Self-care, second to unprecedented times, was one of the most buzzworthy of phrases in 2020. A year that paralleled a Six Flags roller coaster held a few historic highs and more than it’s share of anxiety-inducing lows. People around the world felt the whiplash mentally, physically, and emotionally. Thus the unbridled desires to sit in a bath with a face mask or make enough sourdough to feed an army surged across the internet. Amidst all the chaos, confusion, and stress, people felt the need for a moment to rest and reset more widely than the toilet paper shortage. This is where Amanda Hall and Chelsea Haddad, Founders of Laughing Tansy, found their sweet spot.
Laughing Tansy, a company that considers self-care more than a priority of the brand but a pillar of their essence, launched at the beginning of 2020. For a year that was canonically unforgiving to businesses, especially independently-run ones, the fledgling brand faced a difficult situation. But this isn’t a sad story (we’ve had enough of those); in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Throughout 2020, not only did Laughing Tansy find themselves well received by consumers, but they were able to build a community that went far beyond the products they sell.
“We felt honored that in a time of such distress, chaos, and heartache, we could be a company that could be there for people.”
Self-care for Amanda and Chelsea goes beyond the stereotypes. While taking a bath and putting on a face mask are great ways to employ self-care in a physical form, they urge their community to remember to practice self-care emotionally and mentally as well. “We see [Laughing Tansy] as a gateway to self-care,” and in acting as that gateway, Amanda and Chelsea want to support the many different ways that people find their care. “We stand behind all of those [ways] and practice them in our everyday lives as well. One place we shine is allowing people to discover the reserves that they have within themselves just by taking the time. We live in a hectic world, and time is a big commodity. So to give ourselves time to practice our self-care is a valuable gift.”
With time as a commodity, it can be difficult to justify taking a moment to care for yourself, especially when you’re a college student crashing on a project. When asked how students who are struggling with that justification can cope, Amanda and Chelsea offered two pieces of advice. The first is reclaiming your time. “A lot of times we have the time, but it’s what do we choose to do with that time. Do I choose to scroll on my phone and go on Instagram and Tik Tok or choose to sit in silence and drink some tea? Which one is better for me? Before college, your parents helped regulate your time. Now you’re out in the world, and you have to reclaim that for yourself. You have to reclaim your own type of self-care and cultivate a practice and ritual that works for you.”
The second piece of advice is forcing yourself to be present. There’s so much to get wrapped up in. It can be overwhelming, and it can feel impossible to pull yourself out of it, but it’s not. “I think one thing that can be helpful and you can do it for three to five minutes is turn off your phone, and just look around and observe the things around you. Just breathe in and out and notice if there are birds on the trees. What is the traffic noise? Are there people walking by? Just observe your surroundings. You can do that for such a short period of time, but sometimes that can help reset our nervous system a little bit.”
In a year that threw obstacle after obstacle, Amanda and Chelsea’s keyword became pivot. “When you’re hit with an obstacle, you have two choices: you go on, or you don’t. If you’re walking, and then you hit a wall, you can’t keep going straight. You have to move around it if you want to continue walking. Learning to pivot is so important, and it’s a great lesson that this year has taught us.”
Starting a company amid a pandemic was by no means an easy feat, but Amanda and Chelsea both look back on the year with gratitude and look forward to what 2021 may bring. They can’t wait to continue on their journey with Laughing Tansy and hope to continue building their community of people to support and cheer on.
Words by Hana Lorne
Art Direction by Day Toscano
Photography by Autumn Kulla
Talent is Gabriela Serpa, Tommy Drennen, and Sydnie Uldrick
Special Thanks to Amanda Hall and Chelsea Haddad