For multi-hyphenate business owner Vanessa Yee-Chan, cannabis isn’t about checking out. It’s about showing up. 

As a business owner, mom, and wellness advocate, her schedule is packed. Between juggling multiple ventures (including Alta and Twinkle Playspace), raising three teenagers, and staying present for her husband and extended family, Vanessa still makes time to care for herself. And cannabis has become a purposeful, daily part of that.

Through vapes, gummies, and infused beverages, Vanessa has created a cannabis wellness routine that supports sleep, focus, movement, and emotional balance. Here’s how she does it:

Mornings in Motion: Starting the Day with Intention

“My day usually starts around 6 AM. I have my espresso, make breakfast for the kids, get them out the door, and jump into emails,” Vanessa shares. “That’s when my day really starts.”

Once the kids are gone, the focus shifts inward. A deep stretch, and Peloton and pilates workouts are daily musts, born out of necessity following a horseback riding accident that left her with a serious spinal injury. “I was incapacitated. I could barely walk,” she says. “Stretching and movement have to happen every day. It’s how I keep going.”

But once the workout is done, the pace accelerates fast.

Her day often includes running between Twinkle Playspace in Williamsburg and Alta in Nolita, checking in with staff, handling vendor meetings, and monitoring operations. She’s also actively managing real estate properties, which means fielding calls from property managers, scheduling repairs, and handling tenant needs. 

It’s a lot, but that’s why the structure and intention of her mornings matter so much. They’re not just routines. They get her body and mind ready for whatever comes next.

Cannabis as the Wind-Down Ritual

Vanessa doesn’t often incorporate cannabis into her workday. It’s reserved for evenings, when the laptop can finally close.

“I don’t drink, so it’s like my ‘glass of wine’ for the day when I know I’m done with everything, and I’m just watching a movie or Netflix.”

Vanessa’s mode of choice, a vape, provides quick, discreet relaxation, especially in the house with kids. On tougher nights, she’ll add a low-dose edible, like the Sleep Drops from 1906, to help her stay asleep. 

But beyond helping her unwind physically, cannabis plays an important mental role: it signals that it’s time to stop working.

Vanessa’s schedule can have her working late into the night, covering shifts at Alta or juggling emails and loose ends from a long day. Cannabis offers her a needed pause button. It’s a cornerstone of her cannabis wellness routine that marks the shift between productivity and rest, helping her give herself permission to put the laptop away and leave tasks for tomorrow.

Yoga, Meditation & Deeper Connection

Weekends open up space for more mindful movement, especially yoga and other wellness rituals.

On Saturdays or Sundays, when she has more space for a longer yoga practice, she’ll often take a gummy, usually something with CBG to boost focus and body awareness, like Claridad from NY Finca.

“It helps me go deeper into my stretches,” she says. “When I finish, I feel like I got a really good workout.”

For Vanessa, cannabis isn’t just about movement. It’s also about presence. She credits it with helping her fully engage in meditative practices, especially when her mind won’t quiet on its own. “There’s a lot of noise in my head a lot of times, and [a gummy] helps me be in that moment. Not fully asleep, not fully awake.”

She recalls one standout experience: a sound bath while suspended in an aerial hammock. “It was the most amazing experience,” she says. “That was the first time when I thought that meditation could actually be beneficial for me.”

Socializing Without Alcohol

Vanessa doesn’t drink, but that doesn’t mean she misses out on connection. She’s found that cannabis-infused beverages and thoughtful consumption habits help her engage socially in ways that feel natural and fun.

“Having these products available to me allows me to be able to join the crowd and have something in my hand that feels celebratory,” she explains. It’s about celebrating the moment, on her terms.

Cannabis also enhances more active forms of connection, like long bike rides with her husband. “Sometimes I’ll smoke on a hard bike ride where I’m doing 18 to 20 miles,” she says. “It helps me relax and just be in the day, the moment.”

Whether it’s with a group or one-on-one, indoors or out, Vanessa uses cannabis as a way to feel more present without compromising clarity or comfort. 

Managing Pain, Hormones & Healing

As Vanessa has gotten older, her body’s needs have shifted, and so has her approach to wellness. Today, she’s focused on taking care of her whole self: mind and body. Her cannabis wellness routine is one part of a broader self-care approach that includes movement, vitamins, and a detailed skincare regimen, all working together to support how she feels and functions.

Cannabis plays a particularly important role in managing pain and hormonal changes, especially as she navigates the realities of perimenopause.

“I never had these cramping issues when I was younger,” she explains, “but now, it’s heavier flows and heavier cramps.”

To manage it, she turns to Gal Pal gummies from Eaton Botanicals, a blend that helps ease discomfort without making her feel high. “It really helps,” she says. “I can work through the day without feeling the cramps, and it doesn’t interfere with anything.”

Sleep, too, has become a priority in a way it wasn’t before. Vanessa’s schedule is intense, and quality rest is what keeps her going.

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is to get a full night of sleep. Seven, seven and a half hours make a huge difference,” she shares. Traditional sleep aids like melatonin made her groggy and didn’t help her stay asleep. 

Through trial and error, she’s figured out what works best: five milligrams is usually just enough to quiet her thoughts and ease her into sleep, without overwhelming her body. “It took a while for me to get to that point where I knew, okay, this works,” she says.

Wellness, Parenting & Education

Being a parent is already complex. Being a parent who owns a cannabis dispensary? With teenagers? That adds a whole new layer. As Vanessa’s kids grow older and more independent, the conversations around cannabis have naturally become more nuanced.

“It’s important for me to be realistic. They’re going to encounter cannabis in the world, whether I like it or not. Same as with alcohol. I want them to know how to be safe.”

Rather than avoiding the topic, Vanessa leans into open, honest communication. She talks to her kids about how she uses cannabis in her own life, how to evaluate what’s safe, and why intentional use matters. 

“It’s about helping them understand what’s safe, what’s not, and why. It’s education. That’s how I approach it.”

Vanessa’s Final Thoughts: Find What Works for You

Vanessa believes cannabis works best when paired with purpose and joy.

“There are appropriate times to go heavier and times to go lighter. Sometimes lighter is all you need to get through your day with a more positive outlook.”

From movement to meditation, pain relief to parenting, she’s created a rhythm that supports all the parts of her life and encourages others to do the same. It’s not always about getting high, it’s about getting grounded. 

“It helps me be in the moment, disconnect from the stress, and reconnect with myself.”

Looking to Start Your Own Ritual?

Try what Vanessa recommends:

  • Start small. Test different products and doses until you find your ideal rhythm.
  • Use cannabis with intention, not as an escape, but as a tool to recharge.
  • Pair it with rituals you already love: yoga, stretching, social time, or skincare.
  • Choose quality. Curate your products thoughtfully, like you would any other wellness tool.

With mindfulness, cannabis becomes part of a lifestyle rooted in joy, connection, and care.