about kioyé wellness collective

It was a cool April morning in Toronto. I was standing on a terrace I hadn't stepped onto in seven years of living in that house, drinking a cup of orange pekoe tea I genuinely do not like — but I was decluttering and couldn't bring myself to waste it — watching the last colors of a sunrise fade into pale blue sky.

I didn't plan that moment. My body kind of forced it. I'd been running on empty in a demanding career, saying yes to everything and everyone, carrying weight that wasn't mine to carry. My social battery was dead by 4pm. I went from being the person who wanted to be everywhere, to the person who needed three days to recover from a dinner out. My body started telling me things my schedule refused to hear.

And there I was. Tired. On a rooftop I'd been ignoring. Drinking tea I didn't want. Having what I can only describe as a completely silent breakdown that somehow felt like peace.

That was the morning I realized I'd been living my life like it was an emergency.

So I stopped. Gradually. Imperfectly. One small decision at a time.

so...what even is kioyé?

Honestly? It started as an outlet.

I needed somewhere to put my thoughts that wasn't a notes app or a voice memo I'd never listen to again. I started writing. About slowing down. About the small things that were actually helping. About the chaos of trying to live softly when the world keeps telling you to hustle harder.

And then people started reading it.

Kioyé (yes, I made the name up — it just rolled off my tongue and that was literally the whole decision-making process, very on brand for someone who was learning to stop overthinking everything) became a little corner of the internet for women who are tired. Like, tired tired. The kind that sleep doesn't always fix.

It's grown into something I didn't plan — a space for soft life tips, honest wellness content, things that are actually helpful, and occasionally, things that are just a really good distraction when your brain won't cooperate and you need something cute to look at. Both are valid. We don't gatekeep here.

what we're about — and what we're not

Wellness at Kioyé is not a 47-step morning routine that begins at 4:30am. It is not a bitter green juice you hate or a meditation practice you feel guilty for skipping. It is not color-coordinated or perfectly aesthetic or something you have to earn.

It's the good sheets. The walk that goes nowhere. The candle you light on a Tuesday for no reason. The mug that costs $3 more but makes you happy every single morning. The five-page chapter before bed instead of the doom scroll.

Small things. Real things. Things that don't require a lifestyle overhaul — just a quiet decision to start treating yourself like someone worth taking care of.

We romanticize Tuesdays here. We heal a little louder. We choose the cute mug.

We also occasionally have unhinged moments — because sometimes when the cortisol is high and the to-do list is long and someone at work has sent their fourth "just circling back" email, the most honest thing you can do is laugh at the absolute absurdity of it all. That's here too. You're safe.

who this is for

You, if you're a woman in your 20s , 30s, and 40s who:

• Is somewhere between "I have my life together" and "I cried in the car again"

• Wants to slow down but doesn't know where to start

• Loves cute things but needs them to actually be useful

• Is done pretending that productivity is a personality

• Knows the soft life is the goal but needs someone to make it feel achievable, not aspirational

This isn't a highlight reel. It's a soft landing spot. Think soft girl era — but with boundaries, a sense of humor, and the occasional moment where we just tell the truth about how hard it is to rest when you've spent years believing your worth was tied to how much you got done.

a note on trust

I'm not a doctor. I'm not a therapist. I'm a woman who burned out quietly for years in a demanding career and learned — slowly, imperfectly — how to come back to herself.

Everything I share here is grounded in what has actually worked for me or what I've genuinely researched. Some posts contain affiliate links, which means if you buy something I recommend, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only ever recommend things I'd actually use, actually own, or actually wish I'd found sooner.

I'm not trying to sell you a lifestyle. I'm just someone who found a rooftop too late and wants to help you find yours a little sooner.

Welcome to Kioyé. Come in. Sit down. You don't have to be okay right now. 💫

— Tess

Hi. I'm Tess. And I need to tell you about a rooftop..