You might know Lele Pons from her single “Celoso,” which is triple platinum certified by the Recording Industry Association of America. Or if you’re old school, you may recognize her as the Vine star who took serious physical hits in the name of comedy (and become the first to reach one billion loops along the way). But until the release of her docuseries, The Secret Life of Lele Pons, which debuted last month on YouTube, even the most loyal of Pons’ 41 million Instagram followers would never have guessed that the singer-actor-content creator rose to fame while managing symptoms of OCD, Tourettes, and ADHD. 

In the series, Pons addresses her mental health struggles in the remarkably unabashed and straightforward way that perhaps only a star born in social media could. And when we caught up with the multi-hyphenate after her participation in Shein Together, a digital festival and COVID-19 fundraiser, she proved just as much an open book. Ahead, the illuminating mental health advocate talks about the power of therapy, getting fit in quarantine, and the no-fail phone trick that keeps her triggers at bay. 

Source: Instagram

Prioritizing Self Care in Quarantine

I’m trying to do a lot of exercise. Lately I’ve been doing glutes, squats and running. I have a trainer, her name is Tiana, and whatever she has planned for me that day, we do. It’s very intense and I hate it, but it’s really good. It makes me feel really healthy. 

I’ve been eating healthy as well. I’ve been eating avocado toast lately and a lot of salad, salmon, broccoli soup, pastas and vegetables. Before, I would love to eat tiramisu that my mom used to make, or hot chocolate my mom does with marshmallows. Now I’ll have a fruit salad when I want something sweet.

I’m trying to take care of my skin in my hair a lot, because this is the time to do it. I’ll do a hair treatment with Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3.  I put it in when my hair is still damp, then braid my hair and let it air dry. I took out my extensions when quarantine started and it made me feel amazing. My hair’s growing really naturally now. I feel like my hair is a good length but I just want it longer — I love long hair. I’ve been wearing extensions since I was 15 and this is the first time I’ve ever taken them out.

If I only have five minutes, I close my eyes and try to relax my bod. I can’t necessarily take a nap in five minutes, but I try to calm down and put everything away and put ocean sounds on my phone. If I have more time for myself, I’ll play Mario Party on my DS or play with my dog or watch a movie. Lately, I’ve been watching old movies like Gone With The Wind, Casablanca and My Fair Lady. I recently discovered these movies in quarantine. My mom introduced them to me. 

My OCD makes me a perfectionist, which drives me in many ways.

Addressing Triggers Through Therapy

I have learned exposure and response prevention in therapy. It’s one of the best treatments for OCD. It’s very complicated, but to give an example, exposure is kind of like doing what makes your OCD uncomfortable. So if I need to check a comment [on Instagram], the exposure is to put my phone away or to put my hand on top of the phone very, very close and not touch the phone. That’s an exposure and it makes your OCD very uncomfortable when you’re going against it. Then for response, I have to stay with the feeling and stay put and stay calm. I can’t make a face. I just have to have a relaxed face. It’s very hard, I think, just to stay with the feeling and not react. You can think about reacting—it’s okay to have those thoughts—you just have to wait until they go away and they will. It’s a very short period of time.

I got a lot of triggers at night time because that’s when I’m alone and I do a lot of checking rituals that have to do with my phone and social media. So I give my phone to my mom at night and won’t have it until she or my assistant wakes me up in the morning. 

Finding Strength in OCD

My OCD makes me a perfectionist, which drives me in many ways. Anything I put my mind to—like working or working out—I become obsessed in that sense. If you turn it into a positive thing, it’s good. But there are a little bit of difficulties when it comes to that, too. I was talking to my therapist the other day, as I’ve been focusing on working out and staying healthy. I kind of see myself not having the best body a little bit more than before and she said because I’m working out and am being a perfectionist—and that’s how it treats you. Sometimes my mind tricks me a lot. Now that I’m working out and focused on my body, I see more imperfections because I’m becoming obsessed with it.

I do reassurance a lot, which is asking other people for validation many times even though you know the answer, just because it’s a ritual, and OCD is like repeating, repeating, repeating; It’s also about doubt. So I’ll ask ‘is this okay?’ until I get the right, ‘yes it’s okay.’ It’s the same thing as touching the wall three times: you know you touched it, but you have to go again and again and again until it feels right. 

