The Liz Moody Podcast - Chelsie Hill—How To Stop Asking “Why Me?” And Develop True Resilience + All Your Qs About Wheelchair Life, Answered (Including What Sex Is REALLY LIKE)

Episode Date: January 27, 2021

My guest today is the incredible Chelsie Hill (@chelsiehill), a community leader, trailblazer, entrepreneur and founder of the Rollettes Dance Team. At the age of 17, Chelsie was involved in a drunk driving accident that caused irreversible damage to her spinal cord and left her unable to walk. We talk all about the accident in this episode, and how it’s reshaped her life in surprisingly positive ways. On this episode, we talk about: The story of the accident that paralyzed her from the waist down How her accident impacted her family, and how they dealt with their own PTSD How to get over the “Why me?” feeling when bad things happen to you Her life-changing advice for anyone struggling to forgive someone—or themselves Her super-sweet proposal story! How her friend (and Tony award winner!) Ali Stroker helped her feel beautiful and sexy again in her body What sex, orgasms, and childbirth are like since she’s paralyzed from the waist down How being paralyzed impacts her gut health Her best time-saving tricks, since everything in her life takes longer How she grew her successful business and her best advice for people who want to do the same (including her top public speaking tips!) How she deals with externalized/internalized stigma of her disability How to find the positive even in the most negative situations I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the episode! Screenshot and tag me—I’m @lizmoody— and Chelsie (@chelsiehill) and share your thoughts, feelings, and reactions. PS: My foodie preset pack is officially live. You can get all 8 presets, designed to make your food pics look as good as they taste, at lizmoody.com/presets. PPS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook. Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy! This episode is sponsored by Organifi, the makers of my favorite caffeine-free energy drink, Red Juice. You can go to www.organifi.com/healthiertogether and use the code “healthiertogether” for 20% off your order. This episode is sponsored by LifeSeasons, a company that makes amazing supplements for gut health, inflammation, immunity, and many, many more, including my beloved allergy blend. Go to https://shop.lifeseasons.com?current-token=P8gRvbln and use the code “healthiertogether” for 15% off your order. Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Healthier Together podcast. I am your host, Liz Moody, and I'm a two-time cookbook author and long-time journalist, and I have such a good episode for you today. I was just listening back to it, and I am grinning ear to ear, so I hope it inspires lots of smiles for you, too. My guest today is the incredible Chelsea Hill, a community leader, trailblazer, entrepreneur, and founder of the Rollets dance team. At the age of 17, Chelsea was involved in a drunk driving accident that caused irreversible damage

to her spinal cord and left her unable to walk. We talk all about the accident in this episode and how it's reshaped her life in surprisingly positive ways. I wanted to have Chelsea on the podcast because I thought we could all use a good dose of resilience these days. And this episode will definitely give you that and lots of practical wisdom for feeling positive in really tough times. But it's also so much more than that.

There's a ton of fun, girly chat where Chelsea answers all of the questions you're too afraid to ask, like, what does sex feel like in a wheelchair? Can she still have an orgasm? Can she have babies? She also shares tips around body love and acceptance, public speaking, dealing with PTSD and trauma, how her being in a wheelchair has impacted her relationship with her fiance. She also tells her proposal story and it's like really sweet. It made me cry. And so much more. All right, I am too excited. So let's get right into it. Chelsea and I would both love to hear what this conversation brings up for you. So definitely screenshot and tag us both on Instagram. I'm at Liz Moody and she is at Chelsea Hill. Chelsea with an IE at the end. Now let's get into the episode.

All right, Chelsea, thank you so much for taking the time to join me on the podcast today. Thank you for having me. I would love to start by just finding out like how you're doing right now because I feel like these days, how I am minute to minute, much less like day to day. It's like it's different all the time. Yeah, that's very true. I mean, honestly, when the quarantine happened and COVID happened and we were in lockdown, in the beginning, honestly, I was thriving. I was like, I get a break. I don't have to work as much. You know, and then I think, you know, reality really set in is, okay, we don't know how long this is going to be. So, you know, it's been obviously, you know, nine, 10 months of all of this so far. And for me, I feel like I'm doing pretty good. I have kind of gotten this whole

working digitally and from the computer kind of like under control now. You know, we do Zoom classes for people and women in wheelchairs, dance classes. We have a mentorship program. It's all virtual. So that's been really awesome. But thank you for asking. I'm doing pretty good. Well, and you also have, I want to get into your relationship in general because you guys are just the cutest couple. But did you have to postpone your wedding because of COVID? Are you planning it for later because of COVID? Or how did that all factor in? Yeah. So he actually asked me like weeks before quarantine, before COVID hit, before like the number spiked everything. So he actually asked me on my 10 year anniversary of my car accident, which I was not expecting, like at all. And then weeks later, you know,

we were in lockdown. And so we were planning to like, we've talked about it. And, And we were like, we're going to do a wedding in 2021. You know, so we wanted to have like a whole year of being engaged, et cetera. So we are planning to have our wedding next year, end of next year. So, yeah. It's so interesting to me that he asked on the anniversary of your car accident, is that something that you celebrate in your life in like a positive way? Yeah. So, you know, when I was first injured, I always looked at that day as the most horrific day ever.

and which is totally like human of us to do when your life like alters or you lose a love when you look at that day as such like a sad day, which which it is really good to grieve and it is good to feel those feelings. But I met some amazing women when I was newly injured and they were like, hey, like your anniversary of your car accident is called a life day. And I was like a life day. And they're like, yeah, you are reborn. Like you got a second chance at life. This doesn't have to be a negative situation. Of course, grieve and. and feel those things you have to feel. But remember that this doesn't have to be a negative day. It can be a positive day that you survive this, that you have a second chance at life. And really honestly, I was basically, I feel like that day I was born into a new body when I woke up in the hospital and ICU and found out that I was paralyzed from the waist down. So it was actually a few days before my anniversary, my 10-year anniversary, which is so crazy to say, to be honest, because I had work on my anniversary. We were doing a big convention. So a few days beforehand, I threw a party for myself and invited all my closest friends and people that I've met in L.A. and through this big party,

got it catered, had drinks. It was a great time. And my boyfriend, Jay, of like five years, planned this whole thing that my friends were going to send in videos and tell me, like, how much they're proud of me, how much they love me, blah, blah. I was like, it. a 10 minute video and at the end of the video, I'm like, bawling my eyes out. And I'm like, this is so amazing at the end of the video. Jay, my fiance, my boyfriend at the time, gets up on the screen and he's in the same outfit in our house together, talking. And he's saying like, you know, 10 years ago, you wondered if you were going to dance again, if you were going to find friends again, if you were going to be able to live a normal life. And all of the answers to that

was yes. And so now I have a question for you. Will you turn around? Oh my God. I'm literally crying. So yeah, and then I turned around and I was like, what is going on? And he said this amazing speech and gets down on one knee and the rest is history. He asked the question and I was like a hundred percent yes. Oh my God. Had you guys like talked? I'm always curious if couples are like talking about it before or if it's like I just want to be completely surprised. So we like, you know, we've known that we wanted to be each other's forever. We know. We know. knew that this was something that we wanted. I just never knew when it was going to happen. You know what I mean? Like, I knew, like, him and I have talked about, like, we're going to get married. Like, this is it. Like, this is what we're, like, we both were like, yes, we're going to get married. But how and when he was going to ask was, I, like, I, like, never knew. I knew something, like, I knew that he had a ring, but I didn't know when he was going to ask. So it was really crazy because, like, two days before, I was like, I got to get my nails done. Like, they look so

bad and, you know, I have an event this weekend and blah, blah, blah, not realizing that he was like, yeah, go get your nails done. I bet he was, like, whispering it to you while you were sleeping, so you would, like, subconsciously take in that you needed to get your nails done. So true. So true. Honestly, he would do that. So that day, essentially, was your rebirth day twice now.

Yeah. So that day, yeah, I mean, it was, well, it's our anniversary. So we're technically, we got engaged on February 19th. and my 10-year anniversary was February 21st. So it's just a few days like before, which I kind of like, I'm like, I don't want to take away from that day. I wanted to like, I wanted him and I to have our own day. But I feel like after 10 years, I'm like, okay, I'm done counting.

That's fair. Okay. So let's walk back, roll back to all of that. Can you talk me through or talk through anybody who doesn't know your story, sort of what happened in your accident? Yeah, you know, so, okay, it's a very long story that I will definitely make very short. So I was a competitive dancer my entire life. Growing up, dance honestly was the only thing that I was really good at. I was not good in school. I hated being in school. I was not like the educational type of person to sit and

read a book and like research thing. That's like not me. I'm a very like hands on. Like I express myself with my body. I knew growing, growing up that I wanted to be in LA, dancing professionally, going out on tour, and just being a performer. That was something that I've always loved to do, and I knew I was good at. And so fast forward to my senior year of high school. I was out at a party with friends. I was on the high school dance team, and we performed out all the basketball games and football games and on rallies, etc. I was always a girl that was like running around, jumping, on everyone, very outgoing. And my senior year of high school, I was out at a party with friends. And I left one party and went to another. My best friend dropped me off. And she was like,

hey, if you need her at home, like let me know. I don't feel like going in. I'm going to go home. And I was like, okay, I wanted to go to the party because my boyfriend at the time and I, who have been like on and off since like we were little, we broke up the night before. And I was like, okay, I heard he's going to this party. Like, I'll just go. I was. sober. I was like, I'll go and just like hang out. He showed up. The night went on. Long story short, I ended up drinking and like, I have playing beer pong and just like being really chill. I was a senior in high school, so I was underage. I remember someone saying like, hey, do you, does anyone need a ride home? I'm leaving. And we can like drop you guys off. And I was like, oh my God,

I'm going to be in trouble. I'm out past curfew. I, you know, I have worked the next morning. And so I ran out to the first car I saw, didn't ask any questions, and jumped into the backseat. My friend that got behind the wheel actually was drinking. And long story short, we ended up hitting a tree head on going about 35 miles per hour into a dead stop. I broke my back. I was actually internally severed from at L3. So my L3 was completely crushed. And all of the nerves, your spinal cord stops at L1 and all of the nerves branch out after that to L2, L3, L4, L5, and down.

