A Love Letter From Joanna: Tips for Loving Yourself (and Your Life) This Valentine’s Day
February is the month of love — and with Valentine’s Day here (and the launch of our Own Your Sexy campaign), it's a good time to reflect on it. I’ve been reflecting, in particular, on all the love I have for this beautiful community we’ve cultivated.
Every time we host an event or put out a customer casting call, time and time again, I’m reminded: our community is simply the best. The way you hold space for each other, empower one another, and step into your own light brings me so much joy. It’s truly the alchemy that fuels our innovations and products, with the aim of improving people’s lives.
It never ceases to amaze me how Knix products can inspire profound acts of self-love. They inspire people to step in front of the mirror and love what they see; to move through the world feeling unapologetically free.
These are small, brilliant moments of self-love — and it means the world to play a part in facilitating them. It’s what keeps my cup full.
As a busy entrepreneur, I have a few guiding self-love principles of my own that have allowed me to thrive as a founder and mom to 3 under 3. They’re tips you’re unlikely to encounter in most generic “self-care guides,” and I think that’s what makes them special.
They’ve been instrumental in helping me grow both my business and family (while maintaining some semblance of balance). So, I’m sharing them with love this Valentine’s Day — from my cup, to yours.
Celebrate Your Wins (and Cheers to Your Losses)
Celebrate your wins, big and small. When life gets busy, it’s easy to forget to pause and savor our achievements. This year has been full of pinch-me moments — from getting dressed up and accepting the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award to unveiling Knix’s fabulous new HQ. Countless dreams have become reality this year, and there’s nothing sweeter than celebrating with the people who helped them come to fruition.
But what about when you fail?, you might be thinking. That’s when you crack open a bottle of what I like to refer to as “failure champagne” (cheap prosecco works just as well). It’s a little ritual I cultivated when I first began my entrepreneurial journey. It’s not about celebrating your losses so much as an opportunity to reflect and toast to lessons learned.
Believe in Yourself
Like so many female founders, I was told countless times my ideas were “too niche.” But I knew in my heart of hearts that Knix was creating products half the population needed. Products that catered to menstruation and leaks were thought of as taboo or irrelevant, but I was unrelenting in my vision.
I confronted similar hurdles when we opted to elevate our customers to model status and feature real people in our campaigns. My intuition told me that the intimates category needed to be shaken up, it needed an infusion of realness and relatability. If everyday people could see the beauty in strangers that look like them, maybe they’d recognize beauty within themselves, too.
I was pregnant with my twin girls when raising capital for Knix. Even after building a successful business I faced scrutiny and questions. One investor even expressed fear I’d “take the money and run.” Turns out it pays off to back a "niche" business being run by a “mom.” This is your reminder to push through people’s assumptions and believe in yourself, even when no one else will.
Embrace the Chaos
Nothing is ever picture perfect, despite what Instagram filters lead us to believe. We can get so preoccupied with trying to self-optimize, we can neglect that we’re all constant works in progress. My advice? Embrace the chaos.
Life’s messiest moments are often those most worth living for. The things that fill my life with the most chaos (like managing a business while raising three toddlers) are the things that often bring me the most joy.
When I first found out we were having twins, I was nervous. My life was already more chaotic than most, I wasn’t totally sure how we’d juggle it all. But if running Knix has taught me anything, it’s this: life is messy and things won’t go as planned. The best thing you can do is embrace the chaos and enjoy the ride.
There are times when I want to bottle up the chaos. I’m worried that somehow I’ll forget all the moments in between; the laughter, the squeals, the cries, the kitchen dance parties, car meltdowns, and being covered in love. This year, I’m continuing to live for the chaos and life’s messier, unexpected moments.
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Valentine’s Day is for celebrating love in all its forms. Whether it’s celebrating your significant other(s), best gal pals, or yourself. And, yes, wearing your sexiest lingerie to eat lo mein in front of your favorite reality series counts as self-love.
Love,
Joanna
