For Karen, fly-fishing is a place to do the often-difficult work of freeing her mind and sinking into her true self. As someone who admittedly struggles with yoga and meditation, the river is a place where she can access calmness and inner quiet.

While summertime would seem to be an ideal time to nail down these routines, take ‘er easy and sink into self-care, things like road trips, camping weekends, family reunions and all the other exciting routine breaking that happens this time of year can interrupt our self-care.

We all know that staying on top of our mental wellness can be a challenge, but tools like therapy, yoga and meditation help us stay on track, right? Despite all the evidence (and advertising!) in support of self-care tools like these to help stay sane amidst the chaos of everyday life - we aren’t always paying attention to our brain health… are we?

As the founder and CEO of ANGEL AID, Cristol is working tirelessly to offer antidotes to the adversity and challenges faced by families affected by rare diseases.

Rare diseases impact more people on the planet than AIDS and cancer combined - 350 million people, half of whom are children. [Source: Global Genes]

When I was a kid, I loved playing Truth or Dare. I nearly always took the dare. Taking the dare was sometimes risky, often challenging, and always scary in a shaky knees kinda way. I loved it because it made me feel bold and courageous… it was exhilarating putting myself out there on the edge, sometimes quite literally.