And at L3, they were completely severed. I remember emotionally what happened, but not visually. I was awake. I was talking. I was passing out and then waking up and passing out. My ex-boyfriend was in the car with us, and he ran around to get to me. and tried to lift me out of the car. And that's, I guess, when I told him, he was like, pushing your legs and I'll pull you out

because the car was at a tilt down like this embankment. And he tried to get me out. And he was pulling on me. And he was like, pushing your legs. And I was like, I can't. And he was like, I can't feel my legs. And he let go. And he was like, oh, shit.

And the police came, ambulance came, and they found out when I got into the ambulance that I was paralyzed. So that's in a nutshell what happened. I was lifelighted to the nearest trauma center, which at the time was San Jose. I'm from Monterey. So I was flown in a helicopter, dropped off in San Jose. And that's when my mom and dad got a call and my mom got a knock on the door. And our whole lives changed.

Do they, have you ever talked to them about their experience of that day? I feel like that's like a parent. my mom, dad. Yeah, worst, worst nightmare. Yeah, it was real, like, my dad took it really hard. Like, he, he almost was admitted into the hospital as well because he was having, like, really bad PTSD of my mom calling him on the phone. And when my mom called him and she's screaming on the other end after, like, when the cops were at her house and saying, like, where's your daughter? Where is your daughter Chelsea? And she was like, yes, yes, what's going on? And she's freaking out. And she gets on the call with my dad. And my dad actually,

ended up, he woke up, it was like 3 o'clock in the morning by the time the cops got there to my mom's house. So my dad got a call like 3.30. And he ended up like, he heard her and he stood up. And he said that he passed out and he said he woke up and the phone was like lit up on his face. And he, and he was like, I didn't remember anything. And I grabbed, I grabbed the phone and I immediately like called his, his friend and they drove up to the hospital because my dad couldn't, he was like, he was like in a whole other world he said and I'm I'm the only child and so I'm a daddy's girl for sure um and yeah it's it was really hard for my dad he didn't leave my bedside he slept in the ICU with me for like 38 days and then they moved me down to rehab and then forced himself like forced

the doctors and the nurses to give me my own room so he could sleep like right next to me um in this like little pullout bed and then I was moved once I turned 18 I was moved into a room with someone else and my dad literally stayed in this like little trailer right outside the the hospital. So yeah it was really hard for my dad the first honestly five six years. He completely like he would go through this like PTSD of like waking up and like you know he'd wake up screaming and then he'd wake up and go come in and check on me to make sure I was okay. And it was really hard on my family. And so what people don't realize is spinal cord injuries or significant trauma that happens in a family isn't always hard on that person. It's also really hard for the family too, especially when, like,

a child or someone in the family becomes disabled. Yeah, it's interesting that you said five or six years because I feel like before five or six years, you were already sort of speaking and inspiring other people within that time period. So it's interesting that it took him long. Was there something that helped him sort of transition to a better place with it? Yeah. So actually right after, when I was laying in the ICU one night, I'll tell you this brief story, but one night, my dilated medicine shut off and it malfunctioned. And I had just had my seven and a half hour back surgery where they put rods and screws in my back to brace my um fix my bro my my break at l3 and my dilauded medicine shut shut off and i woke up screaming

in so much pain and my dad held my hand and walked me through breathing and and they turned the machine back on and they press the button and i was like pressing it 10 times because i was in so much pain and i'm crying to him and i was like dad why me like i had a life i knew what i wanted to do how is this possible? And he, he like was crying and he was like, you know, maybe you're supposed to, maybe you're supposed to raise money for a little girl in a wheelchair that their family can't support that. And maybe they can't afford to get their child, the medical equipment. And, you know, maybe there's a bigger purpose. And years later, he was like, I had no idea what I was saying, but I was just trying to grasp the straws. But that sparked this thing in me that I was like,

wow, I can really make a difference in people's lives like that. And he was like, yeah, you can. You can. You can do anything. It doesn't matter if you have to use this wheelchair or not. Like you can do anything you set your mind to. And that first instinct of really like put it in my mind that like whether I'm walking or whether I'm rolling through life, I could still make a difference in people's life. And maybe there is some weird, horrible reason that this happened to me out of everyone else in the car. And honestly, I think back and I'm glad it happened to me and not the guys because I feel like I've, taking it a lot better than they would have.

You know, it's, it's something that I think about a lot. So my dad and I started actually a nonprofit called Walk and Roll Foundation, which educates people about the dangers of drinking and driving and educates schools about disability and it's okay to be different. So we did that for about six years. We don't have the nonprofit anymore, but that's your question. That is how I feel like my dad really came out of his shell. and found himself again.

But it took a really long time as helping me find my purpose again. Okay. I want to talk about the why me for a second because this is personal. Like I spent a lot of time. I basically had a period in college where I did a lot of drugs and I ended up in situations that led to me now having pretty severe anxiety and PTSD. And when I think back on my college self, I get so angry at her.

And I just am like, could you not have just like not done that? And then I wouldn't be here now. And I'm curious because obviously this was sort of like not everybody who got in the car would have had your did have your result. And but there is this choice that you can reflect on of getting in the car. Yeah. And I'm curious how you move through that feeling of like regret or even like lack of compassion for your former self. Yeah. You know, I'm very thankful that I have the family and friends I do because it actually goes a step back to. So the driver was one of my friends. And as soon as the accident happened, my dad's friends were calling him like, who's this kid will take care of him? How could he do this to your daughter? Blah, blah, blah. And seeing my dad react the way he did towards the driver, who was literally right down the hall from me because he was also. life flighted to the nearest trauma center, which was the same. So he was literally three doors down

for me. And everyone at my was like at my door, literally the whole entire upper floor, they had to kick people out because they were kids were sitting literally right outside my door and people like, this is a fire hazard. You guys need to go. And so when my dad's friends called and was like, hey, who's this kid? Like, how could he do this? Like he made the mistake. My dad took it in a way that I feel like was so powerful for me to see, my dad was like, I'm not mad at him. We all make mistakes. My daughter is suffering for mistakes that he made as well. And I remember looking at him, listening to him on the phone and going, him saying, I don't hate him. Nothing that I can do to this child, this kid that, you know, made the choice to get behind the wheel is going to fix the fact

that my daughter's paralyzed. And hearing those things and going, yeah, that's true. you know, and then me thinking, Chelsea, you knew he was drinking. That doesn't matter if he was drunk or had one beer. You knew he had alcohol in his system, you know, and then me going like, I had the decision to get out of the car. So one thing I didn't mention is we actually drove right by my house. And they stopped and he goes, hey, do you want to get out now? And I chose to stay in the car.

And that moment replays in my head all the time at random moments of me making that decision because I wanted to go back to the house. house to talk to my ex-boyfriend. And I thought that that was more important than getting out of the car. I made this most stupidest, most half a second glimpse of a decision that altered my entire world. And so, you know, I went through a lot of different feelings of what I chose to do because, granted, my mom or dad could have been driving that night sober and a deer could have ran out in front of us and we could have swerved and I could have been sitting in the back seat and, you know, broke my back the same exact way. My mom had the same car as we were driving. Literally, same car, same make, same model,

everything. And it could have been one of my best friends, you know, driving. It could have been, so I replay that and I, I always think that the mental part of a car accident and the driver, I feel like is so much worse than what I deal with every day. He has to wake up, knowing that his actions did this to me. So that's kind of where I fall in and then it goes a step further. Actually, he was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison at the age of 18 years old for a DUI and a lot of other things that he had on his record. But I actually fought to get him out.

And when he initially went in, I spoke in front of the jury in front of the judge. we lost and about three years later it was a missed it was counted as a mistrial and I was living in LA and I was living my life I was doing all these things I was traveling I was dancing I was doing everything I wanted to do as an able body but from a wheelchair and three years later he had a mistrial and I got a call from my attorney and he goes hey Aaron driver is going up to have another trial to possibly get out and I was like I'll be there. And I fought to get him out again for the second time and we won. So he got out early and he's doing really well. We talk once a year right around the accident time and he's engaged

now. He's sober. He lost a full ride scholarship to Long Beach State from everything and he's doing really good. And I just pray that he stays on this right path and, you know, kind of flips his life around, but he's doing really good and it's been 10 years. So, yeah. What would you say to somebody who was struggling to find that kind of forgiveness in themselves? You know, it's really hot. I still, when I think about what I did at a very young age of making that mistake, you know, it takes two, you know. My accident is so different than a lot of people's accident. I wasn't driving down the street and a drunk driver hit me. Things are so different. Every accident, every situation is so different. But for my accident, it takes two. You know, I had, I made that decision. I had to forgive myself

first. I had to grant myself grace. And that's where a lot of people forget to do that. You know, it starts with so many different aspects. You know, there was no alcohol in my family at all. Both my parents are sober. I didn't know how to manage drinking at that age. I wasn't crazy or anything like going out and, you know, I wasn't like, I don't know, how do you say? I wasn't like a full-blown alcoholic at that age. But, you know, I didn't know how to have a healthy relationship with alcohol. I didn't know how to say, have discipline to be like, no, I don't need to go see my ex-boyfriend. I can go home because I have a job and I, you know, I was young. I was 17 years old. And 17-year-olds don't realize that they are not mature.

