INSPIRATION,MINDFULNESS

Wellness Wisdom

To celebrate Purist’s fifth anniversary, we collected words of inspiration, motivation and better-living dedication from our cover stars, who’ve shared life lessons, personal practices, health hacks, beauty secrets and mindfulness techniques.

Oprah Winfrey “Wellness to me means life in balance. I was raised on a tiny farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi, by my grandmother, and she grew everything. Never went to town for food. Other than baking powder, baking soda and maybe some yeast, we bought nothing. If you needed medical remedies, you’d go out and gather some roots and pine cones. I remember her making me pine cone tea when I had a cold.”
Robert Downey Jr. “We put Source Hydropanels, which extract clean, premium-quality drinking water from the air, dead in the middle of an open field, because we want folks to get used to seeing these kinds of innovative contraptions as they begin to proliferate.”
Rachel Weisz “This is the first film that I produced (Disobedience). It’s about someone who escaped, but hadn’t really escaped. Rachel McAdams’ character and mine were two halves of one person. She’s the half that stayed behind, and I’m the half that left. There was no antagonist. (Director) Sebastián Lelio says the antagonist is within—we have our own antagonist inside us.”
Viggo Mortensen “I feel that problems of discrimination, class schisms and racism are challenges for every generation in every country….The face and vocabulary of discrimination evolves. It is stubborn, tribal, based in ignorance and fear, and must be combated with factual information and direct, open exposure to those who seem, on the surface, to be different from ourselves.”
Rachel Brosnahan “Be kind to everyone. It costs you nothing and it’ll take you far.”
Brooke Shields “It’s never too late to start investing in yourself. Taking care of yourself. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.”
Christy Turlington Burns “I do my best to eat cleanly. I don’t deny myself anything, but I believe in moderation. Be open, be flexible, try things, experiment—I think that’s really important, and how we learn. Through having a steady yoga practice, I was able to have an appreciation for my body. My most creative ideas happened through that practice.”
Carolyn Murphy “For the most part, I don’t have a strict regimen. It’s just whatever feels good to the body, because I think it tells you, even if that’s a half-pint of ice cream. At BuddhaBerry last night, it was like, ‘Make sure you get me the cookie dough’—as I put down my Modelo Especial after I had three tacos from La Fondita. I don’t want to be too strict on anything, because it’s not realistic.”
Olivia Wilde “Best advice anyone has ever given me: Don’t pluck your eyebrows, and drink more water. Follow your dreams and direct your movie. Tell your story!”
Elle Macpherson “These days, enjoyment is my motivator. Lots of water and laughter go a long way to looking and feeling great.”

 

Sienna Miller “I meditate once a day, I wish it were twice. Also, those moments when you reach for your phone while in a cab…I try not to do that. I try to stare out the window and just be present as much as possible. I think the world is designed in a way that distracts us constantly. But taking a beat to pause, to notice where you are, to take a real deep breath is essential.”
Selma Blair “If you feel in terror, if life just does that to you, it really is hard. But now that I’ve had a glimpse of silver linings, of people caring, and know that I’m so much better off than so many people, I just need to find a way to help a few people. I can’t do a lot. I don’t have a huge amount of energy and I’m one person, but staying connected is key.”
Rosamund Pike “I fear losing my parents, a child being sick. And I fear things for the world. My biggest fear is the escalating plastic problem. You really feel it when you go to the countries I went to in preparation for this role (A Private War). I went to Lebanon and the plastic waste is everywhere, and I find it very upsetting. I fear the damage to our planet.”
Scarlett Johansson “I am stronger and more capable than I was 10 years ago. It’s hard to fit everything in when you try to balance motherhood, training and work. That balance is a myth! I don’t profess to know anything about parenting, anything more than anybody else, but being a working mom is an incredible challenge—and it’s an incredible gift.”
Gwyneth Paltrow “The true tenets of wellness are rather simple: good sleep, regular exercise, whole, nutritious food. The complexities of modern life make it a little harder. We’re exposed to chemicals and environmental toxins without realizing it, and quite often, when women voice concerns about how we feel, we’re ignored or told that it’s not something to worry about. But the wonderful thing about wellness is that we have more autonomy over our health than many of us realize. It takes more work and self-education, but it’s worth it to feel good.”
Gus Kenworthy “A quote I read when I was a teenager stuck with me forever: ‘Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.’ It really resonated with me, especially when I was coming out. Anyone who doesn’t support you for who you are, who doesn’t care about you for you, just doesn’t matter. Anyone who does matter will care.”
Miranda Kerr “Each of us has something unique to bring to the table. We need to embrace our own individuality, and lift each other up. So, whatever it is you’re passionate about, embrace those passions. Follow what makes your heart happy. That’s where you’ll be the best version of yourself.”
Naomi Watts “Advice I’d give to my younger self? Don’t try to please everyone. Don’t compare yourself to others. Trust your instincts. Those three are the strongest. I got caught up in that kind of stuff early on, which cost me. You’re enough. Just be you. Find you and embrace it, warts and all.”
Julianne Moore “The majority of Americans are in favor of commonsense gun safety measures. We all want to keep our children safe. We want to keep everyone else’s children, every other community safe. What’s happening right now, which is really exciting, is that all these diverse groups are coming together and saying this is our No. 1 issue. It’s a responsibility that we have as citizens, and as parents, to move forward on this.”
Jessica Chastain “I’m vegan and have been for a long time. So much is about what you eat. I know a lot of people who really indulge and then do a ton of working out. I just love fruits and veggies. Watermelon is the most delicious, sugary dessert. I love juicing and doing yoga. Also, I love taking baths. Having a hot bath every night and a good night of sleep is my joy.”
Sarah Jessica Parker “Books should be thought of as the gateway to wellness. Reading is restorative, it’s restful, it’s private, you can do it anywhere. Ten minutes in a book sometimes feels like a year away.”
Jennifer Garner “The most effective way to teach your kids is to live. My mom didn’t tell me to grow up and bake bread, but I learned from watching her.”