What the Mycelial Network Can Teach Us About Creating Community

There’s nothing like travel – or a staycation – especially in summer. Whether you're road-tripping down back roads, flying across time zones or rediscovering your hometown, stepping out of your daily routine is good for the mind, body and soul. But travel can also bring disrupted sleep, not-so-healthy food, packed schedules and constant motion. It can take a toll on your energy, focus and mood.  We’re big believers in staying connected to daily practices that nourish you, even when you’re away from home. After all, aren’t the best trips the ones where you feel just as good coming home as you did when you left? Here are a few simple ways to support your well-being on the move all summer long: 1. Start Your Day with Intention When your schedule’s packed or you’re in an unfamiliar environment, grounding rituals can remind you of what matters most. Begin each morning with a few deep breaths and a slow stretch. Take a moment to feel your feet on the floor. Sip something warm and nourishing, like Mighty Mushroom Matcha. Or bring along our Mind Capsules, a daily dose of Lion’s Mane that supports clarity and focus while you’re on the go.* 2. Stay Hydrated, Stay Balanced It sounds simple, but hydration is often overlooked while traveling. Dehydration can zap your energy and affect digestion, mood and sleep. Carry a reusable bottle, sip water throughout the day and skip the extra round of coffee and cocktails. Add a dropperful of Chill Elixir to your evening tea or a glass of sparkling water to support calm when you’re winding down from the day’s adventures.* 3. Pack with Presence Resist the urge to overpack. Instead, choose items that bring you comfort and ease. A journal, a favorite snack, your favorite mushroom elixir – anything that helps you stay centered. Small things can make unfamiliar places feel more like home. 4. Get Outside and Move Your Body No matter where you are, nature is usually nearby. Take a short walk between travel legs, sit under a tree at a rest stop or watch the sunset from a hotel balcony. Nature helps recalibrate your nervous system, especially after the hustle and bustle of transit. 5. Stick to Your Routines We tend to abandon our routines on vacation, but a few consistent habits can make a big difference. Even one daily ritual – taking your daily supplements, going for your usual run or unplugging a couple of hours before bed – can help you feel more balanced. 6. Practice Gratitude on the Go Long lines, delays and detours are all part of travel. But so are moments of awe and unexpected connection. Keep a short gratitude list on your phone or take a few minutes each night to reflect. This shift in perspective supports emotional well-being and can deepen your travel experience. Need suggestions? Browse this list of 26 ways to practice gratitude every day. Wherever this summer takes you, remember to take care of yourself. A vacation or trip should be about connection and experiencing new things, but try not to deplete your energy and vitality along the way! Remember: You deserve to rest. (Need help slowing down? Turn to mushrooms.) Image credit: Fellipe Ditadi

When it comes to healthy sleep, only about 65% of adults are getting enough. The other 35% of us are tossing and turning — and clocking less than the recommended seven hours of shuteye per night.  To get the rest you deserve, rewind from the moment your head hits the pillow. What’s happening in the hours leading up to your bedtime? In nature, routines are all around us, offering subtle yet strong cues that it’s time to wind down. The sun sets, flowers close up for the day and the forests quiet down.  In today’s busy world, we often ignore those cues, continuing to work, text and scroll well after dark. If you’re working to prioritize sleep, let the natural world be your guide. If nature can move with intention into rest, so can we. A calming nighttime routine can help you shift from the stimulation of the day to the restoration of night. And when that routine is rooted in natural rhythms, it becomes more than a habit. It becomes a ritual. Here’s how to build an evening routine that supports relaxation and sets the stage for deep rest, with the help of Reishi, a mushroom revered for centuries for its calming properties.* Use the steps below to create your own routine, remembering it’s about finding peace not perfection.  Your Step-by-Step, Nature-Inspired Evening Routine Turn Down the Lights As the sun goes down, dim the lights in your home. Warm, soft lighting tells your body it’s time to slow down. Whenever possible, watch the sun set, since that’s nature’s signal that rest is near. Tune Out the Noise Step away from your screens at least an hour before bed. While scrolling or watching TV might feel relaxing, the blue light emitted by devices can interfere with your circadian rhythm and make it harder to honor your natural sleep-wake cycle.  Sip Something Soothing Mix a dropperful of the Chill Elixir into warm water or your favorite tea. This calming botanical blend includes Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms with Vervain and Holy Basil, an adaptogen that can help you cope with the day’s stresses.* Let this be your first “exhale” of the evening. Move Gently Take five to 10 minutes to gently stretch or do restorative yoga. Moving with intention can help release tension stored in the body and prepare you for stillness. You might even try taking a silent stroll around your neighborhood to listen to the soothing sounds of nature at rest.  Reflect and Release Use the time before bed to reflect on the day and clear some mental clutter. In your journal, write a few lines about what you’re grateful for today or what you’re ready to let go of.  You could also try writing a mantra or coloring for a more meditative practice.  Lean on the Queen  Looking for a melatonin-free way to support restful sleep?* Our gentle Fantastic Fungi Sleep Capsules blend the Queen of Mushrooms herself (Reishi) with Passionflower and Hops. This herbal duo has traditionally been used to support restful sleep and nightly renewal, and Reishi is revered for its relaxing qualities.* Keep a jar on your bedside table as a nightly reminder to invite calm into your P.M. routine. Practice Stillness Lie down and simply breathe. Inhale through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Envision yourself getting heavier physically and lighter mentally with each breath. Let your thoughts drift like clouds instead of letting them take root. Rest with Intention As your body sinks into your bed, feel yourself growing rooted, like mycelium into the soil. Sleep is the time your body will restore and renew itself, to prepare for tomorrow. Give thanks for the day and give yourself over to rest. 

