I show the new members around, even though it feels like not much to see at this point. The tree limbs are bare. There’s no sign of veggies, herbs, or flowers. The raised beds are covered in snow and ice. You can’t even see the dirt!

“Everything is moving more slowly, but there is plenty of work to be done.”

If previous experience is to be trusted, this space will soon be abundant with plants and activity. In the meantime, everything is moving more slowly, but there is plenty of work to be done. We have been processing food scraps into compost, repairing the tool shed, and shoveling snow on the sidewalks. While not as visibly fruitful as the work we do in the warmer, sunnier months, this work is part of community gardening.

Veggies and herbs aren’t the only things we’re growing. We’re growing virtues, such as patience, hope, humility, cooperation, and generosity. That’s part of the unseen work of gardening, and just as fulfilling as the fresh food that sustains us. 🌱

Hope

As we wait for the snow to melt, a group of gardeners plans to start seeds indoors. We browse our seed inventory thinking about what we’d like to grow — and eat! — in the coming months. We make a batch of seed starting mix, carefully concocted to retain moisture but provide adequate drainage, and to provide the right set of nutrients for the seedlings’ first stage of life. We create cubes of soil using a soil blocker, an environmentally-friendly alternative to flimsy plastic flats. It feels like an industrial Play-Doh mold and takes a bit of effort to get right.

“We sow a few seeds into each block with the understanding that only some will sprout.”

Once we’ve made soil blocks that actually stick together, each of us takes them home along with a heat mat, grow light, timer, and the seeds we’ve selected. We sow a few seeds into each block with the understanding that only some will sprout. Of the ones that do grow into seedlings, only some will survive the transition to the greenhouse and transplanting into the ground. 

It feels so precious at this point, trying to create the perfect conditions for new life to grow. I check the seedlings in my apartment twice daily, looking for any pop of green or sign of life. I’m not the only one in my apartment watching for something to happen — I am careful to protect my seedlings from my curious cats, who would be happy to chew on a microgreen even if it means destroying my hard work. With a little effort, time, and luck, these could grow into an abundant garden, and some of the freshest food I’ve ever eaten.

Patience

While our seedlings are starting inside, the bulbs we planted before winter begin to pop up. I’d almost forgotten we’d put those there! I will garden for years and still be surprised when the first signs of spring appear. Hardy bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses need to spend the cold winter months underground in order to form the blooms that we count on as the first signs of spring.

“I will garden for years and still be surprised when the first signs of spring appear.”

From that moment on, there’s always new growth to look forward to. One of the prides of our garden is the serviceberry tree. Also called the juneberry, the serviceberry produces fruit that’s like a nuttier, seedier sister to the blueberry. It’s a native tree I didn’t know — and a berry I had never tasted — until I joined the garden in 2021. By the time Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book came out in 2024, it felt like I was reading about a friend. 

Our serviceberry tree grows near the fence, attracting curious visitors, especially when they see a group gathered under it picking berries. It’s a rare sight to see in Brooklyn: People eating fruit picked directly from a tree. I think some people think it’s wrong.

“It’s a rare sight to see in Brooklyn: People eating fruit picked directly from a tree.”

Late last May, eager to introduce others to this special berry, I called some other gardeners over to try some that were just coming in. We laughed, thinking about how this surely isn’t how our friends or family imagine we spend our time in New York. It’s a memory I love. Yet I also remember that mere days later (June 1st to be exact), the juneberries started tasting infinitely better. 

Later in the season, I’ll remember this lesson to be more patient as I’m waiting for tomatoes to ripen on the vine. As tempting as it is to eat tomatoes as soon as you spot them, the ones you let mature taste even sweeter. 

Cooperation

I feel lucky that in my community garden, we grow everything communally. In other gardens, competition can sometimes outweigh the community spirit. Members enter a lottery system to secure the garden plot with the ideal amount of sun. Arguments break out over a tomato that’s gone missing and is presumed to have been stolen. At ours, we work together across many beds, and put in additional work caring for the trees and sidewalks surrounding the garden, letting our cooperative spirit permeate through the neighborhood. A neighbor borrows a snow shovel to dig out his car. Classrooms from the pre-K visit the garden to release the butterflies they were raising. Food pantries nearby share their food scraps to add to our compost, which will provide nutrients for the soil we’ll use to grow future food.

“We work together across many beds, and put in additional work caring for the trees and sidewalks surrounding the garden.”

Meanwhile, the plants are cooperating, too. Companion planting — a technique where gardeners grow plants together strategically — serves a variety of purposes, from enriching the soil to controlling pests and weeds. My favorite companions are the Three Sisters, a traditional Native American planting method where beans, corn, and squash are planted together. The corn stalks grow tall, providing support for the beans to climb. The beans help stabilize the corn plants and enrich the soil with nitrogen. The squash vines cover the soil, keeping it moist and free from weeds, with prickly stems that deter critters. By working and growing together, all three can thrive.

Generosity

With everything in our garden grown communally, any members who contribute by working can harvest. What’s remarkable is that even when many people harvest, there is always more than enough to go around. We set up a table outside the garden gate where we share surplus produce with neighbors. I love to surprise people passing by — again, free fresh food is likely not what they’re expecting on a walk in the city.

“I love to surprise people passing by — again, free fresh food is likely not what they’re expecting on a walk in the city.”

It’s especially exciting when we can share something that connects someone with their family, heritage, or cultural background, like okra or green tomatoes for frying. I also love to pass along the experiences I’ve delighted in when I’ve tried something I had never tried before, like the serviceberry or the edible flower nasturtium. The taste, scent, or even sight of certain vegetables, flowers, and herbs can transport someone somewhere deeply familiar or completely new.

At the grocery store, it’s common to spend exorbitant amounts of money on high-quality ingredients, which sometimes end up going to waste in your fridge anyway. In the garden, you’re encouraged to take only what you need, share the rest, and come back when you need more. 

When cut back properly, plants grow back more abundantly. Sharing — and doing so often — means more people can access fresh food. 

Trust

Much of gardening, especially as a hobbyist, involves a mixture of common sense and experimentation. You make decisions as best as you can and trust that plants are resilient. 

“You make decisions as best as you can and trust that plants are resilient.”

This is most applicable when pruning a plant. Cutting off excess or unwanted growth lets the plant focus its energy on the living parts. When flowers are cut back properly, you not only can get a lovely bouquet but also encourage flower production in the rest of the plant. Some herbs and lettuces develop a bitter taste when they flower, so it’s best to cut those back before they have the chance to. And sometimes you just want a plant to grow wider instead of taller. I have become such an enthusiast for the transformative act of pruning that I have a poster about it in my home. 

When I was taught how to prune lavender, I was given careful instruction for where to make cuts. Lavender is beloved for its fragrant flowers, but its stems become woody over time, and if you cut too close to the wood when pruning, the flowers won’t grow back. When cut at the proper location, though, even stems that looked dead have green inside — a sign of life, and that new growth is still possible.

Humility

In the garden, not everything goes according to plan. Crops that were abundant last year barely leave a mark the next year. Two years ago, we had more cucumbers than I could have imagined, yet plans for pickle production the following year turned out to be unnecessary, as we had…a normal amount of cucumbers. Other crops were a complete wash. 

“With so many environmental conditions at play, it’s not always clear why something fails.”

With so many environmental conditions at play, it’s not always clear why something fails. An entire bed could get infested with pests, weeds, or fungus. Last year, all our eggplants were yellow…and I don’t think they were supposed to be. 

When you dedicate yourself to cultivating life, death is inevitable. If we’re lucky, our failures can be thrown into the compost bin where they’ll transform into fuel for the next growing season. ✨

In the coming months, I hope to spend as much time as I can in the garden. When other parts of life feel hectic or unpredictable, the garden is a place I can rely on. Here I can slow down and observe subtle changes from day to day, and moment to moment. The sun moves, casting unique shadows on the garden. Depending on the season, we’re grateful for the warmth of the sun or the cool of the shade. 

“When other parts of life feel hectic or unpredictable, the garden is a place I can rely on.”

While it’s tempting to see the garden as an escape from daily life in the city, that’s not quite right. After all, even when I’m immersed in gardening, I can still see the dollar store across the street and hear a block party or train rumbling by. Instead, I think of the garden as an important part of my life, where I’m growing virtues I can take with me no matter where I go.

Jenny Nelson is a writer, artist, and community gardener originally from Chicago and living in Brooklyn, NY. She makes music under the name Concourse and plays keyboard in the band Jupiter Boys, among others.

The post Here Are The Virtues I Am Growing In My Community Garden appeared first on The Good Trade.

👩‍💻 Join us on March 11 for a live discussion with Lindsay Dahl! If you’re not already part of our Substack community, sign up here for your spot.

Last fall, our team at The Good Trade passed around a copy of “Cleaning House: The Fight To Rid Our Homes of Toxic Chemicals” by Lindsay Dahl — and it quickly became one of those books we couldn’t stop talking about. Grounded, personal, and deeply researched, it offers a clear-eyed look at the toxic chemicals woven into our everyday products, along with practical, empowering ways to lower our toxic burden. It’s equal parts memoir and call to action, blending lived experience with policy insight in a way that feels both accessible and galvanizing.

“In ‘Cleaning House,’ Lindsay pulls back the curtain on how these chemicals persist in our homes — and what it will take, collectively and individually, to create safer systems.”

Lindsay is a longtime environmental health advocate and policy leader who has helped shape state and federal efforts to reduce harmful chemicals in consumer goods. Today, she serves as Chief Impact Officer at Ritual, continuing her work at the intersection of transparency, science, and public health. In “Cleaning House,” Lindsay pulls back the curtain on how these chemicals persist in our homes — and what it will take, collectively and individually, to create safer systems.

We’re honored to sit down with Lindsay and have her answer a few of our burning questions, opening the dialogue to our community as we explore what it means to advocate for healthier homes, more transparent brands, and a future rooted in prevention.

Those who’ve read “Cleaning House” know that your personal story makes up a large part of the narrative. For those who haven’t yet, can you share the moment in your own life that pushed you to dive deeper into the world of toxic chemicals and product safety?

“The issue of toxic chemicals can feel overwhelming or dry, and I wanted the book to be the opposite of that: Easy to read, fast-paced, and read like a real story (it is!).”

The issue of toxic chemicals can feel overwhelming or dry, and I wanted the book to be the opposite of that: Easy to read, fast-paced, and read like a real story (it is!). I share how, when I started my career, I knew I wanted to work to protect the environment, but I quickly learned that not everyone was as passionate about protecting ecosystems as I was. An early job out of college helped me see that when you pass laws that protect human health and the environment, you win on a large scale. That type of change was very interesting to me, and I built a niche skill set focused on passing laws that address toxic chemical pollution in our air, water, and consumer products. I also found that by connecting the environment outside our homes to the products in our homes, more people were interested in learning and having a conversation. Twenty years later, I’m proud to say I’ve helped pass over 30 state and federal laws, all of which passed with bipartisan support.  

The book details how your lobbying and organizing have led to major legislative wins. Which accomplishment are you most proud of, and why?

I’ll pick two if you let me! The work a large group of people did to pass updates to our primary toxic chemical law (TSCA) in 2016 is what I’m most proud of. We spent years building bipartisan support across people from all different backgrounds, and the updates created much-needed policies that led to the EPA finally setting a ban on asbestos, TCE, and methylchloride. Right now, these safety laws are under attack in DC, and I hope we can raise a bunch of noise to let Congress know they can’t roll back toxic chemical laws. 

