Rise Podcast

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As a passionate learner, I am a lover of audio learning. Rachel Hollis’ Rise Podcast is literally my favorite thing to consume via soundwaves. If you are a lady who is feeling stuck and/or looking to reach for more, you are in for a treat. This podcast is tailored specifically for you (not to say that men can’t benefit as well) and is not only inspiring and motivational, but also enjoyable and spunky.

What I love:

  • It’s real, vulnerable, and relatable. Rachel has a gift for connecting with her audience, and helping you realize you’re not alone in even your more bizarre struggles and quirks.
  • Such a variety of quality guest speakers: from Tim McGraw to Gretchen Rubin. Rachel’s interview style allows you to get to know these incredible people from a really personal angle
  • The words used and the way the content is presented lights my ❤ on 🔥!
  • Literally just a fun and fresh listen. I always learn something new for the betterment of myself while having a good time… seriously, I listen to this for a break from the daily grind.
  • Rachel emulates so much genuine passion for the success of her listeners. Her abundance mentality shines through. She gives. For free. And she does so with the intent to help other women fulfill their life mission.

To get you started, here are some of my favorite episodes:

  • Episode 125 How to Supercharge Your Morning Routine
  • Episode 121: How to Level Up Your Life with Tim McGraw
  • Episode 116: How to Change Your Life TODAY
  • Episode 107: Stop Procrastinating!
  • Episode 72: This Daily Practice Changed My Life and My Business

Honestly, this podcast immensely influences my life for good. As Jim Rohn says, “you are the average of the 5 people you hang out with.” Through this podcast, I honestly feel like Rache is one of those 5, even though she has no clue who I am. ♥

Joanna Gaines’ Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

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Growing up in Utah meant that chocolate chip cookies were (and still are) a staple. I was blessed with a mama who made them almost on-demand. 😇She also passed down the art to us kids so we could pay the cookie-giving-happiness forward. Together, we have experimented with several variations and really, all of them are good. It’s pretty difficult to mess up chocolate chip cookies, afterall.

BUT. Two years ago, I found a recipe to trump them all from the marvelous Joanna Gaines. To give it a try, see the picture below (which comes from the Southern Living magazine ) or you can find it in her delightful cookbook, Magnolia Table.

What I love:

  • There’s no white sugar, only brown in this recipe. It creates a richer taste with the perfect amount of sweetness
  • The cookies don’t turn out cakey, nor are they too dense
  • Fast and easy. 👌🏻You can whip these up in under 20 minutes, baking time included. Side note, I like my cookies a touch underdone so I bake them for 9 minutes instead of 10.
  • One batch makes a lot in real life… about 4 dozen
  • Made from “normal” ingredients that you almost certainly already have in your pantry
  • Less butter than most cookie recipes and somehow it creates more deliciousness. Don’t ask me why.

Almost everyone I’ve made these for have gone out of their way to ask me about the recipe, which I find a pretty good sign (especially for something as simple as chocolate chip cookies). My favorite moment was when a good friend said indignantly to her husband, “I think this recipe is better than mine!” I hope this recipe brings joy to your heart and your belly. Happy baking! ❤

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

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If everyone read this book and internalized even one habit, the world be 100% happier, more connected, and more wholesome. ✨

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the quintessential book in growth. It applies to all; the individual, the family, the organization, the business. It is a handbook of how to live, learn, connect, and accomplish with purpose, beauty, and meaning.

I believe reading opens the door to the world! I especially enjoy uplifting non-fiction. However, it wasn’t until I started working at FranklinCovey that I finally read The 7 Habits (please note that FranklinCovey did not incentivize me to write this). I can’t believe I waited this long, it’s where I should have started my personal growth journey years ago. I began applying the principles about a month ago and already have experienced positive and significant shifts in my attitude, relationships, goals, career, and well being.

What I love:

  • The book is based on true principles, which means it’s founded on universal laws in which you do x behavior and get y, every time.
  • These principles are gold, solid gold. 👑 They are a path to become. Each “habit” chapter teaches you the principle and then gives you different angles and several relatable examples of how to live it.
  • At the end of every habit chapter, there are ideas for application. They are meaningful and effective for lasting change.
  • There are especially powerful exercises included in the book, such as a personal mission statement activity. I’ve never been good at verbalizing what really fills my cup, motivates me, and what circumstances allow me to live my best life. I completed this activity and was incredibly enlightened. 💡
  • Dr. Covey’s style of writing is intelligent, interesting, clear, and easy to follow. He speaks to his readers as though he has their best interests at heart, which I believe he does. I finished the book dearly wanting to meet him in person.

