NoMiNoU Ambassador Profile: Meet Rachelle Hay
Rachelle Hay is a globetrotting fashion and travel blogger who hails from Trinidad and Tobago but has settled on Vancouver as her home…for now! Founder of the life and style site Salt and Shimmer, Rachelle works in social media management and is fairly confident most problems can be fixed with either shoes or ice cream.
What does wellness mean to you?
For me, wellness comes down to a happy and confident state of being. If I’m physically and mentally healthy, that helps breed wellness in other areas of my life and it’s a positive cycle from there.
How long have wellness and mindfulness been important parts of your life? Walk us through your personal wellness journey.
Wellness has been integrated into my life for as long as I can remember. I started dancing at four years old, which fostered a healthy exercise routine and helped build positive mental practices by instilling discipline and focus from an early age. As time passed, I’ve explored other ways to keep active and find I need to shake things up from time to time, whether it’s a new exercise program or trying to teach myself to enjoy running (still working on that one.) I’ve also been fortunate to have people close to me who serve as role models, My fiancé is a national rugby athlete in my home country of Trinidad and Tobago, and my father is an avid long-distance runner and health nut, so I’ve been inspired be seeing these examples first-hand.
The mindfulness aspect has taken more prominence later in life and is something I work at. Every. Single. Day. One of my most important goals is to be more present. It sounds so simple in theory, but in practice it’s much bigger. I’m working towards being more present in everything I do, each interaction I have and each moment I experience.
What are your top three wellness tips?
To support good lifestyle habits there are a few things I try to do:
- Drinking enough water every day isn’t always easy, but I try to make it less challenging by having water bottles filled and accessible in multiple spots (on my bedside table or at my desk)
- I LOVE food. I love cheese, sauces and ice cream. If I didn’t have a plan or self-discipline, I’d probably binge on these things way too often. To stay on track, I’ve found meal prep and healthy snacks go a long way. This way, I can still indulge in my favourites without overdoing it.
- Practice eliminating excuses. One of my biggest challenges when it comes to working out is getting myself physically up and ready to go. I try to kill excuses (they come up pretty easily) and just DO. I’ve worked out at home several times, using cans of peas when I didn’t have dumbbells. I know it sounds ridiculous, but if I caved to my excuses I would probably never work out.
So what are your fave picks from the current NoMiNoU collections?
That’s a tough one! I love the Bri capri in black and white: it’s such a cool design and the B&W allows me to pair it with so many colour combos. If I’m looking for a hit of colour, the Cindy is a gorgeous pattern and the blues are just so vibrant.
What’s next for you? Any exciting projects in the works?
My passion project is my site Salt and Shimmer. ‘Salt’ is an ode to my Trinidad and Tobago roots, being a common quip for the sea, and also a nod to the Caribbean tendency to add that extra dash of flavour to food – and life. ‘Shimmer’ is its counterpart: the glittery, girly excess and cheerful abundance that colours my approach to, well, pretty much everything. One of my goals was to gain formal recognition for the blog, and I was fortunate to be awarded Best Caribbean Travel Blog 2016 by Caribbean Tourism Organization. This has me wanting to push even more, and I’m working on some exciting new collaborations and projects, which will be featured on the site and also on @rachellehay.
What or who is currently inspiring you?
I’m always inspired by my dear grandmother. At the age of 90, she could be mistaken for someone in her sixties, and she still runs her own business to this day. She is a Master Stylist and owns a hair salon with a roster of clients who adore her. Granny Kim has a charismatic mix of grace with a dash of feistiness and above all else, she puts kindness first. She values people and relationships, and treats everyone with importance. I constantly strive to be more like her in everything I do.
Words you live by?
Be Kind. Be Present.