In today’s hustle culture, we’re praised for productivity and told sleep is something to be earned. So when we prioritize rest, it can feel downright rebellious. But what if we told you that stillness isn’t just restorative? It’s also resilient. And fungi, nature’s humblest teachers, can show us how to pause, reflect and recharge. At Fantastic Fungi, we believe that rest is not a reward for hard work, but a vital ingredient in living a fantastic life. Just as mushrooms thrive in the unseen corners, quietly supporting nature in ways we’ve only begun to understand, we can also benefit from stepping back and taking care of ourselves by seemingly doing nothing. Read on to learn how stillness is a form of resilience, why rest truly matters and how fungi can help us learn to pause.  The Wisdom of the Mycelial Network Beneath our feet lies a vast and intelligent network that operates through connection and patience. Mycelium spreads slowly and deliberately, pausing when needed, conserving energy and waiting for the exact right conditions to grow. It reminds us that thriving doesn’t require constant motion. Mushrooms aren’t in a rush. And maybe we don’t need to be either. Next time you feel pressured to push when you want to be still, consider how mycelium would react in that situation.  Stillness is Strength Were you raised to believe that doing nothing is wasting time? A lot of us were. But research shows that intentional rest can boost mental clarity, emotional regulation and overall wellbeing. When we slow down and breathe deeply, our nervous system gets a chance to reset. Rest is when our body begins to repair, our mind starts to settle and creativity has room to blossom. Our culture may not always celebrate rest, but nature does. Mushrooms grow in cycles after periods of dormancy. Their stillness is strategic, not stagnant. It's how they survive, adapt and support life around them.  Struggling to find your chill? Carve out a few minutes to make taking your favorite mushroom Elixir into a daily ritual. Fantastic Fungi Chill Elixir harnesses the peaceful power of Reishi, plus Shiitake and the herbs Holy Basil and Vervain to help you unwind naturally.*  Set a timer for five to 15 minutes, turn off notifications, put your feet up and savor every drop of this serene, restful formula. Our mushroom products support a balanced life — one that’s truly fantastic and honors both energy and ease. Adaptogenic mushrooms like Reishi and Cordyceps have been studied for their ability to support the body's response to occasional stress and fatigue.* While nothing can replace rest, these mushrooms can be part of a toolkit that supports your body and mind during demanding times.* Our Chill Elixir and Sleep Capsules are crafted with this in mind. Backed by science and inspired by nature, they’re designed to help you create space for restoration.  Reconsider How You Define Rest  Rest isn’t just about sleep — it’s about how we show up for ourselves in quiet moments. Whether it’s 10 minutes of breathwork, an afternoon walk in the woods or simply sitting with your thoughts, choosing to do less can help you become more present and grounded. By promoting focus and mental clarity, Lion’s Mane (a key ingredient in our Memory Gummies) can help you stay in the moment.* This resistance to multitasking and rushing is its own form of “rest.”  So next time you feel pulled to do more, consider doing nothing instead. Let fungi be your role models. They’ve been resting, growing and changing the world for millions of years. Photo Credit: Fahmi Ramadhan