Jenna Volden has a degree in business and has spent the last 10 plus years working for others. She believes it is time to start her own photography and writing business. She enjoys running, coffee and helping others achieve their goals. Gluten-free foods are a lifestyle, not a choice, for her due to celiac disease. She is currently based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Many people use fitness to help their mental health. We know exercise won’t cure us but it can help keep depression and anxiety at bay. Some days it can be hard to get going, especially when the depression sets in, but getting out will almost always make you feel a bit better.
When I’m feeling down I do the 15-minute trick. I commit to 15 minutes. If after 15 minutes I want to call it quits? I do. Although 99.9% of the time, I keep going and finish my planned workout. Getting your fitness on will release endorphins and help take your mind off whatever is going on.
Find what you love and do it each day.
But what about the time outside of your workout? What can you do to help yourself? I like to pick up a book. I’ve read a lot of self-help books (for lack of a better word) and here are my favorite ones that combine running and mental health.
Seven running books to help with mental health:
Running is My Therapy by Scott Douglas
Strong by Kara Goucher
Shut Up and Run by Robin Arzon
The Brave Athlete by Simon Marshall and Lesley Patterson
How Bad Do You Want It? by Matt Fitzerald
Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor
The Happy Runner by David and Megan Roche
Each book provides different approaches. I can’t pick a favorite because I have all of them and re-read or reference them all often. And of course, I have several other books in my TBR (to be read stack) and a plethora on my Kindle. Any excuse to use the word plethora. LOL
What are your favorite books for mental health? They don’t have to be running related. I love finding new books to check out!
Do not panic. Remain calm and grab your wallet because you are gonna want to shop until you drop. There are so many options this year, I’m sure you’ll find something you love!
Erin Condren sent me the new daily duo with a side of mid century circle accessories. So far, I love everything! You can watch my review on YouTube.
First off, the daily duo looks great! It’s in the mid century circles in the EC Signature monthly colors. The duo is two books (duh) either July – June or Jan – Dec. There are a few changes from last year. This is my first duo so I am going off what I remember from other’s posts.
The biggest change is Saturday and Sunday have their own page! I LOVE this because most of my to-dos are on the weekend. They are the busiest days for me. Because of this you get a lined page after each Sunday.It also seems they removed the small year at a glance page. I assume this was to save page counts. The duo is thick (although it doesn’t look much thicker than the life planner) and heavy (definitely heavier than the life planner).
I mentioned the blank page after Sunday in the Daily Duo. I have been told that the DD will not have a blank page. I apologize for any excitement you may have had about a blank page. I thought the blank page was a great addition & will cross my fingers they realize how much we all want it!
I have also learned the mini calendars will be in the 7×9 Daily Duo. It will look like the A5 Daily Duo if you have seen those videos from influencers.
The daily duo is available in 7×9 coil or A5 and only Mid Century Circles. You can also get the daily pages in the 7×9 binder or the A5 Agenda.
What else is available?
The 7×9 coil comes in Mid Century Circles, Flora, and the two Just My Type options and you can get the vertical, horizontal, and hourly. The A5 is available in Mid Century Circles, Flora, or Just My Type neutral in the horizontal layout. The new larger 8.5×11 comes in Mid Century Circles and the horizontal layout.
The A5 Agenda also comes in Mid Century Circles, Flora, or Just My Type neutral in the horizontal layout. And the 7×9 binder also comes in Mid Century circles and the vertical, horizontal, or hourly layout.
Pricing, because I know you all want to know!
The 7×9 coiled life planner is $59 and $64 for the metallic cover.
The 8.5×11 coil is $64 and $69 for the metallic cover.
The A5 is $55.
The Daily Duo 7×9 is $76 while the A5 duo is $68.
The A5 Agenda is $79.
The daily binder is $65 and the life planner version is $55.
So, I love all of the accessories but of course I think some of them are more useful to me than others. I’m a pen fan so of course I was excited to see the MCC ballpoint pen ($18.50). It’s got a bit of weight to it and the black ink writes smoothly. But my favorite is the fine tip markers! I first tried these in the Spring Seasonal Surprise Box and fell in love. I love them more than the dual tip so imagine how excited I was to get this 24 pack ($29.50)! It comes in a nice plastic case. It does have some of the same colors that are already available but there are five colors that are unavailable in the other packs.
