Abigail St. John, also known as Wellbeing with Abigail online, is pretty much your definition of a real-life fairy. With kindness shining through her content shared on social media paired with wise words of affirmation and advice, it's no surprise her account is beloved amongst her followers.
Wellbeing with Abigail's account is almost like a safe haven in the corner of the internet; you feel safe here, you feel welcome here, and you feel a sense of right.
The Teen Magazine had the chance to talk to Abigail about anything and everything— from the journey with her account and identity, life as a content creator, wellbeing in general, the specifics, and more.
The Moment
When did you know that you wanted to start a YouTube channel and get into the world of social media?
Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a strong passion for using my creativity to inspire others in some way, shape, or form. I started out diving into my creative energy in the form of arts and music—specifically piano.
Once I became a sophomore in high school, I also began to develop a love for health and fitness, which then led me to create my YouTube channel and Instagram account.
Every day, I reflect on how grateful I am that I have found what I love to do at such a young age. The fact that social media has not only become my favorite source of sharing my perspective on this life of mine and the world around me but has also become my full-time job, blows my mind.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
What Started It All?
What inspired you to start your Instagram account @wellbeingwithabigail?
I was following a multitude of different creators on Instagram for quite some time before questioning if I should start one myself.
I have my friends and family to thank for encouraging me to take my vision to the next level and start my own platform where I can share with others what I wish I had heard more often- things like reminding people that they aren’t alone in their struggles, that we all have ups and downs in life- and that’s ok.
It's life. And it’s quite beautiful, actually.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Favorite Aspect
What is your favorite aspect of being a content creator?
My favorite aspect of becoming a content creator would be the fact that I have endless opportunities to spread love, hope, and positivity to those who might need a little extra of it day-to-day.
My favorite part of my day is going through my DM’s on Instagram and reading about others' lives and journeys and how I’ve somehow inspired them to keep going and to keep pushing through the tough times. The conversations I have with some people there give me an extreme amount of gratitude for the ability to reach so many on the platform I have. It also motivates me to keep going myself.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
The captions I write up are many times centered around mental health and mindset, and a lot of the time, the words are taken straight out of my diary. It’s cool to see that while I’m helping others, they are, without knowing it, helping me just the same, if not more. It is so important to me to connect with those who continuously support me because it's easy to look at follower count, likes, etc., as just a number.
Talking to these people one on one, either virtually or in-person, gets me out of that mindset of disassociation and back into the reality of understanding that each number of my follower/subscriber count is an actual human being, who is just as special and intricately unique as the next one.
A Day in the Life
Take us through a day in the life as a content creator.
Recently, I have pretty drastically made a change in my daily routine. I took a month's break from social media about 2 weeks ago in order to re-access what I truly love. It's easy to get caught up in what the next trendy thing is, and I found myself getting wrapped up in that, slowly losing my own unique touch on what I create.
The month break helped me in so many ways, one being the realization that my daily routine was pretty messy, with no structure, which led to an excess amount of unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Today, my routine consists of waking up at 5:30 am, reading a daily reflection, praying, and meditating to get my day off to a good start. Then I’ll do some form of exercise. Recently I’ve been loving hot yoga.
After that, I’ll come back home, shower, make my breakfast (a thick protein smoothie usually), and then get my work started for the day. I start between 9, and 10 am.
From then on, I'm in work mode until usually about 5 pm. This structure has helped me procrastinate so much less while getting so much more done, and loving it all the while because I don’t feel rushed in my creative process.
I go through my emails, plan out upcoming videos and brand deals, capture photos, or record videos for my Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. I also spend a large majority of my work life in Final Cut Pro, editing for whatever upcoming video I have planned to upload next.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
By 5 pm, I feel accomplished and truly proud of myself and my work, which I used to not feel at all.
I’ll then often run some fun errands to the grocery store, thrift store, or whatever it may be. I'll then cook up some dinner, or if I’m feeling like treating myself to some good ole tofu hibachi take-out, I’ll happily do that too.
Then, around 9 or 10 pm, I’ll wind down, maybe make a bowl of cereal for dessert, and watch some TV. I've lately has been binge-watching the show “Schitt’s Creek”. So good.
On Being Vegan
On your YouTube channel, you make a lot of videos centered around “what I eat in a day.” How do you balance your meals while being vegan?