Second, when I was at Beautycounter (now Counter), we spent nine years asking Congress to update laws overseeing the toxic chemicals used in beauty and personal care products. We helped pass the largest update to cosmetic safety laws since the 1930s. While there is still so much work to be done for safer cosmetics, it was a huge step forward and one we should all be proud of. 

You’ve been involved in the clean living movement for about 20 years. How has your perspective evolved since you first started this work? What do you think is most important for this movement today?

“The biggest challenge the clean living movement faces today is misinformation online. “

The biggest challenge the clean living movement faces today is misinformation online. I wrote a book about toxic chemicals, but I end up talking mostly about how the most toxic thing in our homes is social media. I see how the conversation has quickly shifted from a common-sense, product-safety topic to one that is quickly and unfairly labeled: “pseudo-science”. The overstating of claims about toxic chemicals by influencers has created a backlash, and the issue of environmental health has been weaponized for political gains. Both are solvable, which is what I speak to in my book. I think the largest shift in the last 20 years is overall consumer awareness. When I first started working on these issues, no one had any background on why plastics may be unsafe, or even questioned anything on the shelves. The goal now is to parlay that widespread consumer knowledge away from just shopping for safer products, but to pass large laws that help take the job of spotting the toxic chemical off of our very busy to-do lists.  

What made you decide to write this book now?

I wrote “Cleaning House” because it has become very complicated to discern what is real science versus fearmongering. The enemy used to be clear; the chemical industry was using doubt around science as a tool to protect their market, like in the case of flame retardants, lead, PFAS, or plasticizer chemicals like BPA and phthalates. Now, misinformation is being shared — using the same talking points the chemical industry did for decades — by social media influencers. In a world of misinformation, I wanted to give people a solid grounding in how strong the scientific literature is about toxic chemicals, so they don’t dismiss the topic. And I also wanted to let people off the hook in feeling like they needed to take this on and shop their way to safety, which is impossible. 

“I wrote ‘Cleaning House’ because it has become very complicated to discern what is real science versus fearmongering.”

I think we have a huge opportunity to shift the conversation away from an individualized approach of “clean living” to look at the systemic shifts of toxic chemicals, far beyond a consumer product. I want people to start to understand that communities living in the U.S. next to chemical and plastics facilities are being impacted by the development of these chemicals. Strong science shows us both that exposure via products in our homes is also an issue. And that when products leave our homes and are incinerated, there are lasting impacts on communities and ecosystems. 

The time is to shift away from considering just the impacts of toxic chemicals in our homes and think with a more global perspective. 

For someone starting to think about what they bring into their home and put in/on their body, what are the simple, small shifts to start with? Are there categories that are more important to focus on?

I’ll give you my top categories and tips (and there is a helpful section at the end of my book that outlines all my consumer tips!):

• Kitchen: Switch cookware to stainless steel or cast iron. Opt for Clean Label Project certified supplements & protein powder (Ritual — where I’m the Chief Impact Officer — is my favorite!). Avoid takeout when possible, as many containers are coated in PFAS, known more commonly as “forever chemicals.” EPA Safer Choice is a great certification for household cleaners, and filtered tap water is best! 
• Beauty: Look for EWG-verified or MADE SAFE-certified brands. Shop at Credo if you’re looking for a one-stop shop. My favorite brands include Counter, OSEA, Dr. Bronner’s. 
• Furniture/Home: Look for flame-retardant-free couches and mattresses. When doing home renovations, avoid flame retardants and PFAS materials (commonly used in carpet padding, carpets, ‘stain-resistant’ finishes on couches, etc). 

What is your advice on how to remain engaged without feeling discouraged?

I have the benefit of seeing all of the positive impact of our choices in the marketplace and our laws, so staying hopeful is relatively easy for me. If people pull back from turning this issue into a rabbit hole of control and consumer choice, we can all tap into the momentum that happens when we pick up the phone and tell Congress no more rollbacks to toxic chemical laws! Or seeing the evolution of offerings in the market, 20 years ago, the only option for a flame-retardant-free couch was to have one custom-made; now they’ve been in the IKEA showroom for years at affordable price points. 

“If people pull back from turning this issue into a rabbithole of control and consumer choice, we can all tap into the momentum.”

What’s one myth about nontoxic living that you hope readers let go of after reading your book?

That it’s all on you to solve this problem. I encourage people to make smart choices and where they can purchase products from brands making safer products. But I want people to know that our collective power to pass meaningful, large-scale laws banning these toxic chemicals is actually where the solution lies. And as it turns out, picking up the phone is a lot cheaper than buying a new mattress or cookware. 

What are your favorite, trustworthy resources for people trying to make safer choices?

I sit on the board of Toxic Free Future and trust their work on the state and federal policy work. I encourage people to follow NRDC and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners for a meaningful translation of the science around toxic chemicals. And people can buy my book and subscribe to my Substack, where I bring a balanced approach to breaking headlines: Science, Politics, Culture of Wellness.

What gives you hope right now about the future of clean living and a safer world for all of us?

The bipartisan nature of this issue is really energizing to me. Consumer safety laws at the state and federal levels have been supported by both parties for decades. 

“I encourage all of us, regardless of our preferred political party, to hold ALL politicians accountable.”

Right now, we have a bigger, complex conversation happening at the federal level about environmental health, and sometimes the rhetoric lines up with the science, and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m watching with a cautious eye, and I encourage all of us, regardless of our preferred political party, to hold ALL politicians accountable. We can’t allow any more rollbacks to our existing laws on toxic chemicals. This is one of the many metaphors that “cleaning house” represents. 

We must talk openly about these nuances if we want to win long term. I am putting my confidence in the fiery and smart group of bipartisan moms who have led the way on this issue for the last several decades.

Ashley D’Arcy is the Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She holds an MA in Philosophy from The New School for Social Research and has contributed to esteemed outlets such as The Nation, 032c, and Yale School of Management’s Insights where she’s leveraged her expertise in making complex ideas accessible to a broad audience. In addition to her editorial work, she is training as a psychoanalytic mental health professional and provides care to patients in New York City. Ashley also explores sustainable fashion, clean beauty, and wellness trends, combining thoughtful cultural critiques with a commitment to mindful living.

The post We Spoke With Lindsay Dahl On Clean Living, Labels, And Laws appeared first on The Good Trade.

Mercury retrograde is a celestial event in which Mercury reverses its orbit around the sun for a few weeks approximately every four months.

Retrograde motion happens when a celestial body appears, from our vantage point on Earth, to move backwards in the sky. It’s an optical illusion, explains Kirah Tabourn, an astrologer and host of The Strology Show podcast. “It’s important to know that the planet isn’t actually going backward,” Tabourn tells The Good Trade. “All planets retrograde at some point in their cycle as seen from the Earth.”

Mercury retrogrades more than other planets because of its short year — it takes just 88 Earth days for Mercury to orbit the sun once. That means that three or four times a year, the planet appears to move backward in the sky, entering a retrograde motion that lasts for around three weeks each. 

According to astrology, each celestial body influences a different aspect of our lives. Venus, for example, rules over beauty and passion, and the moon governs our emotions and our inner world. Mercury is the planet representing communication, reasoning, transportation, and technology, so when she enters retrograde, we tend to feel it acutely in our busy world that’s centered around communication and tech. These kinds of issues might look like delayed flights, a broken appliance, or a text from an ex. 

What might Mercury in retrograde mean for you?

While Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap for causing technical mishaps, travel delays, and miscommunications, it’s not all crummy. Mercury entering retrograde is much like the weather shifting — not good, not bad, but a neutral, essential part of life on Earth. We tend to move full steam ahead so often that when Mercury retrogrades and encourages certain parts of life to slow down, it can actually have some positive effects. 

Mercury entering retrograde is much like the weather shifting — not good, not bad, but a neutral, essential part of life on Earth.

“Retrogrades are regular invitations to slow down and reassess where you are in particular areas of life,” says Tabourn. “[They] can be immensely healing and times of recentering or recalibration,” she says, adding that decluttering our spaces (physical, mental, and digital) can help us during the recentering process that a retrograde invites in.

Maybe you take this time to do some retrograde motion yourself. Revisit an old project you put on the back burner, reach out to an old friend, or rediscover a book or movie you used to really love. It also might be a great time to do some inner reflecting by meditating or journaling. 

And when you’re prepared to slow it down a bit, this period’s mishaps might become easier to handle. If someone from your past reaches out, consider how it makes you feel. If your train is delayed or you’re in the worst traffic jam of your life, you’ll be forced to exercise patience. If you misplace an important email or document, you’ll learn from your mistake next time. Mishaps happen all the time for loads of different reasons — that’s life. 

When Mercury is in retrograde this spring from March 14th to April 7th in Aries and Pisces, those with these placements might feel the retrograde’s effects most keenly. Likewise, the retrograde late last year in Sagittarius might’ve affected Sagittarius placements more than others. Mercury also rules over Gemini and Virgo, too, so folks with placements in those signs might always feel Mercury retrograde periods more strongly. 

When is Mercury in retrograde in 2026?

Before and after each official three-week-ish Mercury retrograde times are the retroshade periods, also called the retrograde shadow periods, during which the planet isn’t yet moving backward but is moving slower than usual. This is why you might have retrograde-like experiences before or after the planet is totally in retrograde. 

Here is every Mercury retrograde period in 2026, along with its preshadow and postshadow dates:

February 26 – March 20, 2026

The preshadow period begins on February 11, 2026 when Mercury reaches 8°29′ Pisces; with the postshadow lasting through April 9.

June 29 – July 23, 2026

You’ll already be feeling the preshadow period for this retrograde on June 13 when Mercury reaches 16°18′ Cancer — and the postshadow period will continue through August 7.

October 24 – November 13, 2026

Towards the end of the year, we’ll start feeling the preshadow period of this retrograde on October 4 when Mercury reaches 5°02′ Scorpio and we’ll round out the postshadow period on November 30.

Natalie Gale is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!

The post What Is Mercury Retrograde? (Plus 2026 Dates) appeared first on The Good Trade.

We follow these 9 websites that are as resourceful as they are empowering and uplifting—covering everything from personal finance to mindful meditation.

Check out our favorite newsletters for women as well!

1. The Cut

Our Go-To For | News & politics
Topics | Style, self, culture, and power
A Feature We Love | 180 Female Execs Launch Time’s Up Advertising

When The Cut was launched years ago, it was an online publication for women with style and self in mind. Today, they’ve grown to be a leading resource for politics, current events, and the honest, challenging conversations we’re having with one another. Content some days will talk about Danity Kane and ‘Vanderpump Rules,’ while others revolve around March for Our Lives, career advice, and breastfeeding at work. Because what it means to be a successful woman can include style, self, and discussion around current events.

2. Salty

Our Go-To For | Body positivity
Topics | LGBTQIA+ lifestyle, sex & body, relationships, parenthood
A Feature We Love | How I Finally Liberated My Black Fat Femme Body

Unapologetic and intersectional, Salty is not here for censorship or the corporate brand of feminism. This volunteer-run, independent website is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women, trans, and nonbinary people on topics others may otherwise shy away from. Their perspectives around #MeToo, sex work, and body positivity are refreshing and insightful, and we’d all benefit from taking some time to dig in and read. With core tenets such as inclusivity, community, fun, and respect, their content celebrates and uplifts authenticity and living the most truthful lives we can. 

3. The Good Trade

Our Go-To For | Ethical & sustainable living
Topics | Lifestyle, fashion, beauty, self, home, culture
A Feature We Love | The 9 Best Meditation & Breathing Apps to Reduce Anxiety

Over the last seven years, The Good Trade has covered content around sustainable living and investing with socially conscious brands, knowing that we often vote for the world we want with our dollars. Today, it has grown to reach millions of readers with engaging content ranging from mindful living to personal finance to seasonal fashion. If you’re interested in fair trade fashion picks, local and sustainable spots to check out, or inspiring curated reads from across the Internet, you’ll especially love The Daily Good, a 30-second read sent each morning full of the team’s personalized recommendations.