Read it, what can I say more? It will bless your life and the lives you touch. ❤

Pom-pom Garlands

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These little colorful spheres and shapes on a string are so simple but so fun. They will add zest to any space or be the perfect finishing touch for your holiday decorating.

What I love:

  • They infuse a burst of color or act as a complimentary accent anywhere; living room, kitchen, office, baby’s room, etc.
  • Super versatile; set on a ledge, hang from a shelf, wrap around a center piece, etc.
  • Perfect for every holiday. Since I’ve become a mom I’ve become way more festive (I think it comes with the territory maybe?) but some holidays are easier to decorate for than others. (i.e. Christmas vs/ the 4th of July). These garlands however, are guaranteed cuteness for even the most obscure holidays. ✨
  • Generally inexpensive
  • So much variety in color, shapes, and patterns. You can find nearly any variation you can think of.

If you want to find a garland (or 20!) for yourself, I would recommend perusing Etsy or Jane.com. The garlands depicted above come from Etsy sellers (except for the pumpkin one). You can find the girly multicolored patterned garland here, the heart garland here, and the Christmas one here. You can also occasionally find garlands in craft stores or Target, but the cutest ones are usually made by individual craft sellers.

I hope you have as much fun with these as I have. Happy decorating! ❤

Asana

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Life can be profound and novel, but most of the time it’s the day to day that defines our overall sense of happiness, control, health, and success. A life of order is a holy grail that many seek.

If you find yourself missing deadlines, disorganized, and overwhelmed, Asana just might be the remedy you’re searching for. In my own experience, this tool has taken an enormous weight from my mind, freeing it from the terrible task of being a filing cabinet and allowing it instead to innovate and execute. This has led to significant growth in my career and personal life.  

Basically, Asana is a free online project management tool that can function as the ultimate task list. It allows you to put all of your to-dos, reference materials, and ideas in one place. You can create projects, lists, collaborate, and more.

What I love:

  • It’s a pretty layout, simple, & user friendly (like an iPhone)
  • You can customize to your heart’s desire
    • Included is a template library to make your list more tailored to what you are trying to accomplish
  • You can share your task lists or projects (it’s free up to 15 people)
    • For example, you could keep a list of housekeeping to-dos, share it with your spouse, and assign each other tasks.
  • To keep relevant emails or files on hand for reference, you can simply drag and drop. It’s extremely convenient.
  • You can add updates as the project or task progresses
  • Sub-tasks can be added within tasks and assigned deadlines (one of the handiest functions)
  • The tool allows you to keep everything you need to organize life in one place
    • You can also download the Asana app on your phone and access your lists anywhere
  • Asana can be used in conjunction with David Allen’s Getting Things Done method (if that’s your cup of tea)
  • Aaaand my personal favorite feature is that mythical creatures burst onto the screen sporadically when you complete a task. The dopamine hit is real!!!! 👌

I set my Asana up so that some of the “projects” are master task lists. I have lists and projects for work that I divided up as “Deadline Bound,” “Other Requests”, “Future”, and “Agenda” for meetings with my manager.

I also use a separate “project” to function as my personal master task list where I follow a similar format. I use another “project” called “Reference Materials” to keep favorite recipes, gift ideas, books to read, etc. on hand. I have a couple projects (such as this blog, and future business ideas) that are big enough to be their own projects outside of that.

Personal “projects.” The “To-do” project opens the layout below

If want to learn more, you can check out the Asana website here. One tip, the website is promoting a free trial for the premium version. You can actually pass on that and just use their most basic membership which is completely free forever.

If you’re looking for more order in your life, I hope this tool can become your very own personal assistant. Good luck on your journey to Zen, and as always, thanks for reading! ❤

The Big Book of Exercises

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I’ll be honest, I don’t love that that there’s a big yellow tag that says “Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You” that is literally printed into the cover. Usually that’s a red flag in wellness literature. In this case however, you have my full endorsement to ignore that and check out this awesome book.

In my experience, there are two major reasons why people shy away from the gym. They don’t want to look dumb and they don’t know where to start. When you go to the gym, you are almost always doomed to be surrounded by at least 10 jacked fitness pros who seem to know exactly what they are doing. It can be daunting to try to learn to lift when you feel their eyes scrutinizing your awkward movements.

If you’re in this boat, the Women’sHealth (and Men’sHealth) Big Book of Exercises may be your ticket to a pleasant gym experience.

Basically, this book is an illustrated compilation of exercises for each major muscle group. As a personal trainer, it has been a handy resource to help me quickly put together workout plans for other individuals, groups, and myself.

