Pep Talk
Now I can say with confidence that Im in control, she says.
In Pep Talk, Bustle chats with celebrities about finding levity in a period of loss.
When Tia Mowry was in college, she and her twin sister, Tamera, studied abroad in Florence.
Mowry remembers thinking, Did they just catch that straight from the ocean?
Pick the vegetables from a hidden garden?
The moment has stayed with her since.
Mowry also dedicates a portion of the book tofood shopping tipsandpantry organization ideas.
These recipes are about practicality and less mess, so its a lot ofsheet-pan dinnersandone-pot meals.
In the past year, theaward-winning actorSister, Sister, anyone?
has solidified her position as a true renaissance woman.
(Starting this month, 80 episodes will air on CLEO TV.)
It sounds like you were very busy during lockdowns.
Was that a coping mechanism for you?
A lot of people were being overly productive during quarantine, almost like a defense mechanism.
Were there any silver linings to that time at home?
The biggest positive was spending quality time with my family.
Prior to 2020, I never spent that much consecutive time with them.
There was so much self-care and healing and communicating on a deeper level with my husband and children.
Did you pick up any new hobbies last year?
I madegnocchi from scratch, which was a lot easier than I expected.
As you were testing and retesting recipes for your cookbook, did you ever get sick of the kitchen?
It didnt feel like work!
Though it was impossible to find yeast and flour due to thefood shortages.
Ive always viewed food, cooking, and being in the kitchen as a unifier.
Thats how I grew up.
Let me have my aunt come down and cook for everybody.
I said that was fine as long as Im able to cook three or four dishes.
Hes like, Oh my gosh, you dont get it.
You need a break.
I had to tell him, You dont understand!
Cooking is my safe place.
Youre currently starring as Coco onNetflixsFamily Reunion.Can you talk about your personal TV habits?
I recently devouredShadow and Bone.
Not only is the storyline fun, magical, and entertaining, its also breaking stereotypes.
Thelead girlappears to be of Asian descent, but her love interest is not Asian.
And then theres another character who is a samurai, andshes [South Asian].
What snacks do you like to eat while watching these shows?
They come in so many different flavors, but my favorite is barbecue.
Switching gears, what have you been most grateful for during this past year?
Im just grateful for life.
These days, Im appreciative of giving and receiving love.
I appreciate my family unit.
I feel very blessed to have the life that I have.
And for a final question: The past year has been really hard.
What would you tell someone whos having a hard time right now?
You didnt rush the healing process.
You trusted the process, and you allowed yourself to heal.
Dont get too ahead of yourself.
Focus on taking one step at a time and putting one foot forward in front of the other.
Forgive yourself for feeling the way you feel.
Its normal to feel overwhelmed.
Know that eventually this too shall pass, and that everything will be OK.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
