It’s (still!) Women’s History Month. The time of year we celebrate our collective achievements, from changing industries to shattering glass ceilings. And at OLEADA, we love a barrier-breaking moment.

But perhaps even more important than our external milestones are the private acts of courage. Finding peace through daily uncertainties, course-correcting with style, deciding to take up space despite society’s best efforts to keep us small.

OLEADA has always believed that good design should meet women where they are, whether that’s a daily commute or a major life transition. Because we are full, layered, and ever-evolving. Which is exactly why we were captivated by Jenn Low’s approach to jewelry.

Her brand, Wanderlust + Co, shares that same ethos. She believes that jewelry has the power to make meaning, hold memory, and remind us exactly who we are. And once you discover how she views “everyday” jewelry, you’ll never see it as just an accessory again.

You’ve spoken about jewelry as something deeper than adornment. When did you first realize a piece could hold memory, identity, or emotional weight rather than simply complete an outfit?

I think I’ve always felt it, even before I had the words for it. I used to keep small objects, not because they were beautiful (although many of them were), but because they meant something to me. The pieces people held onto were rarely the most elaborate. They were the ones tied to a moment, a memory, or a version of themselves they weren’t quite ready to part with. That’s when jewelry shifts from decoration to something much more personal.

So much of your work sits at the intersection of accessibility and meaning. How do you design pieces that feel emotionally significant without making them feel overly precious or out of reach?

I believe that meaning should live in your everyday life, not sit in a box collecting dust. I design with the hope that my pieces are worn often, layered instinctively, and lived in fully. The emotional connection comes from how you wear your jewelry, not how rare the item is. And if anything, the more you wear a piece, the more it becomes unmistakably yours.

Many women have a few pieces they wear almost like armor, ritual, or reassurance. What do you think makes an object cross that line from accessory into anchor?

Time and repetition. When a piece stays with you through different chapters of your life, it begins to hold a kind of continuity. It becomes less about how it looks and more about how it makes you feel. Like a quiet reminder of who you are.

You’ve described layering as a form of storytelling rather than decoration. What does that idea reveal about the way women want to be seen now?

I think women want to be seen in nuance, not flattened into a single note. Layering allows for that. It holds mood, memory, contradiction, all the things that make a person feel like herself. It’s less about presenting a finished image and more about expressing a life that continues to unfold. A little more real, a little less curated.

Your brand grew from a DIY website into an international label with retail expansion throughout the US. Looking back, what part of your original vision stayed surprisingly intact, and what part had to evolve?

My intention has always been to make jewelry feel personal and accessible. But on the business side of things, we had to grow up a little. And in a lot of ways, staying grounded in our mission while continuing to evolve, is exactly what Wanderlust + Co is all about. We just added a bit of structure to our original instinct, but the heart of the brand is very much the same.

Wanderlust + Co resonates globally, while staying proudly rooted in its point of view. What advice would you have for founders who want to scale their company without losing its soul?

Be very clear on what is non-negotiable for you. Growth has a way of asking for compromises in small, seemingly harmless doses. But those small choices add up. You can evolve how you show up, but if you start bending your core, people feel it. Brands have a gut feeling too.

Your work suggests that everyday jewelry can still hold emotional depth. What makes an everyday piece feel lasting to you?

It’s the pieces that stay with you through real life, not just special occasions that last. The ones you reach for without thinking quietly become part of your routine, and then part of you.

Over time, they absorb meaning simply by being there – through different days, different moods, different versions of you. That’s what makes them last.

When you think about the woman who wears Wanderlust + Co, what do you hope she feels when she puts a piece on in the morning?

A sense of alignment. Like what she’s wearing reflects how she feels, or how she wants to feel that day. It’s not about becoming someone else. It’s about feeling more like yourself, just with a little more intention.

What’s your favorite Wanderlust + Co piece at the moment?

Stacking all of our bangles! I’m obsessed with this category and so excited that bangles have made a comeback :)

P.S. Have a perspective, story, or ritual of your own to share? Drop a comment or send us a DM if you’d like to be featured in The Current. ❤️

I first met Julia two years ago at my friend Louise Ulukaya’s event and within minutes, I was staring at the ring on her hand. Her jewelry has that effect. It doesn’t beg for attention, but it certainly gets it.

I was pulled in by the design.

Each of her pieces is built around a milestone, though not the kind society is eager to assign women. These are the milestones you choose for yourself.

Over the years, I’ve built a small collection of rings, each one carefully curated or co-designed with some of my favorite fine jewelry makers. I think of them as keepsakes, marking special moments of my life.

Then last summer, I had a moment!

I needed a “NO” ring.

So I texted Julia.

Why a “No” Ring?

My ‘aha’ moment came last year when I was speaking at Harvard Business School on entrepreneurship. During the Q&A, someone asked:

“Women are frequently told to ‘be more confident’ or ‘ask for more.’ Can you share a specific moment when you advocated for yourself or your business?”

I was caught off guard. I’ve been asked countless questions by investors, partners, and operators, but no one had ever asked me this.

And strangely, I didn’t have a clean answer.

That day, it was raining in Boston. Cold, gray, one of those days that slows you down. After the session, I walked back to the hotel with my headphones on, replaying the question in my head.

Then an old track began to play: Mistaken by Martin Garrix.

The lyrics hit me differently this time.

“All I say is no. I am not mistaken. This time, I am sure.”

That was it. That was my answer.

Confidence isn’t having the audacity to ask for more. It’s about having the clarity to say ‘no’ to people, plans, advice that aren’t aligned for you.

In business, we joke that someone who has eaten ramen once thinks they can run a ramen shop. And as a founder, I can tell you that is 100% true. Everyone feels entitled to give you advice.

When I first launched OLEADA, I heard everything.
→ Why would someone buy your bag over a fake Chanel?
→ Girls already have Dior or Hermès.
→ This market is too saturated.

At first, I absorbed it. I second-guessed myself. I tried to “improve” based on their feedback. And this pattern lasted awhile. For a year or more, I avoided confrontation and met hollow criticisms with a soft response.

“Oh, I’m so sorry…”
“Maybe next time…”
“Let me think about it…”

What I eventually realized was that, in an effort to manage someone else’s comfort, I was giving up my own. (I mean, what a waste of energy!) So I began saying no. Politely, but directly.

Because no is powerful. No earns you respect. No is a complete sentence.

This is an ongoing practice for me as a female entrepreneur. I’m not perfect, but I’m working on it. And my “no” ring is a beautiful reminder.

I’ve always loved Julia’s use of black diamonds. They feel powerful, slightly rebellious, and refreshingly uninterested in fitting into the traditional mold. Just like saying “no.”

That’s why this ring matters to me. I had the phrase ALL I SAY IS NO engraved on the inside. And I wear it on my left index finger as a small daily compass, a reminder that I get to choose the direction of my life.

