Holiday Gift Guide

Pura Vida Bracelets is one of my favorite brands. Not only are their social media posts reminiscent of a beautiful, carefree beach getaway, but they have a special charity collection in which they have donated nearly $2.8 billion to over 175 charities worldwide. Pura Vida offers great gift options ranging from bracelets, necklaces, rings, and more that are perfect for friends, family members, coworkers, you name it. Who doesn’t love a little bit of sunshine and a reminder of the “pure life” on their wrist everyday?

Do you follow Tiny Buddha on social media? If not, you should. The account is full of daily reminders of self love, and who doesn’t need that? In addition to some amazing online content, Tiny Buddha created a little something just for This Is My Brave! For those who want to prioritize self-care but lack the time and tools to do so, Tiny Buddha’s Mindfulness set combines carefully curated products with practical wellness guides that outline simple daily rituals for calm and well-being. For just $45 (with a portion of the proceeds going to This Is My Brave!) and a one stop shop, this Tiny Buddha kit includes Soothing Bath & Shower Gel, Calming Essential Oil Roll on, Relaxing Pillow Spray, Lychee Flower Scented Candle, and a Daily Mindfulness Practice Guide. Self care Friday night, anyone?

Something I have yet to purchase for myself (hello my gift givers!) is a weighted blanket. I don’t know how I have lasted this long without one, to be honest. Weighted blankets are said to reduce anxiety and feel like a night-long gentle hug. (Remind me what I’ve been waiting for again?) We chose this specific blanket by Baloo not only for its rave reviews, but because the company’s environmentally friendly approach continues to evolve as they grow. Their growth = smaller carbon footprint. Additionally, a portion of their proceeds goes to the Pajama Program, supporting the most vulnerable children in our communities at bedtime. Win, win!

When MeUndies reached out to us at the end of 2019 to talk about a 2020 partnership, we were so excited! Through getting to know the team over at MeUndies, we found such an oddly perfect pairing between their charitable arm and our mission. We live with mental illness (or we know and love someone who does). We often feel we need to hide our mental illness, so we don’t appear to be _______ (fill in the blank with any of those words we don’t like to use). MeUndies creates these fun, colorful, incredibly comfy underwear sets (and loungewear!), made boldly to encourage its customers to embrace who they are. You don’t usually see peoples’ undies, just like you don’t usually see someone’s mental health struggles, so getting comfortable with who you are and what makes you, you is an empowering movement to embrace. Bonus here is that you can use the discount code TIMB15 for 15% off your first purchase. Now go get yourself and your family matching onesies for your at home holiday photos this year!

Lewis Howes, a former professional football player and two-sport
All-American athlete, authored a necessary book geared towards men – The Mask of Masculinity: How Men Can Embrace Vulnerability, Create Strong Relationships, and Live Their Fullest Lives Howes discusses how his childhood filled with sports and competition left him in an unknown world of toxic masculinity, so he forged his way through understanding that it is ok (in fact more than ok) for men to be vulnerable, embrace their struggles, and ask for help. We need books like this right now, so really regardless of your gender, check this one out. And of course, follow Howes on social media. He’s got some great daily insights that make a little sense of all of the confusing situations we have right now.

In my search for everything holiday gifts, I knew I had to include the kids in our lives! Stumbling upon Coping Skills for Kids was PERFECT. Not only is this a black female-owned business, but the resources are amazing for our mental health-conscious generation. Choose from workbooks, posters, cue cards, and even courses to help teach the kiddos in your life about being proactive with their mental and emotional health. I cannot wait to gift these to my niece and nephew this year!

We love Emily McDowell and her way with words! Emily creates everything from notecards, stickers, mugs, planners, books – everything you and your bestie love to collect. More than anything – she takes a risk with some of her pieces, stating things just as they are – and I love her for that. For instance, a greeting card that says “Heads Up: When this is over, I totally plan on invading your personal space. I miss you so much.” Or even with her more, ahem, colorful word choices, she somehow captures exactly how we have felt this year. Check her out, have a laugh, and find something for everyone on your list!

I’ve always been the sticker person that would hold onto the *best* stickers from those 50 cent sticker machines, and then I never actually used them because I was always waiting for the most perfect place to stick them. Thankfully I’ve grown out of that, and STICKERS ARE BACK! These Big Moods stickers are fun, colorful, and inspiring. Stick them on your laptop, your water bottle, the new planner you just bought – no better time than the present! Something we also love about Big Moods is that a portion of their proceeds goes to Active Minds, so spread the sticker cheer and give back while doing so!

Similar to Headspace, Calm is another highly rated meditation and mindfulness app. You can set reminders for yourself to step back and breathe, listen to music that infuses your soul, and create better, healthier habits for yourself. Some reviewers state that Calm is best used when you have some meditation experience under your belt. For your meditation-loving partner, gift them with the Calm app!