As a TikTok shutdown looms, many creators are preparing for life without the popular social media app that serves as news, entertainment and for some: income.

TikTok will be banned in the U.S. this month unless its owner, ByteDance, is sold to a company outside of China.

President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to block the law from going into effect — and NPR’s Bobby Allyn has reported that “for all the TikTokers out there who use the app every day, I think it’s fair to say it’s unlikely it will be disappearing anytime soon.”

But creators on the app are saying their goodbyes and planning for the app as they know it to go away in a matter of weeks.

For some creators, the end of TikTok would mean losing their main source of income.

Cora Lakey quit her six-figure job in talent acquisition and project management in October — because she was able to make a living on TikTok.

“I was, I would say, equaling my corporate salary for about three months before I took the leap to quit,” Lakey said.

TikTok has allowed her to pay off some of her student debt. Unlike her corporate job, becoming a full-time TikTok creator has also provided her autonomy over how she spends each hour of her day.

But recently she’s seen comments that a TikTok ban might force influencers like her to “get a real job.”

In a TikTok video, she retorted, “Influencers aren’t out of touch for crying about the TikTok ban. You’re out of touch for not realizing this is a real industry.”

Women have the most to lose: Eighty-four percent of influencers are women, according to a 2024 report from Influencer Marketing Hub, which follows the social media industry.

“Some would argue that with TikTok shutting down, they could wipe out about $1.3 billion in U.S. small business and creator revenue within just one month,” said Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in governance studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution.

“The creator economy is valued at $250 billion globally,” Turner Lee added.

President Biden signed the bill that would potentially ban TikTok, citing threats to national security.

The app gathers a lot of personal information from users, and lawmakers say they are concerned about the Chinese government spying on American users, or manipulating the platform to advance its own interests.

But Adam Aleksic, who goes by @etymologynerd on TikTok, doesn’t believe these claims.

“It’s not about China. It’s about the fact that they can’t control mass communication anymore, which has also been obvious since the war in Gaza started,” Aleksic said in a TikTok video.

Aleksic echoes a theme a lot of TikTok users share about the ban.

“The gatekeepers hate this, but they know they can’t stop us from using all of social media,” he said. “Instead, they can just try to limit us to the platforms they have the most control over.”

Among TikTok users, there’s a feeling of loss.

“I’m not as worried as I am disappointed,” said Anna Vatuone, who coaches people on developing their personal brands online.

Vatuone says she finds most of her clients through TikTok. Ahead of a potential ban on the app, she’s telling her hundred and eighty thousand followers to find her on Instagram and Substack.

“Rule one of personal branding is don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” Vatuone said. “Diversify and make sure that you’re in a lot of different places, because the truth is we don’t own our profiles anywhere.”

Ralph Tyndall posts videos about cardmaking to his one-and-a-half million followers. He’s been a full-time content creator for almost two years, and says it allowed him to leave his tech job that burned him out.

“I’ve kind of just been ignoring it, knowing that I don’t really have any control,” he said of a potential TikTok ban.

Tyndall used to make around $160 thousand annually at his tech job, however he now makes more as a content creator. He says he’ll be alright without the additional income from TikTok — but it’s the loss of community he’s more worried about. He’s been on TikTok longer than any other social media platform, and doesn’t want to lose the following he’s built up.

“While it’s great to chase the metrics and numbers and views, the thing that keeps me coming back is the community,” Tyndall said.

Rishika Vinnakota is a TikTok influencer who posts about her life as a college student to her twenty thousand followers. She says she’s “disappointed just because I built a community,” adding that “it’s really hard to get people to follow you from one platform to another, especially if you have a smaller platform.”

Vinnakota has three on-campus jobs, but makes the most of her income from TikTok partnerships and brand deals.

“It’s a little sad to go through and relive all my videos and download them and, you know, plan to post them on another platform,” she added.

Vinnakota uses a separate app to download her videos without the TikTok watermark — since videos posted on TikTok can’t be downloaded without the app’s logo.

While she can upload her TikTok videos to another platform, it won’t be as lucrative. Having a large following on TikTok makes brands want to work with her — and she doesn’t have nearly as many followers on other social media platforms.

