Three days ago, I slipped into hypomania (I have bipolar) and I started sleeping 5 hours, 4 hours and then 3 hours a night. Usually I know I’ve slipped when I hit that four hour slept mark yet I’m full of energy. Last night I slept from 11p to 2a and then went to my neighborhood Starbucks and stayed there from 3a to 6a. (Yes, my Starbucks opens up that early. Thanks, God!) Unlike the day before, though, I was feeling groggy as hell and I knew I needed sleep. I pumped out six scripts for TikTok but I couldn’t get myself to go into my office to shoot because I was that tired.
Sorry, a little long winded but what I really want to share with you is how I get the best sleep, especially power naps. There’s this app called Abide that not only has Christian-based meditations, it has sleep stories that you can put on for 60 minutes. I put my comfy headphones on, I only go to my go-to boy James Seawood’s ones and I’m out like a light. Something about his voice just lulls me to sleep. Try it out and see it for yourself! It’s totally worth the annual plan: $39.99 per year, which breaks down to roughly $3.33 per month. Or you can pay $9.99 a month if you don’t want to commit. You can try it free for 7 days! This is a legit lifesaver, don’t just trust me though, this app has over 100,000 five-star reviews!
I also do a 5 minute Abide meditation daily. It’s the second thing I do during my morning routine. After prayer, of course!
One day, probably a decade ago, I asked a Christian friend, in what ways can God speak to you? God talks to me through books but could he also talk to us through a random TikTok post that just pops up on my feed? I came across this book by Joshua Giles called When God Speaks that had some answers.
“God has created so many ways to get through our spirits in order to get His valuable words to us. The more you embrace that God loves you so much that He wants to communicate with you as a friend, the more you will begin to see Him in everything. Matthew 5:8 says, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ The more your heart is purified, the more you will see and hear God.”
Now here are some he mentions mixed in with some ways I see him. (I starred the ones I experience!)
* The Bible
– Visions
* Dreams
– Impressions on the heart
* Through people you meet
* Imagery (like art)
– Preaching of the Word
* Through signs or wonders
– Nature
* Numbers
* Books
* A whisper
* A thought
* A voice in your heart or mind
– Colors or symbols
* Challenges or life lessons
* Music
* A blog post or a social media post (mainly TikTok or Instagram)
As Joshua Giles says, “God still speaks today, and He wants to speak to you. Because God speaks in various ways, it’s imperative that you don’t limit the ways He wants to speak to you.” That means He can reach us in an infinite number of ways!
How wild and wonderful is that?
Has God ever spoken to you? What did he said? Please share your stories!
I had this conversation with my sister Grace where talked about how we can show kindness to our family, friends and strangers without giving out any money.
Here are 10 of my favorite ways that I try to practice on the daily.
1. Give a genuine compliment. You can tell someone they have a nice smile but it’s even better if you don’t make it about appearance. I recently told a friend, “You’re the best and most thoughtful gift giver.” Felt good.
2. Pray for someone and tell them you are. Every time I tell my kid’s tennis coach they can’t make a lesson because Parker is not feeling well, he says, “I’ll pray for him.” Love this!
3. Listen without interrupting. Sometimes people don’t have anyone they can talk to. Be that person for them and really give them time to talk. Give that person your full attention. Ask follow-up questions.
4. Hold the door open for someone. This morning, I did this twice! It’s just a small, kind gesture that shows someone an absolute stranger can be kind.
5. Speak only good things about a person when they are not present. Lift others up. We’re all so prone to want to gossip about how a person is bad but what if we did the opposite and said sweet, positive things instead?
6. Leave a positive comment on someone’s blog or social media post. Don’t be a troll. Acknowledge that something they read or watched inspired you or was something that really hit home.
7. Tell someone (even or especially your kid) how proud of them you are. I did this with my son Parker recently, telling him that I love how he’s such a clean person who keeps his room spotless. His room looks like a room at an Ace Hotel (or even better). I told him he should consider being an interior designer, it’s that impressive.