4. Blood + Milk

Our Go-To For | Empowering wellness information and stories
Topics | Sex, body, menstruation, mental health, motherhood
A Feature We Love | Sacral Healing + The Importance Womb Healing 

Blood + Milk is more than an online publication or website for leisurely reading. It’s a community resource; a call for awakening; a collective cry for gender rights and the end of oppression for women. The editorial branch of organic tampon brand Cora, Blood + Milk is our favorite site for longer editorials, empowering stories, and inclusive advice about sex, body, menstruation, and more. For the kind of articles you’ll be forwarding to all your friends, add this site to your bookmarks. 

5. Darling Magazine

Our Go-To For | Inspiration
Topics | Culture, relationships, travel, style, creativity
A Feature We Love | The Habits of Highly Successful Women Condensed in One Infographic

Darling Magazine was born as a print mag to redefine the art of being a woman: all images they use are untouched and their content is written to empower readers. But today, Darling has evolved to so much more than just a print magazine—it’s the ideal resource whenever you need inspiration and motivation. And if you’re not sure where to start, they’ve handpicked choices for you when you’re feeling ambitious, overwhelmed, or adventurous. With powerful features from the likes of Meghan Markle, Joanna Gaines, and Rupi Kaur, Darling is media that makes us feel loved, not less.

6. Autostraddle

Our Go-To For | LGBTQ+ lifestyle
Topics | Arts & pop culture, sex & dating, community, identities
A Feature We Love | How Queer and Trans Women Are Healing Each Other After Hurricane Harvey

A past winner of the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Blog, Autostraddle has transformed the lives of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women (as well as non-binary people) for nearly 10 years. They offer a fresh voice and empowered perspective to make all women feel like they’re valuable, equal, and noticed, so it’s no wonder that they’re the number one lesbian lifestyle website worldwide. And what we love most are the values they apply to all of their content: never critical or teasing of women’s physical appearances, quality over quantity with a point, and diversity and inclusion with both imagery and written content. The Autostraddle team is also more than just online: they host worldwide meet-ups, sell merch, and arranged getaways, because their ultimate goal is to create a community wherever they reach.

7. Career Contessa

Our Go-To For | Career advice
Topics | Career tips, interviews, jobs, coaching & webinars
A Feature We Love | Empathy At Work—And Why It (Really) Matters

Whether you’re beginning your career, navigating a transition at work, or negotiating your next raise, Career Contessa has the resources you need to make the most of it. We love that they have resources for women in a wide array of industries, and their library of downloads, courses, and podcasts is unlike any other. Kickstart the career of your dreams with their guided 28-day plans for finding a new job, making more money, or learning new skills—or just browse their archives for plenty of valuable career content.

8. Create & Cultivate

Our Go-To For | Entrepreneurship
Topics | Career advice, women leaders, digital & tech
A Feature We Love | 3 Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets On Building A Smart Brand

Create & Cultivate’s mission is to support women looking to create & cultivate the career of their dreams, and they follow through. The ladies behind Create & Cultivate are chock full of sage advice and resources for both budding and established entrepreneurs, from year-one tips to starting a business to handling an especially slow day at work. And they’ve taken their content on the road too, with their beautifully-branded conferences and pop-ups so you can engage with them online or IRL.

9. them

Our Go-To For | LGBTQ+ culture & essays
Topics | Pop culture, style, politics, news
A Feature We Love | Inqueery: Indigenous Identity and the Significance of the Term “Two-Spirit”

For our weekly dose of pop culture, style, politics, and news, you can find us reading them, a proclaimed next-generation community platform chronicling and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to sharing excellent and informative content (we love both the written articles and videos) them also sends out a newsletter for anyone who “wants the best of what’s queer” delivered right to your inbox.

The post 9 Lifestyle Websites For Women That We’re Obsessed With appeared first on The Good Trade.

Our editors have personally used and benefited from online talk therapy. These are our top choices for inclusive, effective, and affordable care, with options that take insurance.

With everything happening in the world, many of us find ourselves more stressed than ever and in need of support — we’ll be the first to admit we often feel this way. That’s why we’re huge fans of online therapy and virtual counseling to get the help we need, especially when face-to-face sessions aren’t always possible.

Why should you try online therapy?

Going through life struggles is tough — especially if you’re dealing with it alone. A therapist provides the much needed one-on-one support that can help you navigate tough times, with someone by your side. Online therapy especially is a wonderful option for getting support at your convenience. It’s not only more affordable, but it’s also an accessible service that provides high-quality support with trained therapists, anytime and anywhere. Rather than being limited to therapists in your area, you’ll have access to a wider range of therapists from various experiences and backgrounds who can better understand your emotional, physical, and psychological needs. Many even have chat therapy options if you find yourself needing to talk to someone right away.

What should you look for in an online therapy platform?

There was a real boom in telehealth and virtual therapy services during the pandemic, and thanks to their accessibility and affordability, they’ve only continued to grow. But unlike in-person sessions, there is a security risk to consider when sharing sensitive information online. Security and privacy should be top concerns for any provider you choose, so be sure to discuss safe technology practices and data privacy protocols with your therapist (the American Psychological Association provides helpful guidance for online providers).

“Virtual therapy is an accessible, convenient, and adaptable option.”

The therapy provider you select should also mention the licenses and qualifications their therapists possess and whether they accept insurance (or offer lower-cost services). Once you meet with your therapist, setting therapy goals, discussing techniques, and — most importantly — feeling comfortable and confident with them is essential to your growth. Most of the services we’ve listed below also allow you to swap therapists if your first match doesn’t feel quite right, making it easier to find the perfect fit.

Beyond just talk therapy, many online services offer different modalities tailored to your needs. You’ll find options like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is great for addressing anxiety and unhelpful thought patterns; dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), often used for emotional regulation and borderline personality disorder; and couples therapy, perfect for working on relationship dynamics together. Some platforms also offer exposure therapy for phobias and OCD, mindfulness-based approaches for stress and trauma, or even medication management in partnership with psychiatrists.

Virtual therapy is an accessible, convenient, and adaptable option. Remember: There is no shame in therapy, whether you simply need someone to talk to or want to explore treatment and medication for mental health. From anxiety to OCD to marital challenges, these therapy websites and apps can connect you to a trusted counselor from the comfort of your home — or your car (because sometimes, that’s the only quiet place we’ve got, right?).

How much does online therapy cost?

So, how much online therapy costs? The short answer: It really depends! Many popular platforms like BetterHelp, Talkspace, and Calmerry typically average about $60 to $100+ per week, often billed monthly. More specialized services like ReGain (for couples), Teen Counseling, and OurRitual (self-guided therapy) can vary depending on the type of support you need. If you’re looking for more affordable options, Open Path Collective offers sessions for as low as $30 – $60, while Inclusive Therapists and Alma help you find sliding scale or insurance-friendly therapists. And if you’re on a tight budget or just starting out, Mindless Labs offers free mental health resources you can access anytime. Some platforms, like Headspace Care and Online-Therapy.com, even combine therapy with tools like guided meditations and worksheets. So whether you’re ready to invest in weekly sessions or just want to explore free resources first, there’s an option for every budget and every journey.

Our criteria:

After researching, vetting customer reviews, and trying many online therapy options personally, we’ve put together the best options for accessible virtual care. You deserve to have a nonjudgmental therapist that’s a good fit for your wellbeing, and we hope you find that here. We regularly update this list with new platforms that meet the criteria below.

• INCLUSIVE | This list compiles therapy providers offering both individual and couples therapy for people of all ages, as well as an inclusive range of therapists from various backgrounds and life experiences (including BIPOC, disabled, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ communities).
• AFFORDABLE | These online therapy services offer low-cost therapy with flexible plans and/or accept insurance.
• ACCESSIBLE | You’ll be able to stay in touch with your therapist via flexible options like text, messaging, phone calls, and video calls.

Also, if you’re in the United States and looking to have your counseling sessions covered, here’s a great guide on finding online therapy that works with your insurance. (And for those in the UK, My Therapist Online is a great option!)

Whether you’re interested in phone, text, or video options, we hope these resources will guide you in finding the support you need. 💛

Not sure where to start? Check out our guide to finding a therapist. And if you’re looking for therapy options for you and your partner, we love these online couples therapy platforms and this guide on sex therapy.

Table of contents

• Best For Individuals, Couples, & Psychiatric Needs: Talkspace ($69+)
• Best For Individuals, Couples, Psychiatric Needs, or LGBTQIA+ communities: Calmerry ($57+)
• Best For Individuals, Couples, Teens, LGBTQIA+ Communities: BetterHelp ($65+)
• Best For Free Self-Guided Wellness Tools: Mindless Labs (free)
• Best For Relationship Therapy: ReGain ($65+)
• Best For On-Demand Therapy: Online-Therapy.com
• Best For Talk Therapy & Medication Management: Alma (cost varies)
• Best For Self-Guided Relationship Therapy: OurRitual ($32+)
• Best For Low-Cost Sessions, Family, Or Group Sessions: Open Path Collective $30)
• Best For BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, & Disabled Communities: Inclusive Therapists (cost varies)
• Best For Teens: Teen Counseling ($70+)
• Best For Employers & Organizations: Headspace Care ($149+)

1. Talkspace

Accepts insurance

HIPAA compliant

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Multiple languages

Text message availability

Best For | Individuals, couples, & psychiatric needs
Features | Employee assistance programs available, resource library, psychiatry options, teen therapy, veteran therapy
HIPAA Compliant | Yes
Accepts Insurance | Yes, accepts select insurances
Price Range | $69 – $109 per week (video chat, workshops & messaging therapy)

With over a million users, Talkspace is one of the most accessible virtual therapy programs around. The subscription-based service accepts select insurance and works with several employee assistance programs and schools. Start messaging with your suggested therapist right away through its encrypted platform or schedule a live counseling session via video. Talkspace also offers free mental health tests and resources, discounted subscriptions, and specialty services for veterans and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Check out their privacy policy to learn about how they are protecting your data and information.

Talkspace Review | “I like that my Talkspace therapist is always checking up on me through text. She refers back to the issues we talked about” – Anonymous (Read all reviews.)

2. Calmerry

Budget friendly

HIPAA compliant

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Text message availability

Best For | Individuals, couples, psychiatric needs, or LGBTQIA+ communities
Features | Full licensed therapists, evidence-based approach, convenient daily support available
HIPAA Compliant | Yes
Accepts Insurance | No, offers lower cost therapy
Price Range | $57 – $90 per week (online, text & video chat therapy)

Calmerry is an e-counseling platform on a mission to provide accessible and affordable counseling for all. Starting from only $57 a week, Calmerry offers the best of online therapy from professionally licensed therapists, alongside daily support, a flexible schedule, worksheets, and video sessions. With all these offerings and their effective counselor-matching process, Calmerry is one of the most affordable options on this list with great wraparound support. Both HIPAA compliant and DMCA protected with a secure SSL Encrypted integration throughout, you can feel comfortable and confident about your privacy during your sessions. For the latest on Calmerry’s privacy policy, click here.

Calmerry Review | “My counselor often checked in on me and helped guide me through some tough times while helping me work towards being more confident. There were also times where I did not feel like talking about my experiences and she helped have conversations, which was helpful.” – Christopher W. (Read all reviews.)

