How I Thrive takes an inside look at founders, entrepreneurs and leaders and the behind-the-scenes self-care work they do to in order to live balanced, happy lives. Today's edition is with Ahida Correale Designs Founder Ahida Correale, who is a firm believer in daily bed-making and drinking ridiculous amounts of water.
Age: 36
City: Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Company: Ahida Correale Designs, a company on a mission to keep people safe, authentic, and expressive, while also supporting families and the community through contributions and donations generated from our designs.
Morning routine:
It may sound silly, but the first thing I do every day is make the bed. It starts my with a feeling of accomplishment and organization. I have a multitude of responsibilities based on the variety of roles I play. I retain my focus by prioritizing and maintaining a flexible and actionable list. Each morning, I make it a priority to take care of myself. So much of my day/time is absorbed trying take care of everyone else and the business, I need to invest in me.
I work out (this means Peloton, yoga or Melissa Wood Health), stretch, enjoy my go-to drink of hot water with lemon, or take a drive and indulge myself with an oat milk latte from hi-fi espresso. These activities give me time to prepare myself for the day by reflecting on the goals I have had for the last few days (which I don't always hit) and memorializing what I believe to be specific, actionable items I can complete by the end of the day to continue reaching towards those goals.
I then schedule my time around the non-negotiable aspects of my day: Family time, virtual learning/homeschooling, and me time. This is my to-do list and it keeps on point for the rest of the day! I then get into action.
The first thing I do after work:
I decompress, wash off the day, sit in front of the fire place with chamomile tea, spend time with my children and husband, share our stories, and build our family bonds.
Dinner ritual:
Nighttime routine:
After the kids are put to bed, I will spend time pampering myself with a facial treatment, long bath, glass of pinot noir, and a little music (genre really depends on the type of day). I wish I had something more, but after most of my days, by the time I put my head on my pillow, I'm out like a light.
Self-care guilty pleasure:
Charcuterie and cheese boards — so bad for my body, but so good for my mental health.
Workday self-care hack:
I drink a ridiculous amount of water and play music during the work day to keep my energy level up.
How do you define self-care?
Making sure my mind, body, and soul are all in balance. They are all an integral part to my attitude and relationships.
Favorite childhood toy or hobby:
Rollerskating. Going to Skate Country on field trips was what I looked forward to the most. The '80s are always a good idea, clothes, music, rollerskating.
State of your (email) inbox:
Let me start by saying I have three inboxes: Personal, work, and what I use when I sign up for something. My personal email has important family items and is read and then archived, my work email is kept very organized by business need and outstanding items and, well, the other one is just a hot mess.
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