Here's How My Day With Oprah Taught Me to Live in the Moment

oprah vision tour

Last year, a pretty terrific friend surprised me with tickets to Oprah's 2020 Vision Tour. Thinking back on that day and this past year has inspired my New Year's resolution for the second year in a row: to live in the present moment. Ok, so maybe it wasn't MY day with Oprah so much as my day with Oprah and several thousand other people. But Oprah was there nonetheless!

It was nearly a year ago that we woke up bright and early on a cold and grey Saturday morning and headed to the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul, to join an arena full of people and Lady O herself. Full disclosure, I have such a crappy memory that I can't walk you through this magical day in vivid detail, but as Maya Angelou said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." That day I felt more energized, inspired, and moved than I had in a long time. Oprah talked about dropping little pieces of light. And that's exactly what she did for the thousands of souls in attendance.

As we found our seats, we immediately started rifling through our gift bags to see what kind of presents Oprah gave us. That was followed by an awesome DAYBREAKER dance party to start the morning off strong. You could just feel the collective excitement, energy, and community in the air. After that, the next several hours are somewhat of a tearful blur.

Oprah walked out on stage to a huge Minnesota welcome and a Minnesota theme. She personalized the experience for each city she was in. For our great North Star state, she danced to a Prince song, talked about visiting the Mary Tyler Moore statue, and made sure to let us out of there to make it home in time for the Vikings game.

The tour was entitled Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus. The purpose was to find your personal path to wellness. In our gift bag was a workbook to guide us throughout the day, and jot down little nuggets of wisdom along the way.

The workbook began with this:

The foundation of your wellness journey is presence – quieting the chatter in your head, feeling yourself in the moment, and knowing you are okay. Presence leads to clarity, and ultimately, to the joy of being alive.

Be present.

Let go of yesterday. Put thoughts of tomorrow at bay. You are here. Now. Full of energy. Flooded with calm. Engaged in the one and only moment.

I mean… YES. It felt like a Sunday worship service and we were all praising Preacher O. I was struggling with being in the moment even in that moment. I was trying so hard to absorb everything she was saying, while also taking notes and trying to snap a few photos in between. First, Oprah told us to complete the self-assessment in the workbook and please, I'll do whatever Oprah tells me to do. We had to answer questions in each of the following categories: emotions, learning, work, nutrition, movement, purpose, and relationships. This helped to narrow down your focus for your mind, body, and spirit and your intention for the day and year ahead.

In between the workbook and Oprah's motivational magic – she had stirring music, moving meditation, meaningful videos, poignant guest speakers, and inspirational activities. One of the highlights for me was Julianne Hough's KINRGY exercise. It was an exercise in movement, but so much more. At some point during Andra Day singing "Rise Up" and Julianne telling me to close my eyes and reach out for my dreams, I lost it. I looked over at my friend and she was quite literally in between two sobbing Kate's.

As if I weren't already emotional enough, the day ended with Tina Fey. To be in the same room as these two women having a conversation reminiscent of Oprah's show, was just - beyond. Not only is Tina in the industry of my dreams, but her silliness, sarcasm, and contribution of fun and humor to society are pretty much my life goals.

While I resolve to be present, I want to be clear that I still think planning is necessary. It helps you to be prepared, eliminate inefficacies, and get the most out of life. As Monica Geller would say, "That's just good sense." Looking back at my writing in the workbook from last year, my intention was to stop all the worry and anxiety. I wrote that this would allow me to live in the moment and live with intent. It's that day-to-day chatter in my head and anxieties about past and future that I'm trying to calm. Instead of endlessly checking off a literal and metaphorical list – just enjoying the walk I'm on, the conversation I'm having and the moment I'm in. Not always looking ahead to the next thing. Not always trying to control everything. Not always replaying that comment or scenario in my head. Not always living by that agenda, but allowing for freedom, peace, spontaneity, wonder, and joy of today.

Oprah explains the importance of having clear intentions. I sometimes feel like mine are a jumbled contradiction, but when I look back on the last year, I realize many of them have come to fruition. I think without realizing it, I've slowly been making decisions to get me there. I've moved home to be with my family, I've kept up my writing hobby, and I've steered my job in the direction I'd like my career to go. While I still have big dreams and goals and will continue working toward them, I want to make sure not to lose the present moment. I am exactly where I want to be right now.