sure to make decisions like that. It absolutely not. Like your brain doesn't develop until you're 25 into your late mid-20s. And so I don't know. I feel like forgiveness, it starts within. And I feel like the more that you hold on to something that is something that you literally cannot change. I cannot change the fact that like I'm paralyzed. I cannot feel half of my body. I cannot feel when I put my feet in the sand. I can't feel when I have to go to the bathroom. I can't feel none of that. I can't feel water on my feet. I burn myself easily. None of that. And so those things I can't change whether I forgive him or not. And if I don't forgive this person that also made a horrible decision, then I'm holding on to so much animosity and so much evil I feel inside of me that I just want to

release it and go, you know what? No matter what happens, I can't change the way I am. And I, whether I'm walking or rolling, I want to make the best of it. And I just hope and pray for everyone out there that has been through traumatic incidents, incidences in their life that they can find and grant the grace within themselves in order to forgive themselves for whatever has happened. And I feel like a huge weight will be lifted from their chest of waking up every morning looking up themselves and either hating their body or hating the way they look or hating the way they have to wake up and go to a nine to five drop, whatever that is.

you know, that's how I think of it. I think it's an interesting point about forgiveness that's maybe not talked about enough is that when you forgive somebody else, like it's as beneficial for you. Like it makes you feel really, really good and significantly just less like, yeah, like you're not carrying that toxicity around with you. Yeah, it's so true. It's something that I had to realize at a very young age. And don't get me wrong, I have had my moments where I was like,

I hate this. Like I'm human, you know, like, and I speak very like openly now, but like it's taken years for me to get where I am to be comfortable with my body, with being comfortable with my disabled body and loving my disabled body and looking in the mirror and going, you're beautiful, you are enough, you are sexy, you are everything you want to be. And that has taken a very long time and it doesn't just happen overnight, you know. I feel like people look at people on social media and like, oh my gosh, she's so positive. And it's like you also have to look at where the journey to get to that.

And that journey can be beautiful, you know, and it can be hard. Can you talk about some of maybe the more transformative moments on that journey from being like this totally sucks? Like I'm now paralyzed to being like I get to live this really amazing life that I can love. Yeah. You know, I think of two very prominent moments in my life right after the act. And my first moment that I think of is laying in my bed and I had my door shut. And I remember I wanted to get up and get something to drink. But I didn't want to call my mom and ask her because I was 17 years old, 18 at the time.

I turned 18 in the hospital. So I was 18 years old. And I don't want mommy to have to be on my beck and call every day of every moment. there's no way I'm going to live this life of having someone and me having to depend on my mom at 18. I was like, no, no, no, no, no. I hate this. And I just had this moment. I freaked out.

And I remember like crying and screaming in my room and hitting the pillows and just being so frustrated because I had, I couldn't get up. I couldn't simply get up out of the bed that I used to walk into my dining room, go through and get a bottle of water and come back to bed. I had to grab my legs, put them over the side, transfer the side of the bed, jump into my chair with my arms, and wheel myself in. I had a back brace on. I was like, this is, and I just had this breakdown. And I remember screaming and crying and being so like, this is not the life I want to live. I don't want to live this life. This is impossible.

How do people do this? And I remember my mom came in and she held me and she cried with me. And, you know, my mom is more of the emotional one that's like, I don't know what to do either. And I'm like, looking to her is like, give me answers. How do I do this? You're my mom. You know, and she's more of like my best friend and really help me with all of the figuring out how to like get dressed, go to the bathroom, shower, wear heels, do all the like the girl things, you know.

And so the other moment I had that was like really depressing stage for me was I think of actually another one too but we won't go there um uh i was driving to my mom's house my dad was driving me and i was so frustrated because i was like i don't want you to drive me everywhere i want to do it myself like this is not fair i'm sure i have had my license i know how to drive blah blah blah and i remember my my poor dad um i remember he stopped and dropped me off and i was like i don't want you to get my chair and i threw myself out of the car I threw myself out of the car and I started crawling to the elevator. And I was like, I don't want that wheelchair.

I can do it myself. I don't need your help. I was so mad. I was just mad. And yeah. So I've had my moments. I've had my fair share. I have had my very depressing nights where I was like, I don't want to, I don't want to live.

This is not the life I want to live. But I'll tell you what has pulled me out of those moments is the people. the people around me that didn't give up on me. There has been moments where I was like, this is not okay. I cannot do this. And it's healthy to feel that way. But knowing that you have and having supportive people around you to pull you out of that dark space is something that I am forever grateful for. And I thank God every day that I have amazing friends and family. And And being able to find dance again is something that pulled me out. My friend's family, yes, 1,000 percent.

But being able to find that spark and find that light of dance that gave me the same feeling that I did when I was walking saved my life. It saved me. And what keeps me going every day and waking up every day and wanting to be motivated and being motivated and being hungry to be the best version of myself every day is honestly, all of the people that have been in my life since my accident. All of the girls on the Rolls Dance team, all the girls that come to our camp every year, like, they're the people that keep me going and keep me waking up every day. You're listening to the Healthier Together podcast. I feel like everyone pretty much knows by now that I don't drink caffeine.

And one of the top questions I get is, what do you do instead for energy? People are very, very concerned. And while I have a few things on my list, getting enough sleep in the first place, meditating, keeping my blood sugar stable, one of my top tricks is the Organify Red Juice. It has absolutely no caffeine, only two grams of sugar, and it does wonders as a jitter-free pick-me-up. I can hear you asking, how, Liz, how does it work? Well, I will tell you. There are 13, 100% organic superfoods in the blend, including beets, freeze-dried berries, that's where the small amount of sugar comes from, Cordyceps, Siberian ginseng, Rishi mushroom, and rodeola.

All of these plants are powerful in their own right. Corticeps is a type of mushroom that's incredibly energizing. Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen found in Asia that's been found to increase mental alertness and acuity. Rishi is another mushroom that gives you this very clear, anxiety-free boost, and rodeola promotes physical endurance and increases mental clarity and focus. But together, they give you the most amazing. amazing feeling, kind of like you get post-meditation, grounded and calm, but alert, focused,

and ready for action. I'll often do a scoop in the morning when most people would reach for their cup of Joe, and then I also love it when that 2.30 slump rolls around, it perks me right back up so I can get back to being productive and enjoying every possible moment of my day. And did I mention that it tastes so good? It's gently sweet and tastes like actual berries at their best, which makes sense, since Organify only uses the highest quality freeze-dried ingredients for optimal benefits. Organify has a ton of other products. Zach loves their green juice, which has macha, maringa, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, and more.

And they have a hormone balancing hot chocolate, which like, hello, sign me up. I've looked into their sourcing practices and I am confident when saying that the ingredients and their blends are among the highest quality around. Of course, I have a code for you. you can go to www.organify.com slash healthier together and use the code healthier together for 20% off your order. Again, that's organify.com, O-R-G-A-N-I-F-I-N-I-N-I-N-O-W-E-F-I-N-E-N-E-E-N-E-E-N-E-E-E-R-E-E-R-E-E-R-E-R-E-E-R-E-E-R-E-E-R-E-R-E-E-R-E-E-R-E-E-R-E-S. I cannot wait for you would say to somebody who maybe like hasn't had an accident like yours and isn't going to fling themselves from a car.

Sorry. I was stopped. It was stopped. It was stopped. He was in parked. I opened up the door and I just wanted. I just fell out. I just picture that scene in Lady Bird.

Have you seen that movie? No, I haven't. Oh, it's really good. But literally, um, Sir Sharon is in it. And she's like fighting with her mom and they're like driving down a highway or something. And she just is like a 15 year old girl. And she's like, no. And she just like flings herself out of the car.

No, we were definitely stopped. He was in park and I literally did not get far. I literally sat my butt onto the cement and I scooted and my dad was like, no, no, no. Your point was made. Figuratively, I put my foot down, right? Exactly. You put your whole body down. I was like, you need to drive me to get hand controls on a car and I'm going to start driving again. That was my point of it. But maybe for somebody who hasn't had like quite that experience, but is having those sort of like, why, I even have the me moment where I'm like, why wasn't I born richer? Why do I have anxiety? Like, why is COVID happening? You know, like all of these like why me moments you can have. Is there something that you sort of learned and facing this much larger why me moment that we could take for these other ones that we might experience? Um, you know, I feel like a lot of, of my why me moments stopped after that. I feel like I had maybe glimpses of it because, to be honest, I feel like my life is so very different than a lot of people's that become injured or disabled or diagnosed or something. Because my, I just kind of like after that, after I got my, you know, hand controls on the car and was able to drive again and had my license back, you know, I just honestly didn't stop. I didn't.

I kept myself so bit. And maybe I should talk to my therapist about this. But maybe that was also a mechanism of just protecting myself of being so busy that I just didn't want to feel. And, you know, there's good and bad to that I feel is, you know, I was so busy speaking at high schools around California that I honestly, I think it also has to do with I didn't want to let my dad down because he gave up so much. He gave up so much to help figure out what my life was going to be like for his daughter that was now disabled. and he had no idea how to how to handle that, you know. And so I didn't want to let him down. And we became this, like, amazing team.

And we traveled around California and started speaking at high schools and colleges about drinking and driving and living a life as someone with a disability. And so that honestly kept me going. I think when I didn't have stuff going on, I was more so like, what am I going to do? who am I? What is going on? And then I found this dance team. And so my advice to anyone dealing with anything out there that is like a life-changing incident, whether it's something that's traumatic between you and someone you don't know or you and, you know, a car accident or a family member passing away or you becoming diagnosed with something is to find people that are like you.