And that every ‘no’ makes room for a more honest ‘yes’.

When was the last time you celebrated yourself and what did that moment change for you?

I try to celebrate moments often now, like the recent Incredible Rising Champagne Lunch at Maison Close. It had been one year since our first lunch there, just after I moved from Paris to New York. I was so moved by all the women who showed up, wearing their rings. (Including you, Tiffany!) It was a really meaningful milestone

Celebration has become an important ritual for me to pause, reflect, and acknowledge how far I’ve come. Not just since starting Incredible Rising, but since I was a little girl dreaming of this career. It gives me permission to feel proud, to recognize the courage it took to get here, and to feel grateful for it.

I also think celebration allows you to see your own life more clearly. It gives meaning to the journey and an opportunity to share your joy with others. Once you experience what it feels like to celebrate your milestones, you realize how important that ritual is, and it becomes an anchor in your life journey.

Many women hit major milestones and feel strangely empty afterward. Why do you think we’re conditioned to move on instead of taking ownership of what we’ve achieved? How would you encourage women to shift their thinking?

Well, we don’t have a playbook for it. We haven’t been shown how to celebrate ourselves, or created spaces where that kind of acknowledgment feels natural. That’s why women are often so changed by an Incredible Rising milestone gathering. It fills something that’s been missing.

There’s a cultural script, especially for women, that says work hard, be grateful, don’t brag, and keep going. The moment you accomplish something, you’re expected to move straight to the next responsibility. But we’re not designed to live that way. When we rush past milestones, we miss the emotional closure that gives growth meaning.

Truthfully, I felt an emptiness during one of my biggest milestones. I spent years working toward a goal, but when I achieved it, the moment felt surprisingly anticlimactic. So, I did what many of us do: reach for the next adrenaline rush that comes from chasing another goal.

Celebration allows us to integrate, regulate, and move toward the next milestone without burning out. Celebrating with others releases oxytocin, which helps break that addictive cycle of jumping from one dopamine-high to the next.

When we honor our milestones, we’re acknowledging the journey. And that acknowledgment is what turns achievement into fulfillment.

What I encourage women to do is simple, but surprisingly radical: pause and celebrate. Say out loud what you’re proud of and decide how you’ll honor it. Or even better, define the milestone in advance, choose how you’ll celebrate when you reach it. Then don’t betray your own trust by letting it pass unnoticed. That last part really matters.

One of the most powerful ideas behind Incredible Rising is that women shouldn’t wait for someone else to honor their achievements. What did it take for you to give yourself permission to be celebrated?

It took a lot, which surprised and fascinated me.

I had four major milestones happen in the same week: an IPO, my four-year vest, my son’s fifth birthday, and my last week of maternity leave with my daughter. It all felt too big to ignore, but there was no playbook for how to celebrate. So I decided to buy a special piece of jewelry to commemorate the moment.

When I couldn’t find one that captured my feeling – powerful, strong, feminine, and timeless – I ended up doing nothing at all. And once the moment passed, it was gone. Life moved on. I moved on. The milestone faded almost as quickly as it arrived. That felt both fascinating and frustrating.

I shared my observations with other women and they all had similar experiences, almost to a T. That’s when I knew someone needed to serve women in these moments.

I had a background in jewelry design. I’d even made my husband’s wedding band in classes I took for fun to unwind from my stressful job. But I also had a corporate career that I loved and two small children, so I never imagined starting a business. Then life handed me a catalyst: a move to Paris for my husband’s work, which meant leaving my job. Suddenly, I had the chance to do what I’d been dreaming about for over three years.

Attending the Van Cleef School of Jewelry in Paris, and designing the first line of Milestone Rings for Incredible Rising, was more than a career shift. It was the first time I truly gave myself permission to celebrate my accomplishments and redefine what a successful life could look like for me.

It was an incredibly intense, difficult, and rewarding experience to go through that major life change. But because of it, Incredible Rising (and a new version of myself) were born.

Once I experienced that life-changing sense of self-permission, I wanted every woman to feel it too.

In your experience, what’s harder for women: achieving a goal or allowing themselves to be acknowledged for achieving it?

Women are incredibly capable. We do difficult things all the time. We build companies, lead teams, raise families, and support communities. Achievement itself is rarely the barrier.

What’s harder is absorbing recognition without deflecting it. Or celebrating without feeling self-centered.

So many women instinctively minimize their accomplishments. (Which I completely understand). It comes from a desire to be gracious. This isn’t a bad quality, but it can rob us of the chance to pause and feel proud of ourselves.

When you allow your achievements to be acknowledged, you’re not taking something away from anyone else. You’re modeling what self-respect looks like.

And that permission ripples outward.

You’ve intentionally gone against many industry norms. How do you stay grounded in your vision when the outside world tells you “this isn’t how it’s done”?

I try to remember why I started in the first place.

Incredible Rising was never meant to follow a traditional industry playbook. It was born from a very personal realization that I couldn’t find jewelry that reflected the way ambitious women actually experience life.

Most jewelry marketing revolves around romance, gifts, or external validation. But many of the most meaningful moments in a woman’s life are the ones she creates herself.

When I stay connected to that truth, the noise around how things “should” be done becomes much less important.

It also helps to stay grounded in real women. When I hear women share their milestone stories or tell me why they chose a specific piece, it reminds me that Incredible Rising is resonating exactly where it needs to.

How do objects like jewelry or bags become anchors for identity rather than just accessories?

Think about the pieces you wear every day. Jewelry and bags are often pieces that give you confidence, connection, or strength. They help you feel and look your best. Those things matter more than we often admit.

Jewelry is particularly powerful because it’s worn so close to the body. It becomes part of your daily existence. When a woman wears a piece to mark a milestone, she creates a physical reminder of her own courage. Every time she puts it on, she reconnects with that moment.

Milestone jewelry becomes a talisman: a reminder of the strongest version of yourself, and a story you carry with you. Those reminders are powerful.

How has your definition of success evolved since leaving corporate life?

Immensely. Earlier in my career, success looked very clear on paper: promotions, paychecks, measurable growth. I loved the pace and challenge, and I’m grateful for that chapter of my life.

But building Incredible Rising changed my definition of success.

Now, success feels much more connected to meaning. It’s seeing a woman light up as she talks about her milestones. It’s watching her share the story behind her jewelry. It’s receiving texts from board meetings, book signings, and beach vacations saying their rings are with them, reminding them of their strength.

It’s creating something that didn’t exist before, knowing it makes someone feel seen and celebrated.

The measures may be different, but the impact feels much deeper.

And that has become a very fulfilling definition of success for me.

You started Incredible Rising during a season of massive personal change. How did that reshape your view of ambition and timing?

That period of my life completely changed the way I think about ambition.

