What happens when you stop running on empty and start living with intention? This is how slowing down helped me reclaim joy, creativity, and connection.
For most of my adult life, I ran at full speed. I was the one with the color-coded calendar, the overflowing inbox, the to-do list that never truly ended. I prided myself on being the woman who could handle it all—career, family, responsibilities, and then some. I wore "busy" like a badge of honor.
But something shifted. And not gently.
When my stepmother passed from ALS, everything stopped.
Watching her endure such a brutal, unforgiving illness cracked something open in me. It made me confront the truth I'd been pushing down for years: that life is incredibly fragile—and heartbreakingly short. I began to question the way I was living. The pressure. The pace. The constant doing. If things in my life honestly brought me joy.
Her passing was a wake-up call—not a whisper, but a jolt. And then, when I was unexpectedly let go from a job, I had poured so much of myself into.
Another abrupt pause. Another reminder that so much of what we believe is secure… isn't.
In the stillness that followed, I didn't immediately feel peace. What I felt was discomfort. And guilt.
For the first time in a long time, I started putting myself and my feelings first.
Not because I had a grand plan but because I had no choice.
It felt selfish. As a lifelong "giver," I wasn't used to asking, What do I need? or What do I feel like doing today? My default was always to care for others first, to stay busy, and to stay required.
But slowly, I realized I had been missing something even more profound—time and space to truly connect. Not just to myself but to the people who matter most. Especially my daughter and those I cared about the most.
As I slowed down, I began to notice the small, beautiful ways Hunter and I were naturally starting to co-create. We shared ideas. She offered design input, creative direction, and playlists. I offered structure, ritual, and vision. What began as casual conversations evolved into something intentional—a mother-daughter partnership rooted in wellness, creativity, and healing.
That's how Jade & Oak was born. Not as a business idea but as a sacred offering. A space where we could nurture others while nurturing ourselves. A space where we could heal side by side.
Hunter brings an intensely creative spirit to everything we do. Her eye for beauty and her ability to capture emotion in color, sound, music, and style—give life to Jade & Oak in ways I could never do alone. And I bring grounding, planning, and presence. We don't always agree, but we always make room for each other's voices. It's been healing in the most unexpected ways.
Together, we're learning to build something at a pace that feels right for us. There's no rush—only rhythm. No pressure—only presence.
Perhaps most meaningfully, it allows us to unplug from the constant stream of noise—from media narratives, filtered perfection, and the unrealistic pressures placed on women and girls to always be polished, productive, and performing. So much of what we see today is edited, filtered, or even AI-generated—and it's easy to lose sight of what's real.
And when we step back from that pressure, something beautiful happens: our minds begin to reset.
Slowing down gives us room to breathe but also to recharge. Whether it's the exhaustion from work, the weight of family responsibilities, or the nonstop mental demands of running a business, this space we've created helps us return to ourselves with more clarity, calm, and creative energy. It's not about doing less for the sake of it—it's about doing what matters from a place of wholeness.
Jade & Oak is our antidote to that.
It's a space to reconnect with what's true.
A place where we can create, craft, and inspire from a place of joy, not performance.
Where presence matters more than polish and where our worth isn't tied to what we produce but how we feel.
Slowing down didn't mean stopping. It meant living with more awareness. More alignment. More joy.
Now, I'm creating a life I don't need to recover from. One where my well-being, my creativity, and my relationship with my daughter are all honored. One where Jade & Oak continues to bloom—slowly, intentionally, and beautifully—at a pace that feels true.
This life isn't smaller than before—it's fuller. Because now, it's rooted in what truly matters.
If you're in a season of upheaval, loss, or unexpected change—my hope for you is this:
Let it wake you up.
Let it soften you.
Let it call you back to yourself—and the people you love.
You don't have to keep sprinting to be worthy. You don't have to carry it all to be strong.
Life is too short not to feel it. To enjoy it. To live it—together.
And if you're not sure where to begin, try asking yourself this:
What would you do if you started putting yourself first?
How would you define your life if you gave yourself permission to create space for joy?
The answers might surprise you—and they might just change everything.
Lisa
Co-founder of Jade & Oak Wellness
🌿 P.S. Our very first Jade & Oak retreat is happening this summer—an intimate, soul-nourishing weekend crafted for women who are ready to slow down, reconnect, and honor their inner voice.
It’s more than an event—it’s the beginning of something sacred.
We’d love for you to be part of it. Click here to learn more ➝