Find people that you can connect with that has lost a loved one, that has lost a significant other, has been diagnosed with a chronic illness or been diagnosed and now they're disabled, whatever that is, there are people out there that are going through the same thing that you are. You might feel so alone, but there are people out there that know what it feels like and you aren't alone. And that I feel like has been my saving grace is finding other people that are like me. And I feel like, honestly, Liz, I feel like I'm a normal person. I feel like I just... I think you are a normal person. But also, you know, I think about, okay, what is normal? these days. It's 20-20, you know? Like, it's beautiful to be unique and to be different and to be

yourself. But to me, I just feel like I'm Chelsea. I'm still that girl. I just roll around in a chair. But, you know, obviously I have other complications that come with this diagnosis and this disability that I have to be careful with. But, you know, I just, I think my fight really in the beginning was just to prove to my community that I'm not the only one that has made a mistake. And for them to not think of me as this like girl that just, you know, did this to herself kind of thing. It was, yeah, then there's that whole story. Well, I also think that from your story, finding a sense of purpose is such an antidote to like the why me's.

It's like even if even if you're like, why is this happening to me if you have something else to, I guess, like direct your energy towards or I don't know why have, I mean, do you think having a sense of purpose is like an antidote to that feeling? Yeah, yeah. I feel like when you have a sense of purpose, if you can mix your passion and your purpose together, girl, you are on the right track. That's what I did. I mean, I mixed my passion of dance and my purpose of wanting to help others together and it completely transformed my life. But I feel like for me, when I was going through those dark times, I feel like finding purpose was the one thing that, saved me and my dad helped me find that my dad was a person that was like we're going to figure this out i don't know how i'm going to get you into this truck but we're going to figure this out or i don't know how you're going to do this on your own i don't know how you're going to drive and get your chair in the car by yourself but here's the keys try you know people giving you the okay to try and i think that and

whatever that is to you if it's physically try or going out and and doing something different every day, whatever that is, I don't know. But I feel like finding purpose, especially when you have a life-changing incident that you're maybe still struggling with and having PTSD from. You know, I still have PTSD. Almost every time I see or hear ambulances or fire trucks, I burst out crying. It literally happened to me last month. I was driving home and it was underneath this overpass. And I had the music going. I turned off the music and I just watched this ambulance drive by and I went into a full-blown panic attack while I was driving and I was bawling and I had to pull over and I called my fiance and I was like I can't breathe I can't breathe and I just because I felt

that same thing that I felt from the car accident and so you know PTSD I feel like is something that it is people have it in different severities and it's something that you just have to stop and we have to breathe and and it's okay to feel because it's It's something that you can't control. Are you, like, cool? Like, driving in L.A. scares me, and I haven't been in a car accident. I'm good driving. I mean, I think in the beginning, I didn't want to drive at night.

That was something that I didn't want to do. I didn't want to be a passenger at nighttime. I was having flashbacks of, like, seeing trees. And, you know, Monterey, California is gorgeous and there's trees everywhere. But I, like, I couldn't drive around at night. So after, like, 6 o'clock, I was like, Nope, I don't want to drive. And then I started getting like a little bit warmed up to it. And I'd have my mom drop me off at a friend's house or whatever. Or I'd just close my eyes entirely in the car. But driving is fine. For me, I rather drive than be a passenger because I feel like I'm in control. So yeah. You mentioned earlier that you had to sort of go through this process of being able to look in the mirror and feel sexy. And I'm so curious about, I guess, like the notion of body. acceptance and body positivity, which so many women, like, I've struggled with that in my body,

and I'm so curious what that experience was like for you, especially in like your 20s and your teens in your body. Yeah. It was so hard. So I was 17 at the time of the accident and 18. And, you know, I was just about to go off to college. And I wanted to, like, run around and go to bonfires and, like, go in the sand. and it was really hard being so young and so like, I don't want to say immature, but like,

just so young and thinking that my body was, was everything and dating. Oh my God, dating. Dating as a newly injured person and having to schedule myself and trying to prove to guys that I was going out on dates with that like the chair is nothing. Like just ignore it. It's fine. It's fine. like I have it all figured out and then showing and like wanting to wear like this cute skirt

and wear heels like I would if I was walking but then looking at myself in the mirror and seeing this little legs that are so asherphied and my ankles rolling because I can't I can't keep my ankles up you know normally because I can't feel them and I can't move them and you know it was really tough and you know going to like dances after in my in my wheelchair and seeing all these girls like wear these cute dresses and dance and it was really hard like at that age and and um you know i think i really just started to ignore mirrors at the time i was like okay i want to wear this like cute skirt and this crop top because i'm 17 18 years old and i have this little body god now i could never but i just started my crop top phase of my life and i'm in my 30s

and i was just like yeah i wasn't complicated enough to do it literally before this January. And now I'm like, you can't, you can't put me in a full-size top. I'm like, I love me some crap top. Yes. Yeah. You know, I feel like for me too, I was like always, I was always comparing myself to like my friends subconsciously, you know. And I mean, as girls, it's what we do. And you just have to change the narrative, you know, you have to change it to be, I'm beautiful. I am beautiful. And there was one person that really changed this for me. Her name is Ali Stroker. I met her after my accident about a year after. She's also paralyzed. I saw her in Oklahoma on Broadway, which was like the coolest. It's the coolest Broadway show I've ever

seen. They like serve you chili and court bread in the middle and her voice is bananas. She's amazing. So I met her years before she was a Broadway star, a Tony Award winner, first person in wheelchair. Like I'm, her and I have been best friends for years. And so she, I remember, like, Like she has never had friends in wheelchairs. And so she saw me at this surf event. It was like a fully adapted surf event. And she was like, hey, hi, I'm Ali. It's nice to me.

And I was like, hey, I'm Chelsea. Like, you know, and we started talking. And I went back home and I came down to L.A. and stayed at her house. And I remember watching her in her apartment and watching her get down glassware from the top shelf. And I was like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. And I remember like talking to her and being like, you know, you just wear these like, cute shorts and you look so cute and you look so like it looks good on you and I was like but for me like

when I look down at my legs I look at these atrophied tiny legs and and I don't like it and she just looked at me and she goes your small legs are beautiful and that moment I was like oh really and she was like they're your legs it's beautiful like why do you like why do you think they're not beautiful You only have one body. You have to love it. And the way that she said it was everything that I needed to hear at the time. And it took me a little bit after that. But, you know, then I started wearing shorts. And then I started wearing shorts and taking photos. And then I wore like little dresses. And I wore cropped tops. And I was like, and I just didn't care because I couldn't change my body. I couldn't just go and not everyone can do this. But like I couldn't just go and run a marathon and build up my leg muscles. You know, I couldn't. use stem and build up my legs muscles because my muscles can't contract. So I can't build muscles. So I have no option, but to love my body. I'm in. Like I literally, I can't change it. And so that was a huge turning point for me where I was like, I have no other option. Why stay in this mindset of hating my body when I can just go, my body is what it is and I love it. And that's okay.

So. Which is true, like, to a lesser extent for every person, like we can, you know, do what we can and take care of ourselves. And I'm sure you take care of your body in so many ways to make it feel as good as it possibly can. But after a certain point, like your body is your body. And what a to think about just the amount of probably literally days that we spend thinking about stuff that absolutely cannot change and absolutely really doesn't have any. concrete bearing on our lives is insane. Yeah. Yeah, you just never know like what you really just need to hear, you know, and, and my friends have told me, you look beautiful, you look beautiful. But coming from someone else in a wheelchair that understood it, it just hit different, you know. Well, and I also

wonder, like, you could look at Allie and be like, she looks cute and she is, like, she's sexy. I think Ali is like a sexy human. Yeah, she's beautiful. You can look at her from your chair and see that she is that in her chair, which I'm sure like would make it easier to reflect that back on yourself, you know? Yeah. Yeah, you know, also too what I found out through this life and being disabled is sexy isn't always on the outside. And what is so beautiful about Ali Stroker is that she is beautiful for. from within. Yes, she has a great smile. Yes, she's gorgeous. Yes, all of that. But her personality,

the vibe that you get around her is so beautiful that it doesn't matter what she looks like. And that's what I was like, that is, I wanted to be a beautiful person from the inside and not have people look at me as being like, oh, well, she doesn't have a good personality. So she's like not cute. I wanted to be a beautiful person from the inside. And it didn't matter what I looked like on the outside. And I think we get hung up on, you know, having like this perfect body and like people thinking that like beautiful and sexy is one way. And luckily we live in 2020 where like every people are embracing their body, big, small, whatever it looks like. And they are proud of it and giving and they are giving it the okay to other people who are like them to also feel that way.

And I think that is the beautiful part about Alley Stoker and what she told me is that it wasn't about my legs. It really, like, the true feeling isn't about how small my legs are. It's about how I feel about myself as who I am as a person. And it came with time, honestly. Did dating get easier, the long, like the more you got used to it and the more confident you got in your body? Yeah. Honestly, I feel like dating became easier when I found my purpose, when I found my purpose of having a wheelchair dance team and having the largest women's empowerment weekend for women with disabilities. That is when I was like, I know who I am. I know what I have to offer. And my man better meet me the same spot. Like, he better be just as good, if not better than what I can

bring to the table. And that's when I was like, I know what I want. I know what I deserve. I know the type of guy that I want to date. And trust me, I dated some guys that I was like, wow, why did I date this person? I, you know, I lowered my standard because I was like, I'm disabled. I'm not going to get the type of guy I want. And that's not always the case. You know, that's not the case, actually. Because you should never lower your standards because of what you look like or how you feel. If you have a type of person and a standard and you want that in life, you should never go less than that.