“I mean, all of this could have been dealt with in a much better way,” she said of the lawmakers who orchestrated the potential ban.

“I’m still going to take content, film, post, edit. I’m going to do everything I do,” Vinnakota said. “It just might not be on TikTok anymore.”

This story was edited for radio by Barry Gordemer and edited for digital by Treye Green. It was produced by Claire Murashima.

This stands to be an interesting year — if not a potentially stressful one — as we transition leadership in this country. Just remember to care for yourself.

With that top of mind, here’s a calendar of wellness activities, each tied to the mood and cadence of the month. There’s a high-energy trampoline fitness routine, an affordable facial, a supermoon hike, a sound bath in a dome designed for time travel and more.

Feel free to mix up the order of these activities (hey, do them all in January, if you want!) or simply use them as inspiration to chart your own wellness path. But do prioritize self-care this year to stay healthy, grounded and strong.

January: Roast on salt rocks, soak in hot water and shed your skin

Wi Spa’s salt therapy sauna.

(Wi Spa)

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Los Angeles has a rich Korean bathhouse culture. But my favorite — and I’ve tried them all — is Wi Spa. The spa is open 24/7, for starters, and has a coed floor with five progressively hot saunas (one offers “salt therapy”; another, “medicinal” clay). There’s a wall-length bookshelf of loaner manga, a rooftop terrace and a surprisingly good Korean cafe (try the spicy buckwheat noodles or the shaved ice with red beans, fresh fruit and ice cream). The soaking tubs and saunas are included with the cost of entry. But consider adding on a scrub and sloughing off a layer or two of skin — it’s my favorite way to enter the new year. I always leave feeling rejuvenated, not to mention just a little bit lighter. ($30 entry)

February: Consult a tarot reader

Melinda Lee Holm.

(Tyler Curtis)

Valentine’s Day may be consumerist crap, but it’s inescapable — chocolate, flowers and dating app ads abound! It’s hard not to think about the state of your love life in February. Whether you’re single and searching or coupled and working on things — or anywhere in between — why not get some guidance? Tarot reader Melinda Lee Holm, who’s based in L.A., has been reading cards for more than 30 years. She’s authored several books, most recently “Your Tarot Guide: Learn to Navigate Life With the Help of the Cards.” Contact her for a private reading or attend one of her free tarot readings, held weekly, on Instagram. She also performs staged versions of her Instagram Live events, for free, typically at the Philosophical Research Society. And she’ll be releasing a series of Instagram videos in 2025 about “love spells.” (Private session: $200; live events: free)

March: Enjoy a springtime tea ceremony

Miwa Morishita, a student of Yuko Uyesugi, at Yusuian tea room.

(Deborah Vankin / Los Angeles Times)

There’s no shortage of places to enjoy tea rituals in Los Angeles, including at Alhambra’s Tea Habitat, which offers a gong fu cha service, or the Arts District’s “tea meditation” space, Tea at Shiloh. But Yusuian takes it to the next level. The traditional Japanese tea room is situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Malibu. Guests sit on tatami mats with a view of a Japanese garden with a waterfall. Owner Yuko Uyesugi is an expert in the centuries-old Chado tea ceremony, which is the ritualistic preparation of green tea, meant to provide a relaxing break from everyday life. She holds classes there and, twice yearly, opens up the tea room for visits. Bonus: In spring, the garden is bright with flowers, and you may just find a cherry blossom on your plate of sweets. ($85 for a single visit; address upon RSVP)

April: Get heady

Reporter Deborah Vankin receives a Chinese scalp treatment from Tou Dao Tang Head Spa.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

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April is tax season. Which equals one massive headache from — for me, anyway — poring over receipts. Even the score at a head spa. We visited both Japanese and Chinese head spas in the area. At both, the luxury treatment begins with a detailed scalp analysis followed by a neck and shoulder massage and repeated shampooings and conditionings. At Cai Xiang Ge in San Gabriel, the 60-minute, $95 treatment also includes a warm foot bath and a blowout over tea and sweets. At Head Spa En in Pasadena (there are also Beverly Hills and Newport Beach locations), the 60-minute, $150 treatment instead includes a slow, 35-minute Shiatsu head massage with a moisturizing scalp gel. Practitioners claim head spas aid circulation as well as detoxify and hydrate the scalp. Wherever you go, getting your noggin scrubbed for an hour is transformative — in both cases, I nearly fell asleep. Now that’s a worthy benefit. ($95 and $150)

May: Bounce

A class at Ritual Fitness.

