HOW I SUNDAY: ISSUE 28

By Dria Murphy

How I spend my Sundays now is vastly different than it was four years ago. The biggest difference is not in the activities I do on Sundays, but in my mental state. Four years ago I had a “traditional” 9-to-5 stressful job and work week. Saturdays and Sundays were the only moments I had for myself amongst a less-than-fulfilling work environment. The “Sunday Scaries” were real. When Sunday came around, my anxiety would heighten in anticipation of the week ahead. I wasn’t able to enjoy the day because the “scaries” set in, took over, and left me with no room to enjoy the weekend.

“I feel much happier, fulfilled, and more in control than ever before. I no longer spend Sunday filled with the anxiety and dread. Instead, Sundays have become enjoyable and relaxing.”

Nowadays my Sundays look and feel very different. I have spent more than three years building my own company, Alise Collective, and have recently co-founded a new one, the ness. I feel much happier, fulfilled, and more in control than ever before. I no longer spend Sunday filled with the anxiety and dread. Instead, Sundays have become enjoyable and relaxing.

That transition wasn’t easy, though. I began Alise Collective after being laid off when the startup I was working for was no longer. This pushed me to re-evaluate my career desires, which I may have never done if I was never pushed out of the comfort zone of having a dependable job. I started to consult for The Surf Lodge in Montauk the next week, which allowed me to meet so many new people.

The energy of a summer spent trying to figure out my next steps led me to create Alise Collective, originally a brand consultancy focused on a holistic approach to building brands in the fashion and tech world. I knew brands needed more than just traditional PR services and I saw a need for brands to connect PR, Social Media, Events and Influencer plans into a single, consolidated business strategy. Alise Collective has now grown to encompass clients in the Wellness and Lifestyle space, too. Everyday is different; it’s constant connection and collaboration.

Now, my other business, the ness. My love for the trampoline started a few years ago and I haven't stopped bouncing since - literally. The practice of complete mental focus while working out (my form of meditation) took me a while to find, but has since become an integral part of my lifestyle. Through this growth, I also found two people who inspired me on both personal and professional levels, Colette Dong and Aly Giampolo. Years working and growing together has led us to create the ness, a new intimate, community-based fitness studio offering trampoline and sculpt classes in a setting that feels like home.

The classes are small, so there’s a personal training aspect to the space. We designed the ness to be a unique community; it’s a light, bright, airy space that encourages clients to relax and recharge. We are so proud of what we are building (Editor’s Note: stay tuned for more on the ness on The Sunday Issue).

All of this to say, being an entrepreneur was never a goal I set out to achieve - it just happened organically.  

My typical Sunday has many rituals:

• I work out regularly during the week but also on Sunday, because I’m able to enjoy the process instead of rushing to and from a class. A mid-week class is scheduled between meetings and work schedule so it’s nice to take the time. Of course, I workout at the ness.
• Post workout, I love to go to one of my favorite coffee shops (Partners Coffee on 7th Avenue in the West Village) because they have the best matcha. I love to read parts of the Sunday New York Times. I try to put my phone away for a few moments during this morning activity. During the week, I’m constantly in meetings and talking to so many people, so I try very hard to take this one moment to turn off the noise and reset for the week ahead.
• I love to grab fresh flowers for my coffee table. I favor white roses from the bodega - my home is mostly white so they work nicely.
• I like to spend time at home in my apartment, whether that means catching up on emails or indulging in some Bravo TV, it’s really about spending some time alone in my space. My coffee table is full of candles, crystals, Sunday Forever Air Detox Mist, and travel & fashion books. I’m normally so busy during the week that I don’t get to fully enjoy my West Village apartment.
• Sunday night is the perfect time for beauty: trying new products, double-masking and indulging. I am currently into the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask. I then use JECT exfoliating cleanser. I like to do a natural deep conditioning hair mask by Briogeo too.
• After I finish my double-masking routine I start to wind down for bed, which is a ritual in and of itself. I begin by taking Well Told Health Relaxation Booster, which is made with Lemon Balm and Goji Berries and helps with restlessness and troubled sleep. I also take Well Told Health Turmeric Booster, which helps with inflammation. I swear by Helias Calm Essential Oil in my oil diffuser at night - it helps me relax and disconnect from my day.
• Creating a bedroom sanctuary is important. I have a semi-new bed from Allswell and I’ve been sleeping so much better with it. Their bedding is also amazing - it’s high quality and the vibe works with my apartment.
• Right before bed, I use the app Headspace to meditate. They have a sleep improvement “Goodnight Sleeping” series that I love. It’s become a habit to put on my Sunday Forever Sleep Mask (Editor’s Note: no longer available but we love this one! Can you blame us?) and settle in for the night.

Dria Murphy is Founder and CEO of Alise Collective, a brand building company based in New York City representing a curated network of like-minded lifestyle and wellness clients, and Co-Founder of the ness, a new intimate and elevated Tribeca based boutique studio offering trampoline and sculpt classes in a setting that feels like home. (Join the waitlist here and use "referred by Dria".)