Holisticism: Healing, Entrepreneurship, And Being A Woman

Being busy became synonymous with getting shit done, which any first-year Sociology student knows can be blamed on the Protestant work ethic, which emphasized hard work, discipline, and self-denial. You’d think Puritans were masochists, but the ladder of eternal damnation due to laziness was far scarier. 

But there’s been a shift amongst Millennials. We’ve gotten a bad rap on being lazy, entitled, and self-absorbed, but I just call that a healthy dose of self-confidence and self-awareness, right? I really believe that our generation's greatest contribution is creating a paradigm shift in the American work ideology—working yourself to the bone is so passé. There’s been a cosmic calling for us to turn inward, and that’s where Michelle Pellizzon comes in.

As the founder of Holisticism, "A community for women to explore the intersection between holistic living, mystic 'woo' stuff, and entrepreneurship," she’s leading the way on this new awakening of self-care along with being a MF’n boss, and sharing her intel along the way. 

Your background was as a dancer. How did you make the leap to consulting/writing/nutrition?

(I apologize for that pun, and I instantly regretted it :p)

Ha! Love the pun. 

I went to NYU and got my BFA in Dance, but still had to follow a pretty rigorous academic schedule. My writing and English classes were always my favorite—mostly because I thought they were fun. 

When I was dancing professionally in NYC, I always had a second gig. I got a job in wellness, ended up going back to school to become a nutritionist, and sort of fell into this other career. After a few years of pursuing wellness in New York, my job brought me to LA … which is where I was introduced to the world of startups and tech. I was offered a job at a small tech startup to sort of be a “Jill-of-all-trades”—I did everything from writing the blog, to answering customer emails, to writing the copy on the site. 

What made you decide to start Holisticism?

I started Holisticism kind of on accident! After working in tech for four-ish years, I still felt like I hadn’t really met any female founders or CEOs whose leadership style really resonated with me. After talking to my friends and colleagues, I realized I wasn’t alone. I was working for a website at the time, and I decided to start a column around female leaders. I started interviewing women for the column in an attempt to understand what made them such great leaders, and I learned that almost all of them had a wellness or spiritual practice that was really important to them. It seemed like these practices really impacted their personal worldviews, and I felt really called to opening up a conversation around healing, entrepreneurship, and being a woman. 

Why is being women-centric in your workshops important to you?

Now, more than ever, women need to come together and support each other. It’s really clear that no one is coming on a white horse to save us—we’ve gotta save ourselves. The best way to do that, I think, is to band together and share and uplift each other. 

How/ Why did you start using CBD?

I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 17. The prescription drugs I was given really made me sick, and I hated taking them. I began using CBD in conjunction with meditation a few years ago to help me manage my seizures. 

What’s your favorite way to use CBD?

I love making tonics in the morning and adding CBD in! Current fave is a bulletproof coffee situation with astragalus and collagen. 

How do you define wellness? 

Wellness is having the knowledge and personal sovereignty to make choices that help you feel as good as possible, through any situation. 

How do you balance work/life? 

I guess my goal isn’t really balance—it’s energetic equilibrium. I want to feel excited, motivated, and inspired by every aspect of my life. Sometimes that means that I work until 11:30 PM on a Saturday night on Holisticism, and sometimes it means I take two weekdays off. It all just ebbs and flows. 

Speed Round of the Q & A~ Answer with the first thing that pops into your head 

You current state of mind: 

Tired but excited.

Top 3 guilty pleasures: 

Cookie butter, not washing my hair after surfing, bingeing Netflix while working. 

Must have apps: 

Sonos, Nike Running, Quickbooks, ColorStory.

Reading any good books lately? Any summer suggestions?

I’m obsessed with  the book, “When The Body Keeps Score.” But I’m also a huge fan of Carolyn Myss and her book, “Sacred Contracts.”

Eco-friendly switch you tried to make that you could not make stick:

Still seriously struggling on the natural deodorant thing. 

Go-to dance move: 

Oh god. I’ll do anything after two mezcals. 

Tell me a nutritionist secret: 

Hmm, I would say that stress affects your metabolism and weight WAY MORE than any food group does.  

What makes you happy? 

Everything. The fact that I get to wake up in the morning. But also: love, puppies, surprises, astrology, magic, seeing the people around me pursue their passions, connecting likeminded people, women who support other women, men who support women, LA, NYC, and circuitous life paths!