For most of my career, I believed ambition meant a linear path: steady momentum, upward movement, and predictable markers like a title or paycheck.

When I stepped off that ladder, I faced a much different challenge. I had to define success for myself.

What I realized was there are a million definitions of success, and ambition was simply the courage to pursue what that definition is for you. That might be the big job with the big paycheck, but it could also be a pause, a passion, or time with your kids. All those things require direction, planning, and bravery to make happen.

To me now, ambition is the courage to pursue a life that feels truly meaningful to you.

For women navigating many identities at once, what’s one narrative you wish we’d collectively let go of?

The idea that our roles are somehow separate from one another.

We’re all just humans navigating this one incredible life we’ve been given. How we choose to live it is singular. There aren’t multiple Julias (the mom and the founder, or the wife and the friend). There is just me. I am all of those things and more.

There are different seasons in my life where one part of who we are gets more attention than others, but I’m still the same person.

One of my favorite things is when a highly accomplished woman comes to one of our milestone gatherings and we give her permission to simply be herself. She doesn’t have to talk about work or be the buttoned-up leader or the stretched-too-thin mom.

Sometimes that shift is small. Sometimes it’s profound. But it’s always authentic, and that is where connection happens.

The pressure to perform melts away. Guards come down, connection comes in, and what comes out in that moment is so genuine. It’s just her, and you can feel it instantly.

What have you learned about women through witnessing how they celebrate each other?

Women are incredible. We are so powerful, particularly because of our ability to connect.

When women are welcomed into a space rooted in safety and support – where they can celebrate their accomplishments without judgment – something special happens. Deep connection forms quickly, and there’s a collective exhale from women who feel like they have to hold it all together all the time.

Then everyone lifts each other up. We laugh, celebrate, support one another, make big plans, and leave feeling lighter, more human, and inspired for whatever comes next.

We all need celebration. We just don’t get enough chances to do it together.

What did learning the craft of jewelry-making teach you about patience and building something that lasts?

Learning the craft slowed me down in the best possible way.

Jewelry is an art that requires patience. Every detail matters. The proportions of a design, the way a stone is set, the weight of a piece in your hand. And in this case, perfection is a good thing. I get to channel that pursuit into something beautiful and lasting.

It also taught me about energy and intention. The meaning put into each piece of milestone jewelry can really be felt. The materials and the people who bring each piece to life matter, and that shows in the final product.

It’s hard to describe, but women wearing an Incredible Rising ring can feel it. Intention matters. Quality matters.

In a world that often prioritizes speed, there is real beauty in creating something meant to endure.

In a culture obsessed with speed and scale, how do you decide what’s worth growing, abandoning, or protecting?

This was a big challenge for me in the beginning. I came from fast-growth startups built to scale quickly. I had to retrain myself to build with meaning instead of might.

For Incredible Rising, the heart of the brand is meaning and community. If something strengthens that, it’s worth pursuing. If it takes away from it, it’s not. That clarity makes decisions much easier.

I also adopted a mantra “Success Without Stress” that helps center me when old habits creep in.

My mission with Incredible Rising isn’t to build another billion-dollar business. It’s to pursue a new definition of success that includes a regulated nervous system. So anytime I start to put unnecessary pressure on myself, I remember that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of my joy, or building a meaningful community.

When you imagine Incredible Rising five years from now, what do you hope women feel when they interact with the brand?

I hope women feel recognized. I hope they feel that their ambitions, courage, and life chapters are worth celebrating.

I imagine women walking into a gathering or discovering a piece of jewelry, that leads to a sense of belonging. That they’re part of a community that values growth, generosity, and meaningful milestones.

If women feel celebrated and connected to one another through Incredible Rising, then I believe we will have built something truly lasting.

And for the woman reading this who’s accomplished something meaningful but hasn’t named it yet, what is one small piece of advice you’d give her?

Pause for a moment and say out loud, I am proud of myself for ____. Then write down what made you feel proud and celebrate that milestone with someone you trust.

And I’d love to celebrate you! Send me a DM on Instagram @incrediberising and tell me all about it.

I also invite you to explore our milestone jewelry collection at incrediblerising.com. It would be my honor to help you mark your milestones with jewelry.

Giving yourself permission to celebrate is incredibly powerful. Because when you acknowledge your own growth, you strengthen the belief that you can continue rising.

And that belief changes everything.

A note from Tiffany:

If you’re a fellow entrepreneur struggling with boundaries or unsure how to celebrate your milestones, let me know! Drop your stories or questions in the comments. I’d love to have a conversation.

And if you want your story to be featured in The Current, please comment down below to let us know as well ❤️

We’re kicking off Women’s History Month with a personal story from OLEADA co-founder, Tracy Zhong, on shifting her mindset from chasing success to celebrating the journey.

OLEADA began in what could generously be called a “garage.”

It was small and imperfect at the start. Just a few people, a lot of ideas, and a willingness to try anything. Then, somehow, that humble beginning turned into a company worth celebrating.

And we absolutely did!

This January my co-founder, Tiffany, brought the OLEADA community together in New York for a brand dinner honoring our five-year anniversary. Seeing everyone at the table that night was completely surreal. A fragile idea that once existed between a few people had slowly become something tangible.

Not perfect, but real. And meaningful in ways I could have never anticipated.

Needless to say, nostalgia began to creep in. I had flashbacks of those early days, when we survived on coffee and takeout. We were scrappy and hopeful and determined to make our dream a reality.

But this story starts before OLEADA. It goes all the way back to my adolescence in the small inland town of Luoyang, Henan. Because my ambition didn’t begin with my entrepreneurial journey.

Believe it or not, it began when I was 14 years old.

The Girl Who Was Always Number One

Literally. I was ranked number one in my province on Gaokao – aka: our national college entrance exam, taken by over 13 million students annually. (The closest U.S. equivalent would be scoring a perfect 1600 on your SAT.)

So, yeah, I was a pretty competitive kid.

But when people ask me what that moment felt like, I don’t have the answer they’re looking for.

Because it didn’t feel like victory. It felt like fear.

A quiet, constant fear that I would fall from my pedestal, that I’d no longer be the best. A fear that I’d disappoint people who believed in me and that I’d miss out on opportunities along the way. Or (my least favorite intrusive thought) the fear that I’d peaked in high school and wouldn’t live up to my potential.

For a very long time – maybe thirty years, if I’m being honest – I was driven by this relentless pressure to be the best.

Now, to be fair, fear is an extremely powerful motivator. It pushed me to work harder and go further than my comfort zone.

And I had a résumé full of accomplishments to show for it. Fear was the reason I got into Oxford University. It helped me launch a career in global investment banks like Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. It pushed me to build a life that looked successful, at least from the outside.

On paper, everything was working… until it didn’t anymore.

When Everything Changed

Fast forward to 2021. Tiffany and I had launched OLEADA, and life began moving very quickly.