I love cooking, so it hasn’t been much of a struggle to make vegan meals. One piece of advice I'll give to anyone, whether a vegan or not- get an air fryer! My air fryer is my best friend in the kitchen! I use it for almost every meal I make.
Another tool that helped me learn more about nutrition was MyFitnessPal. I used to be an avid user of the app, but it began to get to an unhealthy point, where I was almost addicted to making sure I was eating the right amount of calories and macros.
In 2018, I decided to delete the app, but I'm somewhat grateful for the time I was using it because it taught me so much about food and how much protein I should aim to eat. Nowadays, I still have some of that knowledge in the back of my mind, so while I am choosing my meals throughout the day, I know, on average, how much protein, carbs, fats, and vitamins I’m getting in.
Activities For Your Well-Being
What activities do you do to stay in check with your well-being?
Some of my favorite activities to stay mentally and physically well are my morning quiet times, meditation, prayer, journaling, reading, stretching, kickboxing, and practicing yoga. These have all been my go-to’s to stay aligned in my own skin and connect back to reality, which is a struggle for me.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Ever since the summer of 2020, I have faced the obstacle of disassociation— which is constantly bringing me out of reality, and it's not a good feeling. Over time, I have learned what works for me and what doesn’t, when it comes to facing this mental battle.
Another thing that has helped me immensely was realizing how unhealthy social media can be, as well as the internet in general. So over time, I've begun to take a step back from the endless scrolling, which so many times leads to comparison, jealousy, insecurity, and downright not thinking we’re “good enough”.
Steering away from that incessant pull to check my phone constantly has given me such a better outlook on life and on myself. I strongly recommend anyone reading this to challenge themselves to take some breaks from their phone. Try it out for a day, or even an hour.
Instead, go for a walk, call your friend, call your grandma, ask how they are doing. Getting out of your own head to help others instead can make all the difference.
A Beginners' Guide to Thrifting
As an avid thrifter, do you have any tips to share?
Ah, I love this question. I think my BIGGEST tip when it comes to thrifting is to look in every single section.
Go down every single aisle. That includes the children’s section! I have found so many amazing pieces in the children’s section, ranging from boys' cargo pants, girls' mini tees, to adorable hello kitty stuffed animals!
Another tip I would have is to be patient and go alone. Put in your headphones and play the music that inspires you and helps you get out of your head and into a place of inspiration and creativity.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my friends, but when it comes to thrifting, I have got to be alone or else I’ll feel rushed... and this might sound selfish but... many times my friends have similar fashion styles as me and I don’t want them taking all the good stuff!
Headphones in, music on, and down the isles I go! Could be there for 30 minutes, could be there for hours on end, time will tell! It's a fun experience nonetheless.
The Main Focus
What is the goal with your platform? What impact do you want to make on your viewers?
The main goal for my platform is to help others and inspire them to be who they are, without apology. And to begin to view themselves and their life just as they are. Away from the comparison, away from the constant feeling of wanting to be something different. It’s such a mindset thing.
Surrounding yourself with those who love and appreciate you for who you truly are is the key to being happy and content with your life. Steering away from depressing music, unhealthy thought processes, and toxic relationships have changed my life, and I want to share my experience of this with as many people as I can. I’ve gone through [censored] and back over this past year, and I’m just now beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Someone once told me, “Misery loves company.” And hearing this was a huge realization for me. When I was deep in my depression and anxiety, all I wanted to do was lie in bed all day, listening to sad, but relatable, music, that only made it easier to fall deeper into the hole of isolation, shame, and hopelessness. The second I began talking to others, not about how sad we were and how terrible life is, but instead about how there IS hope, there IS beauty in this world, and there IS a better life we can live.
It all comes down to making that choice- stay in the bed of misery or crawl out of it. And I've realized that so much of my mental struggles were rooted in one thing- fear. The second I surrendered to the fact that I had absolutely no control of anyone or anything but myself, the expectations fell, the disappointment fell, and the excitement to work on myself, for myself began to rise.
So, I guess overall, this is the goal: to help and inspire others. Remind them that they aren’t alone. And that life is what they make of it. It’s quite simple actually.
Advice to All
Promoting self-care and mental health, what advice would you give to others who are on a self-love journey?
My advice for anyone who is on a self-love journey is to spend some time alone. Find what truly makes you happy. Find what gives you that feeling of butterflies in your stomach.
