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Sometimes, even the most confident or upbeat person needs a little mood-and-mojo boost before a big event—I’m talking a presentation, performance, important meeting, or even an intimidating new workout.
My energy pregame, AKA hype routine, looks something like Tom Cruise’s in Risky Business—tighty-whities, tube socks, and microphone-mimicking props are a must. Curious as to what my favorite wellness boss babes—some of the most high-vibe ladies on the planet—swear by to get themselves going, fast, I asked ’em. Below, find some serious mood-boosting inspo to copycat before your next high-pressure moment.
Scroll down for the hype routines of over a dozen women killin’ it in the wellness world.
Chinae Alexander, Entrepreneur and Fitness Influencer
“Any time you hear me speak on a panel, take me on a first date, or sit across the table from me at a meeting… know that I have most likely listened to ‘The Thong Song’ by Sisqo just prior,” says fitness influencer Chinae Alexander. “It’s my ultimate pump-up jam and always puts me in the best mood.” On a related note, she calls the day Sisqo started following her on Instagram, unprompted, “the best day of my social media life.” Um, yeah!
Shira Lenchewski, MS, RD
“A quick solo dance party or a workout always put a pep in my step, as does an epic playlist,” says Shira Lenchewski, author of The Food Therapist. “For some reason, I find the rhythm of Sam Smith’s ‘Pray’ really gets me in a productive groove as well.”
Nikisha Riley, founder of Folie Apothecary and co-founder of Urban Bush Babes
Riley, founder of the Solange-beloved natural skin-care line Folie Apothecary, also relies on a little DJ magic to get herself into the zone. “I actually have a few playlists I’ve made on Spotify for different moods,” she says. “One of them is called ‘Get It’ and it’s all music that gets me super amped up and ready to attack whatever is in front of me, whether it’s working out, shooting a commercial, or speaking on a panel.”
Jennifer Bandier, founder of Bandier
Jennifer Bandier also relies on some tunes to get her into a mood. “For me, music is everything,” she says. “I have a different playlist for every moment, whether it’s Monday morning or before a huge presentation.”
Bianca Cheah, wellness expert and founder of Sporteluxe
Wellness expert Bianca Cheah’s take on this ritual is likely familiar to those who reside in car-centric cities. “To get motivated, I always pop on my favorite Spotify playlist and turn it up in the car,” she says. “That really gets me going and puts me in a good mood for the day.” On the flip side, she says, if she’s really nervous before a presentation, she’ll do five minutes of Ujjayi breath work to calm her mind or drop some flower essences under her tongue.
Sia Cooper, personal trainer and creator of the Strong Body Guide
“This might sound silly, but something else that gets me pumped up is self-care, be it going and getting a massage prior to a big day or getting my makeup or hair done,” says Cooper, who inspires 1 million followers on Instagram daily with her real-talk fitness posts. “It’s an instant boost of confidence and I feel like I’m ready to rule the world!”
Elizabeth S. Kott and Stephanie Simbari, co-hosts of That’s So Retrograde
Meanwhile, That’s So Retrograde hosts Elizabeth S. Kott and Stephanie Simbari prefer to be the ones doing the singing. “Before we record [our podcast], our hype routine is to sing show tunes,” says Kott. “It’s a vocal warm-up, brain exercise—[you have to] remember the lyrics—and joy-inducer all wrapped into one.”
To pump herself up, Simbari also says she does a little mental check-in. “I ask myself how I want to feel and how I want to show up, and then I ask myself what I need to do to get there,” she says.
Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott, co-founders of Tone It Up
Tone It Up co-founder Karena Dawn, powers up to a different kind of sound cue: her alarm clock, which, she says, she does not snooze. “The first thing I tell myself when I open my eyes is, ‘Today is going to be a good day,'” she says. “I don’t let the alarm clock dictate my vibe.” This early-morning mantra, she says, is then followed by coffee and a great workout.
Katrina Scott, meanwhile, says she relies on her partner in crime to help her rev things up. “When we were on our Tone It Up Tour to 15 cities in 30 days, [Karena and I] would hype each other up backstage before going on to lead a workout,” she says. “We’d go through the motions of what we had planned on stage while listening to good music to pump ourselves up—our tour hits were Cardi B and Beyoncé.”
Bree Branker, Akin’s Army Trainer
Professional dancer and trainer Bree Branker says she turns to her faith when she needs a pick-me-up. “If I’m particularly nervous before something important, I like to dig into a Bible verse,” she says. The one she connects with the most? Joshua 1:9 NIV, which reads, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” She likes the verse so much that, she says, one of her clients crafted her a ring engraved with its key points.
Jules Hunt, founder of OM & The City
“To get hyped, I look into the mirror and talk to myself like I would to my best friend,” says the wellness blogger. “I take a deep breath in and say, ‘You can do this, you are capable, you are confident, you are smart, you are brave, you’ve got this.’ I repeat it a few times until I believe it. Then I take a deep breath and when I exhale, I imagine the breath washing away all of my insecurities from the top of my head and out through the soles of my feet and into the earth.”
Jaycee Gossett, director of training and development for The Class by Taryn Toomey
The Class by Taryn Toomey is basically one big hype routine. So how does instructor Jaycee Gossett get pumped up before she takes to the studio floor? “I drink a Juice Press Mother F*#%in’ Fireball and E3 Live Shot mixed together—it’s my favorite,” she says. Then, after palo santo or sage-ing herself, she’ll listen to energizing songs and “maybe jump around to amp myself up.” Right now, her favorites are “Beneath The Skin” by Of Monsters and Men, “Rkadash” by Rey & Kjavik, and “C-H-E-M-I-C-A-L” by The Chemical Brothers.
Kelsey Patel, reiki master and founder of Magik Vibes
Finally, to pump herself up, empowerment coach Kelsey Patel winds herself down. “I love a good meditation and lighting one of my Magik Vibes moon candles or some of our incense to help my mind open up to all the magic and possibility of the day,” she says. “That especially helps if I wake up and my mind is super wired or spinning with to-do lists or feeling the pressure of a full day’s schedule; it helps lighten my vibe and opens me up to staying present.”
Want more boss babe inspo? Find out how Ellie Goulding, Daphne Oz, Tata Harper, Behati Prinsloo, Jenny Slate, and more start their days on the right foot.
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