Girlfriend@Gaiam

Who better to know than a girlfriend when you find a brand you love and want the scoop on what's new and what's hot? Your Girlfriend@Gaiam is your Gaiam personal shopper! She’s got a smart sense of style and cares how her shopping impacts people and the planet. She’s the one her friends count on for advice on green and socially conscious fashion, home decor, and she’s the one that always finds the right gift for everyone. Your Girlfriend@Gaiam works right here with our product development, merchandising and Gaiam.com teams, so she knows the lowdown on ... new arrivals, hot sellers, Gaiam Customer Favorites, Girlfriend@Gaiam’s personal favorites, great deals and sale events, what customers like you are saying, inspiring stories of how your shopping choices are making a difference, and "as-seen-in" reviews of Gaiam products by your favorite magazines and websites! Subscribe to our Blog feed and e-newsletter so you never miss a Girlfriend@Gaiam update!

Out of the blue one day, I got a call from a local retailer telling me I’d won the use of a projection-screen TV for the Final Four weekend, plus platters of munchies for a March Madness get-together. This was before HD and flat screens — it was a Big Deal to have that giant television wheeled into the house for the weekend. We had our friends Tillie and Jim over, and together we cheered for and yelled at the players and ate a lot of deli food. Good times!

Jim passed away just a few short years later. He was in his mid-30s. Every year when March Madness comes around, I’m reminded of the surprise of winning that prize and the unexpected way in which watching few basketball games deepened our friendship. It makes me realize what a good coach the universe is — there are lessons for life everywhere, even in the playoffs.

Here’s what March Madness taught me about life:

Maybe it’s cabin fever, or perhaps it’s just all those Girl Scout cookies, but I’m ready for something new in my fitness routine. Aren’t you?

Like many people, I made a resolution to lose weight, and I’ve been keeping up my end of the bargain I made with myself to work out for at least 30 minutes, five days a week. Now I’m ready for something new: a new challenge, a different routine, a never-tried-that-before workout.

We’re almost midway through the first month of the new year, and if you’re like the majority of resolution makers, you’re likely already starting to falter. According to a recent New York Times article, “By the end of January, a third will have broken their resolutions, and by July more than half will have lapsed.”

That’s why now is a great time to recommit to those oh-so-noble goals. Two ways to do that? Checking in with your resolutions often and rewarding yourself for your progress. Sure, losing weight, saving money and getting more sleep are their own rewards, but a little extra motivation never hurt, right?

Meditation does not come naturally — at least, not to me. I’m easily distracted, there are a million things on my “mom mind” and I feel a little guilty when I’m not doing something productive. But I work at Gaiam: I have seen the benefits with my very own eyes, and the reasons to meditate are convincing! Besides, I work at Gaiam: Shouldn’t I at least try meditating?

Last night I went out with some girlfriends for a little spa treatment and I turned a few heads when I pulled out my own little travel mani and pedi toolkit, packed with all the essentials including my non-toxic nail polish and nail polish remover. After all, an eco-girl doesn’t have to be less fabulous to be eco-chic.

OK, so I know organic food is better for you. But I have to admit I thought organic cotton clothing was something for the very rich and picky.

Then a few months ago I laid eyes on a T-shirt I loved that was made of organic cotton, and it didn’t look snobbish at all. It was cute and had a great line: Peace. And it helps support charities, too.

I can’t believe how good it feels to be upside-down.

Working at Gaiam, we get to try some cool stuff. The Inversion Table is very cool stuff. There are two of them in an open area, a little oasis near customer service where people go to meditate, read, stretch, whatever. Christine, who says she’s not needed massage or chiropractic nearly as much for her back since she started inverting, showed me how to strap in. It’s much less intimidating than it appears — and wow, is it worth it.

I could barely contain my surprise when my brother asked me a few months ago which compost bin he should buy from Gaiam. We’re talking about a guy who arguably has the cleanest fingernails on the planet (he’s a heart surgeon) and who has absolutely no tree-hugging tendencies. His SUV gets 13 miles to the gallon. He doesn’t have a single compact fluorescent light bulb in his entire house. He occasionally bikes to work, but mostly to avoid becoming like one of his patients. But his 13-year-old son came home from Boy Scouts one day and said, “Dad, we have to start composting.”

Nope, not Aladdin’s lamp. … It’s a neti pot.

I believe alternative healthcare works. I try to use natural methods to ease my family’s symptoms before reaching for over-the-counter or prescription meds. But there’s just something about the neti pot that’s kept me from going there … What was it again? Oh yeah: It seemed too gross! (“You want me to put this where?”)

I have to admit that I’m not much of a peanut butter fan, but my nephews were coming to stay with me for the weekend so I picked up some kid friendly organic foods for them.