SELF Magazine

By now, you’ve seen enough headlines to be sufficiently freaked out about microplastics. They’re everywhere: Our water bottles, our brains, our bones—they’ve even infiltrated the waters of the Arctic, where no humans even live. The latest culprit that really hits close to home? Your cup of tea. A recent study found that brewing tea with polymer-based teabags causes a “significant release” of microplastics. Is nothing sacred, anymore?! If you’ve had it up to here with the microplastics mayhem, we got you. https://lnkd.in/eYcf3r-H

I am proud to know so many Autistic women that have contributed to improved screening and diagnostic criteria specifically for women, including Jennifer Cook and Carly Ott. I'm grateful for journalists like Cassie Shortsleeve that highlighted this important topic in a publication like SELF Magazine, that focuses on empowering women. Lastly, I'm glad the Autism Society of America could support this article, and bring in Wendy Ross and her depth of experience. 🙌

If you’ve been to the supermarket recently, you might have noticed many shelves that were once filled with cartons upon cartons of eggs are now bare. If you’re lucky enough to find them in stock, you might be met with a surprising form of sticker shock: Organic, cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised eggs are often now actually on par with—or even *cheaper* than—the regular options, which have skyrocketed in cost. And the United States Department of Agriculture predicts that egg prices will rise an additional 20.3% in 2025. Tap here to learn more. https://lnkd.in/gyUj43y3

✨ Honored to be featured as one of SELF’s Everyday Athletes of 2025! ✨ In the article, I shared: "Fitness isn’t about shrinking yourself; it’s about finding what makes you feel alive and connected. For me, it’s about creating spaces where all bodies are celebrated." And that’s what my work is all about—helping plus-size folks find a fitness journey that feels like home. One that’s rooted in community, joy, and self-love. Through Power Plus Wellness and my classes, I aim to show that movement isn’t about fitting into society’s mold—it’s about freeing yourself to move, breathe, and live authentically. Huge thanks to SELF Magazine for spotlighting this mission. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/enBsx7af

Lili Reinhart is SELF’s January 2025 cover star. SELF sat down with the actor the day after the 2024 election was called: “I was going to say to you the moment I walked in, ‘I hope you’re okay with crying,’” she told writer Julia Sullivan. “In my private life, when I cry, I really cry. That’s not something that’s very socially acceptable, as we know as women. We don’t cry in public because it’s uncomfortable. But I knew I was going to cry today, and I didn’t feel nervous about it.” At the time of this interview, Reinhart’s grandmother had recently been diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer after months of uncertainty and self-advocacy. Fighting for care has been something Reinhart found herself recently consumed with too: She’s been privately dealing with a debilitating, hard-to-pin-down health issue over the past four years. She says her doctors suspect that she has an autoimmune disease (though they’re not sure which one exactly) that’s causing several painful symptoms, or she may be dealing with the aftereffects of a previous infection. Reinhart has long been an influential mental health advocate, and now she is ready to bring her physical health into the conversation. “This is where the emotions are going to come out,” she said as her eyes started to well. “I’m here and I’m talking about my health because of my grandma.” To read the full cover story—including Reinhart’s personal health journey and why she’s speaking up now—tap here: https://lnkd.in/eUV4hjVn

Curious about drinking a little less alcohol but don't feel ready to ditch it entirely for the month? There’s a less restrictive, possibly more mindful option you could try: Damp January. Cutting out booze completely might be intimidating, whereas a damp lifestyle meets you where you are and allows for a flexible environment to take a closer look at why, when, and how you drink, ideally setting yourself up for a healthier long-term relationship with alcohol. We asked experts to explain the pros of reducing your intake, and how you can make a low-liquor month work for you. Tap here: https://lnkd.in/e2gJB9zv

SELF’s free new year’s fitness program is finally here! Meet 6 Weeks to Stronger, created by our fitness director and ACE-certified personal trainer, Christa Sgobba, and strength coach Francine Delgado-Lugo. Our bodies, schedules, commitments, and goals are all different, so why are most workout programs the same for everyone? That’s why SELF is putting you in the driver’s seat for *your* fitness journey—we know you’ll come out healthier, more confident, and ready to keep crushing whatever’s next for you. Swipe to learn more about 6 Weeks to Stronger, and tap here to pick your program and get lifting: https://lnkd.in/dqdyjj27

This week, I got the best holiday gift a writer could ask for: Seeing people enjoy my work. I wrote the piece as part of SELF Magazine's Rest Week package, and I've been thinking about the concept (and trying to put it into practice myself) constantly since. https://lnkd.in/dFtd9Phu Apparently, it's resonating with others, too, because it's gone a little viral — and not controversial, stir-the-pot viral. It's all good vibes. 💖 https://lnkd.in/d9kBVi3K It's been a tough few years for the editorial community, with many layoffs and uncertainty about how the industry will fare with the advancement of AI. But this little moment is filling me with hope and inspiring me going into the New Year. Wishing you all a lovely 2025 filled with lots of real, human content and plenty of face-to-face time with your loved ones, during which I hope you try to do *less.* 🌟

Loose, liminal time with others used to be baked into life. But it’s been slowly wedged out thanks to smartphones, go-go-go lifestyles, a fiercely individualistic society, and a host of other cultural shifts. “Intimate bonds form when neighbors drop by each other's homes, when children play together outside, or co-workers connect over the ‘water cooler.’” Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, tells SELF. “In contemporary life, there’s little room for these types of ‘old-fashioned’ interactions—but without them, relationships can become transactional, and we can become isolated.” To read more about the benefits of doing nothing with other people, why it’s become a lost art, and how to bring it back, tap here: https://lnkd.in/gZRkdSQw

New York City isn’t hurting for holiday traditions, but even among iconic events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and the New Year’s Eve ball drop, the Rockettes’ “Christmas Spectacular” show remains a bucket-list item for many folks. Since the 1920s, the all-female dance troupe has wowed New Yorkers and travelers alike with their elaborate costumes, expert moves, and of course, those sky-high kicks. SELF caught up with four members of the troupe in mid-November before catching their opening night performance. The polished production is the tip of the iceberg; a churning mix of raw talent, tenacious passion, and hard work makes up the rest. Tamia Strickland, 23; MacKenzie Howse, 25; Hannah Hawkins, 27; and Paige McRae, 29 took us behind the scenes as they prepared for the busy day ahead—applying makeup, stretching, paying visit to an athletic trainer, and changing into the first of many costumes. To read the full interview about representing an iconic cultural institution, the best ways to prep for (and recover from) shows, the bonds forged amid the hard work and long hours, and how they balance life as a Rockette with, well, life the other nine months of the year, tap here: https://lnkd.in/ehKEnjME