Phoenix, AZ
"My fiancé was in a car accident and then she got cancer, so life has been crazy. She’s much better now, we found out in February that she was in remission so that was cool. She can’t go back to work yet, but this is a step into part time and it’s working from home. She’s doing a lot better. We’re able to do a lot more now. Honestly, I neglected myself for a very long time — well, taking care of myself, I really did. I put everyone else before myself. Especially because my fiancé was so sick all the time, but then it kind of dawned on me that I can’t do anything for anyone else if I’m not good myself. Now I go on hikes, I like to meditate, just be balanced with myself. And that’s all new to me, I was not very, like, open to stuff like that before... I was like “That’s stupid. Why would I do that? How does that help? (laughter)And then I started trying to do it. And, like, hiking has always been kind of a thing for me — the nature and all the rest of that — but definitely when I started meditating and started taking care of myself, making myself a priority, I can tell a difference in at least my state of — or should I say — 'lack of depression'. I guess that would be a better phrase for that. Just being able to be peaceful.
Transilient: I also do yoga a little bit.Landen: I don’t do yoga.
Transilient: I was like you a little bit, I was like “That’s yuppie privileged lady stuff.”
Landen: (laughing) Yeah, for sure.
Transilient: But I mix it in with my meditation practice, I stretch a little bit first and it lets me get way more in touch with my body.
Landen: See, I try and do the stretching thing. I don’t know about yoga. Everyone says I should try yoga because of my ADHD, I don’t know, but I definitely try and do like a 10-minute stretch. And then I’ll try and meditate. That way my body’s just more relaxed if I’m stretched. I have an app on my phone that walks you through different stretches, when to take a break, that kind of stuff.
Transilient: Really?! What a time to be alive!
Landen: Yeah (laughter), there’s an app for everything.“