Our fave biohacker duo is back to inspire here at COAST! See what Renee and Lauren are planning health wise for 2022 and beyond.
-What health and wellness goals are you setting for 2022?
RENEE: Allowing myself to say no. Every time an event or opportunity comes up I will consider if I need to do it and if I truly want to do it. If not, I will cancel or postpone it. I know that when I stretch myself too thin, I’m not being kind to myself and I’m not able to be 100% present with others.
LAUREN: Not working after 8pm! Ideally after dinnertime… I love what I do, which makes it difficult to set clear work boundaries, but I know I don’t sleep as well as I could if I’m on my computer or phone too late into the evening. I’m going hard on this goal for 2022 so I can create more time with family and friends, and to support good sleep hygiene with these short winter days.
-How do you stay consistent when building new habits?
RENEE: I find scheduling a new habit works well for me. If it’s a new fitness class, I schedule my classes one week in advance. If it’s taking a new supplement, I write down the best time of day to take it. Habit stacking is a great trick too… Think of a healthy habit that you’ve already established and just add one more at the same time.
LAUREN: It helps me immensely to attach it to something else I’m already doing. I love standing in the sun in the morning, this has been a consistent practice for some time. In the past year, I’ve been trying to be more consistent with more breath work, so I’ve started stacking sun and breath together. Over time, the brain associates these activities, and makes it difficult to do one without the other.
-Will you be participating in Dry January or alcohol consumption in moderation?
RENEE: I will definitely reduce my alcohol consumption in January. Working in the health & wellness industry, January is always my busiest month so I will be focusing primarily on work and self-care.
LAUREN: I’m not a big drinker, but my boyfriend loves to do dry February, because it’s a shorter month! I’m half kidding : ) Doing a dry alcohol month is always better if you have a partner in crime, so I love to support him and do it too. Even though I don’t drink that often, I realize what a mental challenge it is to abstain for a longer period of time. The benefits go beyond a physical detox, and I love that.
-What are your biggest learning lessons from 2021 that you'll be taking into the new year?
RENEE: To focus on my community and tribe. I think everyone experienced some loneliness at some point during the pandemic and while I’ve understood the importance of community and connection, this value really took priority for me in 2021. Rather than buying things, I’d rather share experiences with loved ones. This fills my heart up!
LAUREN: I can choose, be, experience JOY at any moment in time. So often, we work hard to get to the exciting part, or we check our calendars to countdown the days until ‘x’, or say “I’ll be happy when”.... but the truth is, joy is everywhere if we can take a moment to pause and experience the beauty and awe all around us. 2021 brought many teachable moments to help me understand this possibility.
-What was your favorite new biohack you discovered last year?
RENEE: The LIEF device! This Heart Rate Variability biofeedback tool allowed me to track my HRV throughout the day and created awareness for which events or activities stressed me out. I also learned how to self-regulate my nervous system in the moment through guided breathwork.
LAUREN: Microdosing! I took a deep dive on microdosing plant medicines last year, and I’m so amazed at the power and wisdom it holds. I’m sure our ancestors wouldn’t have called this a biohack, but I think in our modern-day, insanely busy, stress-filled lives, we need something powerful and profound to break the cycle. Microdosing is a safe and effective way to create new pathways, and refresh the narrative.
-What are you feeling most passionate about in 2022?
RENEE: I think there’s a huge movement happening with people taking responsibility for their own health and I can’t wait to see what 2022 will bring!
LAUREN: Renee and I are very passionate about building intuition. As Biohackers, we love the next quantification device in tech, but only as a tool to help build an intuitive practice. Our bodies are innately intelligent and wise, and it’s important that we listen to what they are telling us.