What I love:

  • The book is literally broken out by each main muscle group. The start of each chapter covers the anatomy of the muscle group, gives you a high level education about it, and teaches you how the exercises will affect that muscle group and the rest of your body. I love the holistic approach. (Obviously, the Women’sHealth version is specific to women and the Men’sHealth version is specific to men.)
  • Included is a deep dive FAQ for lifting weights. It answers questions such as: How long should my workout last? How long should I rest between sets? How fast should I lift? Additionally, it walks you through all the equipment you are likely to encounter- from dumbbells to EZ-curl bars.
  • Also included are cardio workouts, suggested goal-based lifting workouts, and a section on nutrition (I don’t 100% agree with everything in the nutrition piece, but it’s overall pretty moderate and has some good content.) You can always cross check what you read with Precision Nutrition and peer-reviewed articles on PubMed.
  • The language used is conversational, engaging, and easy to understand.
  • There are at least 50 exercises per muscle group (619 exercises total) so there are lots of options and variations to give you a great workout and freshen up a stale routine.
  • Each exercise includes photos of being at rest and in motion, as well as detailed instructions. There are also interesting facts peppered into many of the pages.

I hope you find this as a helpful guide to make better health more attainable. If you want to get your hands on a copy, you can find the Women’sHealth version here , the Men’sHealth version here, or you can check one out at your local library. Happy lifting! ❤

Home Body

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This beautiful and luxuriously thick book created by Joanna Gaines is full of resonating principles and tactical advice to transform your living space into a sanctuary of family, good vibes, love, and comfort. Whether or not you are riding the farmhouse wave, this book is a fun read filled with wisdom that can be adapted to any style.

What I love:

  • In this book, each potential room and functional space in a house is outlined and brought to life. It 100% changed the way I think about simple spaces like the bathroom and my 3′ x 3′ entryway.
  • Joanna focuses on blending practicality and live-ability with aesthetic appeal. She emphasizes harmony between form and function. It’s consistent with her approach to life that values being present and allowing grace for yourself and your home.
  • This book presents a powerful and simple paradigm shift, consistent with the one found in Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Instead of surrounding yourself with pretty things you pick out in bulk to match, or trinkets you’ve been carting around forever but don’t actually enjoy, Joanna advocates adorning your home with objects that have meaning and tell the story of you and your family.
  • One lesson I found encouraging is that you can be patient and frugal and still create a home you absolutely love. Joanna includes some “troubleshooting” strategies to help you work with what you have. She also shares her own experiences of slowly putting together a room one piece at a time to make sure it was exactly what she wanted.

  • The book itself is a decorative piece. It has great heft, high quality pages, and lovely photographs to give you ideas and demonstrate principles and styles.
  • Personally I like a bit more color and accents than the typical farmhouse look, and the book helped me figure out how to take the elements of farmhouse that I love and blend it with my favorite colors. It presents an overview of many different styles (traditional, boho, farmhouse, modern, etc.) and shows how they can work together. I love that it gives you the means to adapt your style to your unique taste while still keeping some consistency.
  • At the back, the book includes notes pages and design templates. I appreciate that the book itself is consistent with it’s own philosophy to combine beauty and practicality.

The best part is that Joanna somehow makes this book all about you. She helps you discover what your style and story is and gives you the tools to pour that into the true heart of life, the home. If you want a copy for yourself, you can find it on amazon or your local library. I hope you find it as helpful and enjoyable as I did. Happy reading! ❤

Precision Nutrition

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The health and wellness industry is HOT 🔥🔥🔥 right now and seems to be going through it’s own “Great Awakening.” There are ministers for every conceivable branch of wellness that proselyte in the form of the internet, books, random people you met one time, experts, people who say they are experts but have zero credentials, etc. It can be really hard to know what to believe.

I graduated with a BS in Exercise and Wellness and it is beyond frustrating not only to see how much fake data is out there, but how many people are sacrificing precious time, money, and sanity into programs, diets, cleanses, etc. that are not supported by credible sources. The general results? Disappointment, weight re-gain (or even more gain), yo-yo dieting, binge eating, and self loathing.

Have you experienced any similar frustrations? I have a solution for you.

Meet Precision Nutrition. A friend who is a fitness professional introduced me to this company and it has (this sounds so cliché but it’s true) changed my life. They are a nutrition and fitness research and coaching company with a mission to “help people all over the world discover the joys of living a fit, healthy life.”

They have hundreds of free articles backed by data and like, SCIENCE and they even cite their sources. WOW! Got a question about the keto diet? Want to know what the best strategies are for sustainable weight loss? Google your question and add “precision nutrition.” You will almost always find an article to help answer your questions.

