It started with Steven Izen. In 2013, he created the brand Lokai. To understand Lokai, you need to understand why it was created. A few years before the brand's start, Steven learned that his grandfather had Alzheimer's. He was distraught and conflicted over being heartbroken for his grandfather but thankful for all the memories shared between them. It sparked his idea for Lokai to blossom to be what it is today

When it first began they sold one simple product. It is the popular classic Lokai bracelet. With a circle of clear silicon beads and a white and black bead attached at either end, they have soon become more than just a bracelet. It was over three years ago that I first bought from the brand and since that moment it has really changed me. To me, it is more than just an $18 bracelet. The messages they carry are what has continued to make the brand grow and flourish more and more every day.

Alyssa Gasa

The company has intricately woven into many ideas into such a simple design. The white bead on the bracelet contains water from Mt. Everest. The black bead contains mud from the Dead Sea. If you look a little deeper you'll realize that Mt. Everest is the highest point on Earth and the Dead Sea is the lowest. What is so wonderful about that is their message to match. They say "Sometimes you're on top of the world. Stay humble. Sometimes you've hit a low. Stay hopeful." The water reminds us that when we are on top, don't get caught up and forget to stay humble with yourself. The mud serves as a reminder that even at our lowest we need to look up and stay hopeful for what's to come.

Alyssa Gasa

The design and purpose of this bracelet isn't the only thing that has made me fall in love with the brand. While it may seem that $18 is a heftier price tag, did I mention that proceeds go to charity too? For every bracelet bought, 10% of the proceeds got to the chosen charity. When they change the charity, they release a new design of bracelet to match, keeping the white and black beads the same. So far they have raised incredible amounts of money for The Jane Goodall Institute, Robin Hood, Pencils of Promise, Best Buddies, Susan G. Komen, RED, The Nature Conservancy, WWF, Save the Children, Charity: Water, International Rescue Committee, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Oceana, Make-A-Wish, BCRF, National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Alzheimer's Association, Autism Speaks, a choose your cause, and finally a Pride one for LGBT+ charities. If you know me, then you know I love serving charities and fundraising for important causes. The brand Lokai as a whole just speaks volumes to me and has really reflected the ideals that I hold true to myself.

Alyssa Gasa

The balance they created between light and dark is simple but easily forgotten by us. The bracelet serves as a way to reconnect with ourselves and checking into how we feel. There is a very rare occasion that I am caught without a Lokai on, but for those days I am, I have found a more permanent solution. This past March I went and got my first tattoo. It was none other than a mountain connected to a wave. The mountain symbolizing Mt. Everest and the wave symbolizing the Dead Sea. The brand has changed my outlook on life in ways I didn't know I needed. More often than not I need to take a step back and just stay hopeful that my actions are enough to achieve what I want in life. The words "Stay humble, stay hopeful" are usually repeating in my head so I can stay grounded and balanced during trying moments.

I don't care who you are, how old you are, or what the situation is. Every single person can benefit from taking a moment in a rough situation and shifting to a more hopeful mindset and in moments of triumph to pause and remember what it took to get there. Lokai sends a powerful statement of balance and I am soaking in every bit of it.

Here is the link to the website: https://lokai.com/ You don't have to buy a bracelet or get a tattoo to #LiveLokai, but it may help.