Like many startups, those first few months were a rollercoaster of fears:

→ Some mornings we worried about logistics, like racing at 5:40am to unpack more than one hundred bags before our first pop-up opened.

→ Other days we were anxious about product, revising our Wavia bag more than twenty times at the factory to get the proportions right.

→ Many nights, our concerns were financial. I’d lie awake wondering if we’d have enough money in the bank to pay our team’s salaries that month.

And some days were just plain stressful. Like when I drove for hours to meet a factory owner I’d never even spoken to. Just blindly following the route on Google Maps. And the next hour I found myself standing in a dusty warehouse, flipping through over 300 rolls of leather, trying to find the right Pantone.

The fears were real, and often left me feeling lonely. Because as a founder, many questions don’t have clear answers and you carry a responsibility that’s difficult to share.

And yet, building something from nothing made me feel strangely alive. Every day we’d take small steps forward. Designing a better product, replying a thoughtful customer message, onboarding a new teammate. Slowly, OLEADA began to accumulate into something real.

Then another transformation happened in my life.

I became a mother.

My son was born just months after we launched OLEADA, and those two events quietly began reshaping my priorities. The balance between life and work suddenly felt different. The metrics that once seemed urgent became a little less absolute. I realized how precious time is and how quickly moments pass.

All of these sudden life-shifts led me to meditation.

At first it was simple curiosity. Like many people working in demanding environments, I was looking for clarity. Any semblance of steadiness in the middle of uncertainty, responsibility, and life as a new parent.

Then, over time, meditation became a regular practice. And that’s when I began noticing a difference. In those quiet moments – during early morning hours or on an extended retreat – small realizations slowly popped to the surface of my mind

And then, one hit me like a ton of bricks.

Life is not about winning.

For someone who had spent decades optimizing for first place, that realization was massive. Life isn’t waiting for us at the finish line. It’s happening right now, in the middle of uncertainty, effort, and imperfect progress.

The present moment is the only place where life actually exists.

That understanding quietly changed the way I think about ambition.

Starting a company stopped being about chasing a future version of success and instead became a way of engaging with the process itself.

In many ways, that perspective shaped OLEADA. The goal was never to reach a predetermined destination. It was simply to create something meaningful in real time: designing pieces that support women, while building a company with real community.

A Different Truth

Over my years of meditating, I’ve learned a lot about myself and life. But perhaps one of my favorite discoveries is that the world is not nearly as polished as I once imagined it to be.

I used to assume that CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, celebrities floating across red carpets, and mothers with perfectly curated Instagrams knew exactly what they were doing.

But boy, was I wrong. Because once you begin building something yourself, you realize a different truth.

Most of the world is improvising.

The vast majority of companies, careers, products, and brands are rarely the result of perfect planning. They emerge through trial and error -- and the courage to keep going even when the path is unclear.

In that sense, the world is less like a perfectly engineered system and more like a giant improvisation stage. And maybe our job is simply to step onto that stage, give it our all, and figure it out along the way.

After five years of OLEADA, the most valuable things are not the products we’ve created or the milestones we’ve hit. They are the little moments in between. The laughter, the mistakes, the creativity, the uncertainty, and the people who’ve shared our journey.

Those moments – more than anything else – are what made this work worth doing.

❤️ Tracy

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Commuter-college era? Oversized backpack.

First NYC Job? Laptop tote.

Peak hustle culture + freelance life? Please, you know where this is going.

To me, a bag wasn’t worth buying unless it could hold everything: laptop, notebook, charger, makeup pouch, sunglasses, snacks, a book I might read, another book I probably won’t, and the sacred collection of just-in-case items that whisper, You are prepared for any version of today.

A big bag made me feel capable. Like, I could handle whatever life – or work – threw my way. It’s giving Mary Poppins energy, but in NYC street-style.

… that was, until I learned the psychology behind bag size.

(Yes, that’s really a thing and it’s trending.)

@thealyynessIt sounds silly cause bag is just a bag.. right? But when we slow down and observe ourselves, the way we move through the world, the way we carry our days, patterns start to appear. What we carry outside often reflects how much we are carrying inside. 1. When we choose a small bag, it often mirrors an inner sense of clarity. We know what we actually need and what we no longer need to keep around. There is less emotional clutter, less unconscious overpreparing for chaos because our life already feels held and structured from within. 2. When we carry no bag at all, it often comes from self trust. From confidence. From feeling grounded enough to handle things as they come, instead of living in constant “just in case” mode. It’s the body saying, we can deal with life directly. 3. This is not about minimalism or trends but about internal organization and how SAFE we feel inside our own system. 4. When we constantly carry oversized bags, it’s rarely because we are messy or unaware. Very often, it comes from survival. From being the one who adapts, fixes, soothes, rescues. Not because we wanted to, but because life taught us that being prepared was safer than being soft. 5. The bag becomes a quiet metaphor. We must be ready for everything. We must hold everything. We cannot drop anything, because what if no one else does. When we start simplifying what we carry, we often start simplifying what we tolerate. We stop carrying emotional chaos. We stop carrying other people’s responsibilities. We stop carrying relationships that drain our nervous system and call it love. 📌If your body is tired of being on alert and you’re ready to build real safety, the journey is linked in my bio under “START YOUR HEALING WITH ME👇” 🤍 Save this if it spoke to you and follow TheAlyness for reflections that meet you where you really are 🤍

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The Weight Of What We Carry

There’s a concept called enclothed cognition. It’s the idea that what we wear (and yes, what we carry) doesn’t just reflect who we are… it shapes how we think and behave. Your blazer changes how you sit in a meeting. Your sneakers influence how fast you move through a city. Your bag? It shapes how you experience your day.

Everything we put on our bodies subtly informs how capable, composed, or overwhelmed we feel as we move through the world.

Which brings me right back to handbags.

Turns out, that heavy tote I carried every day – the one that dug into my shoulder blade – was also weighing me down physically and emotionally. Psychologists say the excess objects don’t just take up space. They signal unfinished tasks, contingency plans, and responsibilities waiting in the wings.

So my big bag that prepared me for everything and (I thought) acted as a physical extension of my personal ambition? It turns out it may have been holding me back mentally.

Now, I don’t think that this is a black-and-white rule. I don’t believe that your oversized tote is secretly stunting your professional growth. But there is a parallel here. Because when you think about it, in those early days of your career, you are carrying everything. The work, the logistics, the backup plans, the pressure to be useful, flexible, and indispensable. A large bag mirrors that reality. It says: I’m ready for anything. I’ve thought of everything.

But the downside of carrying everything is… well… carrying everything. You find yourself endlessly digging at the bottom of your bag in search of your keys. Shoulder tension starts to creep in every night at 7pm. Not to mention the subtle stress of managing objects before you’ve even managed your thoughts. (or, what research call “cognitive load”).