Practicing gratitude every day is a habit I've embraced this year; I'm even starting to see the beauty in winter which is saying something. I think we all need to learn from the past, to be held accountable, but also let it go. We should be prepared and excited for the future, but not lose sense of the present. So, I'm going into 2021 with that same intention.

As Oprah says…

"Nourish what makes you feel confident, connected, contented. Opportunity will rise to meet you."

Katharine Kalan is an account manager by day, wannabe writer by night, cat mom, dog sister and loving daughter from the north woods of Minnesota. She recently decided to give this writing thing a go with a lighthearted blog called Couch Potato Curator. She hopes that her silly little musings put a smile on someone's face! You can follow her @couchpotatocurator and @couchcurator.

Jenna Ortega has made a career of playing wacky characters. From the titular character in Wednesday to Winona Ryder's daughter in Beetlejuice 2, she has a knack for making women who come in contact with the supernatural feel ultra relatable — and her new role is no exception. Here's everything we know about A24's Death of a Unicorn.

What is Death of a Unicorn about?

The new film might be about a father-daughter roadtrip, but it's definitely not your average roadtrip. We don't know much about the plot of Death of a Unicorn except for one crucial detail: Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd run over a unicorn on their way home. That is definitely enough to pique my interest! The cast and crew begins filming this month in Hungary.

Who else is involved in the movie?

In addition to Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd, we'll see Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Anthony Carrigan, and Sunita Mani. But the new cast member I'm most excited to see is Will Poulter — there's a good chance you saw him in this year's Guardians of the Galaxy 3 but you *have* to see him in Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Alex Scharfman is serving as both writer and director. The movie will be distributed by A24, who were behind the Oscar-winning Everything, Everywhere, All At Once and The Whale.

Why were they allowed to film during the SAG-AFTRA strike?

On July 12, the contract between SAG-AFTRA (a union representing performers) and AMPTP (which represents major film studios) ended without a renewal. Actors are currently striking for better wages and protection against AI technology in the future.

But on July 18, Variety confirmed that SAG-AFTRA granted exemptions for 39 separate indie productions that aren't working with those major studios, including Death of a Unicorn, Rebel Wilson's Bride Hard, and the record-breaking series The Chosen.

That means these 39 productions can film without interfering with the strike!

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Need an outfit for an upcoming wedding? How about a beach-front dinner? Or tropical destination vacation? Well this one clothing item can take you to all those places and more — slip dresses. They're tried and true, timeless and stylish, and functional and fashionable. And hey, Carrie Bradshaw boldly rocked one, very classically coined "the naked dress."

If you've seen the return of the naked dress trend, you're not alone. Even Sex and the City's Kristin Davis posted a cheeky little throwback of herself in a slip dress to "relive trends." And while the current dresses aren't that different from their predecessors, slip dresses really do come in so many different styles. From your typical black satin slip dress to a fun halter, blue slip, here are my favorite options for staying on trend now — and when it inevitably comes back around again. 😉

Shop Slip Dresses Here!

Target Women's Midi Perfect Slip Dress In Black

This simple black, satin slip will be great for so many occasions whether you want to dress it up or down with sandals; options are endless here! Plus it's listed at only $28! Talk about a bargain!

Reformation Aara Silk Dress

This blue silk number is #1 on my vacation wishlist. I think the lace detail is such a great nod to a vintage Chloe dress that Kendall Jenner was seen wearing this past year. Chic and timeless — my favorite combo!

Target Women's Lace Trim Maxi Slip Dress

The dark forest green color in this slip looks very elegant and luxe, but the price is very reasonable. This target slip dress is affordable yet stylish. I think this one would look great styled for a wedding with nude strappy, gladiator heels and a nude clutch.

Abercrombie Slip Asymmetrical Midi Dress

This Abercrombie dress might be one of my favorites on this list because of the stunning yet sexy detail on the lace on the ends. I think it would be styled perfectly for a night out or dinner with black pumps and a red lip!