For decorating your planner there is new washi tape ($5.50), the life planner sticker pack ($8.50), and the MCC sticker book ($15.50). And my personal favorite, the MCC sticky notes ($10.50). Those come in super handy for future planning! And remembering things I would otherwise forget.
Lastly, there is the planny pack ($20), snap-in dashboard ($5.50), and snap-in checklist ($7.50). I love the planny pack for traveling. You can toss in a couple of pens, some sticky notes, whatever little items you may need. I usually strap it to my notebook or a petite planner/notebook for travel. I love the snap-in accessories but I don’t find myself using them much. I think with the daily duo the snap-in dashboard will be helpful. It has to do on one side and Monday through SUnday on the other. I could put a weekly overview since the duo doesn’t have a week view. I love the checklist idea and there’s so many possibilities for using it. You can track hobbies, routines, and cleaning. And I bet people will get creative with it. The other side is blank so great for pre-planning, jotting down a quick note, or doodling while you plan.
What planner are you getting from this launch? Or if you aren’t sure, which one are you leaning towards? How would you use the snap-in dashboard?
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Whew! I read A LOT this month! I was on a roll (and technically I finished Fast 5k on 3/31 but it missed the last post). So enjoy quick summaries and thoughts so I don’t overwhelm you!
I liked how the book was broken into keys. Each key built on the ones before. The author also included several levels for training plans.
I would recommend this book for anyone looking to improve their 5k performance. I haven’t put it into action, yet, but the info was good and the plans looked solid.
Feeling overwhelmed? Learn what you really want and leave the rest behind you.
My Thoughts:
3 Stars
A typical sel-help book. Nothing new. Easy read. It got a little redundant at points. Would I recommend? Sure. The author does a good job of walking through her system. It may work from someone else, just wasn’t really for me.
Five children go missing from a daycare picnic in Australia. Three years later all but one are returned.
My Thoughts:
5 Stars
I really liked this book. It kept me interested and I wanted to keep reading. Some people thought the plot was a little too convoluted (how do give kids go missing at once??) but that didn’t bother me.
If you can suspend disbelief for five kids going missing at once, I promise it’s a fun read. It’s quick and easy.
Oh, this was also the first in the series and they do kind of introduce book two at the end but it also works as a standalone.
Emma’s life is turned upside down when her stepmother decides to sell her father’s chocolate shop. Emma and everyone around her have secrets.
Book 3 in a series
My Thoughts:
4 Stars
Even though this is a series, I started with book 3. Actually, I didn’t know it was a series until after I finished. It definitely works as a standalone book.
I believe this is what people call a cozy mystery. There were several twists and turns. All of the characters were keeping secrets but there wasn’t any gore or violence (or however they describe cozy vs non cozy mysteries).
It was another easy, fast read. My only disappointment is one plot point seemed to be left hanging at the end. The author easily wrapped up everything else but this one point, in my opinion. I wanted Emma to take action on it. Maybe she does in a later book but I would guess each book in the series is about different townspeople.
I would recommend and will most likely read the other two in the series.
Three sisters are raised in the woods without exposure to the outside world or electricity by their mother. When the youngest falls ill, the mother heads to town for care and the older two are left to fend for themselves. As supplies dwindle, a man shows up at their cabin. Fearful, the two sisters set out in the middle of the night to find their mother and sister.
My Thoughts:
4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. I wanted to keep reading because I wanted to know how everything was connected and how the author would wrap it up. I started piecing things together but my guesses were not quite right.
I didn’t give it 5 stars because some parts dragged and I felt the author went on a bit more than needed. Overall it’s an enjoyable book and I would most likely pick up another book by the same author.
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Erin Condren has been releasing tons of sneak peeks for their upcoming launch, which should be soon! They’ve also been giving answers to some questions on social media. Everyone is super excited about this year’s launch because there are so many options that we’ve been asking for!
So what all has EC given us so far?