When I started at OLEADA, I was given the Wavia as a welcome gift from the team. Through that, I discovered that carrying a cleaner, lighter bag helped me maintain clearer vision. It got rid of the mental clutter.

Because your workbag should work for you, not against you!

Moving From Over-Packing to Intentional

Now three years in, I noticed something else.

The women I admire most – my mentors, founders further along in their entrepreneurial journey, leaders with real authority and earned calm — are thoughtful with what they carry. One of them is Tiffany, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of OLEADA. I was speaking to her about the psychology behind bags, and I learned that sometimes she doesn’t carry a bag at all. Plot twist!

At first, I assumed it was a luxury of seniority. Fewer meetings to prepare for, fewer contingencies to manage, someone else holding the spare charger or backup plan.

But the more I observed, the more I realized it wasn’t about outsourcing.

It was about intention.

They weren’t carrying less because they could. They were carrying less because they intentionally chose to. They knew themselves and what they needed to get through the day.

But hey, don’t take it from me!

Tiffany’s Design Philosophy

Handbags came into our lives long before the digital age. Before laptops were everyday essentials. Before our phones became our calendars, cameras, wallets, offices, and lifelines.

At that time, purses were a lifestyle object, born in an era when women weren’t expected to move through the world with meetings, deadlines, and devices. Now, our most powerful productivity tools are digital and we don’t leave home without them.

So at OLEADA, we design around that reality. We’re device-based on purpose: laptop compartments that fit, exterior phone pockets that keep you moving, and structure that protects what you rely on.

And personally, my bag choice isn’t about downsizing or upsizing. It’s about what I need for the road ahead of me. That means I’ll reach for my AnyDuffle for long travel days or bring my Marina Carryall to work when I’m commuting around the city. And for those special moments when I only need my phone, I don’t use a bag at all.

It’s always about choosing what you carry with purpose.

~

Three years into my digital marketing career, I’ve realized I don’t need everything in my bag all of the time. There are times when going lighter isn’t just about physical weight. It’s about lifestyle.

Take the days I spend at the studio, shooting content as an example. All I need is my phone and my camera. No laptop. No iPad. No emotional-support hard drive. Once I better understood the psychology of bags, I stopped packing for imaginary emergencies and started packing for the actual day.

The move from a bottomless tote to a refined work bag didn’t mean I was less prepared. It meant I was clearer. Carrying less stopped feeling risky and started feeling intentional.

We don’t carry extra things by accident. We carry them because uncertainty is heavy, and “just in case” feels like control. The more you understand your rhythm, the less you need to over-prepare. You start choosing with clarity.

And maybe that’s the real psychology of handbags.

Because the flex isn’t about fitting everything in…it’s knowing exactly what belongs.

~ Anesa

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One evening, I was driving fast from Lisbon to Porto at sunset. The sky was melting into the Atlantic Ocean, sunlight cracking through heavy clouds in a way that turned the water gold. I was singing along to lyrics s that perfectly embedded that moment into my memory.

Come and find me out where the sky begins,
Where the sun crashes into the sea.
Little by little… I never look back.

~ ‘Light Years’, John Summit

The electronic dance music track felt like it had been written for that exact stretch of road.

As I belted the words at the top of my lungs, I felt the familiar feeling I’ve had on many dance floors over the past 15 years. It’s a unique synchronicity that happens when the music and words align with a moment in time, leading to a major realization.

I was going to move into this next chapter, little by little.

Why I don’t do New Year’s resolutions

In general, I’ve never really subscribed to the “new year, new me” philosophy. I believe change can happen anytime, as long as you keep moving. Life doesn’t reset on every January 1. It’s never “too late” to start a business at 40, or to learn something new in December. (Especially for women founders who are often told their timelines are predestined).

However, I learned the hard way that if you want to change, you need to develop a consistent and sustainable way of doing it. That’s the only way to truly shift your perspective, and therefore your life. It’s where intentional living stops being a buzzword and becomes a practice.

A small example: I’m a big meat lover. Porterhouse steak, lamb shank, branzino fillet. You name it, I’ve probably tried it (and gotten seconds). But in 2025, I wanted to understand the plant-based lifestyle better, since OLEADA has a lot of vegan clients. So I decided to do a personal Vegan Day every other week.

I knew it was impossible for me to jump in and go fully vegan. I would’ve spent more time stressing about the change than fully understanding it. But what I could do was approach this shift, little by little, in a way that I could comfortably sustain.

The result?

• I now know some great vegan substitutions.

• I have a go-to list of restaurants where I can order a delicious, satisfying plant-based meal.

• I understand how hard it can be to order from a regular menu (especially while traveling).

• And I see more clearly the effort that vegan people put into aligning their lifestyle with their values.

This gave me a new perspective. Not in a dramatic way, but in a real way.

It wasn’t about achieving a goal.
I was changing my worldview, little by little.
… and surprisingly that’s exactly how you get substantial growth.

A personal story I’ve never told in public

If I’m being honest, there’s a deeper reason this philosophy matters to me.

I’ve never shared this story publicly before, but this past year I’ve been practicing humanity, vulnerability, and storytelling here on The Current. So I’d like to share it ... or at least a little :)

In 2020 I experienced grief I’d never known before. Someone who I’d trusted in every way, who I believed (at the time) was my soulmate, betrayed me so deeply that it completely shattered my self-confidence. I lost faith in genuine human connection.

And it took me nearly five years to fully understand what happened.

This devastating moment caused me to shut down emotionally. I began living like a robot, basing all of my decisions on logic and survival. I felt like a shell of myself, walking through the world out of touch with my feelings.

I poured everything into work. This was an easy – and productive – coping mechanism since we launched OLEADA in January of 2021. And honestly, this brand and our team was a blessing. I wasn’t yet ready to deal with the flood of emotions bubbling inside of me. And the creativity that came with fashion design, gave me something solid to hold onto.

OLEADA’s first campaign tagline was: “Live as your heart desires.”

A part of me wrote that line as a wish. I was looking for a connection to my own heart, since it still felt completely offline.

As time went on, I tried new ways to reconnect (or perhaps rebel) with myself. At one point I got a tattoo that said “YOU MADE ME.” in red. It was cynical and ironic. A small scar holding every ounce of my disappointment. But it was a little step toward reckoning with my pain.

I went to music festivals, traveled, wandered alone, went to Burning Man, and observed those around me like an anthropology project. I was desperately searching for reasons to believe in people and find my faith in humanity again.

I was living in my own inner universe, and was genuinely content. My rule was simple:

No initiation.
No engagement.
Dancing alone is safe.

On the outside, I was building a brand. On the inside, I was in suspended animation.

But I kept moving forward, one small step at a time. Then it all changed in 2025.