3. BetterHelp

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Multiple languages

Subscriptions available

Text message availability

Best For | Individuals, couples, teens, LGBTQIA+ communities
Features | Bilingual options, 20K+ licensed therapists, financial assistance available, monthly subscription service
HIPAA Compliant | No
Accepts Insurance | No (financial aid is available)
Price Range | $65 – $100 per week (in-app, chat, phone & video therapy )

For tailored, flexible online counseling — including unlimited access — check out BetterHelp. Start with a personalized survey to find the best-trained counselors for your unique circumstances, then message them anytime, anywhere. You can even schedule a live therapy session over phone, tablet, or computer, giving you a range of communication options. We’ve used BetterHelp, to help support us through anxiety, depression, and family issues — we especially recommend it as a bridge service into working directly with a psychiatrist or therapist IRL. (Signing up for therapy is hard! BetterHelp is a great first step to get a therapist on your side). Read up on their privacy policy here.

Betterhelp Review | “Marissa has helped me so much ever since I joined BetterHelp! She’s patient and understanding, and she’s great at taking what I tell her and then reiterating in a more simple, straightforward and objective way. She understands and takes into account all my thoughts and concerns, no matter how frequently they reoccur, and her help has helped me progress a lot over the time we’ve worked together.” – Anonymous (Read all reviews.)

4. Mindless Labs

Budget friendly

HIPAA compliant

Integrates with other apps and devices

Licensed therapists

Best For | Free self-guided wellness tools
Features | Free service, courses from conventional and alternative practitioners, ready-to-use tools, journalling option, subscription-free
HIPAA Compliant | Yes
Accepts Insurance | No (free service)
Price Range | Free

If you’re looking for an approachable, no-pressure way to support your mental health, Mindless Labs is here to make things easier (and a lot less intimidating). Instead of traditional therapy sessions, Mindless Labs offers bite-sized, interactive mental health tools you can use right from your phone. Think guided self-reflection exercises, mood trackers, and calming practices — all designed to help you build better habits and navigate everyday stress in a simple, accessible way. Their app is totally free, so there’s no barrier to getting started, and you can explore resources at your own pace without worrying about appointments or high costs. Whether you’re feeling anxious, stuck, or just want to check in with yourself more often, Mindless Labs empowers you to take small, meaningful steps toward a healthier mind, whenever and wherever you need it. Read Mindless Labs privacy policy here.

Mindless Labs Review | “I’ve tried a lot of wellness apps, but Mindless Labs stands out. It’s beautifully designed, super easy to use, and most importantly it’s free. The guided prompts, breathing exercises, and mental health tools are legit and don’t feel clinical or overwhelming. It’s like having a therapist in your pocket, but without the pressure. The team behind this app clearly gets what it feels like to struggle and actually wants to help. If you’ve ever felt anxious, stuck in your head, or just need a reset, then download the app because it might be the most helpful thing you didn’t know you needed.” – MarzMedia (Read all reviews.)

5. ReGain

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Subscriptions available

Text message availability

Best For | Relationship therapy
Features | Options for individuals or couples, all therapists have a Master’s Degree or a Doctoral Degree
HIPAA Compliant | No (encrypted chatroom & database, alias use available)
Accepts Insurance | No, offers lower cost therapy 
Price Range | $65 – $90 per week (phone, text, & video therapy)

If you’re looking to regain companionship or affection, or need to address some tough relationship issues, ReGain is our suggested platform for online relational therapy. You can choose to participate as an individual or as a couple, and after taking a questionnaire to identify your shared goals, you’ll be paired with a licensed counselor. Done primarily through video sessions (and via messages anytime), it’s a flexible, virtual option that will help you tackle challenges straight on. View their privacy policy here.

ReGain Review | “We are so thankful for therapist Darryl, he is very empathetic, takes his time in listening to our concerns and needs. He’s been very good with helping us set goals, I would highly recommend him to anyone for couples or personal therapy.” – Anonymous (Read all reviews.)

6. Online-Therapy.com

Budget friendly

HIPAA compliant

Intimacy counseling

Subscriptions available

Text message availability

Best For | On-demand therapy
Features | Qualified therapists, online therapy toolbox, CBT approach, financial assistance available
HIPAA Compliant | Yes
Accepts Insurance | No, offers lower cost therapy; itemized receipts available
Price Range | $50 – $120 per week (unlimited messaging & therapy program)

For therapy on your terms, we recommend checking out Online-Therapy.com. No matter where you are in the world or what device you use, Online-Therapy.com offers resourceful and accessible care to help support you during your time of need on your schedule. Each subscription gives you access to their online therapy toolbox, which includes guided videos, worksheets, journaling, diary entries, and even yoga recommendations. You’ll also have unlimited communications with your therapist from Monday to Friday to help you with your process (and a one-on-one live session with certain subscriptions). If you’re seeking a service you can work through at your own pace, Online-Therapy.com is the solution for you. View their comprehensive privacy policy here.

Online-Therapy.com Review | “I love the format. I feel like the worksheets gave my therapist and I opportunities to become familiar and established context and understanding before we ever had our first session.” – Jahshh (Read all reviews.)

7. Alma

Accepts insurance

HIPAA compliant

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Multiple languages

Best For | Talk therapy & medication management
Features | All identities and diverse backgrounds welcomed, free 15-minute consultation calls
HIPAA Compliant | Yes
Accepts Insurance | Yes, accepts select insurances
Price Range | Set by therapist (virtual & in-person care available)

For online therapy that covers a wide variety of needs — including talk therapy and medication management — Alma may be a great option for you. Whether you’re seeking individual, couples, family, or teen therapy, Alma gives you access to a diverse network of highly qualified therapists. Many of Alma’s therapists offer free 15-minute consultation calls so you can find out if your therapist is a fit before committing. Alma also accepts a number of insurance plans and communication is done through their HIPAA-compliant messaging channels. Read up on Alma’s privacy policy here.

Alma Review | “For me, the best part of @withalma_ has been the quality + diversity of their therapist network. bc we moved to Florida, i needed to find a new virtual therapist who specializes in ADHD. 9 folks recommended: – 5 were women of color 💜 – 2 of them were LQBTQ 🌈” – Anonymous (Read all reviews.)

8. OurRitual

Budget friendly

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Science backed

Subscriptions available

Best For | Self-guided relationship therapy
Features | Weekly expert sessions, digital exercises, convenient sessions
HIPAA Compliant | No (encrypted platform)
Accepts Insurance | No
Price Range | $32 – $52 per week (video & in-app care available)

OurRitual is a modern alternative to traditional couples therapy, offering a flexible blend of expert-led sessions and personalized, science-backed digital exercises. You’ll begin by sharing details about your relationship to then be matched with licensed professionals — who are available 24/7 — and will guide you and your partner in achieving your relationship goals through tailored pathways. These pathways focus on key areas like conflict resolution, communication, and emotional intimacy, and are supported by additional videos and exercises to reinforce progress. With plans available for various needs — including long-distance, military, LGBTQ, and parents — OurRitual adapts to your lifestyle with short, convenient sessions. View OurRitual’s updated privacy policy here.

OurRitual Review | “We needed some help getting important messages across but we really didn’t want to feel judged for our lifestyle. Finding something as private as this has been a true blessing.” – Maria (Read all reviews.)

9. Open Path Collective

Budget friendly

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Multiple languages

Best For | Low-cost sessions, family, or group sessions
Features | Sliding scale, bilingual options, wellness courses available
HIPAA Compliant | No (not a healthcare company)
Accepts Insurance | No, offers lower cost therapy
Price Range | One-time $65 membership fee; starts at $30 per session (virtual & in-person care available)

Open Path Collective, a nonprofit, supports clients who lack health insurance or cannot afford typical pricing for therapy sessions. For a lifetime membership fee, you can find affordable therapists in your area who may offer online therapy in addition to IRL counseling. Open Path welcomes all identities, backgrounds, bodies, and orientations. Pro tip: If you’re looking for family, group, or couples therapy, you can usually share one membership fee. For Open Path’s privacy policy, click here.

Open Path Review | “Open Path may have truly saved me in a very desperate time of needed guidance. I needed perspective and a safe place to figure out how to direct the next part of my journey. Open Path allowed me to easily find someone who matched my needs and I feel very grateful for Open Path and my counselor, that I otherwise could not afford. It’s still tough but it’s worth every bit of every cent spent taking care of myself. Thank you to all of you who provide this service on a sliding scale, truly grateful!” – Jasmine (Read all reviews.)

10. Inclusive Therapists

Accepts insurance

Budget friendly

Intimacy counseling

LGBTQ friendly

Licensed therapists

Multiple languages

Best For | BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent & Disabled communities
Features | Bilingual options, centered on marginalized identities, reduced fee virtual teletherapy
HIPAA Compliant | No (account data is encrypted)
Accepts Insurance | Yes, accepts select insurances
Price Range | Varies; sliding scale available (virtual, teletherapy & in-person care available)

Inclusive Therapists is a wonderful directory focused on celebrating all identities and abilities. This online platform centers BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, and disabled communities with a specific focus on social justice, liberation, and decolonization. That means every therapist here has been carefully verified to meet the needs of these communities. You can expect culturally responsive and supportive feedback with every counseling session. Check out Inclusive Therapists privacy policy here.

11. Teen Counseling

Licensed therapists

Subscriptions available

Text message availability

Best For | Teens
Features | Therapists who specialize with teens, app-based communication
HIPAA Compliant | No
Accepts Insurance | No, offers lower cost therapy
Price Range | $70 – $100 per week (text, phone, & video therapy)

Teen Counseling offers support to teens ages 13 through 19 looking for professional help. Using an app, teens can communicate with licensed and trained therapists via text, live chat, and video — with flexibility around scheduling. Counseling is confidential but rest assured that the therapist will alert a parent if a serious action is required. If your teen is struggling — with bullying, self-esteem, an eating disorder, or anything else — there is help available. Read Teen Counseling’s full privacy policy here.

Teen Counseling Review | “Abigail is engaging, caring, and has a good approach with my son. She delves deep without being off-putting. I have certainly noticed a positive difference in him – something I hadn’t seen after a couple of years with his previous psychologist.” – Anonymous (Read all reviews.)

Bonus: Headspace Care

Accepts insurance

Budget friendly

HIPAA compliant

Licensed therapists

Subscriptions available

Best For | Employers & organizations
Features | Psychiatry, therapy, coaching, work/life services, mindfulness
HIPAA Compliant | Yes
Accepts Insurance | Yes
Price Range | Starts at $149 per month; No cost through employer, university, or organization (text-based coaching, video therapy, psychiatry services, mindfulness exercises)

Meditation app Headspace and former mental health coaching app Ginger have come together to create Headspace Care — a comprehensive mental healthcare platform with on-demand coaching, therapy, psychiatry, and mindfulness resources like guided meditations, sleep aids, and focus tools. Tailored to meet diverse needs, Headspace Care supports both employees and organizations by providing accessible, high-quality mental health support. By offering evidence-based care through a diverse network of experts, Headspace Care allows businesses to foster a resilient and healthy work environment. If your interested in Headspace Care, be sure to check if you’re covered for services under your employer! See Headspace’s full privacy policy here.

Headspace Care Review | “Being the benefit professional that I am, I wanted to test-drive Headspace Health myself, and I haven’t stopped using it since. People need resources to get immediate help anywhere, anytime, without the shame that comes with needing help.” – Tracy Clemente (Read all reviews.)

The post 11 Best Websites For Affordable Online Therapy In 2026 appeared first on The Good Trade.

“Online communities play a crucial role in connecting disabled people with each other, yet only 3% of the internet is accessible to disabled people.”

