The Self-Care Practice Eva Mendes Dropped When She Became A Mother — & Why She’s Recommitting To It In 2020

For many, New Year's resolutions revolve around adopting a practice that's foreign — a new habit that will better you from the inside out. For others, however, these New-Year promises involve revisiting conventions that were once routine. Eva Mendes, who plans to take up meditation in 2020, falls into the latter group. Yes, the famously private actor and mother of two recently revealed to The Zoe Report her hopes to embrace the self-care practice that served her so well in the past.

"I used to love transcendental meditation," Mendes said to TZR at a recent event celebrating her latest collection with New York & Company. "Since the kids, it's been so hard to take that time out. Meditation was the first thing to go, which was the first thing that I needed to keep. I really have to incorporate that back into my life."

For years Mendes swore by the popular wellness technique, which was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and involves sitting in comfortable silence for 20 minutes a day (or more). According to the transcendental meditation (TM) site, "The TM technique allows your active mind to easily settle inward, through quieter levels of thought, until you experience the most silent and peaceful level of your own awareness — pure consciousness." Reported perks of TM include decrease in stress and anxiety, enhanced brain function, and improved cardiovascular health.

Despite the "serious benefits" she reaped from the practice, Mendes equates meditation to working out in that, "Once I fall off that wagon, it was hard for me to get back on." And while the birth of her two daughters Esmeralda Amada, 5, and Amada Lee, 3, (whom she shares with partner and fellow actor Ryan Gosling) has meant an exciting new chapter, the star recognizes the need for more self-care in her life. "For 2020, I really want to focus on wellness, and TM is under that big umbrella," she explains.

A regular self-care routine isn't the only thing that's changed for Mendes since motherhood — her style has also been simplified. Obviously, the red carpet darling is no stranger to a glitzy, glammed-up look but, for the past five years, comfort and practicality have taken priority. "I think my style hasn't evolved but de-volved," jokes the actor. "I live in t-shirts. That's my day-to-day."

But just like her wellness routine is coming full circle, so is Mendes' sartorial inclinations. The actor has recently taken to upgrading her style game with new trends as well as old favorites (as evidenced in her latest holiday collaboration with NY&C). "I'm starting to feel like my old self again," she says. "For nighttime events and meetings I've been very into pantsuits, which was never something I was into before — and I'm kind of feeling the matchy-matchy vibes." Also on the actor's fashion radar is animal print. "It's not even a trend for me, it's a staple" she says. "It's like denim. Animal print is the new denim." No truer words were ever spoken.

Looks like 2020 is going to be a very good year for one Eva Mendes.