I want to share something a little personal with you.(Again)...And please, don’t skim through this and send me pity messages and such LOL. This is not a sob story, just transparency. I've gotten to the SOLUTION side of it.
Since June, I’ve been in and out of doctor’s offices, taking every test imaginable — blood work, ultrasounds, even an MRI — trying to figure out what was happening with my body. The answer? High cortisol.
Cortisol is the “stress hormone,” and it’s been aggressive. By March, it started impacting my health in ways I couldn’t ignore. I’ve gained over 30 lbs while doing daily cardio, eating clean and drinking less. Imagine how defeating it feels when your body does not reflect your core values and interests? It was bananas. Exercise — the thing that used to bring me joy — was suddenly making my body hold onto stress. And honestly? I stayed in denial about it for way too long.
So I’ve had to completely shift. Daily walks instead of endless Peloton rides and cardio classes. Meditation. Weight training. Protecting my sleep like it’s sacred. And building new rituals that invite calm back in.
That’s where the SOFT RESET COLLECTION comes in. Lavender-based blends crafted to soothe the nervous system, reduce cortisol, and restore my peace. It’s not just something I created for ZIJ — it’s something I use every single day to remind myself: I deserve calm. I deserve bliss. I deserve to feel like me again. I shower in it. I douse my bedding in it. I use it in candles and oil burners…etc. My home is now a lavender SANCTUARY.
Because truthfully? I miss my old self. I miss the woman who created Zen in a Jar because she was fully living in her ZEN.Survival mode isn’t for me, y’all. I am ready to get back to romanticizing EVERY little moment of my day. And I have.
So why make this available to everyone?
THREE reasons:
1. I needed community. As a Peloton girlie, I was devastated by this diagnosis. I’d recently lost 50 lbs from 2023–2024 and was maintaining my body with so much pride. As you can imagine, the weight gain was ALARMING.
Then a few weeks ago, I stumbled onto a Threads post about Black woman entrepreneurs and cortisol. I clicked on it, anticipating solutions or sisterhood. WRONG. Instead, I found a string of low cortisol “flexes” as replies and that honestly triggered me. Chiiile, I didn’t realize that the level of stress I’ve been experiencing made me "less than" in someone else’s eyes. The internet never surprises me with the hierarchies we develop. And if I'm wearing my doctor hat, that’s why many entrepreneurs will never comfortably share their struggles until or unless they’ve overcome them (if at all). This economy is DIFFERENT. You see that businesses are closing around us daily. Many who are still standing are fighting for their lives.
So anyway, I had to log off for a few days and process the trigger. Then, I promised myself that when I got this cortisol situation under control, I would be a resource for the next woman who goes through it — to share my rituals, supplements, books, and lessons learned.
2. I realized I’m not alone. Just yesterday, I posted in the Black Girl Magic Peloton FB Group asking for solutions, recommendations, and — truthfully — community. The flood of responses was overwhelming. Stories, advice, shared experiences, and even women who simply commented “following.” Which, to me, means: they need this too.
3. Most importantly…it’s WORKING. My new routines, my lavender rituals, my vitamins, juicing, phone boundaries-it’s all working. I’ve been able to STOP the weight gain for the first time since June. I feel good. So good. It’s only UP from here, baby!
💜 The Soft Reset Collection:
Because survival mode DOES NOT get the final say.
✨ Lavender at the core
✨ Two NEW Blends
✨ A ritual reset for anyone who carries too much
✨ Gorgeous exclusive new ZIJ bottles designed by my FRIENNNNNNN Shanney!
Let’s do this together. Community is everything.
Are you navigating this as well? If so, share your recommendations or lessons learned!
Love & Lavender,
Nik
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