Target Women's Midi Perfect Slip Dress In Pink

This Target pink slip dress is so versatile but it also has the bonus of having sizes from XS all the way up to XXXXL so it can fit many different body types. The color is also perfect for the summertime!

Reformation Provence Silk Dress

This dress had to be added to our roundup because it is such a popular and trending style at the moment. I've seen so many influencers and fashion girlies wearing it recently and I understand why! It's such a classic go-to style that is also very flattering. I love this one and will absolutely be getting it for myself, too!

Abercrombie Satin Slip Asymmetrical Midi Dress

Abercrombie is THE place to shop for any of your slip or satin dress needs. They have endless styles and so many cute options. I love this one because of the unique color and asymmetric shape of the slip. So cute and will be adding to my wishlist for sure!

Reformation Barrow Silk Dress

The blue color of this dress is so divine! The shape is also very flattering as well. I love Reformation for their silk dresses because they last so long and feel so high quality. I feel like a million bucks every time I wear one!

Abercrombie Scarf Slip Mini Dress

Another Abercrombie find that is too good to pass up. This one is donning a super chic style with the scarf around the neck. It looks like it belongs in a castle somewhere in France. Tres chic!!

J.Crew Petite Plume Women's Silk Cosette Nightdress With Lace

And to end, I thought I'd add this classic LBD with a typical slip style and a bit of lace on top. I love this one because it's an investment into your future wardrobe and will be worn for so many years to come.

Check out our Fashion page for the latest trends and inspo!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Lead Image via Reformation

2023 has been a year of heartbreaking celeb breakups, from Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn to Jeremy Allen White and Addison Timlin (neither of which I am over, personally). Unfortunately it seems we've got another one to add to the list: TMZ reported on July 17 that singer Ariana Grande and her husband Dalton Gomez have split and are reportedly headed for divorced.

After posting a TikTok makeup tutorial without her ring in August 2022 ("It's getting cleaned. I'm not getting a divorce," Grande said at the time), the singer was seen at Wimbledon this past weekend without her engagement ring and wedding band.

Since the news of their separation broke, People heard that the exes "have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship."

Grande and Gomez got engaged at the end of 2020, and Grande posted about the celebration with the caption "Forever n then some." It appears that this post, as well as a few others about their relationship have since been hidden, while others featuring the couple are still on Grande's Instagram.

When May of 2021 rolled around, the couple married at their home in Montecito, California, with less than 20 people present. Since then, they've been consistent about keeping their relationship more private.

Ariana Grande is juggling quite a few projects at the moment, from her r.e.m. beauty line to the Wicked movie — even though the latter was just put on hold by the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike. Whatever project Grande tackles next, we are wishing her the best!

Image via Mike Coppola / Staff / Getty Images Entertainment

Though, it does seem like things are heating up for Ariana's dating life in the midst of her divorce news.

She's recently been linked to Wicked co-star Ethan Slater and, according to People, a source said their relationship began some time after separating from their former spouses.

For context, Ariana and Dalton didn't separate until January of this year but, in a now deleted Instagram post, Ethan shared that he and his estranged wife Lilly Jay had quietly welcomed a baby boy.

And guess what? That post was shared in — take a wild guess — January.

A source told Page Six that Lilly Jay is "a wreck," and there are rumors she and Dalton are "devastated."

One of Ethan's former Spongebob Squarepants: The Musical co-stars recently shared her thoughts about the breaking news. Lilli Cooper - who played Sandy Cheeks alongside Ethan's Spongebob Squarepants - told Page Six she was unaware of his new romance with Ariana.

She said, "It's an interesting coupling, for sure, unexpected."

That reads like the delicate version of "It's not my business, but WTF." Same Lilli, same.

To make matters even more ~interesting~, Ethan reportedly came clean to his estranged wife about him dating Ariana before the media caught wind of it. According to US Weekly, a source said, "Ethan sat Lilly down a few days before the news broke about him and Ariana and said that he wanted a divorce."

It's also being reported that Ethan and Ariana had zero problems flaunting their romance on the set of Wicked. A third source said, "They’d hold hands on set in between takes. They were sloppy and not hiding it."

It was only a matter of time before one of the ex-spouses addressed the sticky situation. Jay has broken her silence and she's not here for the public antics of Ariana.