Lucía Feito Allonca is someone who has experienced this sense of normalcy firsthand.  Lucía and I know each other because she’s a strategic committee member of Voices in Action, a diabetes-focused not-for-profit that my spouse founded. Lucía told me that she used to be very private about living with type 1 diabetes, but being part of online communities made public disclosure feel less intimidating. She also told me that “I didn’t have that many people close to me living with type 1 diabetes. Then I discovered online communities. With access to these communities, you are not alone anymore.”

Since birth, I have lived with a neurological condition called dyspraxia. Dyspraxia presents challenges with the coordination, planning, and sequencing of movement. The core reason why I have found online community access particularly helpful is that dyspraxia can be a lonely journey. In fact, if you’ve never heard of it, you’re not the only one. Dyspraxia’s level of awareness and availability of resources is low globally. It wasn’t until the early days of the COVID pandemic that I met other dyspraxic people.

Friendships with dyspraxic people would never have been possible without online community access. Sometimes, I have managed to meet my online friends offline through the coincidence of being in the same city or at the same event. So far, I have had nothing but good experiences with in-person meetings. Every conversation has felt both comfortable and familiar. By the time we meet in person, there’s a strong sense of trust that we will find a way to reconnect.

How online communities address loneliness

You don’t have to meet in person to have a strong and worthwhile online friendship, because tackling loneliness is much more crucial. According to a British disability charity study on loneliness and disability, loneliness is “a mental health crisis that the disability community is facing,” a phenomenon not limited to the UK. So, why is this loneliness happening? And how are online communities making a difference, even without IRL meet-ups?

Pre-internet, all our relationships relied on communal experiences — work, schools, religious institutions, and restaurants, for example. It’s definitely still possible to have meaningful experiences in these settings. But there’s only one catch: Communal experiences are only enjoyable if the same social experiences and environments are as accessible to you as your neighbours, peers, and colleagues. Something that may be fun and easy to understand for your peers is something that you have to explain why it’s neither fun nor easy for you. Because not everyone is patient or understanding enough, the need to say that you can only participate if things are done differently can feel very intimidating. After all, the risk of peer stigma, bullying, and isolation is always lingering in the background.

“Communal experiences are only enjoyable if the same social experiences and environments are as accessible to you as your neighbours, peers, and colleagues.”

For instance, when I lived in Toronto, as much as I enjoyed yoga, I actually didn’t go to that many classes in person. That was largely because the instructor’s verbal instructions were conveyed without movement or visual demonstrations. Without movement or visual aids included in verbal instructions for movement-based activities, I cannot understand movements I haven’t practiced hundreds of times before. Since everyone else found verbal-based instructions straightforward to understand, asking for a different method of communication felt shameful, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. Much of my understanding and appreciation of yoga happened through practicing at my own pace and in my own environment.

Online disability communities typically serve a mutual purpose. Many of these communities are supportive and safe spaces to socialize in a context that feels comfortable to the entire community as a whole. Yet the answers to where to find online disability communities are much more complex than they used to be.

Accessibility to online communities in a new era 

X used to be a central discussion platform for the disability community. Yet, in its Elon Musk era, it’s an inaccessible platform for far too many disabled people. Everything from alt text to third-party applications that enable compatibility with screen readers is no longer widely available. Then there’s Meta, X’s competitor, which owns Instagram, Threads, and Facebook. Since Trump’s election, Meta has embraced right-wing policies and values. Because of Meta’s change in values, many disabled users have left Meta completely. Since both platforms are not as popular as they once were, users have scattered elsewhere. For so many disabled people, socializing online is the only option, so there is a rush to other platforms.

Take Mary Kilbane, for instance. Mary is an autistic and dyspraxic woman from Longford Town, a village in rural Ireland. Mary told me, “In our village, the only face-to-face social hub is the GAA football club. If you can’t kick a ball, that creates isolation. The GAA club is where people form connections for work, relationships, and marriage.”

Many of the skills required to take part in a football club aren’t what Mary is particularly good at. So, online communities allow her to interact with a supportive, neurodivergent-dominated peer group. Mary and I know each other from a virtual cardio fitness workout group, which is neurodivergent-run and consists of a proudly neurodivergent peer group. Typically, we meet up an average of once to twice a week to conduct an hour of gentle cardio stretches and friendly banter with one another. The main, unspoken rule of the group is that no one has to do any of the stretches perfectly; they just have to do the stretches in whatever way feels natural and comfortable for them.

“The main, unspoken rule of the group is that no one has to do any of the stretches perfectly; they just have to do the stretches in whatever way feels natural and comfortable for them.”

In addition to the fitness group, Mary is also part of her local Toastmasters group, a public speaking and communications skills development-focused not-for-profit. Both the fitness group and Toastmasters’ virtual programming are a central part of Mary’s peer group. Many of her experiences with online communities have been so positive that she said, “Online communities help me feel connected to the world.”

However, for Pippa Stacey, a core part of staying connected to the world is accessible event spaces. Pippa lives with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Because of her disability, she felt invisible to the wider world for many years. Accessibility is never a promise or a guarantee on any given day, but online activities give her full control over her own surroundings. She also added, “Managing my chronic illness consumed so much energy and brain space. I was starting to forget who I was outside of it.”

“Accessibility is never a promise or a guarantee on any given day, but online activities give her full control over her own surroundings.”

Even still, online events aren’t always accessible enough to every disabled person. Jonathan Lazar once said, “Websites often offer opportunities for one group. Yet it excludes another.” A common reason why this occurs is due to the affordability or quality of the internet connection locally, but much of the inaccessibility occurs through having a one-dimensional view of what accessibility even means. For instance, we cannot call a virtual event accessible simply because one person with a disability that affects their mobility in their arms had the right devices and accessories to interact with a Zoom-based event. If there was also insufficient closed captioning for deaf participants and a lack of compatibility with nonverbal autistic people’s text-to-speech software, then something about the event’s accessibility efforts clearly isn’t working. Although the problem may also be due to the platform’s accessibility features. Since many of these communities are founded in response to the inaccessibility of certain activities, there’s always room for improvement. Often, all efforts made to improve are based on the feedback of other group members.

One such example of what this looks like is my fitness group. Many of my group members found Zoom difficult to navigate so we switched over to Discord instead. As a volunteer-run group, we lack the budget to buy a Zoom Pro account. On Zoom, we had the added hassle of having to log everyone back in again after the time limit. Also, some group members’ internet servers are unable to handle a Zoom call with many people. With Discord, we have encountered far fewer barriers so far.

How to find an online community that suits you

With all the above in mind, you’re likely wondering: How do you identify a group that will be a good fit for you? Finding the right online community for you doesn’t always happen immediately. It can take a bit of self-awareness of what your ideal online community looks like, a bit of time, and some patience to experience results. But the only way to know for sure is to take a chance on groups that are of interest to you. As Lucía Feito Allonca explained to me, “If you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to stay in a space that is not meant for you. But if you are comfortable, continue being part of that space and even helping co-create and build it.”

“The only way to know for sure is to take a chance on groups that are of interest to you.”

I’m currently in a place in my life where I have not yet found online community with others who have thyroid disease, a chronic illness I live with. I have met plenty of women with thyroid conditions in person, however. Many of these interactions have happened because of my thyroid surgery scar. The scar alone tends to start a lot of conversations with others who have had the same surgery. But since I am still a firm believer in the value of online friendships, given how helpful it has been for at least one of the disabilities I live with, I’m considering how to find it again.

Here’s what I know from my involvement with online communities: To avoid having a bad experience, look for groups where the emphasis is on supporting each other. That experience of everyone supporting each other equally is crucial, because of what the alternative happens to be: A select number of group members being treated like unpaid therapists while getting nothing in return.

“To avoid having a bad experience, look for groups where the emphasis is on supporting each other.”

The truly worthwhile groups are the ones providing peer support, an attribute with immense emotional benefits. The Independent Living Institute once pointed out that peer support is especially crucial because disabled people are experts on not only the barriers they face, but also the strategies that help them tackle these barriers. In the right disability community, your disability symptoms will start to feel normal because you are regularly interacting with people with mutual symptoms.

Tech platforms themselves may shift and change in the long run. But communities that are worth your time will always create accessible experiences. In groups that people come back to time and time again, there isn’t one leader. Everyone is welcome to take part in all efforts made to make future activities enjoyable for all.

“Tech platforms themselves may shift and change in the long run. But communities that are worth your time will always create accessible experiences.”

To be ready to engage with these groups in a meaningful way, it is best to be in a very specific mindset. Mary Kilbane is someone who has learned a great deal about what that looks like. Mary told me that you should “be in a good mental space first. Research groups through Trustpilot or reviews. If someone recommends a group, talk to them about it. Ask questions. Attend as a guest if possible and see how it feels before committing.”

Most importantly, however, you should always engage with the people you meet on these platforms with an open mind. Many of these groups are full of people with differing life experiences. With a willingness to mutually support each other, you are likely to have a positive experience. 

My final thoughts

Although online communities aren’t for everyone, those who experience the benefits soon learn that they are truly worth it. For that exact reason, online friendships should be treated as just as deep and meaningful as friendships formed exclusively offline. After all, online friendships can make such a huge difference in the lives of disabled people worldwide when truly supportive and kind people are involved.

“Online friendships should be treated as just as deep and meaningful as friendships formed exclusively offline.”

If you’re disabled, however, these groups may truly surprise you by introducing you to like-minded people who can change your perspective on your disability for the better. That benefit in particular is crucial, given that having accessibility needs that not everyone is willing to take seriously can be an emotionally draining experience to navigate.

Online friendships, however, give you access to a network of people who can equip you with lived experience-informed coping mechanisms and discuss the joys and struggles of being disabled in your everyday life.

Rosemary Richings is a writer, editor, and public speaker specializing in neurodiversity and the author of two books: “Stumbling Through Space and Time: Living Life With Dyspraxia” and “Studying With Dyspraxia.” Rosemary’s writing has been featured in Travel + Leisure, Broken Pencil Magazine, Happiful Magazine, and numerous other print and digital publications. She has also done writing and editing work for organizations such as eBay, Lexxic, Uptimize, Lokafy, and Yellowpages Canada. Past public speaking engagements include Reach PLC, Railpen, and Delinian’s disability education program.  Rosemary is on the board of trustees of Dyspraxic Me, a charity for dyspraxic young adults. 

The post Why Online Community Is Essential For Disabled Individuals Like Me appeared first on The Good Trade.

Lately, I’ve taken to using the Wheel’s teachings with my children. We turn to the different celebrations to inspire crafts and activities that bring us closer to the shifts happening all around us. For example, as we begin planning our garden, we use the Wheel as inspiration for what we plant and how we tend it. As we witness each season’s changes, we turn to the Wheel for ways to connect to the outdoors. 

My children also love helping to create an altar and often feel a deep sense of connection to the things they add — rocks they’ve found outside or pictures of loved ones. And of course, we talk about how nature is always shifting and changing, and how we can hold reverence for the changes within our own lives as well.

The Wheel of the Year is a Pagan framework for reconnecting to the seasons through celebration, ritual, and craft. Instead of structuring life around modern Western holidays, this ancient seasonal calendar invites us to move with the solstices, equinoxes, and the quiet turning points in between.

“This ancient seasonal calendar invites us to move with the solstices, equinoxes, and the quiet turning points in between.”

Rooted in agrarian societies across Europe, the Wheel reflects a time when communities lived in close relationship with land, harvests, light, and darkness. It honors four major Celtic fire festivals still recognized today:

Samhain (October 31st or November 1st) – End of harvest, beginning of winter
Imbolc (February 1st) – First stirrings of spring
Beltane (May 1st) – Fertility and summer’s approach
Lúnasa (on or around August 1st) – First harvest

To visualize the Wheel, imagine it as a wagon wheel with eight spokes: two solstices, two equinoxes, and four cross-quarter days that fall between them. The fire festivals mark those in-between thresholds, while the solstices and equinoxes anchor moments of balance.