And that's what I had to learn. And I dated some crappy dudes, some crappy dudes, not just because of their look, not just guys that I thought were like, well, that was not my type. but some really horrible guys that really I was not in very good situations and you know dating jay my fiancee now really taught me that i could be with the guy that i always dreamed of and he will love me and see me for who i am and in the beginning of dating you know i always wanted people to be i wanted guys to be like okay the chair is not not a big deal not a big deal but as i got more into dating and dating other people, I realized that the chair is part of the relationship. And they have to see the chair. Because if they don't, things are going to go south very quick.

I had a relationship I was living with this guy. Well, he was living with me for about three years. And great guy, great guy. So sweet. But he was always like, I don't see the chair. I see you. And I was like, yeah, that's what I want. And then realizing that all of our fights happened because he wasn't seeing my disability. He wasn't seeing that it's hard for me to do certain things around the house or, you know, he'd be like, he'd be like, well, I see you can, you know, dance and you can go and do all these things. You can make the bed. Why can't you do your laundry like this way? You know, or simple things like that. And I was like, because it's hard. It's hard. And so I feel like dating what I learned is that the guys or girls have to see you. You know, you're not. You know,

you for you. You can't hide things because they're going to come up. Trauma and relationships is going to surface at some point. So getting it all out of them table, managing those expectations, working through those things are something that you have to do. And you've got to get it done with at some point, right? So, so yeah, that's dating, dating was hard. Dating was really hard. Do you feel like you do sort of have more, I don't know the right, but if Zach and I've had like a lot of fights about my anxiety or not fights. Like we've talked about it and talked through it a lot because I sometimes feel like I need more from him and I need more in general in the relationship. And then I'll feel guilty about that. And I won't know if that's something that I should be

making up for elsewhere. And like how that dynamic works. Because it's also like my anxiety no matter what is harder for me than it is for him, but it's still harder for him than, you know, his lack of anxiety is for me. How do you guys navigate that in your relationship? Honestly, day by day, day by day. And I feel like not every relationship that you see on social media is what you see. And we as, as women, we cannot compare ourselves to people that we see on social media. I feel like that is going to be so hard on relationships. Also, what I've learned is, I mean, maybe I should do this, but I don't talk about the fights or the arguments that Jay and I have to my friends. And I feel like that I talk about it to my therapist, honestly. I work it out

with my therapist and him and I work it out with each other. And I feel like that's a downfall that I had in my past relationships where I always, I was like, oh, me and so and so, yeah, we're fighting about this. He did this, blah, blah, blah. And they only see one side. And of course, they're going to side with you. And they're like, oh, my God, drop him. He's crazy.

Like, whatever. And I feel like what I wanted to do different going into this relationship with Jay is I wanted our discussions or arguments, our fights, or whatever, our disagreements to be between him and I because nobody knows him like I know him. and nobody knows me like he knows me. And that I think has been like a really great saving grace for our relationship is I didn't get outside opinions on a fight that we had about blah, blah, blah. I went to my therapist and I was like, this is what's going on.

I don't know how to handle it. And I don't know how to communicate to him about what I need. And going into like an argument and stepping away and coming back to it is obviously, you know, something that takes a lot of self-control for for everyone. but Jay and I have learned that like when we butt heads, you know, I know how his brain works now and I think he knows how my brain works, but when we butt heads, taking that break and coming back to that discussion days later gives you kind of more a clear picture on how we both feel about it. You know, I have a very random thought, but it's about my dog, Stella, jumping on our couch. Jay is not about it. Not about

it. And for months. Actually, no, scratch that. Years. I was like, It's not fair because I can't get onto the ground and pet her like you can. I can't I can't cuddle her in bed because she's not allowed on the bed. I can't cuddle her on the couch so she's not because so she's not allowed on the couch. So I never get to cuddle her and squeeze her face and kiss her. I can't do that. I can't reach her. And so for years, you know, he was always like, I hate how she gets on the couch.

But recently he had this come to moment moment and he was like, we're getting another puppy by the way. Lord help me. But he was like, hey, because I was like, why don't we just get a blanket and she gets on the couch and she goes there. And he was like, not about it, you know. And then we separated. You know, we didn't talk about it. I was like, fine. Okay, they're not on the couch. I lose. I don't get to cuddle my puppy when we get a puppy. Like, I'm going to have to have someone pick her up and put her on my lap and hold me and hold her while I've had that. Like, that's not fair. Whatever. So just the other night, he was like, hey,

I thought about it more. And I don't want to take that away from you. I understand that you can't pet Stella the way that I can. You can't cuddle her the way that I can. And that's not fair for me. Who am I to say you can or cannot do that? So let's compromise. So if you get a blanket, we'll just train her to go on the blanket.

And I was like, what? What? Really? And so it just, it honestly, it's just sometimes is you separating from that argument and coming back and finding a happy meeting. You know, so yeah, that's, I'll let you in on that little argument we had, but does he, do you feel like he does like more stuff around the house or if you're like doing a vacation or something?

Like, does he have to carry more weight or help you manage certain parts of managing being paralyzed at all? I would say, you know, so Jay works like a, he works like a nine to five. So he actually, yeah, a normal job. He's, he has his schedule. You know, he works over that. He's a very hard worker. He builds wheelchairs for a living. That's like how we met. And yeah. That's kind of, so he'd like, if you had like a problem with yours, he'd be like, oh, let me change this nut. Yep. Yep. Yep. That's so cool. He knows how to do all that. Very, very handy. But, you know, it comes with its pros and cons. You know, it's the last thing he wants to do when he gets home to he's done it all day. So it's like, my mind. So it's like my. It's like, my. mom being a massage therapist. She's like, the last thing I want to do is give anyone, any of my family members a massage. And it's literally probably all anybody thinks about when they're with her. They're like, oh, free massage, free massage, massage. Yeah. So I feel like, sorry, what was your question? If he does he does more. Yeah. Yeah. So he, I feel, I don't know what he would say, but I'm home all the

time. So I'm constantly like wiping down the counters if I need to or putting in his load of laundry. like I do his laundry, he takes out the trash. Like that's obviously I can't take out the trash. That would be impossible. But I can't get to the trash cans. But I feel like we have a really good 50-50. But and what I've learned about dating and dating with a disability is a relationship isn't going to be 50-50 all the time. It has to be 3070, 40-60, 20-80.

Like there's going to be times where I'm going to be like, I can't do this. this, I need your help. But the key in that, what I have found is communicating because, you know, Jay has, he's type, he's like, he, how do I say this? He likes things a certain way, which there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah. Nothing wrong with that. But me being very carefree, don't really care about, blah, blah, blah, whatever. I have had to learn what he likes. And he has had to learn what I prefer. And, you know, when it comes to, like, taking care of our house together and our dog, you know, I dropped Stella off more so at the doctors or her eye doctor, whatever, than he does. But, you know, just the other day, I was like, hey, I have a meeting at 9.

Stella has an appointment at 830. Can you take her? And he's like, yeah, I got it. So sometimes it's, you know, it's just communicating, I feel. And if you can have good communication, you can have a beautiful relationship with your partner. And that's, I don't feel like he does more or I do more. I feel like we trade off on days and every day is different of, you know, him doing the dishes three days in a row, but I'm doing all the laundry or me cooking dinner and then him cooking dinner for three days and then I'm cooking dinner for five days. Like it kind of goes back and forth because my schedule is also very crazy and, you know, I have late nights of like working or editing or or private lessons on Zoom. So it really just depends on the day, to be

honest, but communication is, is it? So on your YouTube, you talked about debunking the misconception that people in wheelchairs don't enjoy sex. Can you speak to that a little bit? Because I do think a lot of people have a hard time picturing it like logistically and then also emotionally, I think. Yeah. Yeah. So basically what I tell people is like, however you have sex, probably how I have sex too. So it's literally the same thing, except if I, I mean, I mean, I could put my leg braces on and have sex standing up. But like, let's ex-nay that off. You know what I mean? But like it really, I mean, if we want to like get into it, it's really the same. Like that as an able body, you, you, there's a P and there's a V and you just have sex. And it's, but you know, it's really, then you go into like, okay, well, she's paralyzed. She can't feel from the belly button down. Can you.

She feels sex. Does she enjoy sex? I know there's a lot of those questions out there, and I am glad to, like, talk about it because it helps educate people. So for me, and we don't have to get into detail, obviously. No, I want to. People, listeners of this podcast want detail, how much as you're willing to give. Yeah. So, you know, for me, sex is different. Sex is very different than when I was walking. But I had to relearn my body. I had to relearn what I enjoyed. Can I feel sex? Yes. Is it different? Yes. Does it feel different? Yes. So, but I, you know, I have had sex where I was like this. I didn't, I didn't like that at all. I didn't, I didn't have an orgasm. I didn't, I don't know if I can with this person. Like, you know, I feel like sex and being disabled has brought me to a point in my life where it's not just about can I get an orgasm. It's do I love this person? How does he make me feel? Does he know what I like? Does he know what turns me on? Like, Can he do that for me? And so that has been a big thing for me is finding out what I like. Honestly, every position for me is different. I feel different things. And yeah, I mean, it's very, it is very different.

But it's not bad. Like, it's a lot of fun. It's still a lot of fun. And can I have babies? Yes, I can. And if I couldn't, it wouldn't be because of my injury is what the doctor said. So, okay. So just be some fertility challenge you would have otherwise. Yeah. Can you deliver them vaginally or would they be a C-section?

