6.12.25. What a weekend. ✨
This was our very first time sharing Presently with the yoga community—and to be totally honest, we weren’t sure how we’d be received.
We’re not lifelong yogis. In fact, I (Emily) first started practicing yoga during one of the hardest chapters of my life—when I had just moved to the city and was drowning in discomfort and severe anxiety. I remember pushing myself to go to Crunch Fitness, mostly to keep busy, but I started gravitating toward yoga classes.
I’d be in downward dog, trying to focus on my breath, and swatting away some of those early intrusive thoughts that tried to sabotage any moment of peace. It was hard. But learning to be mindful—even just for a few seconds at a time—started in those classes. And eventually, it helped. After all, practice makes progress.
So heading into this weekend, I didn’t know if people would get Presently. We weren’t sure if our story, or our bracelets, would resonate. But as people started trickling into our little tent, something shifted.
I remember saying to one person, “We weren’t sure if this would be a fit.”
To which they responded, “Yoga is the practice of being present.”
That’s when I knew—we were in the right place.
From the moment we arrived, we felt it: openness, warmth, curiosity, and a kind of quiet presence that mirrored everything Presently was created to support.
A huge thank you to the Berkshire Yoga Festival for giving us a space to show up as our full selves—and to every single one of you who stopped by to listen, connect, and share your own stories. We made real friends that weekend, and we hope to keep learning from you all as this community grows.
If you picked up a bracelet or paused to read one of our phrases, we hope it met you exactly where you needed it.
We created Presently as two sisters with OCD and anxiety who realized something really important:
When you're deep in anxiety, it's really hard to remember the tools that help.
So we started making the tool we wished we had: a bracelet engraved with a phrase our therapists had said—something small but powerful enough to bring us back to the present moment when everything felt like too much.
These aren’t just affirmations. They’re grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness. They’re wearable tools designed to gently interrupt anxious spirals, reinforce emotional resilience, and help you feel just a little more okay—even if nothing around you has changed.
We believe a single phrase can break the pattern.
That being present is a practice.
And that when someone feels truly seen—not with toxic positivity, but with something honest—it can spark a quiet shift:
"Oh… if she’s been through this and found her way forward, maybe I can too."
Every phrase is chosen with care. Created to meet you exactly where you are.
Practicing mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting in silence or meditating for 20 minutes. It can be as simple as eating a snack and actually tasting it. Noticing your breath while you walk. Listening to a song with both earbuds in.
And yes—yoga. Yoga is a no-brainer when it comes to grounding yourself and getting out of your head. It’s how my practice began, and it’s still a reminder that the present moment is always available to return to.
That’s why this weekend meant so much to us.
Our mission has always been to carry the work of mindfulness into the moments that need it most. If you’re building a space—whether physical or communal—where people come to reconnect, reset, or simply breathe, we’d love to be part of it.
We left the Berkshire Yoga Festival feeling lighter, more present, and deeply inspired. Thank you for making us feel seen.
Presently yours,
Emily & Lindsay
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