Angela Kinsey is not a “sit-on-the-sidelines” type of person. As the mom-of-three, podcaster, basketball player, actress and now-spokesperson for Advil Dual Action says, while life during COVID has taken on a slower pace, she can still break into the occasional cartwheel. The 49-year-old Office star recently chatted with us to talk wellness, walking and a little bit of social media–comment policing.
NB: How did this partnership with Advil come about?
It was really organic. I’m a super active mom, I have three kids. I tend to think I can still do everything, but I can’t. I do my best to get on the trampoline, and I’m in the pool. I’m like, “Yes, I can still do a cartwheel.” Honestly, I think Advil saw that about me and reached out. I’ve been using it for so long, and it’s always been my go-to. I really do like Advil Dual Action—it’s a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. For me, all my aches and pains start behind my left shoulder blade, and then they travel up my neck to right behind my left eye. It’s like this doom-thing that happens. It’s all connected. It felt like a good fit for me as I jump on the trampoline and forget that I’m actually 49 and not 25.
NB: You are very active. Have you changed your schedule during COVID?
I’ve always been a big walker. I don’t know that I burn a ton of calories on my walk, it’s more of a stroll, but I do it every day. Physically, it’s a great thing for me to do, but, for my mental health, it’s a really wonderful thing. As corny as it sounds, looking at the flowers blooming, watching a cool-looking bird, or just seeing my neighbor’s trees growing are all things that make me feel connected to something bigger—and remind me that I’m not just in this small bubble that is my home. My family has a farm in Texas and we were always out in nature growing up. Getting to go for a walk and getting outside has always been very good for my soul, and I have continued doing that during the pandemic. On days where I haven’t, there’s a dip in my energy level. Now, I just have our masks by the front door, where we keep our hoodies and our backpacks. I just grab a mask as I walk out the door.
NB: You’ve made it your thing to post on Instagram with a cup of tea. Care to share what that’s about?
It’s 100-percent a wellness moment. I have it right now in my hand as I’m talking to you. I used to get the kids to school, come home to an empty house, sit on the back porch with my cup of tea, but now I’m navigating getting everyone on computers and online. It is just one of my favorite things is to sit and be still. My dad was very big about that. He would say, “Take a moment in your day and sit and be still.” I think it’s really so healing. It’s incredibly hard sometimes to carve out just 15 minutes to sit and be still and quiet your mind, but I find that when I make the time, I’m so appreciative of those 15 minutes, and it carries me for a long time.
NB: What else are you doing wellness-wise during this time?
I really see the benefits of just taking time to stretch. I lost a lot of range of motion just sitting in a chair all day at a computer and I used to go to a yoga class, which I haven’t been doing recently because of COVID. I know there’s online classes. My husband is all about doing this online class, but it is harder for me. I’m a in-person person, I’m a people person. It’s hard for me to stay accountable to an online-type of exercise class, so I just started stretching myself. I have a few that I started to incorporate into my day. I want to do more. I’m already seeing the benefits to it and I want to do more.
NB: You’ll be 50 next year. Does it faze you?
I recently had a young guy comment on my Instagram comments—and I’m quoting—“Shit babe, you got old.” I had this moment where I was like, “Don’t respond. Don’t respond.” But I responded and it wasn’t even from a place of anger, more from a place of wisdom. I think that’s what happens as you get older. I just said, “Listen, it’s called aging. It’s the process of getting older and I’m thankful for every wrinkle and I hope that someday you have these wrinkles and you had a life well-lived.”
That’s how I feel about it [aging]. I feel very comfortable in my skin. I know the skin is a little looser than it used to be—but it’s my skin. I’m really comfortable in it and I’m super thankful for all of these 50 years that I’ve had in it. I hope I get to have many more and I’m actually really looking forward to it because I feel very thankful in my life. I have a lot of gratitude in my heart right now, and I feel more at ease with myself than I ever have. That’s a wonderful place to be.
It takes a while to get there. You don’t have this kind of peace in your twenties and your thirties. At least for me, we’re busy with young kids and towards the end of your forties and your fifties, you just feel very settled into yourself. I don’t have any plans right now but I definitely plan on celebrating it.
