Meet Christina Fernández Guzmán | Founder of Self Love Tonic

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Fernández Guzmán and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, how did you come up with the idea for your business?

I’m the Founder of Self Love Tonic, a community centered around empowering individuals to cultivate self-love and put their well-being first. Our flagship product is our guided journal, which was thoughtfully designed to encourage a deeper journaling practice that promotes self-love, intentional living, and personal growth. I also host an accompanying podcast called Self Love Tonic™ that dives deep into all things self-love, mental health, and holistic wellness available for download on Apple, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

The idea for my business came to me shortly after giving birth to my daughter back in 2022. At the time, I had just gotten back into journaling after a hiatus during my pregnancy using a guided journal that I had developed a few years prior. However, I quickly realized that the prompts no longer resonated and I was craving something with more depth. I was struggling with self-love and finding my way as a new mother and I remember jokingly thinking to myself “What I need is some sort of Self Love Tonic”. That was when it hit me — that’s exactly what I needed and what better way to give that to myself than through a new guided journaling practice?

I spent about a year developing and testing prompt combinations that I felt had a deep impact in the areas of self-love and self-discovery. Eventually, I found the magic combination of prompts that didn’t take a ton of time to answer but were deep enough that it encouraged me to pause and dig deeper past the surface. Once I saw the positive impact that consistently journaling with these prompts had on my life, I felt called to share them with others.

Thus, the Self Love Tonic™ Guided Journal was born.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I’m proud of what the Self Love Tonic brand stands for. It can be so easy nowadays, especially with the prevalence of social media, to get caught up in a comparison game based on content that often doesn’t show us the whole truth. I have been there more times than I can count and this has contributed significantly to the decline of confidence, self-esteem, and mental health, especially within marginalized gender identities. Our mission at Self Love Tonic is to empower people to stop looking outside of themselves and start looking inward. We want to encourage others to prioritize their well-being and give themselves permission to show up in the world in whatever way feels authentic to them. We strive to encourage others to lean into gratitude not just for external factors, but also for all of the things that make them special and unique. No one’s voice is more powerful than our own and as people start to rediscover their power, their energy starts to become a ripple effect that we hope will contribute to a positive collective shift around cultivating self-love and prioritizing mental health.

Another thing that makes this brand so special is the love and intention put behind it. Included with each journal order is an envelope containing two small cards that have the power to make a big impact in an initiative we call Mindful Messenger™. The back of each card is blank with a space to write a positive message that would lift someone’s spirits. Once you’ve written your message, you can leave the card in a random location for someone to receive in divine timing. What I love most about Mindful Messenger is the prompt that can be found on the bottom of the card encouraging people to share a photo on Instagram and tag our account so that we can reshare. This helps to not only spread more positivity in the world but also allows the sender to see the positive impact their words have had on someone’s life.

So… how did I get here? I’ve come to realize it’s not an easy question to answer. Life has had some intense twists and turns for me over the years and because of that, I’ve had to overcome a lot of obstacles, especially in entrepreneurship. Failure is a word that I’m very acquainted with and although some might hear it and want to run, I’ve learned how important it is to embrace it. I truly believe there is no greater teacher or catalyst for growth than to fail your way forward… so long as you don’t give up.

Another valuable lesson I’ve learned along the way is that everything about your business doesn’t have to be perfect to put it out into the world. As a recovering perfectionist, I know how easy it can be to fall into the trap of thinking you have to have everything completely figured out for your brand to be visible in the world. However, the reality of entrepreneurship is that as soon as you think you have everything figured out, that’s when another level is unlocked and you start to realize there’s still so much to learn. As you and your business evolve, so will your brand and processes. What you consider “top tier” when you first start will look different down the line as you gain more experience and gather more data. The only way to gather that valuable experience and data is to start and strive to leave perfection at the door.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

There is so much to do in the Nashville area that it can be hard to choose! Of course, you have your typical Nashville landmarks like the Pedestrian Bridge, The Parthenon, and Broadway, but there are also some gems that I’ve particularly enjoyed and love recommending to others when they come to visit the area:

* Honest Coffee Roasters
* Collective 615 Coworking For Women
* Humphrey Street Coffee
* L&L Market
* Amelia’s Flowers
* Nashville Crystal Store
* Five Daughters Bakery
* Sixty Vines
* Americano Lounge
* Old Glory (Major speakeasy vibes)
* Condado Tacos

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people have had a positive impact on my journey and the gratitude that I have for them is immense. First and foremost, my family has been my number one support. They not only encourage me to go after my dreams fearlessly, but they’ve also been incredibly supportive as I learn to navigate both motherhood and entrepreneurship. It’s true when they say that it takes a village to raise a child, and I’m grateful for mine every single day. I also have so much gratitude for all of my amazing friends who are always the first in line to support any endeavor that I choose to take on, sharing with anyone and everyone who will listen. I feel beyond blessed to have such a strong support system and I could not have gotten to where I am without their unconditional love and encouragement.

Website: www.selflovetonic.com | www.selflovetonicpodcast.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/selflovetonic | www.instagram.com/itschrissyjane

Image Credits
Kristin Mansky of Marra Creative Studio + Self Love Tonic LLC