using different parts on my brain. People freelance for a […]

8 Natural Beauty Products You Need In Your Life Right Now

I’ve been on a natural beauty product kick after attending a non-toxic skincare event last month, where I learned that many of the products I own and use on a regular basis are loaded with synthetics. Now, I’m not trying to overhaul my entire beauty collection at once and immediately toss the hundreds of dollars […]

Is This the Most Out-There Wellness Trend We’ve Ever Tried?

Have you ever tried to meditate? I’ve been trying to, and despite my best efforts to zero in on my breath, everything else seems to come up instead. I draft emails in my head, remember texts I need to send, plan appointments I need to schedule. It’s a common challenge, and if you’ve experienced it […]

The Surprising Benefits of Disappointment

Recently, I found out that a work project that I’d spent weeks preparing for wasn’t going to happen. The opportunity was scrapped for reasons out of my control, and when the news dropped into my inbox, I immediately felt that familiar pit deep in my stomach that always seems to accompany true disappointment. (Also, how […]