Lifestyle

Build Your Life to Be Flexible

Published

3 years ago

February 28, 2022

COVID-19 changed everything. It transformed the way we live and work, and it revolutionized the way millions of Americans approach their careers.

Dylan Ogline, founder of digital marketing agency Ogline Digital and entrepreneurship training program Agency 2.0, is no stranger to self-employment. He also found that during the pandemic, entrepreneurs experienced more stability than their nine-to-five counterparts.

“Everybody’s got to start now,” he says in reference to starting their own business. “People are going to be working at home, traveling the world.”

Dylan stayed put during the pandemic, and it’s been more than two years since he’s left the country. Yet he stands by his take on the unprecedented potential of digital entrepreneurship. And lately, others have taken note. His business more than doubled during the pandemic, all in the name of helping others pursue their passion and take back control.

Because the idea of going to the office and working for a single company throughout a person’s career? That concept is dead. And with mass layoffs and business closures at the peak of COVID-19, people are becoming more aware of not only the power, but the necessity of flexibility.

Here’s the thing: Dylan believes a progressive take on the changing corporate landscape is critical. Many of his own clients were forced to grow their digital presence after needless stalling—because after months or even years of putting that off, the pandemic didn’t leave them with much choice.

So these clients adapted, and their businesses thrived. Other companies died.

Talk about survival of the fittest.

But Dylan views this as a lesson. “One thing that never changes… is that the world will continue to change,” he says.

The millennial is committed to his agency clients, just as he is devoted to the students who enroll in his training program, and he wants them to build the confidence and skills they need to go out on their own, embrace change, and prosper.

Why’s that? Well, strategies that are working today might not be effective five years from now, and people need to be prepared. Artificial intelligence, for instance, will have a colossal impact on billions of lives. So Dylan has made it a focal point to teach his students to adapt to the evolution of business.

It’s all about a shift in mindset. According to Dylan, the education system teaches people to be good employees—but not to be good business owners. It teaches people to do the same thing for 30 years, and they’ll inherently climb the corporate ladder. They’ll move up naturally.

But will they? That ladder doesn’t exist anymore. And by waiting to go out on their own, people risk standing on shaky ground. Often, Dylan’s students will explain they’ve done countless Facebook ads for their employer, yet they couldn’t even fathom starting their own business.

He asks them, “Why not?”

If there’s anything the digital marketing star has learned in the last 17 months, overcoming that uncertainty—and embracing the unknown—can go a long way.

Dylan likens the shift we experienced during the coronavirus pandemic to the Great Recession. Others have too. A lot of people were laid off, and their lives were greatly impacted—but again, they were stuck in their way. With that, his advice to people in general is to become more comfortable with change.

“Build your life to be flexible,” he urges his students and everyone else.

Dylan has done exactly that. And while he was in a fortunate position with his flourishing business during COVID-19, it wasn’t all a matter of luck. He also built his life to be flexible.

For those who are curious about this approach, the entrepreneur recommends a book called Who Moved My Cheese?, written around the 2008 financial crisis, and published in 2008, author Spencer Johnson, M.D., uses cheese as a metaphor for anything a person wants in life: a good job, good health, a meaningful possession or relationship, or even money.

The idea is that we’re all stuck in a maze of sorts, searching for what we desire. And in the book, the characters must deal with the changes they face. Each individual must face change head-on, and then write about what they’ve learned on the maze walls.

The moral of the story is this: By learning from others, we can discover how to navigate change for ourselves. This is precisely what Dylan tells his students and clients, and it means a lot to him to be able to guide others to their own version of success.

“People might say, ‘This is how the world is. This is what I do. This is how I make money,’” Dylan explains. “These people need to become more comfortable with change, because world-shaping events are going to become more common.”

Climate change is upon us, and workers are increasingly displaced. Experts are exploring the possibility of future pandemics, and these things are going to have a massive impact.

The more flexible you are, the better off you’ll be.

And Dylan’s students have the results to show just how impactful this advice can be. Take one woman from the Dakotas, who was kind, talented, and terrified of sales. She enrolled in Dylan’s program, launched her own agency, and realized how capable she really was. This same woman is now happily self-employed, a dream come true for her.

Another student was dealing with the stress of a spouse’s layoff. They used part of the final paycheck to invest in his program, and landed their first client close to Christmas. This gave them the means to buy their kids Christmas presents, even during tough times.

This is what it means to be self-employed nowadays. While people aren’t taught in school to think like business owners, entrepreneurship is well within reach. All it takes is exploring what you don’t know, and adopting a more flexible mindset once you take the leap.

Lifestyle

How To Combine Astrology With Self-Care Rituals To Enhance Daily Living

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2025

Michelle Langton

Self-care looks different for everyone. And it could look different day by day. Sometimes you just need meditation or journaling or a grounding ritual. Sometimes you need movement. Sometimes you need more rest. Have you ever wondered why it’s different day-by-day and why you can’t seem to “stick” to something?