Easier said than done, I know. But the key is spending that time alone, with nothing but you and that little mind of yours.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Reflect, reflect, reflect. Meditation helps with that and will make this process run a lot more smoothly. When I meditate, I am overwhelmed with the craziest of thoughts, memories, and feelings that get brought up to the surface. Then the second I put pen to paper and start writing about them, the answers to understanding why I am feeling these certain ways often present themselves.
Question everything, specifically question everything that is going on up there in your mind. Many times, we are almost completely unaware of the fact that the majority of the dialogue going through our minds is totally untrue. Our minds can be a scary place, and until you consciously take note of what’s being said up there, you’ll never come to this realization. Spending time with myself, phone out of sight, a diary in my lap, and incense burning has changed my life and my love for myself in more ways than I can count.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Plans for the Future
Do you have any future plans?
I used to spend a lot of time listening to visualization meditations where I would dream up how I want to be, live, and see the world in the future, but I think it did more harm than good, from my experience. I lost sight of the ability to appreciate who I am and what I have accomplished today, in the present.
I guess I have some future plans, but they are changing every day. I don’t think I've truly found myself yet, or who I want to be. But I’m okay with that.
I'm 20 years old, I have my whole life ahead of me. I want to give myself that time to figure it all out. So right now, I'm just choosing to take things day by day, one day at a time, and see where it leads me.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
10 Quick Q's With Abigail
What is your go-to meal/recipe?
My go-to recipe is so, so simple. I get out my beautiful, wonderful, sexy air fryer and throw in whatever veggies I have in the fridge that day.
Usually, its chopped-up carrots, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers. Add in some olive oil and spices like garlic powder, turmeric, curry powder, and everything but the bagel seasoning, and roast it all up for about 20-30 minutes. At the 15-minute mark, I’ll add a BeyondMeat vegan burger to the mix and continue the cooking process.
Once the kitchen starts smelling like I’ve just entered a 5-star restaurant, it's time to pour my creation into a big ole bowl. I'll add some ketchup, dijon mustard, and hot sauce to top it off. There ya have it! My favorite go-to meal!
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
What is a quote that you live by?
“You never lose, you either win or you learn.”
My mom has said this to me ever since I was a little girl and I repeat it to myself almost every day.
In three words, how would you describe the content you create?
Enlightening, nurturing, and uplifting.
What are your hobbies?
Playing the piano, practicing yoga, cooking, thrifting, photography, and editing.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Favorite TV show/movie?
Soul Surfer is my favorite movie. It reminds me of myself and what I truly love. It reminds me to fight for what I dream of, even if it seems impossible at times.
I don’t think I have a favorite TV show, but I have spent my fair share binge-watching The Office, Freaks and Geeks, Parks and Recreation, Breaking Bad, and Euphoria.
If you could go back in time, what would you do?
I don’t think I would do anything. Every action and decision I’ve made up until this very point of me typing out this exact sentence has led me to become who I am today. And I wouldn’t change that for anything.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
What is your favorite accessory or clothing piece at the moment?
My favorite piece at the moment is definitely my ever-growing collection of carpenter pants... I can’t get enough of them.
If you are feeling down, what do you do to boost your mood?
I get off my phone and talk to someone. It could be my mom or could be the cashier at the grocery store. The conversation doesn’t have to be super deep or thought-provoking, but the act of getting out of my own head and having some sort of connection with another human being helps ground me more than anything else.
I love going to the movie theatre too. I don’t know why I love it so much, but it definitely boosts my mood- and inspires me in random ways. Kickboxing and getting all those wonderful endorphins afterward helps me as well!
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
What has been your most recent obsession?
I don’t know if a person counts, but Mr. Rogers. He is everything to me.
His music, his love of life, his appreciation for everyone and everything around him, his creative vision, and more. He helps remind me that the possibilities are endless and that the most important thing in life is love.
If a genie offered you three wishes, what would they be?
1. Live in Hawaii. Lol.
2. Relieve everyone on earth of the worries and stressors in their minds that don’t do anything but harm them.
3. Get every starving and homeless soul off the streets and into a comfortable environment with a warm homemade meal in front of them.
Image credit: @wellbeingwithabigail
Keep Up With Abigail
To keep up with Abigail, follow her on Instagram at @wellbeingwithabigail for some thought-provoking, positive moments.
Subscribe to her YouTube channel here for some good full videos, her TikTok here, Spotify here, and Pinterest here.
Additionally, to shop Abigail's closet, follow her on Depop here!