So actually, I've talked to a lot of girls that have had children before. And I have some of them have had them vaginally and some of them have had them from a C-section. It really just depends on the doctor and it depends on like how the baby is. So it's literally, it's the same type, like my body is just like someone else's body, I guess too. I mean, we're all different. but but like it I wouldn't have any other I wouldn't be able to get pregnant because of my wait hold on how do I say this I if I couldn't get pregnant it wouldn't be because of my paralysis it would be because of a genetic fertility thing between me and jay you know so so that's something that like you know that's everyone's question but yeah sex is sex is great I have I have we have great

sex, lots of sex. And, you know, we get, and it get, we get creative too, which is like really fun. And sometimes I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. I don't like that. Or sometimes I'm like, okay, this is interesting. You know, so it's very, it's fun. It's really fun. And having the talk with Jay of wanting kids, honestly, Liz, I'm terrified.

But I'm more excited than terrified. I'm terrified because I'm like, how can I manage working? and have a child, but I know things are going to shift, you know, and that's just the way of the world. And Jay is actually six years older than me. So I'm like, I want him to have babies. He wants babies. He is totally like, he has wanted children since like a year into us dating. So yeah, he wants it. And I want to give that to him. And with everything in a relationship comes compromises and comes like discussing like, you know, what's important to us as a couple. So it's important to us that we figure that out probably, you know, we're getting married next year.

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which I think is so cool. You can go to lifeseasons.com or click the link in the show notes to check out their full line. They have products for gut health, inflammation, immunity, and many, many more, including my beloved allergy blend. They have also given me a discount code. You can use healthier together, like the name of this podcast, all one word, healthier together, for 15% off your order. I cannot wait to hear what you think. Now, let's get back to the episode. This might be ignorant, but does be paralyzed? Like, does it impact your health in other ways, like your gut health or, I don't know, your hormones or stuff like that? Yes, it does.

So because I'm paralyzed from like the belly button down, so I can feel my belly button. I can feel the top of my belly button and I can barely feel the bottom of my belly button. And to me, so I have, I in the beginning, I was eating like red meat. I was eating whatever I wanted. Granted, I was, like, a lot younger and I could process things better. But when you are paralyzed, your digestive system is also a lot slower because I can't just go on a walk and walk it off. You know what I mean?

You know when you, like, you eat a really good, like, Thanksgiving meal? And then, like, you're like, I got to go on a walk. I got to, like, burn this off. I can't. I can't do that. It sits there. So our digestive systems are so slow. So what I've done to fix that is.

is, or to semi-fix it, is I cut out basically all red meat. So I only eat chicken and turkey. I make sure that I have at least like one salad or veggies, like a dish of veggies a day. And then I also have been taking a probiotic, a live probiotic every day. So that helps a lot. But there was a time, girl, I was like, I couldn't go to the bathroom for almost two weeks. Oh, that's my, I think being constipated is the worst feeling in the world. But it was getting to the point where I was starting to throw up because it was making me so sick.

Oh my God. So I couldn't like literally my digestive system just like shut down and I couldn't process my foods. And that's when I was like, okay, what can I do to like stop this? And so I cut out red meat and it helped so much. But I have to take like a little like laxative like once a day. I try to take it once a day. I forget, I'm so bad at taking pills. But I try and take a laxative, like, a little, like, Seneca or, like, something from, like, a CVS or something, just to, like, keep it a little bit moving through.

But it is different. And health-wise, you know, I sit all day. So, like, I have a, like, I feel like there's times where I'll take a photo and I'm like, oh, my God, you can tell I haven't gone to the bathroom. Like, if you like, if I'm sitting, like, because, you know, I'm sitting down all the time. I'm in a wheelchair. So, yeah. If I take a photo and I'm like from the side, you can see it. Like I can see when I haven't been able to go to bathroom.

That's so interesting. It's also like, it's interesting that you're like, oh, I sit all day. And I'm just picturing you during that like media period where there's 85 billion articles a day that we're like, sitting is the new smoking. And you're like, well, this is my life. Thank you so much. Yeah. So there's just things that you have to be careful of. And then the other big thing that is really prominent for people in wheelchairs is pressure sores or pressure ulcers.

So that is something that's like really scary for us is, you know, being sitting all day and losing muscle mass on your butt and your legs can cause a pressure ulcer, which has led Christopher Reeve, who was the Superman, to hit to dying. So that's what he died of? Yeah, he died of pressure sores. Oh, wow. I didn't know that. So he was a very, very high quadriplegic. And so, you know, quads get them more than parras because, like, as a para, I can move around and I can lift. You just have to get circulation back underneath your sit bones is what it is.

As I'm saying this, I'm literally laying on my side now because I just forgot. So I'm like sitting in bed. now. Good, we reminded you. Yeah. So that's something that you just have to be careful of. And if you like want to transfer onto like say a hard surface, you just have to sit there for like less than a minute. You know, they say that every for every minute or every, yeah, every minute you have to do a pressure release, meaning push up with your arms and let like let air to your your buttox for at least 15 seconds. So interesting.

That makes that, okay, so I have a few questions from listeners that I was going to save until the end, but that reminds me of one of them, which I thought was a really interesting question, which is doesn't everything just take longer in your life? Like everything seems like you have to do all these little things. So I'd love you to speak to that. But then the second follow up question was, how do you do more with less usable hours than the day? Like, do you have any time saving tricks?

Ooh, filters. And I mean that because for me, when quarantine, okay, are we talking like quarantine or like pre-quarantine? Whatever. I'll touch on both. So before, like, yes, it takes a very long time to do everything. I, and because it's taken a long time, I've learned different tricks of like, okay, well, I'm going to shower, but I'm going to wash my hair and then maybe like the next time I shower, I'm just going to rinse off and use dry shampoo. Like, I mean, I'm sure a lot of girls do that too.

But little tricks because I was still like, I have to shower every single day. You know, as wheelchair users, we could have accidents, meaning like we could just go to the bathroom and that ruins the whole day. You know, so a lot of wheelchair users that are paralyzed can't feel when they have to go to the bathroom. So when we have to go, like the signal of you have like, hey, got to go the bathroom, got to pee. It doesn't go to your brain. So that could also put a damper in things. But really just like managing, I feel like I get more done now because of quarantine that I did when there wasn't quarantine because I was have to do my makeup, do my hair, get dressed, go, you know, transfer into the car, go to a meeting, transfer back in the car, go get. lunch, there was so many things that I couldn't do during the day because I couldn't, I just didn't

have the time. But now, and I mentioned filters as a joke because now I don't have to put my lashes on and do a full face of makeup because I could just slap on a filter real quick and smooth out my skin. You know, like I don't have to get fully dressed for Zoom calls because I could just put on a nice shirt and put some earrings on and I'm good to go. Like, you know, so there's, It has its pros and cons, but yes, as a wheelchair user, it does take a lot more time to do simple tasks like laundry, dishes, mopping the floor, vacuuming, organizing things. It does take time. But you just find your new rhythm. You know, like we all have different schedules.

And for me, I just, I have found that if I get a list of things that I want to get done, then that's my goal for the day. and if I don't complete it, then at least I did one, you know? Do you like, are you a to-do list maker? Oh, yes. Oh, yes. I have a whole notebook of all of my lists of everything going on in my life. I'm curious, like, because you are a very successful business owner, are there things, like efficiencies that you think have helped you grow such a thriving business?

Like, list tax or, I don't know, organizational. or stuff like that? Like what tips I have for like organizing? Or just yeah, or for like somebody who looks at you and they're like, I want to have a kick-ass business like that. That's awesome. Yeah. Sacrifice.

No. No. No, but like in a good way. Like if you want a business, then you have to sacrifice in other areas. Is it I'm not going to go and see my friends every single day because instead of using that time to go see them. every single day, I'm going to use an hour to research what I want to do for my business. So that is something that like I love doing.

I love researching different ways of editing or researching different of like what is the statistics of women in wheelchairs that could come to my international women's empowerment event, you know, like stuff like that. Creating online relationships that I have with my community is so important to me because it builds my business, which also helps them, which helps other women that then become disabled. So why I say sacrifice is a lot of people don't realize how hard it is to run a business. I mean, and being an entrepreneur, you don't have a set schedule. People in a beautiful world, I mean, I'll get right down to it.

But people are like, you got to set a schedule. Only work till seven. And I'm like, when you have employees that depend on you for their bread and butter and food on their table, you end up being the hustler that there is no schedule. And for me, I mean, there is going to have to be a schedule when I have children. There is going to have to be a set schedule. But I honestly, I have been hustling the last 10 years to make this camp something. And it's worked.

But I mean sacrifice in the most beautiful way because it's going to benefit you. And I can't complete my day without looking at my list and staying on track. And I think I also have a hard time with letting people down too. Like I have to make sure that if someone is like, hey, can you do this? I have to get it done no matter how long it takes me to do. You know, but I am very good at balancing sacrifice and balance. Sacrifice and balancing. Do you feel like you have a good sense of like work-life balance? I feel like I did this whole quarantine. Yes. This month, because of campaigns and budgets and stuff like that, it's gotten really busy for me personally with like creating content and budgets and meeting like all of these different criteria. It has gone a little hard. But this year, I feel like what I have learned from quarantine is how to balance my work-life schedule.