Most of us know something about Western astrology, but have you ever heard of Vedic astrology (Jyotish)? Vedic astrology focuses on your moon sign (which may differ from your Western astrological chart), planetary transits, and Dasha period. These three areas shape how you feel, act, and process emotions every day.

The time management app align27 doesn’t just focus on your typical horoscope. It gives you a personalized Vedic birth chart and a daily favorability forecast based on planetary influences. It uses a simple yet powerful stoplight system — green for favorable times, yellow for neutral, and red for moments when it’s best to slow down — to help you navigate each day with intention.

Why Vedic astrology and self-care go hand in hand

Ever have days where everything flows effortlessly and others where nothing seems to go right? That’s not random — it’s the influence of the planets at play. Vedic astrology teaches that planetary transits and periods, and the Moon’s placement each day all impact your energy.

By understanding these influences, align27 customizes your self-care rituals to work with the planetary energies rather than against them. The result? A self-care routine that feels more natural, restorative, and in harmony with your personal astrology.

How to align self-care with align27

1. Follow your moon sign for emotional well-being

In Vedic astrology, your Moon sign reveals how you process emotions, handle stress, and recharge. The align27 app provides real-time insights into your Moon sign’s current state, helping you plan self-care that supports your well-being.

Fire Moons (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius): align27 will highlight action-oriented times, which are perfect for movement-based self-care like yoga, walking, or a workout.

Earth Moons (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn): Your best self-care moments often fall during grounding planetary periods. The align27 app helps you time activities like cooking, gardening, or Ayurvedic oil massages.

Air Moons (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius): Mental stimulation is key for you. Use align27’s favorable green time slots to plan journaling, reading, or creative work.

Water Moons (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces): Emotional balance is crucial; align27 suggests introspective yellow periods during which self-care like meditation, breathwork, or music therapy can help you reset.

By checking your daily Moon sign insights in align27, you can sync your self-care with your emotional energy instead of forcing routines that don’t feel right.

2. Sync with planetary transits for daily rituals

Planetary movements in Vedic astrology directly influence your daily energy. Instead of following the same self-care routine every day, use the align27 app to check which planets are strongest and which ones need balancing.

Green periods: Ideal for action — schedule workouts, deep work, or personal projects.

Yellow periods: Best for reflection — meditation, light reading, or connecting with loved ones.

Red periods: Time to pause — prioritize self-care, avoid big decisions, and rest.

For example:

If align27 shows a red period under Mercury’s influence, it’s a sign to unplug from tech and practice silence (Mauna) instead.

A green period during a Moon transit suggests a great time for emotional processing through journaling or spiritual rituals.

If Saturn is active, align27 might recommend structured self-care, like a disciplined yoga practice or fasting.

The daily timing feature of align27 takes the guesswork out of self-care, helping you plan around when the universe is actually working with you, not against you.

3. Use your Venus sign for beauty and self-love rituals

In Vedic astrology, Venus (Shukra) represents luxury, pleasure, and how you experience beauty. But your Venus sign in your birth chart tells you what kind of self-care truly nourishes your soul.

Venus in Fire Signs: You love bold, energizing self-care. Ayurvedic herbal treatments, bright colors, and invigorating scents like sandalwood or saffron uplift your energy.

Venus in Earth Signs: You prefer high-quality, natural self-care. Organic skincare, silk bedding, and nourishing food rituals align with your Venus energy.

Venus in Air Signs: You thrive on social and intellectual beauty. Try mantra recitation, decorating your space with art, or engaging in deep conversations.

Venus in Water Signs: You need emotionally fulfilling self-care. Essential oil baths, soft textures, and music therapy create a calming atmosphere.

4. Strengthen your planetary weaknesses through rituals

Each planet in your birth chart has strengths and weaknesses based on its placement. You can balance planetary imbalances through specific self-care rituals:

Weakened moon? Drink warm milk with cardamom, wear white, and meditate under the full Moon.

Struggling with Rahu energy? Reduce digital distractions, light camphor, and chant “Om Rahave Namah.”

Mars overactivity? Avoid spicy food, practice slow yoga, and wear cool colors like blue or white.

The align27 app personalizes these remedies based on your birth chart and daily planetary shifts.

Align your self-care with the stars

When you integrate Vedic astrology into your self-care routine, you’re not just following trends but tuning into the ancient wisdom of timing and energy alignment. Instead of forcing yourself into a one-size-fits-all self-care plan, you can create rituals that genuinely support you based on the cosmic influences at play.

With tools like align27, you can easily track your best days for rest, action, and reflection — making self-care effortless and aligned with the universe. Because taking care of yourself isn’t just about doing more — it’s about doing what’s right for you, at the right time.