The Wellness Resources I Actually Use (And Trust)

The Wellness Resources I Actually Use (And Trust)

I’ve tried a lot of wellness content over the years. A lot of it feels performative, or what I call extractive wellness: people charging a lot without giving much back. What I’m sharing here are the teachers, studios, and experiences I genuinely return to. None of this is sponsored. These are just the things that work for me.

Morning Practice

I start most mornings with at least 30 minutes of Kundalini yoga and breathwork. 

Here’s where I go:

  • Life Force Academy with Jai Dev Singh: I met Jai Dev in Costa Rica in 2019 and he genuinely changed my life. I had never done Kundalini before meeting him. He’s one of the most skilled teachers I’ve come across and his online platform, Life Force Academy, is where I do my daily morning practice. He has some free content, but his subscription is worth it.
  • Breathe With Sandy: This one surprised me. I’ll be honest, he didn’t look like someone I’d click with at first. But he puts out an enormous amount of high-quality breathwork content for free on YouTube and he’s the real deal. If you want to get into breathwork without spending money, start here.
  • Travis Elliot: Another free yoga resource on YouTube. I’ve been doing his classes for a long time. Consistent, quality instruction with no fluff.
Jai Dev Singh
Breathe with Sandy
Travis Elliot

In-Person Yoga

When I can get to a live class, I go to Highland Yoga. My friend runs it and she’s an incredible entrepreneur and teacher. It’s a hot flow class, challenging and beautiful, and it’s become a bit of a joke in Atlanta that it’s yoga for Type A personalities. She has multiple studios now. If you’re in Atlanta and want a real yoga experience, Highland Yoga is it.

Movement and Play

My preference is always to move with other people rather than work out alone.

That means:

  • Pickleball (singles and doubles, a few times a week)
  • Soccer (Sunday mornings when I can)
  • Golf
  • Hiking (daily, often while taking calls)
  • Walking cities when traveling

I’d rather play a sport or take a class with someone than go to a gym. The social element keeps me coming back.

Ecstatic Dance

This is the one I can’t recommend enough. Ecstatic Dance is exactly what it sounds like: dancing, fully, without drugs or alcohol. It usually happens during the day. There’s live music, DJs, sound baths, yoga, and stretching, all woven into a single four-hour experience. It’s genuinely one of the best things I do for my body and my spirit.

In Atlanta, the organization doing this right is Sol Dance. I’m personally involved in helping them build something sustainable here. The events happen around once a month, in spaces that feel right for the experience, old churches, converted factories, outdoor venues as the weather gets warmer. If you’ve never been to an Ecstatic Dance event, look up Sol Dance or search Ecstatic Dance in your city. The videos will tell you everything you need to know.

Credits to the original owner from Sol Dance.

Conclusion

Wellness doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Most of what works for me is either free or low-cost, and a lot of it is about consistency more than intensity. Whether it’s a 30-minute Kundalini practice in the morning, a hike with a friend, or an afternoon of Ecstatic Dance, the through-line is always the same: move your body, connect with other people, and do it regularly.

These are the resources I trust. I hope some of them are useful to you too.

If you want to explore more about how I approach wellness and daily life, take a look around the site or reach out through cityHUNT.