Granted, I still have to sacrifice things, which is fine because I love what I do. But, you know, I've had to find the balance in between, you know, working and going, okay, I'm not going to just say I'm done at five o'clock every single day because that's what I want. Well, sometimes someone or a campaign will come to you and be like, hey, I need you to get this done for me and this is your next job. And I'm like, oh, okay, well, that means I have to work past five, you know, and then I'll go, okay, well, then hey, hey, Jay, my fiance, how about you and I have time on Friday night? Let's go and let's have like a cute date night and watch a movie together. Being able to manage those expectations and managing those balances and relationships around you are something that you just have to have

open conversations with with your loved ones. Well, and even the way you described it, it's interesting because it made me feel like you were sort of in control of it, not it being in control of you. It wasn't like, oh, my schedule's everything. I'm so overwhelmed. It's been bombarding me. It was like, oh, this is happening. So to accommodate this, I'll make this happen and this happen, which just feels saner and calmer. Yeah. Yeah. So that's like my biggest thing is like if anyone is like wanting to start a business or or just figure out how to get more things done in the day and not feel like you have enough time, write down a list. That's like the most simplest thing. I feel like, you know, it's very cliche, but honestly, list, sticky notes,

color different colored pens like it all helps and and doing it every single day for a month straight is going to get you on to a new like a new kick and a new a new way of doing your life day to day. This is another listener question which was public speaking tips question mark and I think it's such an interesting question because did you know it's the number one fear people have like higher than death is public speaking? Really? That blows my mind because I'm so much more deeply afraid of death than public speaking, but I just think it's like it's this huge fear people have and you do it all the time.

So I'm curious, were you always comfortable with public speaking? Wow, that's so crazy to me. No. Honestly, if I was in high school and you told me that if you were like, hey, Chelsea, you're going to be a public speaker and raise awareness for drinking, driving, and you're going to speak to thousands upon thousands of students, I'd be like, Liz, you've lost your mind. I literally would do anything to get out of speaking in front of my classroom of 30 people. Like, I hated public speaking. I, like, wanted to throw up. So I was probably one of those statistics of being like, I rather die than get up there and speak. So, but honestly, what changed

my entire outlook was I was laying in the hospital bed and I looked at my dad and I said, I want to Skype my school. My dad was like, why? I was like, I want them to see the girl that was running around on the varsity dance team, jumping around, seeing her where I am now making one bad decisions. I found so much passion in sharing my story that it was almost like a way for me to cope with what I was going through. It gave me purpose. It was like the higher universe, whatever you believe in, telling me that this is why this happened to you is because you are going to change people's lives. And that's why I loved it so much.

And I still love it. And I miss speaking, girl, I miss it. Like I wish that I was so involved, but, you know, and then the dance team happened and everything. And I just kind of like it, I just stopped reaching out to schools and stuff. And also I couldn't live off of that. And I needed to work. So I just kind of like tapered off and I miss it. I miss sharing my story and saving and sharing stories and saving lives.

That's what we used to call it. And I just remember this one father was at one of my speaking engagements. And I was speaking at this real estate agency and just speaking to parents about children going out and doing parties and drinking. and having relationships with your kids that you can be open and honest with them. And my dad said that someone came up to him. And I watched this person talk to my dad. And they were like, hey, did so-and-so come up to you? And my dad goes, oh, no, I know.

And he goes, well, his daughter heard Chelsea speak at their school up in, like, like up in Monterey area, like little north of Monterey. And it was Santa Cruz. I don't know if you know of it. Santa Cruz, California. and his daughter was out at a party one night and had the choice to get in the car with her friends that were drinking. And they, and she didn't because she remembered Chelsea's story and they ended up crashing and someone died. And my dad, like, he like, I saw his knees buckle and I went over and I was like, are you good?

And my dad like started like tearing up and he was like, you need to hear this. And my dad and I just cried because I looked at him and I was like, wow. like this like people remember and so that was a moment where I was like you know no matter what you're speaking about if you're passionate about it it matters and you never know what lives you're going to touch and who needs to hear you say what you have to say and so that was a moment where I was like God I miss it like thinking about that like knowing that I could save someone's life and have them just second guess getting into that car getting behind the wheel like it just mean so much to me. And it gives me a reason why this happened to me, you know?

Yeah. This is another listener question. How do you deal with the externalized and internalized stigma of your disability? And also, I'm curious, are you comfortable with the word disability or do you prefer other language? So I'll start with that one first. I, it's so crazy because the first, like, set like nine years of being paralyzed everyone in the disability community was like we're not disabled we're differently able and i'm like uh okay so i would change my verbiage like in my captions of like on social media like my differently able dance camp or differently abled women and then i i was just like you know what why can't we call it disabled we are disabled like why are we running from it Why is the word disabled have a bad like connotation around it?

You know, like the, and it's because of past like years and years of of the ADA and people thinking and looking at us as less than. And our community didn't want people to look at us as as disabled. But like we are. And there's nothing wrong with that. So I have no, I have never had a problem with the word. disabled me personally i have changed my way of how i went about things in the past because and like said things differently because of what other people say it's like the word people being like people saying like oh she teaches adaptive dancing and then there's this like one dance

troop that's like it's not adaptive it's translated i'm like it's the same freaking thing like why does it matter so i personally don't care liz but there are people out there that are like i'm not disabled, I'm differently able, whatever. I am disabled and I stand by that and I'm empowered by that. I'm a woman with a disability and I live a badass life and I'm proud of it. And I think that's just like changing the vibe of how people say it is really what it all is. So that's for the first question. I don't really care. It's we're disabled. That's fine. Well, and it's about, I mean, it sounds like it's about not being treated as less than. It's less about the words, but the words meaning less than and people just need to not treat people who are disabled as

less than. And I, yeah, I mean, I think a lot of people look at your life and they're like jealous. Like you live objectively kick-ass life, you know. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like it's just all in how people say it. So, but then the other question from the listeners was, How do you deal with the externalized and internalized stigma of your disability?

It's such a good question. Oh my gosh. So the externalized other people looking at me with a disability, in the beginning, it was so hard. When people would stare at me when I was rolling down the street, I literally was like, I'm going to die. People are staring at me. And going into a grocery store and people being like, oh, it's so good that you're out. And I'm like, I'm getting freaking groceries. Like what? I need to eat food. I need to eat too. Like, what am I going to do? Wait for Mommy and Daddy to bring me food. There's nothing wrong with that. But, like, I don't have time for that. So, you know, there was also the, this, like, whole externalized view where people looked

at me as, oh, this poor girl. She's so cute, but she's disabled. And it's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Like, I still have to live my life. Like, I still have to go to work. I still have to get in my car. Like, I don't have the money to pay someone to be myself. sit and put my chair in and out of my car every single time.

I got to figure this out. And then there was the whole like internalized feeling of me still that we call this word is ableist where I still have this internalized abelism where I wanted in the beginning, which I don't think it's bad or good or whatever. It's just something that I think going from someone who is an able body walking to someone who is now disabled, we have this kind of like ableist view on ourselves. So looking at myself early on, I was like, I'm not disabled. I am just as normal. I'm just like everyone else. And it's like we're talking about with like dating. I like did want people to see the chair.

I was like, I'm, uh, I have this under control. And, you know, it's just this thing that we kind of go through as people with disabilities or someone who's become injured is like this ablest view on our own lives where we have to then overcompensate for our disability and run ourselves crazy to be like, no, no, I live a normal life. I'm good enough. I can do this. And we like fight through this when it's like, we could just go about it being like, hey, here's what to manage these. these are how I manage my own expectations. Like, I can do this, this, and this. I can help out in these ways because of my disability.

I would love to see if you guys have an elevator to get to this job or do you have that kind of thing. I hope that makes sense. But yeah. So do you, you said you felt like embarrassed when you would roll down the street before. Do you ever feel embarrassed in that way anymore or not at all? No, not at all. I think it really changed.

So we didn't mention this. We haven't talked about this. But about nine months after I was paralyzed, I was on a reality show called Push Girls on the Sundance Channel. And those are the girls that like, you know, talk to me about having a life day. And I really learned there that people are going to stare and going to go and going around and rolling down the street with other women who also are wheelchair users are going to make people stare. People are literally going to watch us and be like, whoa, there's one, two, whoa, three. And they always put it in my mind of like, if people are going to stare, make it worth it.

And I'm like, okay, yeah, like, okay. Like, I'm not going to hide in my house because I'm in a wheelchair. You know, I'm going to, if I'm going to go out, I'm going to look damn good and I'm going to wear like what I want. And if people are going to stare, then make it worth it. know, like I love that. And I felt so like hearing that and then actually seeing them do that, like rolling across the street, I was terrified, Liz, like rolling across the street, having people in cars watch me struggle to push my ass in my wheelchair across the street. Like, oh, I was terrified.

And then I remember doing it with the push girls. And they were just like flaunting it and like waving their hands. And I was like, girl, I was living her best life. And now I'm like, I'm like, that view that I got as a newly injured person changed everything for me. So like running this wheelchair dance team and constantly being around girls and wheelchairs, you know, I then brought that into running this team is like, if they're going to stare, like whatever, I'm going to go, me and my dance team, my wheelchair dance team is going to go dance on Hollywood Boulevard with a bucket out front so we can raise money to get a hotel so we can have a whole dance camp.

Like that and I was like, we are going to feel uncomfortable, but we are also going to grow so much from this. So yeah, I don't mind it now. But in the beginning, oh, girl, I was like going to die. I love, I love that so much. Okay, I have some quickfire questions for you. Yes. Okay. What do you think is, and they're not, they don't have to be super, like everybody knows I'm very long winded. Clearly, this is long podcast. So as quick fire as you would like to be. Okay. What is the best way to spend 20 minutes every day in terms of living a happier or healthier life. Oh my gosh. Okay, 20 minutes. If I had 20 minutes just to myself, I would listen or watch YouTube videos so I could like research stuff for my own stuff. I would make a list of my day.