I was at a show with a group of my closest friends. Strobe lights flashing, bass humming in my ribs, bodies moving in and out of shadow. It was pure, melodic techno energy. On the screen, the visual for the unreleased track “You Make Me” by Anyma & Rufus du Sol, came on. It was a human placing a heart into a robot.

I stood there, eyes fixed on the screen, as my throat tightened.

That robot was me.

For five years I felt hollow inside. Efficient. Productive. Untouchable. And here, in the middle of a dance floor, someone was putting a heart back into my chest.

I looked around at my friends. Same people, same music, same scene as always. But something was different. I could actually feel the connection this time. Not as an observer. As the human living it.

A month later, in Brooklyn, I was dancing alone again. Same rule as always: no initiation, no engagement. But in the process, a new desire dropped into my body: “I don’t want to dance alone anymore.”

Not because the past five years in solitude weren’t beautiful. They were. They saved me. But I finally felt able to fully connect with people again.

After that, I went back to my tattoo artist and added one more line.

“YOU MADE ME. feel something new.”

Because honestly, feeling something new, might be the best feeling in this universe.

I like to think I’m a strong person. And still, it took me five years to move through this traumatic event. There wasn’t a big breakthrough. It was a lot of little steps filled with tiny, almost invisible moments.

But all of them were moving forward.

I didn’t wake up one day “healed.” I just kept moving. Feeling 1% more, trusting 1% more, opening 1% more. And somewhere between one dance floor and the next, I began to live again.

Everything in life, and business, happens little by little.

Doing business is not that different. Nothing in OLEADA happens overnight. We don’t leap from “idea” to “iconic brand” in one campaign.

We get there by:

• tightening a seam

• refining a color tone

• declining a misfit collaboration

• saying yes to a story that feels true

Little by little, we build a world.
Little by little, we earn trust.
Little by little, we move into a future that does not exist yet.

Your life, your work, your relationships, your inner world does not restart on January 1.

They are mid-flight, mid-evolution, mid-rewrite.

Because remember

Little by little, and one day, without noticing,
You’ll be light years ahead of where you started.

Don’t ever look back.

❤️ Tiffany

PS: I’d love to hear what little step you’re taking this year. Drop a note in the comments!

I tell this story to embody my essence and set the stage for the story to come. I am the type of woman who runs off of intuition and a deep-seated belief in herself; the type who, raised by an optimistic hippie mother, knows it will always work out… and somehow, it always works out.

Fast forward to 2023 and I found myself in New York City. When I first arrived, I was working for a marketing agency that was anything but collaborative. It was cold, disorganized, and lacking creativity: the antitheses of what I wanted out of my career. I knew I needed an out.

With minimal green flags and a few years of modeling under my belt, I quit the agency and took a gamble on my dreams. The plan? Post on social media every day, apply to every modeling job I could find, and follow every single breadcrumb.

This is where OLEADA comes in.

About 4 months into the journey, things worked out just enough to get by. I applied for a modeling gig for this gorgeous handbag brand I had long adored, OLEADA. After getting the callback, I was giddy with excitement. This felt like the big leagues. After a night of skincare prep and getting my poses on lock, I arrived on set.

The OLEADA team is not your usual group. They are collaborative, brilliantly creative, and precisely in line with their brand ethos. I witnessed a symbiosis of movement between strategy and creativity. It felt like I was home.

Leaving the shoot that day, I knew there was something different about the brand. It was more than just beautifully made leather goods, it was a movement I believed in.

I raved to my husband when I got home, and a few months later, OLEADA called me back to work again… and then a few months later, again.

It was on my third photoshoot sitting across from the founder, Tiffany, that she told me “You know, we’ve never hired any model twice? We love you and your energy”.

It was in that moment of gratitude that I knew this relationship would transcend making beautiful images. There was a connection that didn’t need explaining. Everything was about to bloom.

From that day on, things shifted for me. I went from the girl blindly chasing her dreams to the girl with a holistic relationship with a brand she believed in. After conversations and coffee, Tiffany invited me into her orbit; I would become the face of the brand.

Just like after the first photoshoot, I ran home to my husband bounding with joy. Me? This quirky girl with dreams as high as the sky?! Is it actually working?! It was.

Now, nearing the end of 2025, things couldn’t be flowing better. OLEADA and me, me and OLEADA, we are two peas in the same pod, growing our orbits together.

OLEADA has changed the way I see myself, business, and my career. It has introduced me to lifelong friends who inspire and teach me every day. Tiffany has shown me what it means to be a powerful woman. She is kind, open, creative, fluid, and has incredible values while also knowing exactly what needs to happen to get the job done. She is an inspiration to all of us.

So, OLEADA, the love of my New York City life, thank you for being my expander in a city full of wonder.

Thank you for believing in me the way I believe in you. I know, in the depths of my core, that this is only just the start. ♥️

All my love,

Kenna

She’s an anesthesiologist, entrepreneur, devoted mother, and (oh yeah) a television personality from the hit show, The Real Housewives of Dallas.

On the surface, it looks like she’s mastered the juggle. But in her recent book, Joy Prescriptions: How I Learned to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Connection, Tiffany vulnerably pulls back the curtain on her life. Instead of doubling down on the pursuit of “having it all,” she writes about choosing authenticity over appearances.

I first met Dr. Tiffany when OLEADA partnered with her on a content collaboration. And I’ll admit, I carried the same assumptions many people do about the “Real Housewives” world. But Dr. Tiffany shifted my perspective completely. I soon realized she’s exactly the kind of woman OLEADA exists to celebrate: authentic, driven, and intentional.

Part of why I connect with Dr. Tiffany is because of our similar backgrounds. We both grew up working hard: straight-A students, chasing excellence under the weight of expectation, never pausing to ask what we wanted. She became a doctor. I became an engineer (mostly because I once told my dad I was afraid of needles.) Otherwise, medicine might have been my path, too.

For years, I climbed higher and higher on a mountain built from other people’s dreams: prestigious degrees, the perfect résumé, external success that looked impressive but felt hollow. When I finally reached the top, I realized the dream wasn’t mine. It’s like climbing Mount Everest, only to find that on the other side was… nothing. A void.

Dr. Tiffany’s story echoes that same realization, an inevitable *aha* moment when you realize the life you’re chasing isn’t yours, and then you must begin the real work of creating one that is.

​​That’s why I’m thrilled to join Dr. Tiffany in Dallas this November for the LeadHer Summit, an immersive three-day experience designed to give women the tools, mindsets, and networks to grow. It’s exactly what so many career-driven women are craving right now: a reminder that success isn’t about pursuing more, it’s about finding purpose along the way.

TZ: Your story highlights the tension between perfectionism and the desire for genuine connection. How did you begin releasing those societal expectations, and what role did vulnerability play in that shift?

