TODAY I WILL:  

Give myself the closure I never got.

The chat is nostalgic, slightly sleep-deprived, and willing to fight for love—call it main-character energy.

• Hannah Montana is headed back to Disney+ for an anniversary special.

• Turns out, worrying about aging… ages you.

• The new hot scene is “no phones allowed” and lots of dancing.

• Sleep anxiety is further hurting our sleep.

• Some singles turned to wrestling to find love this Valentine’s Day.

Cold plunges are cooling off.

Remember when everyone you followed was waist-deep in a tub of ice water at 6 A.M.?

For a minute, cold plunging felt like the ultimate badge of discipline. Influencers swore by it. Wellness founders posted through the shivers. Even celebrities like Hailey Bieber made it part of their wellness routine. The message was clear: If you wanted mental toughness, better recovery, and a sharper nervous system, you had to get uncomfortable.

And now? The ice is melting.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. We’re tired of performative discomfort.

Cold plunging became less about recovery and more about optics. It was proof you were “serious” about self-improvement. But for many people, it started to feel like another extreme wellness task on an already long list.

2. The nervous system conversation evolved.

As breathwork and vagus nerve awareness went mainstream, more experts began emphasizing regulation over shock. While cold exposure can stimulate the system, constantly spiking stress isn’t always what already-overwhelmed bodies need. For people navigating burnout, postpartum recovery, or chronic stress, softer tools are resonating more.

3. The data isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Cold therapy has benefits, especially for athletic recovery. But it’s not magic, and it’s not required. Research around muscle growth even suggests that frequent ice baths may blunt some strength adaptations. Once the nuance hit the mainstream, the urgency cooled.

4. Cozy is back.

There’s been a broader cultural shift toward warmth: long showers, sauna sessions, slow mornings, comfort rewatches. We’re in a “support your system” era, not a “punish your body” one.

The State of “I Do.” 

Love is alive, well, and according to new data from The Knot, weddings remain a recession-proof, non-negotiable milestone.

The Knot’s annual Real Wedding study found that nearly two million couples got married in 2025—contributing a jaw-dropping $100B+ in wedding-related spending and proving that even during an economic downturn, celebrations of love will rise to the occasion. 

But how couples get to the altar is evolving in some fascinating ways. Let’s break down the top trends:

• Weddings are continuing to become more intentional, mirroring shifts in culture at-large. Couples spent an average of $292 per guest (up $8 from 2024 and $78 from pre-pandemic 2019). And while budgets are top of mind, experience still reigns supreme: 69% prioritized guests having a good time, 63% prioritized staying on budget, 51% went over budget, and 41% resold décor or wedding items post-celebration.

• Gen Z now makes up 41% of the wedding market, and traditions are being negotiated. The top shifts come from 60% saying they discussed proposal preferences ahead of time, 48% asked guests to “unplug” during the ceremony, 40% participated in premarital counseling (vs. 28% of Millennials, 22% of Gen X), and only 55% had an open bar.

• Lab-grown diamonds are booming. Overall, 61% of engagement rings now feature lab-grown center stones (a 239% increase since 2020), while natural diamond rings saw no growth in size or overall purchases. The average ring now costs $4,600 (down from $5,200 in 2024).

The Big Picture: Weddings aren’t shrinking as they did during the early days of the pandemic, but they are evolving. They’re more communicative, more savvy, and more values-driven. And while the price tag may keep climbing, couples are thinking long-term about money, mental health, and meaning.

She’s building the future of shopping—and trust us, you’ll want a front-row seat. Meet Melissa Bridgeford, CEO and cofounder of Wizard, the AI shopping agent poised to change the way we browse, buy, and bye-bye endless tabs. Wizard is already earning buzz as a must-know AI tool in e-commerce. And we’re ready to let Wizard help take shopping from overwhelming to effortless.

We sat down with Melissa to peel back the curtain on Wizard’s upcoming launch, her journey into AI, and what it really takes to build a category-defining company as a woman in tech. From busting myths about AI to sharing hard-earned wisdom on bringing bold ideas to life, she’s proof that the future of technology is as empowering as it is innovative.

For readers just hearing about it—what is Wizard, and how will it transform the way we shop?

Wizard is an AI shopping agent designed to make shopping simple. Users can use Wizard to shop for anything from running shoes to a new espresso machine. Rather than combing through hundreds of web pages, they can just tell Wizard what they’re looking for, and Wizard sifts through millions of data points like customer reviews, product information, and editorials to deliver the five best options personalized to the user.

What first sparked your interest in AI? 

Since 2017, I’ve been obsessed with creating a better e-commerce experience. Early on, I explored messaging and chatbots as a way to reduce friction. As AI evolved, it became clear that agents could fundamentally change how people shop online. That was the moment I realized this was not just an incremental improvement, but a complete shift in the customer experience.

What made you decide to apply AI to the shopping experience specifically? 

During a demanding career in finance, shopping became more frustrating than it should have been. I didn’t have time to research endlessly, and too often I ended up disappointed with what I bought. When I realized this was a universal problem, affecting everyone from busy professionals to my grandmother, I knew there had to be a better way. That insight led me to build a solution designed to take the work out of shopping.

What has building Wizard taught you about how people actually want to shop online today? 

What we’ve learned is that people crave both personalization and efficiency. Shoppers don’t want to browse endlessly; they want the right answer. Whether it’s a dress for a best friend’s wedding or a pair of headphones, consumers expect speed, relevance, and confidence. 

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about AI you’d love to clear up—especially for women who may feel like this tech wasn’t made for them? 

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that it’