(Michael Newstead)

As the weather warms up and we look to summer, it’s a good time to restart (or just start) your fitness routine. Take a trampoline fitness class at LEKfit in Mid-City, Ritual Fitness in Highland Park or Trampoline Trim in Hollywood. Yeah, we know it’s all about strength training these days. But aerobic exercise is still crucial, and working out on a trampoline is low-impact. The studios actually use “Rebounders,” a type of mini-trampoline that has a gentler bounce than a large trampoline; it uses bungee cords instead of metal springs to better absorb impact, making the workout easier on your joints. The dance-like moves are good for coordination, balance and calorie-torching, and rebounding is said to stimulate the lymphatic system, which helps clear toxins from the body. All three studios incorporate elements of strength training, stretching and toning using bands and weights as well. Plus, there’s something to be said for pure, unadulterated, childlike play. (Trampoline Trim, $29; LEKfit and Ritual Fitness, $35)

June: Meditate

Insight L.A.’s Benedict Canyon retreat.

(Deborah Vankin / Los Angeles Times)

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OK, we’re midway through the year. How are things going? Check in with yourself and meditate. Amid the hustle of summer vacations, barbecues and road trips, take some time out to get grounded. If you enjoy the community ritual of “sitting” en masse, my two favorite public meditation spaces are Insight L.A.’s Benedict Canyon retreat, which hosts ongoing meditation events, and the Hammer Museum’s Thursday afternoon Mindful Awareness Meditations. Insight L.A., a nonprofit, has a Santa Monica location and also holds overnight retreats with Big Bear Retreat Center. But its Benedict Canyon space is magical — a hillside haven filled with fruit trees, towering pines and fragrant lavender bushes. Its events are pay-what-you-can, with no one turned away for lack of funds. The Hammer’s free 30-minute meditations, co-presented by UCLA Health, are a dependable respite in the heart of Westwood. Meditations are livestreamed on the museum’s website too. (Free and by donation)

July: Rage

Mia Magik during a Rage Ritual.

(From Mia Magik)

July is hot. It’s crowded and trafficky in L.A. And you may still be reeling from the election (perhaps more so). If meditation didn’t do it for you, try a Rage Ritual. Intuitive advisor Mia Magik will hold several events in L.A. this month. One of them, on July 12, is a daylong retreat in the forest in Topanga. Among the many activities that day will be a Rage Ritual, during which participants collectively scream and thrash around enormous sticks as Magik guides them in releasing pent-up emotions. Or stop by one of L.A.’s Rage Rooms to unleash your fury. At both Rage Ground in downtown L.A. and the Break Room Los Angeles in Van Nuys, visitors don protective gear while smashing glass and ceramic objects. Really, truly friggin’ furious? At both establishments you can book a session to wreck an entire automobile — windows, doors, headlights and all. (Retreat: $150. Rage Ground, from $70 for 45 mins; Break Room Los Angeles, from $45 to $65 for 20 or 30 minutes)

August: Attend a transcendent ‘silent’ piano concert by the sea

Murray Hidary performs a live-to-headphones “silent” piano concert meditation on the Santa Monica beach.

(Ona’ Photography)

Imagine the sun setting over Santa Monica Beach. There’s a large grand piano on the sand, surrounded by enormous upright sunflowers. Hundreds of attendees lie on blankets, wearing wireless headphones rimmed with aqua lights. As it gets darker, the lights glow brightly against the night sky. This is one of Murray Hidary’s MindTravel events, a fusion of live music and meditation — he’ll hold several in the L.A. area in late summer. The experimental music composer and mindfulness teacher performs on an electronic keyboard inside the sculpture of a grand piano, and the music is moving, an improvised mix of contemporary and classical that’s silent to passersby who aren’t wearing headphones. Each concert has a theme, which Murray riffs on, whispering into attendees’ headphones as he plays. The night I went in 2023, the theme was “Courage,” which one attendee had spelled out in candlelight on the sand. (Average: $100; check website for dates)

September: Trek to the desert for the ultimate sound bath

A sound bath inside the Integratron.

