5 Minutes With Jana Al-Akhras

Where does your biggest source of inspiration come from?

My biggest source of inspiration comes from my Middle Eastern upbringing. I have such a rich culture that I can tap into whenever I'm feeling uninspired and a history that transcends borders.

How do you stay mindful?

I try to stay mindful by remembering my place in this universe, and just how little of it that I take up. I feel we can get lost when we center ourselves and begin to take from the duty we owe to others and our surroundings. So by attempting to consciously pick away at my own ego, I remain mindful of what I owe my greater community.

How do you recharge?

A quiet coffee shop and a huge cup of coffee. I need time to myself and I make sure to take it.

What is the driving force that keeps you going when the going gets tough?

 I don't think we're tested with more than we can bear. And I think it's true that most of the greatest things in life are just on the other side of adversity. There's times when I thought that there's no way I could have accomplished what I've done, but that's all perspective, we grow as people to be able to meet the next challenge. My 15 year old self wouldn't be able to handle what I handle now, the same way my 30 year old self will probably think that what I'm doing now is light work.

What’s one thing you did as a child that you wish you could still do now?

Get carried into the house when I fell asleep in the car. 

What’s your take on the word “clean beauty”?

Clean beauty to me means being able to sleep on your pillow case without being worried that your next sleep will break you out, or being able to rub your eyes, or glowing without looking greasy. When I think of clean beauty I think of effortless, low maintenance, frolicking through the sunflowers type beauty.

One piece of advice that you find yourself giving the most?

Strive for authenticity. It is a miserable and tolling practice to be anything other than authentic. And once you realize you've been anything less than authentic it's really difficult to relearn who you actually are.

In today’s world where the “fear of missing out” is made all the more pervasive through social media, how do you maintain balance?

I really struggle with this. But I force myself to spend time with people that I don't feel like I need to supplement with the online world. I think sometimes we take the people we're comfortable with in our lives for granted, so we don't feel like we need to engage with them as fully, and end up scrolling aimlessly online even while in the company of those we love. I try to rediscover what I love about people while I'm actually with them, and then don't feel like I'm missing out on other people's lives. I have so much of my own to actually live.

We are challenging all of our customers and supporters to go green. What is one green tip you follow?

I really try to reduce my waste by reusing glass bottles. I drink enough kombucha for a village, and the glass bottles make the perfect next day containers for my coffee.