Get to Know Truly Jamie

Jamie (@trulyjamie) is a Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle blogger. She is well-known for her YouTube community, advocating for animals and sharing amazing gluten-free recipes. We sat down with Jamie and asked her all the hard questions. From mental health, to self-care, to burnout, Jamie shares it all on the blog.

Was there ever a time that you felt you couldn’t be your true self on social media because of your mental health? 
Definitely. I lost my mom to a terrible battle with cancer when I was 18 and I have struggled with severe health anxiety ever since. At the start of 2020 I was in an awful place mentally (surprisingly unrelated to the pandemic haha) I was in one of my overthinking / symptom googling / convinced I had an illness episodes and doing something like sharing an Instagram story felt trivial in comparison to what I thought I was dealing with. I would even find myself scrolling my feed and thinking, “Wow, I wish I was this person and not myself because they’re not dealing with the worries I’m dealing with.” Which of course, isn’t true; everyone has their own battle. But that’s how you talk to yourself when your mind isn’t in a great place. Thankfully I have learned to step away from social media, set boundaries, stay off of WebMD, and let go of some control. It would be such a shame to spend my life worrying about what was going to happen to me instead of actually enjoying the health that I have.

What does self-care mean to you? How do you implement this into your daily life?
My ideal self-care day usually includes cleaning my house (can you tell I’m a Virgo), cooking a nourishing meal, maybe going on a walk, relaxing in bed and catching up on all my shows or reading a book. I am an extroverted introvert, so while I love being around people, I also value my time alone to recharge. 

I implement self-care into my daily life by prioritizing my morning routine- bed made, skincare applied, smoothie in hand. Being intentional with my morning is grounding and sets the tone for my entire day. 

Do you ever suffer from burnout? What do you do for this?
Of course. It’s a constant struggle, especially when your job is to be inventive and creative. The hamster wheel of work, maintaining a social life, and taking care of your mental health all at once can be overwhelming, to say the least. My way of dealing with burnout is to meditate and pray. I know it sounds cliche, and I’m not even a super zen / yoga kind of gal haha. It’s as simple as taking a minute to breathe, talk to God, remind myself that this feeling always passes, and not to be hard on myself. 

You are the gluten-free recipe queen, what are your top three favorite gluten-free recipes?
Well, thank you! I have so many but if there were only three I could share, it would have to be these.

 40 Aprons' gluten free cinnamon rolls are INCREDIBLE. I make them on Christmas morning, and they’re always a treat. As someone guilty of constantly tweaking recipes, I follow this one exactly every time because it’s pure perfection. They’re Cinnabon copycats- need I say more?

Kristin Cavallari's Date Delight Bars changed my life. Extremely dramatic, but I have made these countless times. They’re great with morning coffee or to satisfy a sweet tooth. These bars are great to build upon, so I sometimes add chia seeds, almonds, hemp seeds, or even collagen powder. They’re packed with amazing ingredients but disguised as a dessert. This recipe is from her gluten free cookbook, True Roots. 

Lastly, I have to include one of my own. My roasted tomato soup is a favorite amongst family and friends, and for good reason if I don’t say so myself. Tomato soup paired with grilled cheese is a top-tier, comfort meal in the fall and winter.