She told Page Six she doesn't think the "Thank U, Next" star is a "girl's girl" and that her family is "just collateral damage." Based on different reports, it seems like Jay could have more to say in the coming days.

A source told Page Six in another report that Ethan is trying to be "mature" about things since he and Jay share a young son, but that's hard to do when wounds are still fresh.

It's not hard to understand that love and relationships can be complicated, but this adds a whole other layer.

Since the news just broke about Ariana and Ethan dating, it's hard to say if this is just a fling or something more serious. Unfortunately, one person has been blindsided by Ariana's dating life post-divorce, and that's never good.

This post has been updated with new information.

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Lead image viaFrazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and what better time than right now to highlight some of our favorite AAPI founders. From artists to creators to designers and beyond, these entrepreneurs are charting their own creative paths and bringing fresh ideas to the world, making it a little brighter, a little more colorful, and a better place for all. Check them out and their brands, and prepare to be inspired!

Giselle Go, Cofounder of DAMDAM

The former editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar Singapore (the youngest to hold the title at just 26) turned skincare entrepreneur is Philippine-born and sought to build a clean skincare brand as an ode to the Japanese culture she loved and respected so deeply. Enter DAMDAM, a brand dedicated to preserving ancient Japanese beauty regimens, such as "osoji" and "mochi had," heritage Japanese beauty ingredients like the Shiso Plant and Komenuka Oil, and a team of partners and vendors that collaborate with the brand by creating hand-crafted atelier and preserve Japanese land through regenerative farming practices. The brand is a 5-star best seller on Sephora and one that's hoping to inspire more people to partake in minimalist routines that place an emphasis on mindfulness.

Yanghee Paik, CEO and co-founder of Rael

“I like to call myself an accidental entrepreneur," says Yanghee Paik, a former Hollywood exec who co-founded Rael feminine care products. "I was looking for new inspiration and ways to make a bigger impact on people’s lives when I met my other co-founders.” Together, they saw an opportunity to bring safe and effective technology of Korean feminine care products to the U.S. market. Rael’s first organic cotton pads launched in 2017 and became #1 best-selling pad on Amazon. All Rael period care products are developed without toxins and are hypoallergenic, soft, and breathable. The packaging is also something you don't mind leaving on your countertop.;)

Dev Heyrana, Fine Artist and Hip Hop Dance Teacher

Heyrana's particular brand of creativity is one-of-a-kind. She manages to be warm, welcoming and woke, with a focus on inclusivity, social justice and motherhood that comes through in every piece of art she creates. Born in The Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. when she was 9 years old, her family comes from the island of Cebu. "I'm a proud Cebuana. My childhood in the Philippines felt like freedom. I had my swimsuit in my backpack for whenever we decided to swim and I biked everywhere." But immigrating wasn't easy as a child. "I witnessed racism towards my family and didn't know how to make sense of it," she told us in our Creative Crushin' series."These events left a mark. I was a quiet kid and observed everything and everyone around me. I think about my grandparents, Lolo Jose and Lola Rita, a lot as I walk through life. When I make decisions. As hard as it feels, you have two choices, do you let it take you down or take it one step at a time forward. I kept going and it really shaped me as to why I am the way I am today."

Trisha Okubo, Founder of Maison Miru

Trisha Okubo (pictured center) started out as a Stanford engineer but always had a passion for fashion, sculpture and architecture. She discovered the magic of making jewelry, intersecting form and function, art and science, order and chaos. "It’s wearable sculpture, a thing of beauty that captures your magic: your experiences and memories of the people you love," she says. "Miru in its native Japanese is evocative of sight. It is a reminder to open your eyes, to see the world in a new way." Maison Miru is launching its limited edition jewelry collection today, in collaboration with Heart of Dinner, a non-profit organization that provides hot meals for the most vulnerable Asian elderly community around Manhattan's Chinatown area, in honor of AAPI Heritage Month. The Heart of Dinner System Kit features three styles curated by Heart of Dinner founders Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai (pictured left and right). Made to be waterproof, sweatproof, and life-proof, the kit will include the Classic Heart Nap Earrings, Shooting Star Open Hoops, and Classic Arc Ear Cuff. 20% of the proceeds from the kit will be donated to Heart of Dinner.