The Wheel reminds us that nature does not move in a straight line. It circles. It blooms. It rests. It returns. And in connecting to this way of life, we are offered a more embodied way of moving through the year. 

*Note that all the dates listed here reflect the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Wheel turns in the opposite direction!

Understanding the Wheel’s eight spokes — and how to use them

I’ve explained each of the wheel’s eight spokes and offered practices for celebrating them below. Much of this wisdom has been inspired by “The Wheel of the Year: An Illustrated Guide to Nature’s Rhythms” by Fiona Cook and Jessica Roux, alongside modern pagan traditions and nature-based spirituality practices.

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Imbolc: February 1st

The wheel has no end or beginning, but we can look to Imbolc as the first spoke on the Wheel. The word comes from Old Irish, meaning “in the belly.” In ancient Ireland, it signaled the first day of spring.

It is a time of anticipation for more blooming to come. Imbolc honors patience in darkness while offering hope for what is slowly forming. Just as seeds take root underground long before green shoots appear, this season asks us not to rush.

“Imbolc honors patience in darkness while offering hope for what is slowly forming.”

Imbolc is also associated with Brigid, a Celtic goddess of poetry, healing, inspiration, and sacred fire. It is said she warms the earth with her long dress flowing at her feet as she crosses the land, awakening the sleeping earth. As more light returns, Brigid governs the promise of spring, the warmth glowing beneath the frost.

Rituals & practices:

• Journal and write poetry: Bring your pen to paper and write anything that comes to mind.
• Go for nature walks: Witness the subtle changes in the season, look for hints of color, notice the shift in the sun, and notice the smell of the air. 
• Start planning your garden: Gather seeds and materials, and sketch it out — whether big or small, begin to connect with what you might want to grow. 
• Create an Imbolc altar: Use candles, add the poems you wrote, and set intentions for opening your heart after finding a more protective approach during the winter months.

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Ostara (spring equinox): On or around March 20th

Ostara celebrates the official dawn of spring and the spring equinox. 

Named after the goddess Ēostre, Ostara represents fertility, renewal, and awakening. The English word Easter comes from this root word. Hares, rabbits, and eggs are symbols long associated with spring. 

Think of it like this: Imbolc is the seed stirring, while Ostara is the sprout breaking soil.

“Think of it like this: Imbolc is the seed stirring, while Ostara is the sprout breaking soil.”

This is a time to witness a moment of hope; a time to feel the spirit and body come alive alongside the earth outside. It’s a time to continue processing the lessons of winter while setting new intentions for growth and balance in the coming season. 

Rituals & practices:

• Use the five senses: While outside on walks, see the buds poking out of the earth, smell the dirt and rain, taste the sweetness in the spring air, feel your feet on the cold earth and the sun on your skin, and lastly, hear the birds and the wind. 
• Plant your garden: Use your Imbolc plans to begin planting your seeds. Deciding on which seeds you want to plant and grow by summer. Plant herbs like chamomile, mint, oregano, tulsi, rosemary, lavender, and thyme. 
• Set intentions: During this time of celebration of birth and renewal, write down your hopes and dreams — spring wishes for yourself, your family, and your community. Light a candle on the equinox to seal your intentions for the coming season. 
• Create a spring equinox altar: Add an animal symbol you connect with, such as a feather. Add natural elements like rocks, mushrooms, herbs, flowers, and seeds. Use colors like pastel yellow, green, white, pink, and light blue. 

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Beltane: On or around May 1st

Beltane (or in Irish, Bealtaine) means “Bright Fire,” and arrives between the spring equinox and summer solstice.

In ancient Ireland, great bonfires were lit to honor life and protection. Druids (shamans in Celtic culture who communicated with nature and the spirit world) were responsible for lighting the fires atop hills to bring communities together. Farmers would also lead their livestock around the fires to protect them from disease. Today, the festival still burns at the Hill of Uisneach, considered the symbolic center of Ireland.

“This holiday is all about life — a celebration of all living bodies on earth.”

This holiday is all about life — a celebration of all living bodies on earth. Beltane offers the opportunity to enjoy and explore what it means to be alive. Move your body, breathe, and feel your blood circulating. 

Think of Ostara as awakening, while Beltane is embodiment.

Rituals & practices:

• Move the body: Involve practices that get the blood moving and, ideally, bring you outside into the warming sun. Stretch outside, run, walk, hike, do jumping jacks, or dance. Notice how movement begins to spark some creative fire within.
• Tend to your plants: Sprouts from your planted seeds will begin to emerge from the soil at Beltane, and now is the time to nurture them. This also symbolizes how we can tend to ourselves and our community. 
• Use dandelion medicine: Wash the yellow blooms, place them in a cup of warm water, strain the flowers, add some honey, and enjoy their cleansing and cooling properties. Also, use the dandelion greens after thoroughly washing them, either raw in a salad or cooked with butter. (Read more about consuming dandelions medicinally here, and always be mindful of allergies.)
• Create a Beltane altar: One that mirrors the bright colors that have arrived outside. Add a green candle, natural elements that are green, bright flowers, drawings, or creative projects that you created. 

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Midsummer (summer solstice): Usually June 21st

The summer solstice marks the peak of the Wheel and the full bloom of summer. This solstice brings the longest day and the most hours of light. “Solstice” means “sun” and “stand still,” as the sun appears to pause in the sky.

“This solstice brings the longest day and the most hours of light.”

There are many ways to embody and embrace this joyous time of the year. The plants and flowers are in full bloom, the air is warm and comforting, and our natural instinct is to get outside and embrace the life around us. 

Rituals & practices:

• Spend the whole day outside: Find a special place in nature you love and pack the essentials for being outside the whole day; food, sunscreen, a hat, a book, a journal, a pen, music, a blanket, and of course water. Allowing the full bloom and warmth of summer hold you for the day. To deepen your connection to nature, try going technology-free! 
• Make a bouquet from your garden: Walk through your tended garden and witness the flowers and herbs you’ve been tending to. Thank them for growing and thriving. Ask them if you can pick them and see which flowers and herbs respond—these will be your allies. Then make a bundle or bouquet of all the plants together to be a reminder of growth and abundance. 
• Eat fruit of the season: Find your local farmer’s market and stock up on all the local fruit of the season, based on where you live. In Colorado, this time of year is peach season. We spend the days picnicking with the warm juice of peaches dripping off our chins. 
• Create a summer solstice altar: Include the bouquet or herbs you picked from your garden. Include other items you’ve collected or feel special in honor of summer. Aim to make your altar rainbow-colored to honor the vibrancy of life this time of year.
  

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Lúnasa: August 1st

Lúnasa is another cross-quarter day between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. Lúnasa is the Irish word for August. In ancient Celtic times, Lughnasadh — named after the god Lugh — was celebrated as one of the harvest festivals. Today, Lúnasa honors harvest, liberation, and union.

“Today, Lúnasa honors harvest, liberation, and union.”

During this time of year, summer begins to slow. The heat lingers, and a quieter anticipation emerges. A feeling of waiting for cooler, shorter days, and the return of a more inward approach to daily life.

Rituals & practices:

• Go outside in the evening: With the peak heat of August days, embrace the coolness of the evenings. Witness the moon and the phase it’s in, the stars, the bugs, and the sounds in nature only heard at night. 
• Give extra water to your garden: This is the harvest time to pick any vegetables you grew in your garden. It’s especially important to water your garden during this time of year. With the dry, hot weather, your plants are extra thirsty. Honor plants, flowers, and food that did not survive summer’s heat and think of how you might tend differently in the next season.
• Swim in a natural body of water: Not only does this help cool the body during the hottest part of summer, but it also serves as a cleansing, letting go of anything the heat brings up in the mind. Thank the water for its life-giving force, and allow it to hold you. 
• Make a Lúnasa altar: Bring in colors of yellow and gold to represent the sun and the harvest. Add candles, an ear of corn, and anything else that’s held you during the summer season. 

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Mabon (autumn equinox): September 21st–24th

Mabon celebrates the balance of light and dark as seen in the autumn equinox. 

It is Mabon that ushers us into the threshold of a darker, quieter time of year. Mabon celebrates the balance of light and dark. It ushers us into a quieter season. As routines return and the school year begins, there’s both comfort and resistance to structure. Nature mirrors this shift.

“It is Mabon that ushers us into the threshold of a darker, quieter time of year.”

Alongside the call to darker days, a quieter time for our minds can be both calming and uncomfortable. There’s a witnessing of this yin/yang energy all around, and Mabon offers the opportunity to get curious about the juxtaposition.  

Think of spring as expansion, while autumn is discernment.

Rituals & practices:

• Honor the balance of dark & light in your life: This is a time for witnessing how emotional darkness and upset can be the groundwork for learning and expansion. Pay attention to how both themes show up in everyday life. 
• Harvest your garden: Now is the time to collect all the food and herbs, and give the garden a rest for the months to come. If you have fruit or veggies, canning is a great way to preserve what you grew. Alongside, drying herbs you planted will allow for you to use their magic through the winter. 
• Practice automatic writing: This is a ritual for entering the subconscious mind and allowing any thoughts or feelings to surface on paper without conscious effort. Begin in a grounded state, light a candle, and set a time for 5 minutes. Let the thoughts flow from your pen. 
• Make a Mabon altar: Collect autumn leaves and the fruits of the season, like apples and gourds. Anything that feels calming and anchoring, helping find the balance of light and dark.
  

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Samhain: October 31st–November 1st

Samhain (pronounced SAH-wen) means “summer’s end.” Between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice is the arrival of this special celebration. It is another fire festival, yet this one is to pay respect to the dead. Celtic tradition believes there’s an otherworld that is parallel to ours. It’s a world filled with magical creatures like fairies, spirits, and ghosts. It is believed that at this time of year, the veil between the two worlds is thinner. 

“Samhain offers the opportunity for inward reflection and a chance to honor those who have passed. “

Many of Western Halloween traditions were inspired by Samhain. Yet while Halloween is fun, spooky, and extroverted, Samhain offers the opportunity for inward reflection and a chance to honor those who have passed. 

This is a time for a deep exhale. The garden rests. The earth grows still. We honor endings and transitions.

Rituals & practices:

• Feel your feelings: Whether you are honoring someone who has passed or not, this time of year often has an air of sensitivity. Allow your feelings of grief in any form to come without trying to control them.
• Put your garden to sleep: At this point, it has stopped producing and is ready to rest for winter. Trim any dead leaves, collect any seeds produced by your plants, and if the soil feels very dry, keep watering your garden, but overall, you’ll return to it in the spring. 
• Notice messages & symbols: With the veil being thinner this time of year, allow yourself to be open to synchronicities. Noticing patterns of symbols in your life can offer the opportunity to experience a different connection to the otherworld. 
• Make a Samhain altar: For this altar, add photos of your ancestors and those who have passed along with objects that belonged to them or remind you of them. Light candles, add pumpkins, dried herbs, and incense. Light the candles for those you’ve lost, and while you gaze upon the light and their photos, talk to them, write to them, and imagine all that you loved about them. 

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Yule (winter solstice): Usually December 21st

Yule lands on the winter solstice. The shortest day and longest night. While the summer solstice corresponds with the sun at its peak, the winter solstice — directly across from the summer solstice in the wheel — corresponds with the full moon. This season reminds us that light returns, even in the deepest dark.

“This season reminds us that light returns, even in the deepest dark.”

