#GratefulAF for Good Health with PurelyPope

When it comes to both mental and physical well-being, gratitude is a powerful thing. Even beyond it being something positive to reflect on individually, research has shown that gratitude can lead to improved cardiovascular health, better sleep, and general better physical health. Health Coach and lifestyle consultant Alysia Pope understood this and decided to promote it through her coaching, her blog and social media accounts, and even a podcast.

The simple and clean design for PurelyPope’s “#GratefulAF” merch created a cohesive look across all the different styles of shirts offered.

Working under the online handle of PurelyPope, Alysia used the message of “Love Yourself” as a catalyst for launching her brand. “I want women to know that they can both love themselves while also wanting to continually better themselves and show up as the best version of themselves each day. My message is rooted in self-love, with a huge focus on mindset, and mindset being the most important pillar when it comes to our health,” explained Alysia. “Going off of mindset, I start every single day with gratitude. We have the ability to choose our thoughts, choose happiness, and our mind believes whatever we tell it. Gratitude has been a crucial practice for me to focus on the good, because when you do – the good gets better.”

With hoodies for cooler climes and tank tops (like the Bella + Canvas Women’s Racerback Crop Tank Top) for hot summer days, the “#GratefulAF” apparel had wide-range appeal.

This positive mindset and the desire to promote good health and wellbeing for everyone was part of what led Alysia to create her “#GratefulAF” fundraiser. “As a health coach, health is something that I’m extremely passionate about, and something that is a basic right that all women should have access to,” said Alysia. However, Alysia found that quality healthcare was not accessible to every woman. Research shows that there is a large disparity in the healthcare of Black women in the United States compared to other women, with shorter life expectancy, higher maternal mortality rates, and more cases of chronic health issues. With this in mind, Alysia chose to support the Black Women’s Health Imperative.

Created in 1984, the Black Women’s Health Imperative uses a structure of national and local organizations to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual health of Black women through education, communication, leadership development, and changes in health policy. Created initially with a focus on reproductive healthcare, it now features five Health Imperatives to impact Black women’s quality of life: increasing access to health insurance, decreasing death rates, eliminating health disparities, creating accessible reproductive health options, and making Black women’s health an imperative for the government and community. Offering national programs on topics such as diabetes prevention, lessons for personal health advocacy, and information about HIV, the Black Women’s Health Imperative strives towards ensuring Black women can live well.

To support and recognize this cause, Alysia turned the PurelyPope fundraiser into a way to promote the importance of gratitude while raising awareness for the Black Women’s Health Imperative. All the funds raised from the PurelyPope merchandise went to the Black Women’s Health Imperative, and supporters could donate even if they did not purchase a shirt, or donate additional funds.

The Bella + Canvas Women’s Drop Shoulder Cropped Hoodie served as a stylish canvas for the PurelyPope “#GratefulAF” design.

The design across all the shirts and hoodies was clean and direct; all featured the words “#GratefulAF”, which emphasized part of PurelyPope’s lifestyle approach to living more simply and with gratitude. The fundraiser featured a variety of styles and fits, with fitted crop tops (the Alternative Apparel Women’s 50/50 Crop T-shirt, the Bella + Canvas Women’s Racerback Crop Tank Top, and the Bella + Canvas Women’s Flowy Crop Tank), long sleeve tees and crewnecks (the Hanes Authentic Long Sleeve T-shirt and the Gildan Midweight 50/50 Crewneck Sweatshirt), and even a cropped hoodie (the Bella + Canvas Women’s Drop Shoulder Cropped Hoodie). With this range of options, supporters could choose something they would wear again and again, and showcase the #GratefulAF message and lifestyle.

Alysia was grateful for the opportunity to create the “#GratefulAF” gear. The fundraiser gave her the ability to support an important cause while sharing a message that she believed in.  “I wanted to do this for so long, and I procrastinated out of fear. “Feel the fear, do it anyway” is my motto now. [Custom gear] allowed me to spread my message and remind my community of the lessons and practices we need to carry on with us throughout our day. My hope is that when anyone is wearing my gear, they’re reminded of the message.”