(The Integratron)

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September always feels extra busy, with back-to-school activities and the shift to fall. Center yourself at the ultimate sound bath, a short road trip away near Joshua Tree. The Integratron, a “fusion of art and science,” is a ’50s-era wood dome that was designed to be an “electrostatic generator for the purpose of rejuvenation and time travel.” It’s situated in Landers in a spot in the desert that its architect, George Van Tassel, claimed is sparking with geomagnetic forces. You can take a deeply relaxing, mind-melding, hour-long sound bath in the dome. It includes a history of the building to start, followed by a live performance, on 22 quartz crystal singing bowls, by a sound healing artist. You may not travel back in time, exactly, but you will most likely be transported. ($58)

October: Worship the supermoon during a Griffith Park night hike

People walk in front of a rising supermoon at Griffith Observatory.

(Richard Vogel / AP)

Oct. 7 is the date of the enormous, glowing Hunter’s moon this year. Watch it rise in the sky from the Griffith Observatory, which has free public telescopes as well as coin-operated ones. Or go DIY and view the moon from one of the park’s highest peaks, Mt. Hollywood, which we like to hike to from the Riverside trailhead at the Greek Theatre. Luckily, Oct. 7 is a Tuesday, which means the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter will be leading free night hikes, with groups divided by skill level. The hikes, which take place every Tuesday and Thursday evening year-round, barring rain, are roughly two hours long and leave at 7 p.m. from the park’s Upper Merry-Go-Round parking lot. The Hunter’s moon takes its name, in part, from its brightness — said to make hunting easier in the dark. No matter which peak you choose to view it from, it surely will illuminate your way. (Free)

November: Trek the length of Wilshire Boulevard

Participants fill Pershing Square during the 2018 Great Los Angeles Walk.

(Michael Schneider)

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If moving our bodies, observing our environment and connecting in person with other people are tenets of wellness, then the Great Los Angeles Walk has it all. And this year marks its 20th anniversary. The event, started by journalist and walking aficionado Michael Schneider, has hundreds of Angelenos trekking the length of an iconic boulevard every November on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Some join individually, others come in groups. Participants are encouraged to “go slow” and stop, repeatedly, along the roughly 14- to 16-mile journey, exploring the landmarks, public art and architecture that they’d otherwise speed past in a car. The event provides much-needed exercise before the holiday festivities, but it’s as much a social happening, bringing together a cross-section of the city. (Free)

December: Prepare for holiday parties with an affordable facial

L.A. is a city with various facial options. Here, Times reporter Amy Kaufman receives a facial at the Shani Darden Studio in Beverly Hills. Facials at the Raven Spa, another city spot for beauty and wellness, are relatively affordable.

(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

The intimate, bohemian-feeling Raven Spa — with locations in Silver Lake and Santa Monica — doesn’t have a large menu of facials. But its signature Radiant Raven Facial is a solid deal in L.A., where facials run $150 to $300 on average (never mind the $1,400 oxygen facial at the Spa at Maybourne Beverly Hills!). The Raven’s is 60 minutes and $110. It’s a custom facial, tailored to your skin’s needs, and all the products used are paraben-free and cruelty-free. It includes a face steam, extractions and face massage along with a brief neck and shoulder massage while a moisturizing mask is being applied. Go ahead, put your best face forward for the holidays. ($110)

Can’t decide on a New Year’s resolution for 2025? We’ve got ideas!

Whether you want to stay out of debt, quit buying clothes for a whole year or finally get that tattoo you always wanted, our expert guides can help make your goals a reality.

Scroll through our list to find the perfect New Year’s resolution — then click on the link to get clear, practical advice on how to achieve your objective.

This year, I want to …

… Try something fun

… Challenge myself

… Change my perspective

… Get my life organized

… Work on my self-control

The digital story was edited by Meghan Keane. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.

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