Lin Chen, Founder of Pink Moon

A Brit + Co Self Care Award winner, Pink Moon is an online shop where you can find eco self-care, wellness, and lifestyle brands, with more than 30 percent of them being founded by women of color. When launching Pink Moon's in-house collection, Lin made the decision to create it as an open love letter for her Chinese heritage with the launch of a gua sha tool and accompanying face oil. Aromatherapy also plays a big role in Pink Moon's self-care in-house collection with original blends in signature candles, body/hair oils and more. 1% of Pink Moon's revenue goes to a nonprofit of your choice with every purchase.

Fiona Co Chan, Founder of Youthforia

Fiona founded Youthforia from the ground up while living in Hong Kong during the pandemic. An econ major who worked in business development for a software startup, she found that frequent travel to China was hard on her skin. She founded Youthforia, a makeup brand made famous on TikTok, uses plant-based ingredients and functions like skincare you can sleep in!

Rachel and Jiyoon Han, Founders of Bean & Bean Coffee

Not only did this mother daughter duo found Bean & Bean, but they're both certified Q graders (or coffee sommeliers)! The brand first got their start in 2008, after Jiyoon's parents immigrated from South Korea and opened the first ever roastery in Queens, NY. They're focused on ethically-sourced product, supply chain transparency, and Female Equity in Coffee.

Farah Jesani, Founder of One Stripe Chai

A daughter of South Asian immigrants, Farah Jesani started her career in NYC's corporate world. I graduated from the University of Georgia with a business degree and moved to NYC to work in the corporate world. She soon realized that the chai options offered at coffee shops didn't really reflect the bold and flavorful chai she grew up drinking. That's when the seeds for One Stripe Chai were planted...Founded in 2015, One Stripe Chai combines rich, spicy masala chai with black tea for an all natural chai concentrate that even the pickiest chai drinkers will love.

Tina Chow Rudolf, Founder of Strange Bird

Rudolf's fascination with beauty and skincare originates from watching generations of mothers before her. Her grandmother would give her mother facials using egg whites, cucumber, ginger and ginseng — all ingredients from their kitchen. Strange Bird (also her husband's nickname for her) is a plant-based and crystal-charged beauty brand that combines ancient Chinese beauty traditions with high vibrational alchemy to help women create a daily practice that supports their skin goals and their life goals. Products include ingredients such as ginger, ginseng and goji berry in organic blends as well as flower and gem essences such as amethyst, rose quartz and crab apple.

Clara Jung, Founder of Banner Day Interiors

Clara left a career in corporate law to start Banner Day Interiors when she realized that legal research and courtroom appearances didn't satisfy her creative desires. Her creative and comfortable style helps her clients transform ordinary rooms into stylish spaces. Originally from Los Angeles, Clara attended Cal and fell in love with the charm of Berkeley (shortly after graduating, she joined the Peace Corps in Nepal teaching English), where she now lives.

Sravya Adusumilli, founder of Mango People

Chemical engineer turned beauty entrepreneur Sravya Adusumilli was inspired by her South Asian roots when creating the plant-based multi-functional makeup brand beloved by TikTok. She struggled to find a brand that was truly clean and inclusive of all skin-tone shades so she began experimenting and researching Ayurvedic rituals and teachings to utilize powerful plants and pigment-rich fruits, flowers, and herbs to heal the body, mind, and spirit. After five years of intensive research and several iterations later, Mango People was born.

Ming Yi and Ching Yeh Chen, Founders Of Pearl River Mart

This duo founded Pearl River Mart in 1971 as the world's first Chinese American department store. People of all backgrounds can learn about Asian history and culture beyond NYC through their online site. Pearl River Mart has two events to celebrate AAPI heritage, including"Just Between Us," a new exhibition curated by Arlan Huang in partnership with Think!Chinatown at their SoHo location starting 5/4 and Pearl River Mart's Second Annual AAPIHM Sunset Celebration in conjunction with Lunar Hard Seltzer and Gold House will be held at their Chelsea Market location on 5/19.

