Lauryn Rogers

We have so many hidden gems here locally so this year we’ll be tapping into the local scene from the eyes of our local influencers. They’ll be sharing their favorite dining, hidden gems and tips + tricks for making the most out of North Idaho all while supporting our locally owned businesses.

As many of you know, I am the founder of The Copper Label and work as a full time stylist. You may not know I have many hobbies and activities I do regularly when I’m not behind the chair. In between running a salon and taking care of my clients’ manes, I’m also a real estate agent with Back40 Realty. Back40 is a brokerage of just 3 locals with a deep love for our beautiful hometown. I believe in giving back to the community that has given me so much. Working with charities like Children’s Village, Rescue4All, and Project Beauty Share allows me to support the things closest to my heart, children, animals and making sure that no great beauty product ever goes to waste. If you don’t know what one or all of these amazing organizations are, please reach out to me so I can elaborate!

I usually have to choose between several activities during the week because there is truly so many to choose from in our area. My husband and I have busy schedules, so the time we have together is very important and usually involves lots of great food, being outdoors with our dogs Hank & Lucy, hanging out with our wonderful friends and traveling. I would consider all of these meaningful forms of self-care.

For me, there are three important pillars of life, professional/ work, health(mental/ physical), and relationships. The goal is to strive for balance, knowing that there is always going to be an ebb & flow between them. Being able to reflect and recognize when things are not in balance is extremely important, and this level of self-awareness is also a form of self-care. The way that self-care can be portrayed today is completely backwards. First, self-care is almost exclusively aimed at women. The not-so-subtle suggestion is that women need to be reminded to care for themselves because they are so busy taking care of everyone else. And the even less-subtle suggestion that while we should be caring for ourselves, that doesn’t absolve us from taking care of everyone else. Or even worse, that your worth is directly connected to how you look.

Which brings me to my second point that the current portrayal of self-care is characterized as indulgence. This tells your brain that both the practice of self-care is something we are occasionally allowed to indulge in and that self care should feel like an indulgence. I am constantly battling this in my professional and personal life. That is precisely why I put scalp and hair health above vanity and style. Feeling great about how you look is only genuine if you internally match that. Improving your health, strength and reversing damage to your skin and hair should be the reason for appointments and the bonus is it makes you look amazing! Not the other way around.

In the fall of 2020, I stopped making excuses and started m a n c e o f p e o p l e o f a l l a g e s a n d w a l k s o f l i f e L e a r n t o r e c o g n i z e m u s c u l a r p a t t e r n s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h s t r e s s D e v e l o p a c o n s c i o u s n e s s a r o u n d h a b i t u a l p a t

Jiu Jitsu at Trevor Prangley’s AKA. I wanted to learn selfdefense and needed a new form of exercise that challenged me, both mind and body. I had no idea it would change my life the way it did. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) a smaller person can defend themselves against a larger opponent. Learning how to apply leverage and grapple is without a doubt the most difficult thing I’ve ever experienced mentally and physically. BJJ teaches you incredible mental strength and values skill over height, weight, and brute strength. This is why BJJ is considered the ideal sport for self-defense for women. Finding ways to manage raw emotions can be difficult for me because I have to always be “on”. Since opening a new business, that took things to a whole new level. I’m not very good at being vulnerable and honest about how much I sometimes struggle with my own mental health. BJJ helps me relieve stress, reduce anxiety and build true confidence. It also is widely known to help treat ptsd, trauma and victims of domestic and sexual abuse. BJJ is infamous for developing the guard stance and teaching how to fight off an attacker. You learn how to use your legs, hips, core, back, and every other muscle to be defensive, apply joint locks, and chokes. This is particularly good for women because we tend to have isometric and hip strength beyond what men do. The added bonus is you’ll be in the best shape of your life after getting past conditioning and BJJ naturally increases your metabolism, cardiovascular/ muscular strength, flexibility and mobility.

Jiu Jitsu has taught me to love my body for what it can do rather than just what it looks like. It has virtually eliminated all my physical insecurities because of how differently I see myself now. I also love the Jiu Jitsu community, we are a family at AKA. You create a very special bond and connection with people you train with. I have built so many incredible friendships thanks to this sport. In addition I also do yoga twice a week with my amazing friend and yoga instructor Madelyn Halligan at AKA. This is not your typical yoga class, it will improve balance, increase mobility, and strengthen your overall health.

You don’t make progress and grow living inside your comfort zone. This is a hard truth I’ve had to learn time and time again. Do I enjoy getting pampered or using retail therapy occasionally as a form of self- care? Absolutely! But after working in the beauty industry for over a decade, I’ve seen what having an imbalanced perspective about it can do. It’s about changing your perspective and balance because if everything you consider self-care is just scratching the surface, you’re not doing it right. A huge part of success is just showing up and doing the work. It is not always comfortable or easy, but damn it’s worth it. You’re capable of so much more than you know. If you asked me 5 years ago if I would be able to do any of the things I’m doing on a daily basis now, I would tell you there’s no way. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize accomplishments or milestones I’ve made because of how hard the journey was to get there. I have failed a lot, but that has taught me more, it is about developing a true growth mindset. Self-care is not an indulgence, it is a discipline. It requires tough mindedness, a deep personal understanding of your priorities, and a respect for both yourself and the people you choose to spend your life with.