Shay Mitchell Always Follows This Advice From Her Grandma Before She Hits the Gym (or Pickleball Court)

On a sunny January afternoon in Los Angeles, actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell hosted a pickleball tournament where she summarily kicked her (good sported) competitors’ butts.

Like so many of us, the Béis founder has become quite the pickleball aficionado over the past year, joining in with her friends who can’t get enough of the popular sport. Movement has been an important part of Mitchell’s life since she was a kid taking post-dinner walks with her family. Today, she shares her impressive workouts on Instagram, where she conquers feats like doing plank knee tucks with her feet on a sled-style treadmill.

But Mitchell has to find the motivation to move every day just like the rest of us. One way she connects with that drive is through… her lips.

“My grandma would always say to me ‘put on a little bit of lipstick or lip gloss,’” Mitchell recalls. “You’re not doing it for anybody else. You’re doing it for yourself.”

The idea is that giving herself that “treat yourself” moment motivates her through the rest of her activities. That’s why Mitchell also likes to dress up for the gym or the court—and is even one of the reasons she decided to take up sports like tennis and pickleball, that happen to come with some pretty cute outfits.

“If you feel good and feel like you look cute, then you just crush it even more,” Mitchell says. “I love dressing up if I’m going to the gym or if I’m playing tennis. Regardless of the sport, it just adds a little zhuzh.”

There is research that suggests that preparing for something by wearing clothes that you associate with proficiency or mastery of that activity can actually make you perform better. What’s more, a recent trend called dopamine dressing champions picking out clothes that make you feel happy (like those that have bright colors) to boost your mood.

“Dopamine motivates us to seek a reward,” behavioral psychologist Carolyn Mair, PhD, author of The Psychology of Fashion, previously told Well+Good. “So, scientifically speaking, dopamine dressing refers to a person’s motivation to dress in a way that will result in a positive outcome, like feeling more confident, competent, or happy.”

It’s easy to see how that can translate to the gym floor or pickleball court. If you dress in a way that makes you feel confident, you might feel more equipped to conquer those reps or rallies with ease. Of course, dressing up and “looking pretty” is by no means a prerequisite for getting active. But if it works for you, it works for you (and Shay).

Making people feel prepared for their favorite sports is also one of the reasons Mitchell recently launched a Sports Collection of Beis bags. Two of the larger bags come complete with slots for rackets or paddles. So now, you’ll have everything you need to hit the pickleball court. Just don’t forget to toss in that lip gloss.

These Béis Sports Collection bags are perfect for pickleball

The Sport Carryall — $88.00

With a sporty nylon exterior, this bag has plenty of pockets and a sleeve for both your laptop and your tennis racket or pickleball paddle. Shown here in beige, it also comes in slate and black.

The Sport Backpack — $98.00

Made in the same material as the carryall, we love this backpack in the blue-gray “slate” color, though it also comes in beige and black. A drawstring will keep your balls and other goods safe, while you can keep your rackets/paddles secure in the front sleeve that also zips on the sides.