Sensitive gangsters rise up. Amaya “Papaya” Espinal initially joined season seven of “Love Island USA” 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 (she never said she was perfect), to her many viral Amaya-isms, she’s someone that radiates pure joy and authenticity. 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 at times, and it’s easy for me to feel anxious 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 (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 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, but 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, 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 (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.