Designs
There are going to be three designs to choose from. Mid Century Circles is back! Along with Flora and Just My Type. I used to be a neutral planner but this year I did colorful layers and really liked it. And I don’t match all my stickers to the monthly colors. I don’t think it clashes.
Flora is gorgeous and I almost want to go with it. I’m just not a big flower as decor fan. The flora looks really elegant to me.
Lastly, just my type is made for those that I want to add their own flair. It’s pretty plain. I am tempted by this but I wish it was a different font. I’m not a big fan of the 70’s style font.
Sizes
So for years, EC fans have been asking for bigger and smaller planners. They have finally listened! You can now get 8.5×11, 7×9, or A5. I love all the options. The larger size is always tempting because I write big and could use the extra room. I don’t mind the 7×9. It’s actually a pretty decent size. Plus I have all the 7×9 covers and planner stand. A5 is also tempting. It would fit in my purse or bag easily. I could maybe fit it in my petite folios (might have to test this with my budget book).
Overall, I think it’s great that they are offering different sizes. People seem super excited about all the choices.
Options
Now, we’ve talked about the designs and sizes but what options are there? OH SO MANY!
We still have our OG coil which is great for the snap-in accessories. I believe the 7×9 binders will be back. I haven’t seen anything specific on these but am assuming since the teacher binder came back.
Then the biggest new item is the A5 Agenda, a 6 ring vegan leather folio. Look how gorgeous these are! The binder and Agenda allow you to add, remove, or move around as you need. Hopefully, they will offer a better punch than the binder or you can use any A5 punch. With the binder punch, you can do 1-2 pages at a time. It kinda stinks if you want to add a lot. I love how it has slots for cards, a pen loop, and spots for notepads.
There are so many different choices this year! I am struggling to decide which direction I will go in for 2022. I really like the A5 Agenda in Mid Century Circles. I am leaning towards to daily duo because I no longer need a weekly and petite planner. I used to use both when I also used the petite to content plan but I’ve moved my content planning to a monthly planner (and it’s so much easier).
My current plan is to do the Daily Duo in the mid-century circles. I debated the OG 7×9 and A5 size. Based on how many covers I have, I think I will stick with the OG. Yes, I know the A5 coiled will have interchangeable covers (based on the A5 notebooks currently available) but I don’t want to waste all the covers I already have. Did I mention in the comments on Instagram, EC confirmed the DD will have weekends on separate days?! I think that is the biggest thing everyone wanted in the DD (and Petites!). For me, I am busiest on weekends. I was going to try the DD anyway and make it work but this is even better!
I’m also just in love with the MCC A5 Agenda so I may use that for my fitness planner. I was going to use the wellness planner but I hate that it’s only in quarters. I currently use the monthly binder but it’s a bit big. Agenda may be the way to go! Or another option would be to get this for work, especially if I am still telecommuting and going in 1-2 days per week. It would be a nicer planner to carry around than the generic one I have now.
Images from EC Facebook, Instagram, and website. You can check out the sneak peeks here.
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Gluten free cookies have come a long way in the past six or so years.
This is both good and bad. Good for my taste buds but bad for my waistline. I feel like I’ve been inhaling cookies for the past few months.
When I was first diagnosed pickings were slim. And it seemed every cookie was “thin and crispy” which have never been my favorites. But lately we’ve gottne so many more options.
Even though they are thin and crispy the new gluten free Pepperidge Farmhouse cookies are quite tasty. I had to try them. You know, for science. Surprisingly, I liked the butter cookies better than chocolate chip. Usually I love a chocolate chip. Would buy these again.
Then Oreo came out with their gluten free version. I had to try them. The regular gluten free oreos were ok. I would not get them agin. But then I finally found double stuf version. Yup, these are far superior to the regular ones and I would buy again.
Then Goodie Girl, you know the woman behind the best cookie next to original thin mint,, came out with a s’mores cookie. You may know that I am obsessed with s’mores. These cookies taste quite like the classic campfire snack BUT are way less messy. Would buy again.
All these cookies. So good.
I just need to only keep one of them in my house at a time. I currently have double stuf Oreos, glutino sandwich cookies (a great Oreo substitute), and Goodie Girl S’mores.
