Aveda Ambassador Caley Alyssa is committed to using amazing color that she can feel good about. Learn more about the Aveda Love Your Color campaign here: aveda.com/haircolor.
When Caley Alyssa was voted one of the top three best bodies in SELF Magazine in 2014, she was so surprised she thought it was a joke. She even deleted the magazine’s email. A 31-year-old self-proclaimed yogapreneur based in Venice Beach, California, Caley is a yoga teacher, holistic health coach, model, and meditation guide. Or, in her words, “an all around master of manifesting bad-assery.”
Whether it’s through her practice on the mat, her international travel, or empowering other women to accomplish their goals, Caley leads a life full of color. She started teaching yoga full-time seven years ago after leaving a career in finance and a world she describes as soul sucking and toxic. Her yoga practice fulfilled her in ways she hadn’t realized she was deprived.
For Caley, it’s more than just teaching yoga. She has met new people, been presented with fresh opportunities, and has traveled the world—recently visiting Ibiza and Berlin, and spending New Year’s on a secluded island in Thailand. In early 2016, Caley led a workshop in New York City for a group of women that included the editor-in-chief of Yahoo.
“My mind is constantly blown by the opportunities that have presented themselves to me, and because of yoga I’ve got to travel the world,” she says. “I haven’t looked back. Not for a day.”
Caley’s Tips for Adding Color to Your Life
1. Switch Up Your Physical Practice
Naturally, Caley practices a lot of yoga. But it’s important to switch it up, she says, by doing some other type of physical activity with your body. Whether it’s taking a walk with a friend, going for a hike, hitting up the rock climbing gym, or attending a spin class, trying something new with your body is a great way to liven up your routine and keep your body and mind strong.
2. Travel Often
Whether it’s New Year’s Eve in Thailand or a simple weekend away with friends, Caley loves to get out and explore new places. “Travel doesn’t have to mean a huge trip,” she says. Why not grab a tent and some friends and camp for the weekend, or visit a national forest or park? It’s a big world out there, full of new opportunities for learning. The more we explore it, the more we add depth and color to our lives.
3. Cultivate Your Tribe
You are the company you keep, so choose wisely the people with whom you surround yourself. Your inner circle should fill you up and fill you with joy, plus bring out your positive attributes. Do they make you come alive? Make it a must.
4. Eat Brightly Colored Foods
“I start off my mornings with a smoothie with as much green as I can get—kale, spinach, anything packed with nutrition,” Caley says. In general, brightly colored foods tend to be better for you (think bright-orange carrots, red-violet beets, and those vibrant greens), so having colorful meals not only looks beautiful, it’s good for you, too.
5. Brighten Up Your Living Space
Your home is your happy space. Add pops of color to keep it feeling fresh and lively. “My bedroom has a lot of tranquil tones, a lot of blues,” says Caley. But she brings in bursts of orange and poppy through curtains and throw pillows in other parts of her home. “Make sure your home is fun and clean and beautiful.”
6. Adorn Your Body
Whether it’s through clothing or jewelry, essential oils or hair color, let some of your personality shine through. This doesn’t mean you have to wear the shiniest neon leggings or whole slew of gold necklaces (though power to you if that’s your thing!)—just do whatever allows you to reflect a little bit of your internal light outward.
7. Embrace a Creative Outlet
Having hobbies outside of your day job is super important. Bring more dimension and creativity to your life by cultivating a new skill like playing guitar, writing, painting, even doodling. Don’t overthink it—just try something different. It will enrich your life in more ways than one.
In partnership with Aveda
Globally loved for its performance-led, botanically-based professional hair, skin and body care products, and its commitment to environmental leadership and responsibility, Aveda™ the Art and Science of Pure Flower and Plant Essences was founded by award-winning hairdresser, Horst Rechelbacher in 1978. Inspired by Ayurveda, the 5,000 year old traditional Indian system of healing and medicine, Aveda takes a holistic approach to beauty where hair, scalp, body and skin are one and products, rituals and services care for the guest from scalp-to-soul℠. Aveda is trusted by salon and spa professionals worldwide, and Aveda products are available in more than 9,000 professional hair salons around the world.