Advice For Others With OCD

Treatment and medication have really helped me. If you want treatment and can’t afford it, there are people out there who are willing to actually help you. There’s financial aid available, you just have to look. It’s all about wanting to get help—and I think everybody wants to. It’s hard sometimes to accept that you have OCD, so accept that you have it and don’t be afraid to get help or take medication if that helps. Listen to whatever the therapist tells you to do and do things that you love that distract you, whatever that is. For me, it’s dancing.

Source: Instagram

The Power of Connecting With Others

I think it helps me to surround myself with people that bring me joy, so I tend to lean toward people that care about me a lot, like family. Sometimes, meeting new people helps me not compare [myself to others] as much because I get to see that everyone’s very different from each other. It reminds me there’s never going to be another Lele Pons with a mole on her face and a mom and dad like mine.

During quarantine I’ve talked to more people than I’ve ever talked to in my life. I’ve talked to my family in Italy and Miami and my teachers from high school and my ex-boyfriend, just to see how they are doing. I also got to connect with a lot of people by participating in Shein Together, where a big group of us came together to raise awareness and money for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. I got a lot of feedback and comments, so I think it really helped reach a lot of people, which makes me happy. My biggest message was: if you have a disorder, you’re not alone. I shared that I have many problems and I struggle and I just want other people to know that you can go through it and you can go past any obstacles and disorders that life might give you.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

A new set of stars has joined Urban Decay’s Global Citizens collective, which means it’s time for a new “Pretty Different” campaign. Normani, G.E.M. and Camila Mendes look incredible modeling the also new Urban Decay Naked Ultraviolet Eyeshadow Palette. The bold purple hues pop against each of their skin tones. According to a press release from the brand, these women “personify the brand’s founding DNA,” challenging “the status quo by celebrating differences and embracing unapologetic individuality.”

Last year, Lizzo, Ezra Miller, Joey King, Karol G, and CL starred in the first “Pretty Different” campaign, alongside the launch of the Naked Honey Palette. This year is just as gorgeous and a bit more colorful. Each of the three women is wearing a blend of purple hues while blowing a purple bubble: singer Normani, Hong Kong singer-songwriter G.E.M. and actress Camila Mendes. We have to say, these are perfect choices for the campaign.

Image: Urban Decay.

Want to get their look? Same. The Naked Ultraviolet Eyeshadow Palette contains 12 ultra-pigmented purples and neutrals and a vegan, double-sided brush. There are metallics, mattes and shimmer finishes that are totally wearable even if you don’t have these ladies’ beauty skills.

Image: Urban Decay.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

A new set of stars has joined Urban Decay’s Global Citizens collective, which means it’s time for a new “Pretty Different” campaign. Normani, G.E.M. and Camila Mendes look incredible modeling the also new Urban Decay Naked Ultraviolet Eyeshadow Palette. The bold purple hues pop against each of their skin tones. According to a press release from the brand, these women “personify the brand’s founding DNA,” challenging “the status quo by celebrating differences and embracing unapologetic individuality.”

Last year, Lizzo, Ezra Miller, Joey King, Karol G, and CL starred in the first “Pretty Different” campaign, alongside the launch of the Naked Honey Palette. This year is just as gorgeous and a bit more colorful. Each of the three women is wearing a blend of purple hues while blowing a purple bubble: singer Normani, Hong Kong singer-songwriter G.E.M. and actress Camila Mendes. We have to say, these are perfect choices for the campaign.

Image: Urban Decay.

Want to get their look? Same. The Naked Ultraviolet Eyeshadow Palette contains 12 ultra-pigmented purples and neutrals and a vegan, double-sided brush. There are metallics, mattes and shimmer finishes that are totally wearable even if you don’t have these ladies’ beauty skills.

Image: Urban Decay.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Most of the hundreds of decisions we make every day are almost automatic: what to wear, when to go to the grocery store or which route to take.

There are always times when we change our mind and discard one outfit for another or agonize about what to make for a special dinner. But mostly, decisions of little real consequence can be made quickly.

Snap decisions save energy for big ones that cost lots of money, change our future or impact other people’s lives. Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision because our feelings have a strong influence or we don’t have enough information.