My alarm went off at 4:30 am and I got dressed, ate a honey stinger waffle, and headed out the door at 5 am to start round one of the Yeti Challenge. Yup, I somehow managed to sign up to run 5 miles every 4 hours for 24 hours. I’m not sure why I went along with this plan.
But, I kept going out every 4 hours to do my 5 miles and I ended the night at 2 am with 30 miles under my belt. I then went and got my first vaccine shot. It was an eventful 24 hours!
I was a bit worried that the Yeti Challenge would be extremely difficult. Multiple runs spread out over the day sounded daunting. I decided to do easy runs for each round to make sure I could last all day. After each round, I walked a bit, stretched, and refueled.
All the clothes
The food was the hardest part.
You want to be careful what you eat between rounds. You don’t want anything too heavy or to eat too much but you also need to refuel because you have to go back out again in a few hours. It’s quite the balance. I tried to make sure to get enough simple carbs between rounds. I ended up eating about the same amount of calories as I burned (around 2700).
I took a nap after the 1 pm round. I was definitely feeling the need. I also slept between the 9 pm round and 1 am. I got a total of maybe 2 hours and 45 minutes during the challenge. Luckily though I was able to push through and do pretty well with limited sleep.
Each round took me about an hour. I saved it for my last round because I wanted to finish and have time to drive to the vaccine site. The Yeti adrenaline, my playlist, nuun, and a honeystinger waffle powered me through the hour and 20 minutes it took to get through. I got home and slept maybe an hour or so before my dog woke me up. Coffee. I drank a lot of coffee after that.
I tried not to sleep too much the next day (28th). Of course I took a nap in the afternoon but made myself stay up until normal bed time. Monday was tough at work but not too bad.
So, I guess technically I am an ultrarunner. I feel like a bit of an imposter. I don’t feel I can call myself an ultrarunner because I didn’t run 30 miles continuously. I had breaks between. I rested and ate and then went back out. I took 24 hours to finish. My total run time was 6 hours and 9 minutes.
I am glad I did the Yeti Challenge. Will I ever do something like that again? Nope. I don’t mind the breaks between runs. I kind of enjoyed doing 5 miles then 5 miles. The part I won’t do is the 24 hours plus part. That part sucks. I felt tired for a couple of days after. And it basically took my whole weekend. It was difficult to do things between rounds and then Sunday I was so tired I just wanted to sit on the couch.
Have you ever done the Yeti Challenge? What did you like and/or dislike? If haven’t done one yet, would you?
Edge of Series by Kyla Stone – Currently 6 books in the series. Book 7 comes out in April Summary: An EMP hits the USA on Christmas Eve. The residents of a small town in Michigan have to fit for their survival in the brutal winter, without power. Will the town survive?
My thoughts: I really like the concept of this book. I had never heard of an EMP but now I know if it ever happened I would not survive. Everything I own has computers in it. *runs off to build a faraday cage
This series is easy to read and I wanted to keep going. Each book ended on a cliffhanger. I grew to love some of the characters and despise others. I wanted to know what happened to each of them.
Some of the plot points I easily predicted but others surprised me. I liked how the books had alternating points of view. You got to see the same time from several character’s point of view. I also enjoyed that the author didn’t constantly refresh each character and what happened in the previous book. Sometimes authors rehash too much but this was like rehash light.
I felt like the story ended in book 5. Book 6 seems unnecessary to me but I will continue to read the series. I struggled through Book 6. It’s not poorly written. It’s not a bad storyline but I really felt the story ended with book 5.
The Home Edit and The Home Edit Life by Clea Shearer & Joann Teplin – 4 Stars Summary: Ideas for organizing your home. With photos.
My thoughts: There is nothing new here. But I liked the way the info was presented. The idea is to start small, pull everything out, sort, and then organize it. With containers. And labels. And a lot of rainbows. I also found their brand of humor to be similar to mine.
These books were quick, easy reads.