8. Allow another driver to merge. We’re all so busy on the road but sometimes it’s nice to spend those few extra seconds to brake for someone and let them into your lane. (I especially like it when they raise their hand in appreciation.)
9. Learn and use someone’s name. I go to one specific Starbucks every day and I’ve become chummy with most of them. I know their names, we ask how we’re both doing. I feel like Norm from Cheers or even a celebrity because they all shout out my name when I come in. (Sorry to you young folks, you won’t get that reference. See: YouTube.)
10. Ask someone, especially your spouse, “How can I help you?” This shows you care about others and truly want the best for them.
Hello moms and dads! With over 41,476 views, this is my most viewed post of all time. I wrote about this 10.5 years ago! It’s about the positive things to say to your child. I hope, as a parent, you can incorporate some of these into your life. They’ll do wonders.
I have this AMAZING therapist named Dr. Greenwald who I jokingly call my dad. He’s like the best father you could have but without any nagging and any judgement. Here are 10 important lessons I’ve learned from him in the 30 years I’ve been speaking to him (once a week).
1. Sometimes you need to push yourself and socialize. Being a hardcore introvert, it’s hard for me to engage in a social setting. One on one I’m good but put me in a crowd of 3+ and I seize up. I get emotionally drained at social events and I don’t feel worthy of someone’s attention. Sam and I have this close friendship with a married couple who are both doctors and I get nervous around them because I feel like they’ve accomplished so much that I feel unworthy. But then I remember I’ve accomplished a lot too and it makes me feel better. Socializing is so important, though, because it scientifically makes you happier. I always come away from meeting them with new life hacks or tips and a happy feeling because I got over my nervousness.
2. It’s ok to have only a few close friends. I have three best girlfriends (and I’m talking only three girlfriends total) that I feel super close with. Their names are Jay, Grace and Kat. These are my ride-or-die gf’s who I’ve known for 10, 20 and 40 years. You don’t have to feel validation by having a lot of friends. In fact, I like the saying: A woman who doesn’t need validation is the most feared person on the planet.
3. Remember how far you’ve come. When you are feeling down on yourself, look back to your accomplishments. The shit you went through, the depressive states you crawled your way out from. The companies you built from scratch. For me that’s my old art and culture blog My Modern Met and my current company Skylar Yoo. They’re like my babies.
4. It’s ok to give your kids mental health days. Sam and I give our two boys one mental health day a quarter. If they’re feeing overwhelmed they can take a day off school to reset. Being bipolar, I know what being overwhelmed and depressed feels like so I want my kids to grow up feeling like they can take a break and then come back stronger.
5. You can be fashionable at any weight. I used to be a size 6 in high school and then after I got on bipolar meds, my hunger kicked in and I gained 100 lbs. Yes, 100. Now I’m 230. I used to only wear black leggings and a loose shirt but then after speaking to Dr. G he said you can be fashionable at any size. I was like, you’re right~ So now I’m a size 14 and I’m embracing being an XL. Mind you, I’m on my GLP-1 and trying to size down now so let’s see how that journey goes.
6. It’s ok to grieve. When my dog recently died at 15 years old (he was eaten by a coyote), it shattered my heart. I put my hands over my face and cried uncontrollably. My sons were shocked because they had never seen me cry so hard. He was my first baby. Before I went to the hospital to have Parker, I made sure to pack a picture of Fozzy so I could see him in the delivery room. I said to him, “Things will be different now, but you’ll always be my first baby.” It was only now that I can feel joy again. I hope to get a new puppy soon to fill our house with love again. Dr. G said that it’s totally understandable that I would go through so much pain and that I should feel the feelings and not suppress them.
7. Forgive yourself. There’s been a slew of mistakes I’ve made in my marriage and as a parent but I’ve learned that I need to let go of the guilt and move on. We need to treat ourselves like we would our best friend, being kind and compassionate, only wishing the best for us.