TM: Letting go of perfectionism was like peeling away layers of armor I hadn’t even realized I was carrying. I came to see that performing for others their approval was costing me authentic connection. Vulnerability was frightening at first, but it ultimately opened the door to my most meaningful relationships. It’s also what allowed me to truly feel again.

TZ: What advice would you offer to women navigating multiple roles today?

TM: You were never meant to carry it all. Release the pressure to be everything to everyone. Ask for help. Set clear boundaries. Say no without apology. And most importantly, remember that rest is productive. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and needing to refill it doesn’t make you a failure, it makes you human.

TZ: Your book, Joy Prescriptions, opens with a powerful story about balancing career, motherhood, and personal life. How did those early challenges shape the way you approach self-care and joy today?

TM: In the beginning, I thought self-care was something reserved for people with more time and fewer ambitions. I was raising twins, building a demanding medical career, and trying to project that I had everything under control. In reality, I was exhausted and disconnected. It wasn’t until I hit a personal breaking point that I realized joy isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Now, I see self-care as the foundation of everything else, not just the reward at the end. For me, that means scaling back in medicine (though three days a week in the operating room is still no small feat), nurturing my businesses, and being intentional about time with my family.

TZ: The concept of “joy prescriptions” sits at the heart of your book. Can you share a few of the practices that have guided you toward a more intentional and joyful life?

TM: Absolutely! A few that I return to often are:

• Saying no without guilt or the need to explain.

• Remembering that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.

• Letting go of comparison because it’s the thief of joy.

• Dancing in the kitchen, no matter how silly (the worse, the better).

• Recognizing that rest isn’t something you earn, it’s something you need.
  

TZ: Your social media often blends personal wisdom with professional insight. Who or what has been the biggest inspiration behind creating the LeadHer Summit?

TM: Honestly, LeadHer Summit was born out of necessity. I couldn’t find a conference that spoke directly to the realities of female entrepreneurs- the juggling of career, family, identity, and ambition.

I wanted a space where we could learn about the challenges we uniquely face, share strategies, and most importantly, network and lift each other up. So I decided, if it didn’t exist, I’d build it.

TZ: Many women at LeadHer Summit are ambitious leaders balancing multiple roles. What practical advice would you share with them on how to lead boldly and successfully without burning out?

TM: Stop trying to do everything at 100% all the time. Some days I’m a great doctor and entrepreneur, other days I’m focused on being a wife and mom- and that’s okay. I don’t believe in work-life balance; I believe in work-life integration. The key is knowing your values, saying “yes” to what aligns, “no” to what doesn’t, and finding a tribe that keeps you fueled and laughing (this last part is so important and can’t be emphasized enough).

TZ: What does Lead Boldly, Live Authentically mean to you?

TM: To me, it means leading in a way that’s authentic and courageous, not performative. Bold leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room- it’s about being the clearest, the most intentional, and the one willing to speak truth even when it’s uncomfortable.

Living fully is about refusing to save joy for “someday.” It’s about laughing with your kids, building a business you’re proud of, and not apologizing for taking up space. Together, it’s the reminder that we can lead with purpose and live with joy at the same time.

You can join Dr. Tiffany and me at the LeadHer Summit this November 7-9 in Dallas, Texas. I’m so proud OLEADA is supporting this event, because building real community and helping women grow is exactly what we stand for.

And if you haven’t yet, read Dr. Tiffany’s incredible book, Joy Prescriptions, out now. If you’re looking for a reminder to slow down, let go of perfection, and prioritize authentic connection, it’s exactly the medicine you need.

Tiffany❤️

Think of this article as your travel-meets-style dossier: curated vignettes from modern women who pack purpose alongside passports, who know that a carry-on can carry more than just clothes, it can hold change.

Chapter 1: REBIRTH / RESET

Wardrobe: minimalist. Itinerary: undefined. Purpose: rediscovery.

This isn’t your typical vacation. This is leaving behind the noise and finding beauty in the blank page. At 50, one traveler checked into solitude and checked out feeling 30 years lighter. Iza marked this milestone with a solo trip, embracing the unfamiliar and reflecting on who she’s become. She shared:

"It wasn’t about sightseeing. It was about listening to myself without interruption.”

Another traveler, who chose to remain anonymous, booked a one-way ticket with no agenda. She carried only the essentials and the intention to feel whole again.

“After years of putting others first, this trip was just for me. I remembered who I was.”

Chapter 2: DREAM-CATCHING

Colors: terracotta, gold, sky blue. Mood: cinematic.

Yao shared her childhood dream of visiting faraway places. This summer, she finally stood in the landscapes she once only read about: “The moment I arrived, it felt like my imagination had come to life.”

Jamillah Gabriel’s (@jamillahgabriel) story is about much more than a single destination, it’s about the long arc of a traveler’s spirit. From a young age, Jamillah was fascinated by geography, mapping routes in her mind and dreaming about lives lived across oceans. Her childhood curiosity never faded. Instead, it deepened into something more purposeful: a way of understanding the world and herself.

"As a young adult, my early travels were primarily restricted to North and Central America and the Caribbean. But in 2018, for the first time I traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to visit the continent of Africa…… As a Black American, visiting Africa has always been at the top of my bucket list with a goal of visiting several countries but that very first trip felt like a homegoing where I was able to reconnect to what many of us consider to be the homeland. No other traveling experience can ever match that."

Her reflection is a powerful reminder: travel isn’t always about escape. Sometimes, it’s about return, returning to your purpose, your questions, and the parts of yourself that get buried in the routine of everyday life.

Chapter 3: BOUNDARY-BREAKING

Cue the drama. Solo ticket. No plan B. Just you, and the leap.

Kathryn moved to Korea after graduating from college, with courage and two suitcases. “It was terrifying,” she admitted. “But I knew I couldn’t grow if I stayed where I was. And I’ve never looked back.”

Another anonymous traveler shared a similar leap. Not across continents, but across fear. With no detailed plan, she said yes to a new beginning and left behind what was once comfortable. Her words were simple and striking:

“It wasn’t a vacation. It was a decision to start over. And that decision made me braver than I’ve ever been.”

These stories remind us that courage doesn't always look dramatic. Sometimes, it’s quietly booking the flight and trusting yourself enough to board

OLEADA styling tip: Confidence is your boldest accessory. But a structured silhouette doesn’t hurt either.

Closing Note:

Every now and then, a story lands in our inbox that makes us pause, smile, and sometimes tear up. They were reflections of resilience, joy, courage, and change. To everyone who trusted us with their journey: thank you.

We hope this feature feels like a postcard from someone who gets it, who knows that sometimes a new zip code is just what your soul needs. Keep packing with purpose. Keep chasing the light. And if your next adventure leads you somewhere unexpected, bring us along. We’d love to be part of the ride.

Have a story of your own? Don’t wait for the perfect moment, hit send. We’re listening.

SHARE YOUR STORY HERE

Can we go far away to a room with a view?