I would do like a 15 minute cardio workout and I would make sure that I have food in my system. I think that might take more than 20 minutes, my friend. Do you think? Okay. Okay, we take out the YouTube videos. A list some food. Is there something that you like a healthy meal that's a go-toe for you? My favorite is avocado toast with an egg on top. Oh, you do live in L.A. That's such an L.A. thing to say. It's a good one, though. It's a good one, especially with like some chili flakes or something. Yes. Delightful. What is something that you've bought recently that's made your life healthier or happier? Oh, God. Oh, gosh. Uh, Oh my God, I don't know.

Well, I did get these Bose headphones that are Bluetooth, and I really like those, and I use them to choreograph. Oh, that's fun. And that, you know, that involves dancing, and it's good for my body. It's good for my soul. So I would say my Bose headphones that are Bluetooth. They're really freaking awesome. I have the Bose headphones, too, and I got them to help me deal with anxiety just to, like,

on planes and walking around New York City and stuff, and they've changed my life. I think they're phenomenal. And I have the pink ones too. So, cute. Very cute. Do you feel successful and why or why not? I do feel successful. And I feel successful because I have been able to accomplish all of the dreams that I've had since I was first injured. I feel successful that I've been able to still dance. I've been on tour. I've been on Ellen. I've been on the Today Show. I've and I, but I also feel like success isn't measured by what people see though.

Those are just my own personal goals. But yeah, I do feel very successful. And that has nothing to do with like what other people see me as or having however many followers. I just have set very clear goals for myself and stayed very true to my, my vision and my passion. And I've accomplished all of those and I have added on, which is kind of crazy. It's amazing. Have you ever been somewhere in the world and been like the people who live here really got it right in terms of living a healthier, happy life? Ooh, good question.

So my dance team and I went to Italy. And I remember sitting out and watching these people just like walk by and walk and all these beautiful houses. And I remember thinking like, wow, this is so amazing that this is such a different culture that they really have it so good. Like they can walk around. They have great pizza, like great pasta. And everyone is just so friendly that it's that's such a beautiful world to live in. You know, it's really what you see on like Pinterest and like online of Italy is really what it is in person. It's beautiful.

I also love too that people in older generations in Italy, like every time I go there, they're like these little old men are out at the cafe. F.A. And they're playing games with each other. They're riding their bikes. Like, it seems like so much of a more positive experience societally to get older there, which I think is really beautiful. Yeah. Yeah. And that's something that, like, I feel like in the U.S. we don't really have unless you're in a small town. And I'm from a small town. And I do miss that at times, but I know that I wouldn't be able to have what I have now as a business if I still lived there, which I love Monterey, love it so much. but I am grateful for where I am physically in Los Angeles. Does everybody after Big Little Lies are they like, oh my God, you've got Monterey?

Yes, oh my God. And I'm like, I've never seen it. But like the like five minutes I did, I was like, wow, they literally would go into a house in Carmel and open up and they're in Big Sur. And I'm like, that's not real. That's not real. It's false. It's not that. It's literally I've like never met people like these women too.

Yeah, never. And then this is the last one. What is one big mistake you've made and then end us on one thing that you really got right? One thing I've done right is I've never let someone tell me I can't do something. I've always been like, this is what I want to do. If someone has told me, well, I don't know if you can do that. I've been like, well, watch me. Like watch me and you can watch me from behind because I'm going to go and I'm going to go very far and I'm going to do it. That's one thing that I'm very grateful for that I've had that type of attitude of being like, If you don't think I can do it, then that's going to feel me to get it done even better. And were you like that before your accident or did that come out of your accident? I feel like it came out of my accident, to be honest. And that also goes into like proving to everyone around me that like I am good enough and I can, and I can be accountable and I can be the best version and you can count on me.

And I think it's also, you know, come out of that. And me not wanting to quote unquote settle for what my idea is, was of someone with a disability that they can't do this, they can't do that, they can't do this. I wanted to be like, you don't think I can? Because I'm disabled. Watch me. I won't figure it out. You don't think I can get up those flight of stairs. Watch me. I'm going to figure it out. Like I will push my ass up those stairs and pull my wheelchair. Like things like that where I was like, I'm very grateful for my mindset. It's so interesting to think about, though, how you would learn that through getting upstairs

or doing things with your body in that way. And then that would expand. and probably transform every part of your life from your business to your relationship. Yeah. Yeah. You know, a lot of people like to focus on the negative things that have come out of things and be like, oh, my God, well, she's paralyzed now and she can't do this and she can't do that. And people forget to focus on the positive. A lot of my posts lately on social media has been like, hey, guys, let's focus on the positive.

Like, what's going on in your world? What's going on in your life? And I just want people to start refocusing on positive things around them. I was going to ask if your learnings from your accident has helped you during like COVID and other hard times in your life? And is that one way that it has? Just that sort of reframing? Yeah, definitely. Definitely.

I feel like, I mean, I feel like I've always had this kind of outlook on figuring out what the positive is in every negative situation. but I feel like with COVID, you know, as someone that owns a company and I feel like I had to make really hard decisions for the company for the better of my employees and keeping things going and for our community. But yeah, it's not always easy, but always redirecting and focusing on positive things really helps, I feel like, in every aspect of life. Okay. I don't want to end us on a mistake, but I feel like you.

can do it in a way that won't be depressing. Yeah. I feel like my mistake, I thought of one, but my mistake that I feel like I made is early on comparing myself to others. And I feel like it is a very like human thing for people to do, but I feel like it doesn't have to be. And I have forgiven myself for putting labels on myself and telling myself that I wasn't good enough and I didn't look like those people and I couldn't do this and and not focusing on the positive. But yeah, I think my mistake was comparing myself to other people and comparing myself to other people's success stories and not and saying, well, I guess I'm not going to be that miracle that gets up and walks again when the person that I see online has had a worse injury than me

and, you know, that person's up and walking. So just comparing. And I hope that the listeners out there take this and listen to this podcast. And remember that they can conquer anything that they set their mind to. Because honestly, if I can do what I've done with using half of my body, then they can sure as hell do the same. Amen to that. If people want to follow along on your journey more, where can they find you? So I'm very active on Instagram and it's just under Chelsea Hill, C-H-E-L-S-I-E-H-I-L-L.

And then I make fun TikToks. I'm on Snapchat. I make YouTube blogs. So you could really see very in depth of my life on honestly any social media platforms. And I definitely encourage people to go. You share your dances pretty much everywhere, I feel like. But watching Chelsea dance is pretty extraordinary. So I encourage everybody to go look at that.

Well, thank you so much for taking the time to join me today. Thank you. I appreciate it. This is so fun. Isn't Chelsea amazing? If you don't have a smile on your face right now, I don't know what to tell you. I smiled so hard when interviewing her and when listening to that episode.

I find her so inspiring. And she just has so many really beautiful things to say about having a wonderful outlook on life. If you know anybody in your life that you think this episode might help or inspire, please share it with them. All of you sharing the episodes so much with the wonderful people in your life has really been the thing that's made this podcast what it is today and lets me get on these incredible guests. So I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

And I love all of you. And I will see you on the next episode of the healthier together podcast. The mattress that you sleep on is one of the highest exposures that you have. Like, if it's off gassing, you're breathing that in for basically a third of your life. And most conventional mattresses are loaded with synthetic foams, flame retardants, microplastics, and more. Plus, if it's not comfy, you're going to be tossing and turning. You're going to be really hot. And sleep is the foundation of health.

It is so important. Because of all of this, if I were not going to invest in any other part of my house, no other things in my house, I would invest in my mattress. And in fact, I have four years well before I had much money to spend on any of these things because it is such a big needle mover. The birch mattress is incredible. It is made with organic cotton, natural latex, and ethically sourced wool. So it has literally no off-gassing.

You can not smell anything right when you unbox it. It has no micropastics, no synthetic foams or flame retardants. And the wool makes it so breathable, which if you've listened to this podcast for more than five minutes, you know that I run very, very hot. Like I am a furnace. Zach has basically accepted that sleeping next to me is like sleeping next to like a little fire. And the birch mattress has been a game changer for that. It's made me sleep so much better. Like I can see my sleep score going up because I'm not hot all night long. It's also hypoallergenic, which is really worth paying attention to if you find yourself waking up stuffy or congested. Dust mites in a conventional

mattress can actually impact your breathing and your sleep quality without you even realizing it. And again, we need to be able to breathe to get good sleep and getting good sleep is the foundation of our health. And then comfort-wise, Zach sleeps on his back and then I sleep on my side and my stomach. So we have two completely different sleep styles and we both wake up feeling really good, no aches and pains. CNN actually named the Birch mattress, the best mattress for side sleepers. And Wired named it the best organic mattress period. So there you go. Birch has options for every kind of sleeper in your household.

they have three firmness layers. I like the Lux Natural, which is the medium one. And then parents, they even have a Birch Kids natural mattress. Birch ships right to your door. It sets up in minutes and it comes with 120-night risk-free trial. So if it is not for you, they will pick it up for free. You have nothing to lose here. I want all of you to enjoy a deep, restful night sleep with a new mattress from Birch.

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There's menopause classes with leading doctors. There's script writing with Mindy Kaling. Literally, you name it, they're on master class and it is such a good way to get off your phone, but have something that's like not quite as long or hard to get into as a TV show or a movie and that it just keeps you entertained and interested. and you are learning. There are over 200 classes from the world's best, all for just $10 a month when billed annually,

and you get unlimited access to every class on the platform so you can learn at your own pace whenever you want on your phone, your computer, or even an audio mode like a podcast. If you're looking to stop scrolling and start consuming entertaining content that makes you feel excited and helps you learn, masterclass is it.

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