Sensitive gangsters rise up. Amaya "Papaya" Espinal initially joined season seven of "Love Island USA [1]" looking for love with another islander. But in the end, it was the love she had for herself that truly won us over. From candid affirmations [2] (she never said she was perfect) to her many viral Amaya-isms, she's someone that radiates pure joy and authenticity, which is why she is Popsugar's Feel-Good Person of the Year. [3] We could all learn a lot from her when it comes to living life unapologetically — and we decided to take notes.
Over the past several months, I've struggled to maintain a consistent routine. Chronic illness makes it especially difficult [4] at times, and it's easy for me to feel anxious [5] or overwhelmed. In an effort to get out of this rut and into a better headspace, I decided to try Espinal's wellness routine for a full week. Read on to see what I did, what I liked, and how I felt by the end of the seven days (including why I may never go back).
The Routine
Espinal's wellness regimen is fairly straightforward, but to keep it simple, I broke it up into two main sections: fitness and self-care. The details are as follows:
Amaya Espinal's Fitness Regimen
- Jogging two times per week
- Yoga two times per week
- Strength training once per week
Amaya Espinal's Self-Care Regimen
- Daily journaling
- Affirmations out loud in the mirror
- Wearing tropical scents
- Indulging in a long "everything" shower
My Experience
I started the week with a massive amount of anxiety. I felt stressed about work, holiday travel plans, and life in general. But having woken up early to try Espinal's routine, I had more time to ease into the day and slowly chip away at my stress. The routine started with me repeating affirmations like: "I am doing my best, and that is enough," "I radiate positive energy," and "I am a magnet for positive experiences" in the bathroom mirror. It felt a little awkward at first, but in making an effort to verbalize and internalize each message, I started to really believe them.
I then moved to the patio, enjoying the sunshine, sipping coffee, and reflecting on the past few days in a gratitude journal that had been collecting dust for weeks. I used the "Three Good Things" journal from Good Memories, which encouraged me to document three good things from each day, plus why they happened. I personally like a structured journal like this, as it helps me focus and get into a more positive mindset (and when I'm done, I can look back on all my "good things"). But if you prefer to take to a blank page, that works too. After completing both of these mindfulness practices, I felt calmer, confident, and more collected — not rushed or anxious to start my day.
After work, I moved on to the fitness portion of Espinal's routine. I swapped her jogging for my cardio of choice [6] (the elliptical), but truthfully, the hardest part of her workout was just showing up. While getting to the gym five days a week isn't necessarily a huge shift for me, it did require careful planning and decent time management. And while I do enjoy cardio, I actually found myself wishing for more than one strength-training session [7] throughout the week.
That said, I loved that Espinal inspired me to get back into yoga. I took one class from home and one with an instructor, and both times I was grateful for the emotional release. While moving through an at-home flow, I actually broke down in tears — not out of sadness, but out of gratitude. It had been a while since I took the time to ground myself and really let go. Guess I'm a bit of a sensitive gangster myself . . .
My Takeaways
I started the week with a pit in my stomach, but I ended it feeling stronger, more energized [8], and more joyful overall. Looking back, I think Espinal's routine gave me the space to express more gratitude, spend time with myself, and practice self-love (because it is a practice, after all). Her routine is a wellness regimen, yes, but it's also a way to get out of a funk, embrace your inner sensitive gangster, and become your own best friend. Whether you're dealing with a chaotic villa or the daily stressors of life, Espinal's routine reminded me that the most important relationship you'll ever have is with yourself.
Chandler Plante [10] (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.