What I love:

  • The articles are written in a casual but intelligent voice and are a fun read (not like most science papers) with lots of tactical takeaways and realistic life application for those of us who don’t live at the gym. 🙋‍♀️
  • Huge emphasis is placed on change psychology, which is largely missing from most diets and programs
  • Generally they do not endorse diets, but encourage sustained change over time and they help you understand why and how to gain a healthy and happy relationship with food and your body.
  • They also have an infographics archive, which basically summarizes a lot of rich data in a digestible, concise and memorable way.
  • They offer a nutrition coaching program, which is the best I’ve seen. I was able to convince a family member who has been trying to lose weight for over 20 years to work with them. He had an enormous break through that has increased his muscles, energy levels, and athletic performance while decreasing his belt size. Now he seriously GLOWS! The reason? The program was doable even for a guy with a stressful desk job.
  • They also offer two certifications. I myself completed the level 1 certification and it was absolutely enlightening, even though I already had a related degree. Everything they taught aligned with what I learned in college. If you’re passionate about nutrition and wellness and want to help people, I totally endorse it.

Here are some of my favorite articles:

To learn more, check out their website here. Like I said earlier, you can google your question and stick “precision nutrition” at the end and almost always find an answer to your question. If you’re looking to find realistic answers and strategies to improve your well being, I hope you give them a try! ❤

BabyLit Books

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Long before kids were in the picture for my husband and I, I wanted these books for myself. 😀

I’m an avid believer in reading (which is probably the least controversial statement of all time) and spending your precious time reading the best books you can find. There are so many universal truths, paradigm shifts, fresh perspectives, and rich language found in classic literature. I believe that when classic literature is consumed how it’s intended to be, it doesn’t only entertain, but becomes a part of you. I love that this company introduces “the classics” (AKA some of the best of written words ever) to our children in a fun and original way.

What I love:

  • The words and pictures are simple, succinct, and colorful. For my baby this is important because he will sit through it and actually seem genuinely interested. He prefers this style over busy illustrations, as beautiful as they may be.
  • The artwork is delightful. Though simplistic, it’s engaging, a dash hipster, and just plain cute.
  • The books are cardboard and high quality so they can withstand enthusiastic baby handling
A page from The Nutcracker

Again, I think the exposure to the classics at such an early age is just fabulous. My hope is that it will foster an interest to read the real thing when my baby is older. It also just makes me feel sophisticated. One day when I’ve “arrived” in life I will have mini leather chairs and a mahogany bookcase in the children’s library and fill them with these books.

Just kidding. Maybe.😉

You can check out the whole collection here. It’s fun even to just browse the book covers. Happy reading! ❤

Rick Steves’ Travel Resources

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If you’re planning or even just dreaming about a trip to Europe, Rick Steves is your man. He’s a quirky and likable travel guide who has a television show on PBS, a nifty website, and deep-dive travel guidebooks that take you to Europe “through the back door.”

This last year, my husband and I won a free ticket to anywhere in the world at a work Christmas party 🙌. Rick Steves’ resources not only helped us settle on our destination (which was a very difficult choice…#firstworldprobs), but it also helped us plan and absolutely LOVE our trip of a lifetime.

What I love:

  • Rick Steves’ Europe PBS show takes you to the “best of Europe,” which teaches you tricks for maximizing your experience at the obvious tourist sites and shows you the local treasures that aren’t always advertised. I’ve added many not so obvious dream destinations to my hopeful travel list through this. If you want to check out the show, you can see it on PBS’ website or YouTube.
  • The guidebooks are gold
    • Of course typical travel info is included (sleeping, travel, eating, site-seeing etc.) but what I LOVE is how many options are presented with pros, cons, and suggestions given to suit a myriad of possible experiences and preferences.
    • Self-guided tours are included and the four I went on were just perfect. I could appreciate what I was seeing and go at my own pace.
    • Transportation communication was the biggest challenge in a foreign country where English wasn’t the first language. Since the guidebook had already outlined all the options for us in English, we had a far easier time buying train passes, bus tickets, etc. Since the guidebook prepped us, we already generally knew what we wanted and were able to ask educated questions. We witnessed quite a few fellow travelers struggling with this so we were quite grateful.
    • Guidebooks are updated about every year so they are always current. When unexpected things happen before the next edition publishes (such as when Notre Dame went up in flames right after we decided to go to Paris😢) Rick Steves’ website is ready with updates to help you navigate through the changes.
    • You can find guidebooks on Amazon, Rick Steve’s website, or your local library. I highly recommend using the most updated version.
  • The website also has travel forums, example itineraries, packing lists, a travel blog, and so much more useful information. You can check it all out here.

The best part is that all of Rick Steve’s resources are focused on facilitating an authentic, enriching, and enjoyable experience, all while helping you avoid crowds (as much as possible), stay out of tourist traps (unless that’s your thing), and adapt your trip to any budget. I hope so much that you get a chance to go to Europe and that if you do, you find a trusty friend in Rick. As always, thanks for reading! ❤