Of course, what they show is all fancy but you don’t have to get fancy. It inspired me to start sorting through some stuff I’ve been putting off. I also have been meaning to get some drawer organizers and something for under my sink. I will be scouring the internet. I’m definitely not a person who is going to dump their pasta into containers or organize their snacks by color but I got a lot of ideas and inspiration from the book. So much so I started reading their second book!
I also may have organized all my pens and highlighters by color. I’m not sure I will keep it like that. I do like having all the red pens and markers together but hate that all different styles and sizes are mixed. I’ll give it a try for a month or so and if I don’t like it I can easily reorganize it by type.
We eat a lot of salsa in our house. There is usually a jar in the fridge and two to three backups in the pantry. We put that ish on everything.
Tacos. Burritos. Eggs. Chips. Salad.
I am always willing to try new salsa. And this week I was lucky enough to receive a box of salsa from Sam’s Famous Salsa. We happened to be having carne asada tacos for dinner that night so the timing was perfect!
I immediately opened the hot because well that is always a favorite in our house. Everyone in this house likes things hot, probably more so than most people. Sam’s Famous Salsa is delicious but for us, the hot was more like medium. It could use a little more kick for us but most people would consider it hot. The flavor is delicious and I love the texture. It reminded me a lot of homemade salsa.
I also had it the next day with some tortilla chips and it seemed to be a little hotter than on the tacos. Maybe it just needed a day to “air out”.
This weekend I will try it on scrambled eggs.
I haven’t tried the medium and mild but will get to that soon as we’ve gone through almost all the hot in a few days!
I love the marketing material they sent along with the salsas. The colors are bold and bright and it has a modern feel to it while staying true to the companies Tarahumara Indian roots. Plus who doesn’t love a mild salsa that is described as “all of the mmmm a with non of the ow”? Brillant. And hilarious.
Sam’s Famous Salsa is gluten-free, low sodium, and contains no artificial preservatives. Find Sam’s in the deli section, not the aisle, and be sure to keep it in your fridge!
Disclosure: I received salsa in exchange for a blog post. All opinions are my own and I will tell you what I really think about any product.
How can we travel the world and be environmentally friendly? Is it even possible? Some believe ecotourism is the way to go. But is it a good idea? What are the pros and cons? Are there other ways to reduce your carbon footprint while enjoying what the earth has to offer?
First, what is ecotourism? It is defined as traveling responsibly to a natural place with an emphasis on conservation. Some even including “improving the lives of locals as part of ecotourism. There’s a lot to unpack there. Who are we to say what we bring improves the lives of locals? It’s a slippery slope for sure.
There are a few pros. Ecotourism can help protect flora and fauna by bringing an increased awareness. We can gain an appreciation and educate ourselves on a different culture.
The cons of ecotourism include animals getting used to humans, which endangers both them and us. Locals may be forced to leave their homes to accommodate the tourists. If an area becomes popular it can lead to other environmental issues. And of course, there is more pollution from all the travelers.
We all want to see new places and be exposed to new cultures but we need to do it respectfully and responsibly. In no way should we go somewhere and expect them to follow our green suggestions. Because let’s be real, we can’t even get green in our own country. How can we tell others how to be more environmentally focused?
Maybe when we travel to new locations we should learn from the locals how they work on conservation in the community rather than shove our ideals at them.
Being green and wanting to help others is noble but it should not be at the detriment to those who live there. This is a topic that requires more research and thought. Please be sure to think about your impact before becoming an ecotourist.
I love planning. I love being green as well. Sometimes these don’t go together.
I am old school in that I need to write things down. I love having notebooks and planners to jot down a note. I use paper planners for work, my business, and my personal life.
I can’t quit them!
But I also feel a pull to do what I can to save the earth. I’ve tried to use google calendar. I’ve tried to use apps. Multiple times. I just can’t go full-on digital for planning and notes.
Since I can’t give up the paper, I make sure I recycle. If I have to tear each sheet out, I do so. I also love that covers are all reusable. I can just pop it off and reuse it on a notebook or another planner. I even saved my old coils from previous planners to put my covers on!
I recycle and reuse what I can.
I know I will never be fully green. I try but somethings you just can’t get around. How do you stay on track with everything you need to do and keep it green?
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