What if we make the wrong decision? What are the consequences? The worry about making a right decision can be intimidating.

It’s Best to Look from Both Sides Now

Ben Franklin once said, “Divide half a sheet of paper by a line into two columns, writing over the one Pro, and the other Con.” This time-honored decision-making tool works because we step away from our emotions and take a look from a different perspective. We play devil’s advocate with ourselves.

If you’re done looking at the pros and cons and you’re still unclear, you might ask: Is there another option altogether? Is there different direction to take?

Say you’re looking to buy a seaside villa in the sunny south. Pros: Winters are warm and you can retire your snow shovel. Cons: You’ll miss the grandkids. You might not fit in with the people who live there. What if you have to sell and move back home? Will you still be okay financially?

Option: How about renting a place and still retiring that snow shovel? Then you’ll be able to talk with people who have already made that decision. You’ll be better informed.

Intuition Pairs Well with Decision

So often we know the right decision in our gut. It might not be the most popular way to go, but we feel it’s right.

Maybe your daughter is marrying a guy you’re not crazy about. You’ve set aside a nice chunk of change for a wedding gift. But your intuition says handing it over on the wedding day isn’t your best decision.

Intuition is one of our greatest gifts, and we’ve had decades to hone it. Trust it. You can always give the money (plus interest) to the happy couple on their tenth wedding anniversary.

Or, if they get divorced, you can help your daughter get back on her feet. Your intuition can tell you when to leave a back door open just in case.

Wait and See vs. Decision by Indecision

Sleeping on it almost always adds perspective to a decision. We make use of our powerful subconscious. We might wait and see to gather more information, to seek a trusted opinion or talk to people who have already made a similar decision.

But sometimes we say we’ll sleep on it when we’re really just putting off making a decision. You don’t wait and see about repairing the roof until it falls in. Best not put off getting a knee replacement until you can’t walk at all.

Decision by indecision limits our choices and often costs more or has bigger life consequences than being decisive in the first place. Typically, when we go ahead and decide, we feel so much better right away and save ourselves a lot of unhealthy stress.

What’s the Worst That Can Happen?

25 years ago, my husband and I contemplated buying six vacation apartments from a retiring couple. The seller promised his wife he’d sell at age 70. I remember like it was yesterday, standing out front and asking, “What’s the worst that can happen?”

“We might still own it when I’m 70,” my husband said to me. He’s 77 now. We still own it, and it’s turned out to be a very good thing.

Addressing the worst that can happen is a legitimate approach to decisions because, very often, that is exactly what does happen. Most often, an outcome is easier to deal with if we anticipate it, good or bad.

Asking the right questions always helps with decision-making. Will it make my life better? Can this improve my relationship with another person? Am I doing it to please myself or someone else? Will this push me toward something I really want, or am I putting too much pressure on myself?

Decisions, decisions. The choices are endless.

How do you go about making big decisions about a large purchase? If you were forced to move, how would you go about deciding where it would be? What works best for you – intuition or sleeping on it? Please share your wisdom and tips below!

A new set of stars has joined Urban Decay’s Global Citizens collective, which means it’s time for a new “Pretty Different” campaign. Normani, G.E.M. and Camila Mendes look incredible modeling the also new Urban Decay Naked Ultraviolet Eyeshadow Palette. The bold purple hues pop against each of their skin tones. According to a press release from the brand, these women “personify the brand’s founding DNA,” challenging “the status quo by celebrating differences and embracing unapologetic individuality.”

Last year, Lizzo, Ezra Miller, Joey King, Karol G, and CL starred in the first “Pretty Different” campaign, alongside the launch of the Naked Honey Palette. This year is just as gorgeous and a bit more colorful. Each of the three women is wearing a blend of purple hues while blowing a purple bubble: singer Normani, Hong Kong singer-songwriter G.E.M. and actress Camila Mendes. We have to say, these are perfect choices for the campaign.

Image: Urban Decay.

Want to get their look? Same. The Naked Ultraviolet Eyeshadow Palette contains 12 ultra-pigmented purples and neutrals and a vegan, double-sided brush. There are metallics, mattes and shimmer finishes that are totally wearable even if you don’t have these ladies’ beauty skills.

Image: Urban Decay.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.