Superstar teen activist Haile Thomas joins us to share her story and tell us what her debut empowerment cookbook Living Lively means to her.
Meet Haile – teen wellness & compassion activist, speaker, CEO, and author of Living Lively
I’m so happy to be joining HQ to share a glimpse of the heart of my debut book, Living Lively. It features 80 plant-based recipes to activate your power and fuel your potential, plus a 7 Points of Power Manifesto to encourage nourishment of all areas in our lives. For the past decade, I have rooted my work in empowering my peers to nurture their mental, physical, and spiritual health through nourishing foods and intersectional self-care. This is precisely what Living Lively highlights — the importance of nurturing the many pieces to the whole picture of well-being.
Writing has been an outlet
I’ve always associated our individual stories, unique experiences and perspectives, and creativity with intentional service work. Writing has been an outlet for my voice and imagination for as long as I can remember. My parents always instilled in me that my self-expression is valuable and that I should infuse everything I create with purpose and intention. With this foundation, starting my health activism journey, and facing universal growing pains through it all, I began to find clarity on what true well-being is.
I noticed my wellness was shaped by more than what I was eating or how I was moving my body. It was also deeply connected to my thoughts and mindset, the relationship I had with myself and others, and the ways I nurtured my creativity and being of service. Witnessing this interconnectivity within my own life and the lives of those around me made it clear that there was a gap between nutrition/food and also self-growth/spiritual growth. The inspiration behind Living Lively is to close that gap. It provides a holistic wellness perspective that encourages introspection and shares tangible steps for positive growth and recipes for nourishing your body.
Part self-help and part cookbook
My biggest dream is for this book to resonate with and positively impact all who may need it. It’s a toolkit and a hand to hold on this journey of figuring out how to be human and help ourselves and others thrive. I’m so excited to see how Living Lively will encourage readers to tap into compassionate self-care and self-reflection, leaving them knowing they are worthy of prioritizing their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being!
I think we’ve collectively realized that compartmentalizing our lives isn’t serving our highest potential. And that’s precisely why this book is part self-help and part cookbook. In addition to nurturing our minds and spirits, Living Lively contains 80 joy-filled vegan recipes to whip up! It’s all about making intentional food choices that align with the ways we want to feel inside, make a difference in the world, and grow as individuals. And by eating more plant-based, we instill purpose into our plates by simultaneously nourishing our bodies and making a positive impact on the environment and animals.
I feel incredibly thrilled to have this work of the heart out into the world. I hope that in these tumultuous times, it can be a light in many lives, inspiring a personal commitment to Living Lively every day.