Jennifer Tsay, Co-Founder & CEO of Shoott

Jennifer Tsay is a SAG-AFTRA actor whose personal experience with "side hustles" led her to launch a company that puts creatives and freelancers first. Shoott seeks to make professional photography more accessible to everyone with "Insta-worthy" 30-minute outdoor photo sessions that are free to book online and allow customers to pay only for photos they love at $15 per photo or less. In spite of the pandemic, demand for bookings grew and the company is now available in 600 locations across 60+ cities nationwide.

Diane Reade, Founder of MO MI

Diane's mother and grandmother raised her with holistic, naturopathic, aromatherapy and encouraged her to seek wellness beauty rituals. Diane says her Asian heritage inspires her creative process when sourcing plant-based ingredients that have been used for centuries. Her personal care brand MO MI is animal- and planet-friendly and incorporates values from Diane's heritage and from time spent living, working and traveling in Europe and Asia.

Eunice and Sabrina Moyle, Founders Hello!Lucky

Eunice and Sabrina are bi-racial Chinese-white sisters who grew up in Asia and Africa. They founded Hello!Lucky in 2003 as a letterpress greeting card studio with a distinctive humor and style inspired by their Asian and Midwestern roots. Since then, Hello!Lucky has grown to become a design and licensing studio with the mission of delivering joy, creativity, and connection through their products, which include greeting cards, best-selling children's books, and home goods. They are committed to supporting the highest good of their customers and promoting self-awareness and social justice. They published Sloth and Smell the Roses, a children's board book on mindfulness and self-compassion and in 2018 published Be the Change: The Future Is In Your Hands, a DIY book for girls and women about using creativity to inspire community and civic action. Sabrina serves as Board President of @mosaicproject, an Oakland-based youth non-profit that provides immersive, experiential learning in building inclusive, equitable, peaceful communities.You can follow along with Eunice and Sabrina @helloluckycards and @helloluckykids.

Joy Cho, Founder and Creative Director of Oh Joy!

LA-based Joy Cho exploded in the world of licensing with home decor, kids, pet, and furniture collections with brands such as Target, Band-Aid, Calpak, Petco, Keds, and more. She has authored six books and consulted for hundreds of creative businesses around the world. For two years in a row, Joy was named one of Time's 30 Most Influential People on the Internet and has the most followed account on Pinterest with over 14 million followers.

Andrea Xu, Co-founder and CEO, Umamicart

Conceived by Andrea Xu to serve as a one-stop-shop for home cooks, Umamicart, an online market, prioritizes Asian American-led businesses, immigrant-led businesses, and the mom-and-pop suppliers and producers behind consumers' favorite heritage brands, as well as the inspiring Asian American founders that are reinterpreting traditional flavors with new and personal products.

Angela Chau Gray + Ervina Wu, Co-Founders of YINA

YINA is a beauty and wellness brand based in California whose mission is to demystify and enliven Chinese Medicine. Co-founded by Dr. Ervina Wu, a licensed in TCM, the brand features products for skincare, wellness and more.

Vicky Tsai, Founder of Tatcha

One of our favorite Teach Me Something New podcast guests, Tsai's personal skincare routine (equal parts skincare + meditation) is as impressive as it is inspiring. Her customers include celebrities like Meghan Markle and Kim Kardashian who are fans of her Japanese skincare products, which are based in ancient Geisha beauty practices. For Vicky, skincare *is* self care, and we all need to take time for ourselves to wash away the day, and start fresh each morning.

Syama Meagher, Co-Founder of Rendall Co.

Syama Meagher originally planned to launch Rendall Co. as a home goods brand featuring aprons but pivoted to premium face masks at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. The styles were bestsellers and now the brand finally launched its collection of aprons, which feature durable chambray and denim fabrics and professional quality workmanship. We love our Bistro apron!

Hanna Chiou, Co-Founder of Habbi Habbi

Hanna Chiou grew up in the U.S. speaking her parent's native language Mandarin but not reading it. "It's challenging because Chinese is character-based so most books from Asia are intimidating because there are a sea of characters — and speaking doesn't translate to reading," she told us. Habbi Habbi was her answer to accessibility and ease of learning with a set of language books that kids can tap with the simplicity of a translating wand (our kids love theirs!).