8. Don’t try to guess what other people are thinking. You can think all you want about what other people think about you but you’ll never know and what good does it do to dwell upon it?
9. You are worthy just because you were born. You don’t have to look for the approval of others to make you feel worthy. What about the fact that just because you are born and living on this earth that you are worthy?
10. You are not your mental illness. My mother committed suicide when I was 20 years old. She also had bipolar disorder. I was afraid of ending up like my mother. Dr. G said you absolutely will not end up like her because you have a completely different life than her. You have a loving husband and two wonderful kids. You lead a happy life.
So, thank you, Dr. G, for giving me these priceless pieces of advice. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I truly believe you were God-sent.
I love music! I know that’s a broad statement but there’s actual science-backed research on how it can change your emotional state! Music can change your mood surprisingly quickly. Enjoyable music engages brain systems involved in reward and pleasure, including dopamine-related pathways. That’s part of why a favorite song can give you chills or create an almost immediate emotional lift. Choosing happy music intentionally can work.
Research by psychologist Yuna Ferguson and colleagues found that people who listened to upbeat music while deliberately trying to become happier showed greater improvements in mood than people who simply listened without that intention.
Music and movement are a powerful combination. Dancing, walking, exercising—or even just moving around the kitchen—to music combines several happiness-promoting ingredients: pleasurable music, physical movement and emotional expression.
Music creates connection. Singing and listening to music with other people can increase feelings of belonging and social closeness. A concert, church worship service, family karaoke session, or singing together in the car can become much more than entertainment.
Nostalgic music can be particularly meaningful. Songs associated with important people and periods of our lives can bring back feelings of identity, connection and meaning. Sometimes a song doesn’t just remind you of a memory—it seems to transport you there.
Sad music isn’t necessarily bad for happiness. Music can help us process difficult emotions rather than simply suppress them. A sad song that makes you cry may ultimately leave you feeling understood, comforted or emotionally released.
One idea from positive-psychology research that I especially like is that we don’t always have to wait until we’re happy to play happy music—we can use music as part of creating the emotional state we want.
So if you were turning this into one simple happiness practice, I’d make it: Create a personal “Happiness Playlist” of 10–20 songs that reliably make you feel lighter, hopeful, energized or grateful. Then play it deliberately—especially on the days when you don’t feel like it.
And if faith is part of the equation, music can serve another purpose as well. Worship music can shift attention away from whatever is consuming your thoughts and toward gratitude, hope, and God!
Here’s my top 10 songs of all time. Notice how they are a mix of pop and worship? Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather makes me feel more love and appreciation for Sam, Whitney’s When You Believe feels like my heart is bursting with love for God (plus isn’t Whitney hands down the best singer of all time? We miss you, Whitney! I hope you’ll be putting on concerts in heaven!) Also, Jordon Feliz’s Somebody Loves You feels like God is talking directly to me. When I hear that God loves me more than I know, I feel filled with His love…..and overjoyed!
What are some of your favorite songs and what do they mean to you?
Wow! It’s been awhile. But I’m finally excited to say I’m back!!! What a journey it’s been since I wrote here last. About three and a half years have passed and I didn’t know if I’d ever pick up this blog again. But yesterday, something inside me stirred saying, “It’s time.” I’d like to believe it was the Holy Spirit talking to me.
Just to give you a quick rundown of where I’ve been over the past three and a half years, here’s a quick list.
When AI hit and I discovered I could make art of my own, I was hooked. The pic above is a piece I created that’s one of my favorites. I’ll show you a few more.
I did a collection of Space Cats. This one always makes me laugh.
What’s cuter than bedazzled animals like this meerkat?
This black and white one stirs something in my soul.
As a family, we went to Korea. We couldn’t get enough of the street food.
Also took a trip to Japan. It was last spring and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
This summer, I went to London with Logan for 12 days. I Chat-GPT’d the 12 day itinerary. It went off without a hitch. We had the best time. Favorite? Tea time at the Savoy and dinner at Petrus, a French Michelin-starred restaurant.