You could take me anywhere just as long as I'm with you

Live a life where dreams come true in a world that lets you breathe

You can take me anywhere just as long as I'm with you

You could take me anywhere just as long as you're with me

This song - Anywhere by anamē (@anamemusic) - inspired me the name of AnyWear:

Transformative Travel is not just the kind that shows up on the gram. The kind that shows up in your bones.

The trip you didn’t just take. The one that took you.

The kind that shifts something deep inside.

That made you freer, wiser, braver… or just more you.

You’re not just packing a bag. You’re opening a door.

This is the very first one of those stories from me, about my grandfather. And the doors he opened for me.

My grandpa passed peacefully in sleep at 94, in the most natural way, after living one of the fullest lives I’ve ever known. A geologist. A polyglot, fluent in English, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian. He was a well-respected researcher in the field and translated countless academic journals and geological books, bridging worlds through science and language. A lifelong explorer who kept chasing horizons well into his final years

But to me, he was the first person who truly saw me. Saw through me. Trusted in my potential. Maybe through his geologist lens, he discovered I was a diamond in the rough.

I grew up in a house full of devastating drama, pressure, and expectations, but no real parenting. What I did have was a room with a wall full of books. They gave me imagination, a sense of the world.

But, “Can we go far away to a room with a view?” So he did.

When I was 11, he came back (to Asia) from Los Angeles—for me. And from that moment on, he took me anywhere. Los Angeles, Tokyo. Abu Dhabi, Indonesia, Singapore, Hawaii, Mykonos, Osaka, Utah, even Pyongyang. Can you believe it? He turned my curiosity into experience. My questions into journeys.

After each trip, he’d ask me to write a mandatory memorandum. What did YOU see? What did YOU feel? What would YOU critique about the culture? It was never about having the right answers. It was about building a worldview. And building yourself.

I think we were in Arizona. I don’t remember the exact spot, but I remember him tracing the shapes of the rock with his finger, explaining Karst topography to me. How beautiful landscapes are formed slowly, patiently, over time. Just like us.

I still remember being on a bus in Japan, heading from Mount Fuji to Tokyo. He told me about his first love, back when he was just 18, studying in Japan. Her name was Ryoko. He said she used to sing to him. And then, right there on the bus, he started singing that same song. I was 18 too. And in that moment, I felt like time folded. Like he was handing me something, a story, a map, a part of himself.

Back then, I didn’t know what it meant. But now I do. He was showing me how to live and love. To chase dreams. To move through the world wide-eyed, full-hearted. To live life to its fullest.

“Live a life where dreams come true in a world that lets you breathe…”

Grandpa, thank you for showing me what that really means.

Now, when I travel, I carry the same questions he once asked me: What did you see? How did it change you?

I finally realized that AnyWear, for me, is an unconscious tribute to Grandpa. As I was writing this, it hit me. So much of the design came from memories of his geologist bag. The leather trim. The water-resistant fabric. The way it was lightweight but strong. He always carried a camera in it, protected by its own little compartment.

He didn’t just pack a bag, he packed a mindset. And somehow, I’ve been carrying that spirit with me all along.

"You can take me AnyWear, just as long as I’m with you."

I created the AnyWear collection to remind you of this kind of journey—not just the kind that shows up on social media, but the kind that shows up in your bones. The kind that marks a turning point. That reveals who you are becoming. The Transformative Travel.

Now, I’d love to hear from you.

Have you ever taken a journey that changed the way you see the world, or yourself? Where did it lead you, and what did it leave behind in your heart?

Share your own Transformative Travel story with us here or simply reply to this post. I can’t wait to read it.

Many women feel they have to choose: Adventure or family. Career or children. Now or maybe never.

As if joy comes only in one shape. As if choosing one means giving up the other.

But what if it doesn’t?

Today, I want to share something personal but WITHOUT any personal preference.

About my co-founder, Tracy. About me. About how two women who started in the same place—similar backgrounds, similar values, same global grind, same fire to build something meaningful—took two very different paths.

Professionally, we started OLEADA together 5 years ago.

Personally, we walked in opposite directions 5 years ago, too.

Tracy chose motherhood first.

Her days are now filled with giggles, snuggles, sticky fingers, and tiny triumphs. The joy of first steps. First words. First everything.

She didn’t put her dreams on hold— She just built them around something she loves. Yes, she misses the spontaneity sometimes. But she’s built a full, beautiful life.

I chose to explore first.

To travel, to build, to chase the unknown. I met incredible people around the world—at places like Burning Man and Tomorrowland. I froze my eggs as a form of insurance, knowing that one day, I’d want kids.

But I also knew the road might be longer and tougher—IVF, uncertainty, maybe becoming a mom when I’m 40 or 50.

And still… my life is full too. Just in a different way.

We didn’t take the same path. But neither of us walked away from ourselves.

So…What’s Next?

If you’re wondering what it might look like to walk the other path someday—know this: it’s not just about me or Tracy. OLEADA was built by—and for—women choosing their own timelines, in their own ways.
So let me show you what that looks like—through a few real women, living it.

Ling? She’s 63.

Retired, based in Singapore, and still exploring new things with the curiosity of someone in her twenties. Tennis lessons. Weekend getaways. Late-night dinners with her daughter. She’s not slowing down—just shifting gears. Still dating her husband. Still saying yes.

Then there’s Michele Wang, 51.

Based in Vegas. No kids. No timeline to follow. Just a life she’s shaped on her own terms—filled with travel, design, and quiet mornings with her husband.

Emily? 40, and living proof that dreams can arrive on their own timeline.

A New Yorker. An accessories designer and creative director who spent five years balancing her fashion career with the quiet weight of IVF. Last year, her son, Eric, arrived. Her story isn’t just about struggle—it’s about resilience, possibility, and the quiet power of staying in the fight.

Emily filmed a classic Soho fit-check with our iconic Wavia Bag.

Nic? A full-time mama for 15 years.

Life with three kids is deeply fulfilling—full of laughter, joy, and those little moments that make her heart almost burst with happiness. She also embraces the real side of motherhood—the chaos, the exhaustion, the constant juggle. Because all of it—the mess, the love, the fight—is what makes the everyday meaningful (and a little bit magical).

For too long, we’ve been told it’s a sacrifice.

But what if it’s not?

What if it’s actually sovereignty? What if it’s simply a woman writing her own timeline?

Because there is no one way to be fulfilled. No one right timeline. No wrong decision.

Just your decision.

Made with love.

Made with courage.

Made for you.

From me and Tracy—two women, same age, different choices—this is our Mother’s Day message:

You always have a choice. Right here. Right now.
And when you own it, any path can be deeply, wildly, beautifully yours.

Happy Mother’s Day—to every OLEADA woman choosing her own form, her own timing, her own way.

xo, Tiffany