5 min read
Rituals: in conversation with 'lawyer turned funtrepreneur', Sarah Davidson (Holloway)
Hey Sarah, can you give us a bit of an intro into your life and the variety of amazing things you do?
I do enjoy having a few different balls in the air making it hard to explain what I do, but I usually describe myself as a "lawyer turned funtrepreneur". I started out on a pretty conventional career path as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer, which I actually quite enjoyed at the time, but a sliding doors moment led me into the wide world of business and I've never looked back. To cut a very long story short, a gut parasite resulted in a ban from coffee which led me to discover the marvels of matcha powder as a healthier form of caffeination. It's been around for centuries hailed as a hero of health among Zen Buddhist monks, but at the time, wasn't very affordable or accessible to the health (let alone mainstream) market. In a quest to satisfy our own selfish needs, my husband and I started a side hustle to reintroduce matcha to the world as a versatile superfood and it took off so quickly that I ended up leaving my job at the law firm after just a few months. It's been nearly six years since then and we've recently exited the business handing over the reins to some amazing new guardians of the brand who will continue to grow it to infini-tea and beyond! Now, I can give my full attention to the next iteration of my purpose and passion - Seize the Yay. A few years into our journey with Matcha Maiden, I realised I had not only replaced my career and lifestyle but my whole philosophy on life, happiness and fulfilment. I had walked away from the "productivity conveyer belt" and "glorification of busy" that had me climbing a ladder towards a form of success that didn't ultimately align with my values and priorities. Instead, I shifted back towards what brings my joy and unites my skills with my interests and became passionate about helping others break the autopilot circuit we can so easily fall into in life and re-find that blissful feeling of "yay". What started as a podcast (again only ever intended to be a side hustle or hobby) quickly grew into a bustling community dubbed the "yayborhood", a book of the same name focusing on the many facets of finding your joy, a series of jewellery and other "wearable yay" to guide you through each day and who knows what else lies ahead! I'm also a speaker, MC and host on Channel 7's House of Wellness. I've come to embrace a yay-filled life as unravelling in chapters that evolve as you do, particularly given the world we live in moves faster than it ever has before. So, that's me in a very long-winded nutshell!This winter, how are you going to add a little bit of hygge to your life?
The concept of hygge is so well aligned with the idea of seizing your yay and bringing little moments of joy to your life, so it's a huge priority for me. Particularly in winter when we aren't usually out and about as much, I've really started to honour the seasons and the role they play in our lives - I used to expect myself to have the same energy, stamina and creativity all year round but winter is really a time to go a bit more slowly and hibernate in the cosy-ness! I am a sucker for a good book, so I'll be rugging myself up in a thick blanket with our Golden Retriever and as many candles as I can find. I also love a long hot bubble bath to combat the cold and unwind from whatever stresses the day may bring. I also put an extra effort into my skincare regime, knowing the harshness of winter can really impact our skin health and radiance. So, of course, the trusty UFO 2 paired with a Green Tea Mask will be a season-long go-to for hydrated, replenished skin!We have to ask, how are you finding the UFO 2 and the Green Tea mask?
I've been using the UFO 2 for nearly three years as part of my skincare regime and it's no surprise that I'm obsessed with anything green tea related, so I'm absolutely obsessed with the combination! It's such an easy way to create a luxurious pampering experience in the comfort of your own home with such visible results for glowing, radiant skin. FOREO's T-Sonic pulsations create the loveliest facial massage and I really appreciate how dewy your skin feels afterwards but without feeling sticky or clogged. I used to reserve these kinds of rituals for the weekend or special occasions, but life is too short not to make time for self-care so I'm doing one of these almost daily and my skin feels DIVINE!At FOREO HQ we're feeling a bit adventurous and would love to try out your favourite matcha recipe!
I absolutely LOVE how versatile matcha is - my daily dose is usually just a straight up tea, but you can get really adventurous if you're up for something different. I love smoothie bowls in summer, but in winter I prefer something a bit warmer and more nourishing. Matcha porridge with all the toppings you can find is a favourite of mine and so easy to whip up!Matcha Porridge Recipe:
[caption id="attachment_9687" align="alignnone" width="300"]
Sarah's favourite matcha recipe[/caption]
Ingredients:
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 heaped teaspoon of Matcha Maiden Organic Matcha Powder
- ½ teaspoon of spirulina
- 1 cup of almond milk (or your choice of milk)
- 1 banana (sliced lengthways; mash 1 half to put in the porridge and caramelize the other half)
- Ground cinnamon
- Rice malt syrup
- Caramelized banana
- Granola
- Almond butter
- Rice malt syrup/honey
- Place the oats, matcha, spirulina together in a saucepan and combine
- Add the milk and mashed banana and bring to the boil
- Let simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the oats are cooked or to desired consistency
- Add caramelized banana and other toppings!
- Place the banana on a non-stick fry pan on medium heat
- Drizzle rice malt syrup and sprinkle cinnamon on the banana
- Flip the banana when it browns on the bottom
- Take off heat when both sides are browned
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