My maiden last name is Kim. My siblings and I call ourselves the Kimdashians. We started this birthday tradition where we all take one day off during the week to come together and celebrate one of our birthdays. From left to right that’s Carol, Grace, me and Eugene. In January, it was Carol’s birthday so we did the VIP experience at Disneyland. It was epic!
I started a TikTok account that’s dedicated to prayer poems (and regular prayers and testimonials). They light me up! I took a four month hiatus but I’m back!
Started this new line over at Skylar Yoo called Divinitees. It’s Christian based graphic tees and sweaters. I created this so I could give all the proceeds to a charity helping the homeless called Project Touch. It’s a great cause, I know the founder and she’s amazing.
Think that about wraps it up! So, as a side note. I’ll be posting my favorite things on here again, not to make any money, but to just share. This time, I’m not going to hold myself to a strict schedule. I’ll pop in here and there when inspiration hits. Thank you for reading and it’s good to be back, friend!
P.S. I got so many spam comments that I turned off the comments but I figured out how to make it work now so they’re back on! I’d love to hear from you! Share a thought, a story, or simply say hello. Your words make this little corner of the internet a whole lot sweeter.
Sam and I have been married since 2007, that’s 15 years! Though we’ve had our share of ups and downs, I still consider him my best friend and the love of my life. I think one of the keys to our happy marriage is that we’re always thinking about the other person. Whether that means getting each other Starbucks in the morning or bringing up water at night, we’re always trying to make the other person’s life easier.
Every day I ask Sam, “What can I do today to make your life easier?” Asking such a simple yet powerful question to your spouse acknowledges the effort and emotion each partner contributes to their relationship.
It also shows a genuine interest in your spouse’s well-being, which can help build trust and understanding between partners. Taking time to ask this one simple yet meaningful question can help couples reflect on their relationship, appreciate each other more, and have a happier marriage overall.
You may not know this about me but I love collecting jackets and coats. This is not only for practical reasons (I’m always cold!) but I love how a jacket or coat can make a statement. This one, by Wren+Glory isn’t cheap, at close to $400, but I love it because I’ve never seen anything quite like it. There’s a large rainbow, spreading across the back to the front, with ‘All We Need Is Love’ painted in white with a dripping effect. Each piece is hand painted meaning no two are alike. Love!
Today I wanted to share with you guys a hack I use to motivate myself to exercise in the morning. You know I love my morning routine which consists of actions such as morning prayer, meditation, and writing in my gratitude journal. I always end the routine with writing in my main journal. I believe in talking to yourself in an encouraging way so I also do this in my main journal. After I’ve dumped my brain onto the page, I end with writing affirmative statements like, “You can slay the workout! You’re fierce and fabulous. Let’s do a :30 minute ride with our favorite instructor Cody Rigsby.”
Then, after my ride is finished, I come back to the journal and write something like, “Great job, girl! I knew you could do it.”
Try it and see if it doesn’t encourage you to jump on your bike and ride!
Hello, I’m Alice Yoo! I’m founder and CEO of Skylar Yoo, a company dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to be bold. We sell apparel, art prints and accessories to the modern feminist.
In my former life, I was editor-in-chief of the art and culture blog My Modern Met, which I founded back in 2007. I curated and wrote about art, design and photography for more than seven years. (In fact, I published over 7,000 articles which were seen by millions of people worldwide.) I’m also co-author of a book called For Love: 25 Heartwarming Celebrations of Humanity, which is on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
I live in southern California along with my husband and my two toddler boys.
This blog is about what I love, the tough experiences that I’ve learned from, and my journey as a second time entrepreneur. Right now, I’m in the midst of a 365 day challenge, to read one book a day. If you share my passions or want to learn some cool new facts, come along for the ride. I hope to inspire, educate and entertain you!