Though the darkness of this day will be a theme throughout winter, there is also merriment this time of year and even brightness through lights and candles. There’s a reason this time of year is also about giving. Through presents, letters, and time, we come together to celebrate and find hope during the darker, colder months.  

Rituals & practices:

• Honor the Moon: Connecting to the moon can be intuitive and enlightening. Whether you spend time with the full moon, new moon, or any of the phases inbetween. Write your own affirmations on a full moon, write what is no longer serving you on a new moon. Little rituals to connect to the energy. 
• Make fire cider: This powerful tonic supports deep immune health. It’s made from powerful plants and herbs like ginger, horseradish, turmeric, oregano, thyme, and cayenne— to name a few. Use this recipe or any other as a jumping-off point, but ultimately use your intuition for how you want to make it and what your body wants you to add. 
• Make gifts and write letters: Without waiting for a specific holiday, use this slower time of year to write and create for others. Opening the heart to generosity and love for the community and friendships that surround and support you. 
• Make a winter solstice altar: This altar can be one that brings in the warm, loving, and cozy time of the year. Collect a sprig of pine needles, a yule log, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, and, of course, candles. Bring in colors of gold, red, white, and green. 

And then, once again, beneath the surface, Imbolc begins to stir. ✨

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Wherever you live in this beautiful world, let the Wheel become a quiet companion.

A framework for returning to rhythm. Use the Wheel of the Year as a touchpoint for deeper awareness and connection to the seasons. Find pockets of time to honor each shift. Choose rituals that feel aligned with where you live. Use the wheel as a reminder that every ending also ushers in a beginning.

Courtney Jay Higgins is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a BA in Visual Communications from The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and is the founder of Coincide, a subscription-based yoga platform focusing on inclusive, sustainable yoga rooted in ancient Eastern practices and spirituality. Her 10+ years of experience in yoga include a 200-hr YTT certification in a Hatha-based yoga practice and a certification in prenatal yoga. She has been featured in Shoutout Colorado, Voyage Denver, and Cora’s Blood & Milk. Since 2017, she has been reviewing sustainable fashion, natural makeup, organic wellness, and safe pregnancy products for The Good Trade’s readers.

The post Using The Wheel Of The Year For A Deeper Connection To The Seasons appeared first on The Good Trade.

I am starting over.

I made the blanket when I was 15, from clearance Red Heart yarn I found at the local Walmart. I diligently crocheted a blanket for my surly grandfather, who had always teased me about my own blankie. When it was finished, in all its imperfections, he told everyone who would listen about how it was the warmest blanket he’s ever had. It sat folded on his bed for many years before he died in 2019.

Back then I was fortunate that grief was nothing but a rumbling thunderstorm in the distance. Now 20 years and several storms later, the clouds have rolled in like never before. 

In addition to the anxiety and depression of the past several years, I’m also mourning the loss — or at least the transition — of an important relationship in my life. There’s hope, and there’s also deep uncertainty. It’s been one of the most difficult personal years I’ve ever had (sorry 2020), and I’ve never felt so unraveled.

Self-care has fallen by the wayside, and I now need low-energy ways to feel human again. Instead of disappearing into a video game, as I’m prone to do, something has been calling me to reach for my purple Caboodle of crochet supplies and unravel a blanket that has fulfilled its purpose. I’m turning it into something I’ll actually use — a sweater for when it (hopefully) cools down in Los Angeles. 

The metaphorical beauty of refashioning something old and ugly into something meaningful is not lost on me. And to be doing it with crochet, a grandma hobby that’s been intertwined throughout my life, feels only right.

I learned to crochet when I was very young, and it was an early practice in patience and accepting my mistakes. When all hope was inevitably lost (thanks to being too tight or too loose or too careless with my stitches), all I ever had to do was pull a single string and start over.

In the turmoil of my teenage years, crocheting quieted my mind like nothing else could. The meditation of counting stitches and sewing together squares was soothing no matter where I was — whether I was trying to avoid watching the screen during scary movies or daydreaming on long road trips while Alanis Morissette played on my discman. 

Now I’m years out of practice, and my fingers fumble more than they used to. I have to start over each time I miscount my rows. The yarn keeps tangling in my purse, and I’m spending hours detangling the knots.

“I’m realizing how loss can be a bittersweet opportunity to start over — that with unraveling comes the chance to re-ravel.”

In all this, I’m realizing how loss can be a bittersweet opportunity to start over — that with unraveling comes the chance to re-ravel. That’s not to say it’s easy. I debated for weeks whether or not to deconstruct something my 15-year-old self had spent dozens of hours crafting. Much like I’ve spent the past several months trying to see clearly the self-isolation I mistook for protection. I’ve always wanted to keep things the way they were, the way I thought they’d always be. But things do change.

That’s not a bad thing. Undoing this blanket and turning it into something I love is a powerful reminder that nothing will ever change if nothing changes. I can’t sit around waiting for a blanket I made to become suddenly beautiful and functional in my life — I have to unravel, and I have to re-make. 

I’m here now, in the early stages of re-making the blanket. I can’t help but think about the chain of people who’ve made me who I am, and also of how much agency I have in stitching together a life I love. I yarn over for a half double crochet and hope I have enough yarn from this dye lot to make the entire project. But I remind myself, again, to stay open to starting over. I’ve done it before. 

As I make and re-make everything I’ve known to this point, I’m releasing the expectations of a certain outcome — I am creating something just for the sake of following my interests. I did not ask permission, I did not seek buy-in, and I will not pursue feedback. I’m just a girl, unapologetically crocheting and no one (but me) can tell me to stop. Just like I am a woman, unapologetically rebuilding my life and examining what is truly important. No one can tell me to stop taking up my own space.

Crocheting is bringing me back to myself, a place I’ve yearned to be for so long.

Forever a lover of metaphor, I like to think I am the yarn. Infinitely re-shapeable, sometimes tangled, forever persistent as long as I am patient with myself. What’s broken can be re-tied, and loose ends can be repurposed — or they can fall away. I am weaving and looping through my own story, and there are no rules to follow.

Stitch by stitch, I’m working up a new beginning for this old blanket, and a new beginning for myself. 

“I like to think I am the yarn. Infinitely re-shapeable, sometimes tangled, forever persistent as long as I am patient with myself. What’s broken can be re-tied, and loose ends can be repurposed — or they can fall away.”

Emily McGowan is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. She studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University, and has over ten years of experience as a writer and editor in sustainability and lifestyle spaces. Since 2017, she’s been discovering and reviewing the top sustainable home, fashion, beauty, and wellness products so readers can make their most informed decisions. Her editorial work has been recognized by major publications like The New York Times and BBC Worklife. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, playing with her two cats, or crafting. Say hi on Instagram or follow along with her Substack, Pinky Promise.

The post How Crocheting Is Bringing Me Back To Myself appeared first on The Good Trade.

I don’t see astrology as dogmatic or prescriptive — more as a tool for self-awareness, or a mirror that points you toward things to focus on and sheds light on what’s already there. Like everything: Take what resonates and leave the rest. 

“I don’t see astrology as dogmatic or prescriptive — more as a tool for self-awareness, or a mirror that points you toward things to focus on and sheds light on what’s already there.”

What I didn’t realize until more recently is that there are actually many types of astrology — like Chinese and Vedic — each coming from different cultures, time periods, and vantage points of the sky. And what’s fascinating is seeing how similar themes emerge across these systems, even though they’re calculated and interpreted completely differently.

Beyond your personal chart, astrology highlights collective themes and shifts — ones that affect all of us differently based on our unique makeup. And around the end of last year, I started seeing tons of content on Instagram about the Year of the Fire Horse, the theme for 2026 according to the Chinese zodiac. It’s supposed to be intense, passionate, and full of momentum. So, I got curious. What does that actually mean for me? And how does it interact with everything happening in Western astrology this year?

I know my entire Western chart by heart, but until recently, I couldn’t have told you what my Chinese zodiac animal was without Googling it. (It’s the Water Rooster, by the way. You can find yours here.) So I reached out to two astrologers with very different perspectives: Jen Ingress, who practices and teaches Ba’Zi (Four Pillars) Chinese astrology and Feng Shui, and Jenn Hirsch, a Western astrologer, Wharton MBA, and futurist.

What I learned surprised me — not just about what’s coming in 2026, but about how these two systems see the same energy from completely different angles.

What is the Year of the Fire Horse?

I kicked off my research on a Zoom session with Jen I. She told me there are 60-year cycles in Chinese astrology. During that time, we cycle through 12 animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat/Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig) and five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). So Fire Horse years are rare — they only occur once every 60 years. The last Fire Horse year was 1966, and before that, 1906.

“Fire Horse years are rare — they only occur once every 60 years.”

The Year of the Fire Horse officially begins on February 17, 2026 — the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

“This year is full of fire — yang fire symbolized by the blazing sun, an inferno, or a massive bonfire. The Yang Fire energy is further emphasized by the Chinese Horse, which is one of the two fire animals in the zodiac. The horse is an incredibly sensitive, intuitive animal that has stamina, strength, power, and is born to run wild, free, and swiftly,” she explains.

The Fire Horse year was in 1966 — the height of Beatlemania, the year the Beach Boys released “Pet Sounds,” and a time of massive cultural and political upheaval. Before that, 1906 brought the Dreyfus Affair in France and the first constitutional monarchy in Russia. Both years were marked by seismic shifts — politically, culturally, and technologically.

And 2026? It’s shaping up to be another one of those years.

The energy signature of 2026

I love the idea that each year has an energy signature. Instead of setting arbitrary New Year’s resolutions, working with the energy that’s already alive in the collective can help you move your life forward — with flow instead of force.

So I asked Jen I., what are the major themes and energies we can expect this year?

“This is a pivotal year where we can expect themes of fast movement, expansion, and a passionate desire for more freedom — to go beyond limitations or perceived limitations.”

This is a year for momentum. For putting yourself out there, especially in academics, career, and creative pursuits. Think: fast movement, bold action, and breaking through what’s been holding you back. But here’s the catch — all this fire needs to be managed carefully. Fire can be a powerful catalyst for transformation and light, but fire that’s not tended to can burn out quickly or become destructive.

“Fire can be a powerful catalyst for transformation and light, but fire that’s not tended to can burn out quickly or become destructive.”

“Pay attention to overdoing, impatience, and feeling overwhelmed. Despite wanting to surpass limitations, be careful not to lose sight of having safeguards in place by getting all caught up in excitement. Make smart, calculated risks. Try to enjoy it responsibly, as opposed to complete unbridled passion.”

The Fire Horse isn’t asking us to be reckless. It’s asking us to be brave — but with wisdom.

How Western astrology sees 2026

Next, I wanted to hear from Jenn H. How did she see the Fire Horse energy showing up in Western astrology — and were these two systems pointing to the same thing? I’ve worked with Jenn on my personal chart before, and she has a gift for seeing what’s coming with clarity and precision — so I trusted what she had to say about the year ahead.

“2026 is asking each of us: What are you passionate about? What are you willing to fight for? What truly moves you that you want to fight for in the collective?“

“In Western astrology, we’re seeing a huge shift from our Earth Age (Capricorn) into our Air Age (Aquarius). There is an incendiary fire kicking off this year as both Neptune and Saturn move into Aries on February 15th, stoking the change agent of Pluto in Aquarius. Then we have Uranus moving back into Gemini on April 27th, really firing up our collective experience. The collective will be moving and shifting at breakneck speed — much like the way we describe the Fire Horse year.”

The way Jenn describes it, 2026 is asking each of us: What are you passionate about? What are you willing to fight for? What truly moves you that you want to fight for in the collective?

So, how does this apply to me?