Justine Tiu & Adrian Zhang, Co-Founders of The Woobles

We love this online learning platform for crochet. The brand sells beginner crochet kits that have been designed leveraging UX research and customer feedback to push through initial frustrations of learning a DIY art through remote learning.

Kirstie Wang, Founder of A Jar of Pickles

Kirstie Wang started A Jar of Pickles with $200 as a side hobby business that eventually grew multi-6 figures in revenue while she worked full-time jobs in UX design and marketing. She started it as a hobby Etsy shop in college after teaching herself digital design. She recently took the leap and quit her full-time job to grow A Jar of Pickles, pursuing her passion to share what she's learned by coaching other small business owners. You can enroll in her Selfmade course, Organic Social Media Growth, starting on May 25.

Image via Clar Ngai-Howard/Instagram

Clare Ngai, Founder of BONBONWHIMS

Before Clar Ngai launched BONBONWHIMS, she moved to the U.S. at the age of 19 to study journalism. From there, she's been working in the fashion industry for the past 10 years. Her experience with the digital and influencer aspects of fashion have come in handy because BONBONWHIMS speaks to several generations with its Y2K appeal.

It was during the pandemic that she began creating the bones of BONBONWHIMS to fuel her own passion and raise awareness for BIPOC organizations like Stop AAPI Hate.

Since its creation, BONBONWHIMS has been featured on stars like Megan Thee Stallion and Demi Lovato.

We are also big fans of our Selfmade members, including Christine Tong (above), founder of Christine My Linh, Shannon Huang, founder of The Soul Edit, Justine Pon of The Ponnery, Sruti Bharat of FutureMap, Koyun Fan, co-founder of Sticky Rice Sisters, and Poy T. Granati of Summer Space Studio.

To support the fight against anti-Asian racism, visit Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition documenting and addressing anti-Asian discrimination.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

I love sappy, sweet-as-candy rom-coms. You know, the ones where two leads spend the entire movie pursuing other people only to realize they were in love with each other the whole time. The movie usually takes place in a big city or a small town (and sometimes both), there's a quirky best friend, and there's always a big declaration of love before the credits roll. And while these straightforward movies are always on my watchlist, I also love the wacky movies that involve hilarious misunderstandings, ridiculous fight scenes, and gravity-defying Dirty Dancing movies (yes, I'm talking about Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling'sCrazy Stupid Love here). Humor always makes a movie even more enjoyable to watch, and A Family Affair is as wacky as they come. The movie reunites Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron, who played opposite each other ten years ago, and this time, Joey King's added into the mix. Here's everything you need to know about the new summer movie.

What is the movie A Family Affair about?

Image via Netflix

Like any good rom com, A Family Affair is all about a surprising romance — just not the kind Zara might be hoping for. When her mother (Nicole Kidman) and her famous actor boss (Zac Efron) fall for each other, their newfound relationship complicates everyone's ideas of sex and identity, and Zara's entire life. And, just like you might expect when your boss and mother hook up, chaotic hilarity ensues.

When does A Family Affair come out?

You can watch A Family Affair on Netflix starting June 28.

Who's in the A Family Affair movie cast?

Image via Netflix

Joey King, Zac Efron, and Nicole Kidman lead this new rom-com, and they're joined by a few of our other favorite actors! A Family Affair also stars Liza Koshy and Kathy Bates.

What does A Family Affair mean?

Image via Netflix

A family affair refers to a situation that's connected to someone's family in one way or another. For me, being an adult has been all about establishing work-life balance, and I'm sure the same is true for Zara. I can't wait to see how this movie's unexpected romance turns everything upside down.

What else did Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron star in?

Image via Netflix

Before they were cast in A Family Affair, Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman played lovers in The Paperboy in 2012. Familiarity and comfort are two super important things in any romantic role, and I can already tell from these first look images that Zac and Nicole not only have awesome chemistry, but they're comfortable enough around each other to just have fun. And that's all we can ask for from a good movie!

What would YOU do if your boss and one of your parents hooked up? Let us know in the comments and on Facebook!

Lead image via Netflix