After Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, I found myself facing a storm of emotions. Our business was disrupted, the team was scattered, and the uncertainty of when we’d reopen weighed heavily on me. As the Chief Mood Booster at Adoratherapy, my job is to help others cultivate balance through mood-boosting products and rituals—but in the chaos following the flood, I realized I needed to take my own advice.

It was during one of those overwhelming days that a dear friend of my mother’s shared an article by Alison Aubrey with me. It outlined research by Judith Moskowitz on eight practices to increase positive emotions and reduce anxiety, even in the most challenging times. 

It felt like the right message at the right moment, providing structure to help me reset emotionally and mentally. These practices became a lifeline, giving me a way to move forward, one intentional step at a time. I wanted to share them with you as you too may be going through a moment in life that requires too much of you. 

1. Finding Small Moments of Joy

In the aftermath of the hurricane, joy felt distant. But the article reminded me to pause and appreciate small things—a warm cup of tea, or even a sunny morning. I began using our Clear Away Room Boost Spray, with lemon and peppermint, to refresh my space and shift my mindset. My sister sent me my favorite tea from Mariage Frere called Milky Blue. These small moments of self care, savoring the hot tea and asking for space to clear my own energy became the first step toward rebuilding my emotional well-being. Thank you sister!

2. Savoring Meaningful Experiences

It’s easy to focus on what’s lost, but savoring positive experiences helps buffer stress. I made it a point to revisit uplifting memories, like the grand opening of our Wynwood store, and reconnected with those moments emotionally by wearing our Joy Chakra Perfume. The scent, with its rose and jasmine notes, helped me hold on to those feelings just a little longer. As my heart re-opened I was able to accept my grief, all that was lost and road ahead to recovery became more manageable after a good cry and release. 

3. Practicing Gratitude Amid Uncertainty

After the hurricane, gratitude wasn’t instinctive—it was a practice I had to cultivate intentionally. I started praying again, reflecting on the support we received from friends, our amazing team, and community partners. To deepen this practice, I used our Vitality Root Chakra Perfume Oil, infused with sandalwood and cedarwood, during my morning prayer routine. The woodsy oils helped me stay grounded while I was disconnected from my body and the earth itself, even on tough days this small anointing supported my trauma brain that drifted endlessly into despair. It took some time but I’ve embodied again. 

4. Grounding Myself in the Present

Mindfulness was essential for finding calm amidst the chaos. I am a do’er not a be’er on the best of days. I couldn’t meditate so I leaned on breathwork and simple meditation practices, lighting our Tranquility Meditation Candle to create a peaceful atmosphere. The soothing blend of lavender and rosewood helped me center myself, letting go of anxious thoughts, even if just for a few minutes. I also invited healers into our Miami space benefitting from their sound bowls, reiki and the community that showed up. This forced me to join in and allowed me to benefit from much needed shared energy.

5. Reframing Setbacks as Opportunities

It was tempting to dwell on the disruption to our Asheville store, but the article encouraged me to look for silver linings. I reminded myself that this was an opportunity to reconnect with our core mission and rethink future strategies. Our Abundance Aura and Room Boost Spray became my “light worker in a bottle”, helping me remind myself I could turn this recovery into a win as I navigated these challenges. When my team had to dig out 100’s of boxes of inventory we’d just paid off and stocked up on, from our two flooded storage spaces, I couldn’t help but feel discouraged. Asking them to witness the chaos up close seemed harder then giving up. We made the best of it, and getting back to work actually helped us reset.

6. Showing Myself Compassion

As a business owner, it’s easy to be hard on yourself. I had to remind myself to practice self-compassion, allowing space for rest and imperfection. One small but impactful ritual was using our Chakra 2 Dry Touch Body Oil for nightly self-massage, reminding myself that it’s okay to take care of me, too. With an open sacral I could dance and sing and play again, ever so briefly between massive work sprints preparing insurance claims, and revised budgets. 

7. Leaning into My Strengths

When everything feels uncertain, remembering your strengths is vital. For me, it was recognizing my ability to inspire and uplift others, even during difficult times and work hard. Creating new packaging programs was a creative outlet that reconnected me with the heart of what I love—designing and creating new products that help others feel good. Stay tuned for some great new kits this spring!

8. Setting Simple, Achievable Goals

In the face of overwhelming circumstances, setting small goals helped me regain a sense of control. I used our Chakra Discovery Kit with all seven chakra blends, applying different oils as I tackled tasks—like using the Solar Plexus scent Motivation when making difficult decisions required mental focus, or Clarity to keep my third eye open after it shut down completely leaving me confused and hopeless. Each small win, scented and celebrated, brought me closer to emotional balance. 

Finding My Way Back 

The practices I read about in the article weren’t new, but they came at a moment when I needed them most. They gave me permission to slow down, reconnect with myself, and rebuild from the inside out. As the Chief Mood Booster, it’s my mission to help others create emotional balance—and now I know firsthand just how essential these tools we created are when life gets overwhelming.

Through this experience, I’ve rediscovered that healing is a process—one that’s built through small, intentional moments. With each spritz of a room spray, each mindful breath, and each drop of essential oil, I’ve been reminded that balance isn’t a destination; it’s a practice. And I’m grateful to have the tools to share this journey with others. 

Like everyone else I needed to slow down, breathe in and out, and evaluate what matters most. I needed to grieve, re-root, surrender and recover. I needed to acknowledge that me and my Asheville team have experienced trauma and we need time to heal.

Big thanks to so many people who have been there for us.

Special thanks to Lynn Power and the Conscious Beauty Collective for setting up a GoFundMe for Adoratherapy and Sun Drunk. You are all angels - we adore you.