Now that we understand what energy we’re working with this year, I wanted to get clear on how it would affect us personally. So I asked Jen I. to break it down by Chinese zodiac sign, and Jenn H to do the same for Western sun signs.

As a Rooster in Chinese astrology and an Aries in Western astrology, I’m stepping into more responsibility and claiming the bigness of being myself without apology. To find what themes are present for you this year, look up your Chinese Zodiac Sign here and your Western here.

Consider these themes a suggestion, not your destiny. Here’s how the Fire Horse energy will show up for each sign — remember, these are invitations, not mandates.

“Consider these themes a suggestion, not your destiny.”

Rituals to welcome the Fire Horse

As I wrapped up my conversations with both Jen I. and Jenn H., I realized I’d been approaching the new year with my typical Western mindset — waiting for January 1st to set intentions and make plans. But the Lunar New Year doesn’t arrive until February 17th this year, which means our fresh start actually begins now. So if you’ve already fallen off your January 1st new year, new you commitments — not to worry. You were simply in preparation mode– shedding the remains from last year– the Fire Horse energy actually begins now.

“The Lunar New Year doesn’t arrive until February 17th this year, which means our fresh start actually begins now.”

I’ve been thinking about what it means to welcome this energy — not just passively observe it. How do you ready yourself for a year that’s asking you to run wild, but with wisdom?

Jen I. suggests: “Marry both intuition and action. Pray and meditate for positive, peaceful outcomes.”

But don’t just sit back — move on what you know. Stay optimistic while recognizing reality. And pay attention to your heart, both literally and figuratively.

“Fire is connected to the heart and cardiovascular system. Take care of how much exercise you’re doing and the kinds of foods you’re eating.”

And lastly, focus on balance. Fire needs the right conditions to stay burning — something to feed it, air to fuel it, and boundaries to contain it. Without that balance, it either burns out or burns everything down.

“Despite wanting to surpass limitations, be careful not to lose sight of having safeguards in place by getting all caught up in excitement,” says Jen I.

What I’m taking into 2026

After talking to both astrologers, what struck me most wasn’t the specific predictions for my sign or the dates to watch on the calendar. It was the through-line between both systems — this idea that 2026 is asking all of us to step into our power, but not recklessly. To move with passion, but not without thoughtfulness. To trust ourselves enough to take the leap, and be wise enough to know when to pull back.

“2026 is asking all of us to step into our power, but not recklessly. To move with passion, but not without thoughtfulness.”

So as we move into the Year of the Fire Horse, I’m not making resolutions. I’m sharpening my self-awareness. I’m checking my energy. I’m getting clear on what I want. And I’m trusting that if I show up with intention, the right opportunities will find me — and the Fire Horse energy will propel me forward.

I’ll leave you with a quote I loved from Mimi Kuo-Deemer’s thoughts on the Fire Horse:

“Explore how action can arise without urgency, and how spirit can settle into a peaceful inner resting place, even when outer pressures and stress increase. Remember: Fire in balance is calm, and a steady Horse knows when to stop, flick off a few flies, munch on grass, and carry on with grounded grace.”

Happy Lunar New Year. May the Fire Horse bring you exactly what you need — and the wisdom to know what to do with it.

Grace Abbott is a LA-based freelance Brand & Marketing Strategist and a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a degree in Graphic Design from Parsons School of Design and is the founder of How To Go Freelance — a brand dedicated to empowering creatives to monetize their skills and build personal brands. Beyond work, she’s always studying a new spiritual modality, painting her bedroom a new color, practicing Pilates, hosting friends, or going on a nature walk with her chihuahua, Donnie. Find her on Substack or Instagram.

The post 2026 Is The Year Of The Horse…Here’s What To Expect According To The Chinese Zodiac appeared first on The Good Trade.

On a day many of us consider the junk drawer of the week, Sunday is seen differently by communities that observe the Sabbath. For instance, in Loma Linda, CA, the community takes a nonnegotiable day of soaking up rest and joy each weekend, and according to research, alongside diet and exercise, this ritual of relaxation helps them live ten years longer than the rest of us. 

“What if I told you you could add ten years to your life by doing nothing?”

Loma Linda is one of five globally recognized regions of exceptional longevity, known as a Blue Zone. Largely made up of Seventh-day Adventists, Loma Linda actually sets apart their Saturdays as a devoted act to keeping the Sabbath — a Biblical tradition where observers take 24 hours each week to worship and rest. But the outcomes of their practice show us the importance of taking a day of rest.

Dr. Dan B. Allender, author of “Sabbath: The Ancient Practices,” describes the Sabbath as an invitation to “feast, play, dance, have sex, sing, pray, laugh, tell stories, read, paint, walk, and watch creation in its fullness.” It’s a gift to be opened every weekend like clockwork.

No work, no chores, no catch-up. Just delicious delight. 

“No work, no chores, no catch-up. Just delicious delight.”

So, while most of us are piling up our weekends with leftover tasks we couldn’t get to midweek, the residents of Loma Linda are retelling their favorite stories, taking long naps in the grass, and living to see an extra decade because of it. 

But in our productivity-obsessed world, carving out an entire day purely for rest sounds like a ridiculous luxury. When social media works with hustle culture, we’re made to feel like we’re chronically behind. Every free moment is a chance to catch up to the pace of everyone else as the prevailing message rings, “I can rest when I’m done (or dead).” 

But Oliver Burkeman, author of “Four Thousand Weeks,” says our culture is racing against a rigged clock: “Becoming more efficient just makes you more rushed, and trying to clear the decks simply makes them fill up again faster […] The day will never arrive when you finally have everything under control.”

Productivity content like the Sunday reset trend on social media doesn’t help us realize the cost of our hurried, hyper-efficient way of life. Sure, watching creators deep clean their toilets and sanitize their shiplap coffee tables is a mesmerizing internet rabbit hole. However, Sunday resets run the risk of reinforcing that “always behind” message, robbing us of what Loma Linda calls creating “a sanctuary of time” with the tool of rest. 

“Sunday resets run the risk of reinforcing that ‘always behind’ message, robbing us of what Loma Linda calls creating ‘a sanctuary of time’ with the tool of rest.”

Taking a page out of Loma Linda’s book, I started toying with the idea of unplugging and giving a whole day to simply lingering in delight, creating my own “sanctuary of time.” So I swapped Sunday resets for a rest day, and while there’s no way to know if it’s extended my life by a decade, I can say confidently that it’s changed it forever.

Here’s what happened.

I was ironically more productive

Choosing to take 24 hours a week for nothing but delight didn’t make the chores and weekend to-dos disappear. Things still needed to get done. However, I found that when I chose to set aside Sundays for rest, not only did I enter my week more restored, but I subconsciously began to make it a point to tackle tasks like grocery shopping, cleaning, and meal prep on days I was already in go-mode. 

Knowing I had a day of full decompression ahead helped me preserve the time I needed to. I avoided putting off my practical responsibilities midweek. The structure instead lit a fire underneath me to carve out small chunks of time to get chores done and out of the way so I could sink fully into my day of rest to come. 

“Knowing I had a day of full decompression ahead helped me preserve the time I needed to.”

While my midweek results are not always on the level of a Sunday reset, I realized that what’s truly important tends to get done eventually. 

By taking a day of rest, whether or not everything on my to-do list is done, I’m engaging in a courageous act of detangling productivity from my self-worth. I am learning to prioritize living a present life over a perfect one. In her book, “The Gifts of Imperfection,” Dr. Brene Brown urges, “If we want to live a Wholehearted life, we have to become intentional about cultivating sleep and play, and about letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth.”

This doesn’t mean I never do laundry again. It means I rethink and restructure my weekly load to address the most important things first. I might get less done overall, but I’m forced to assign importance, letting the rest fall to the wayside and realizing maybe those things weren’t that important after all.  

I learned what rest meant to me

What’s restful for one person can be draining for the next, and it took rounds of trial and error to discover what was refreshing for my unique mind, body, and soul. 

For example, a day packed with social engagements can be energizing for some, while for others, it depletes them of energy. 

“A day packed with social engagements can be energizing for some, while for others, it depletes them of energy.”

Taking note of the activities that, when they ended, I felt energized, inspired, and at peace continues to be helpful in determining what to do on my rest days and what to avoid. 

Similarly, giving myself time to get lost — in a creative project, a book, or a research itch — is a treat for the brain as I allow myself to linger and luxuriate in what’s caught my interest. With no work to get back to, I put no time limit on engaging in delight for as long as it lasts, and as a result, I’ve found rest days move along slower, sweeter, and more restorative. 

I learned how to listen to my body

My biggest challenge in incorporating weekly rest days was slowing down enough to enjoy them. 

In the quiet of a do-nothing day, pent-up stress from the week would amp up in my body, making me antsy and making me reach for distractions like scrolling mindlessly or falling down internet rabbit holes that passed the time but were joyless in the end. 

After a week of go-go-go, my body remained in hyperactive mode, urging me to dispense that frenzy energy. I needed to learn how to decelerate my internal world long enough to step into a slower pace of delight.

“I needed to learn how to decelerate my internal world long enough to step into a slower pace of delight.”

In their book, “Burnout,” Amelia and Emily Nagoski share that “For some of us, it’s been so long since we listened to our bodies, we hardly know how to start understanding what they’re trying to tell us, much less how to trust and believe what they’re saying. To make matters worse, the more exhausted we are, the noisier the signal is, and the harder it is to hear the message.”

In the same way, I needed to set my schedule to support my day of rest; I needed to put my mind and body to receive the rest. 

I incorporated journaling techniques like brain dumps and using a voice note on my phone to process everything swimming around in my head externally. That way, I give my brain time to acknowledge what’s happening inside, giving the thoughts somewhere to live outside my mind and body. 

In addition, I work to move any pent-up energy in and out of my body with a yoga practice at home, a walk in the morning, or a little dance break — whichever feels the most joyful that particular day. 

I learned how to notice

A ritual of rest became life-changing when it helped me slow down enough that I began to notice small, profound details of my life I’d been overlooking. 

I now notice how shadows change shape on the sidewalk when I’m going for a stroll, how the first sip of coffee differs from the next, and I hear the soft, familiar scratches of my favorite record playing when I sit down to read. 

“I tell myself throughout my rest days that my only job is to notice.”

In the rhythm of slowing down, the practice of noticing has made space in my mind to wander, contemplate, and take a breath as I take in my world afresh each week. I tell myself throughout my rest days that my only job is to notice. In the famous words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

As a result, the art of noticing has bled into the other six days of my week, stretching my capacity to catch those fleeting, rich details of life that make it worth living, and I’m left more grateful, grounded, and present because of it. 

When I began swapping productivity-driven Sundays for rest days, I wanted to discover if the long-lasting folks of Loma Linda were on to something. I found a ritual of making room in my schedule to decelerate, notice, and soak in joy set me up for more peace in the six days that followed than dust-free shelves and plumped pillows ever could. Sure, a rainy Sunday vacuuming and Windexing your mirrors is satisfying in its own right, but I found that making space for a day that doesn’t involve productivity is pretty life-changing.

“Life is worth living as presently as possible.”

Life is worth living as presently as possible. Incorporating a ritual of weekly rest is a surefire way to slow down, open up, and enjoy it abundantly. 

What gets in the way of resting regularly? How have you found ways to decompress, manage your stress, and find peace in your weekly schedule? Share your thoughts in the comments! 

Cheyanne Solis is a copywriter relieving entrepreneurs to rest and invest more in what they love. She writes on practical wellness and mindful productivity from the perspective of sustainable work-life balance. Explore her work and connect here.

The post Instead Of A “Sunday Reset,” I’m Embracing Rest appeared first on The Good Trade.