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I really like water, so I’m certainly not one of those people that has to be drinking something flavored in order to hydrate. However, as someone with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, I drink A LOT of fluid, and also need more sodium than the average person. MANY years ago (I’m not quite sure when, but maybe 2012 or 2013?) I found Nuun Hydration and jumped fully on board with the drink.
It comes in tubes with 10 tablets each, and all you need to do is drop a tablet into a bottle of water and it fizzes as it goes to work turning the water into Nuun! Not only is it so helpful in getting extra electrolytes, but it is so easy to take with you! I keep a tube or two in my backpack or purse at all times, have a few flavors at work, and bring them with me when I go out on the lake for a day or go hiking.
This summer I went hiking for 12 days out west, and every single hike I went on started out with 20 ounces of Nuun to set myself up for success on the trail!
I also love the wide variety of products that Nuun now sells: Nuun Sport, Nuun Immunity, Nuun Vitamin, Nuun Rest, and Nuun Endurance. My very favorite flavors are Watermelon, Grape, and Strawberry Lemonade (with the occasional Tri-Berry thrown in and I’m not sure I will ever get sick of them.
Like I said, this post isn’t sponsored at all. I’m on the Nuun Legacy Team because I have loved this product so deeply for so many years, and drink it pretty much every single day. It has been such a lifesaver with POTS, and it makes hydration so convenient. I love to share products that have made a big difference in my life, and this is one of them!
Hello world, I’ve missed you! I’ve been recently thinking quite a bit about blogging, since September is the month that I started this blog. I used to write in it most days, tracking books, reading, mental health information, what I was cooking, etc… Unfortunately, with a job promotion in the fall of 2015, my life became much more busy, and this blog was slowly pushed more and more to the side. I have to say, though, that while this hasn’t fallen into the category of “best, favorite, or necessary” for awhile, I do really miss it- it was such a rhythm to my life for so many years!
SO, I thought I would give you a little update on my life! I’m still running (not too much since my knee injury), haven’t biked at all this summer (remember when I used to do 50-70 mile bike rides most weeks of the summer?), have walked A LOT, went on a hiking vacation out west, am still reading a lot (but far less than I did in 2015, 2016, or 2017, which I’m sad about!), but still enjoying the hobbies I’ve had.
I purchased a house, which was really exciting and a major “new” in my life, since I had rented before. Home ownership has been a learning curve in some ways, but I’ve enjoyed having a place that really feels like mine.
Like I said, I’ve really tried the past few years to use the filter of “best, favorite, or necessary” for what I engage in in my life. That doesn’t mean I always do that, of course, but it has been helpful to be intentional about what I engage with, what I read, what hobbies I commit to, and what friendships I have. It’s hard though, right? We feel so guilty cutting things out of our lives, but if we hold onto things that aren’t “best, favorite, necessary”, then we have a life cluttered with things that we don’t really value. This has been such a hard and freeing lesson for me. I wrote a bit about my then-current processings of best, favorite, necessary back in March of 2018!
So, that’s a quick little update on my life currently!
Well, I’ve been using my Powersheets now for almost 9 months, so I thought that I’d do a bit of an update on them! If you missed any of the posts below related to my Powersheets process, you can click on them to read them!
Powersheets & My Intentional Goal Setting Process
Through the powersheets prepwork, I identified my word for the year as “reclaim” (you can read the link where I explain that a bit more). I outlined goals for reading, decluttering, exercising, eating, memorizing Bible verses, etc…
The thing that I love about powersheets is that each month I go back to those 10 goals that I wrote for myself, and I write individual daily, weekly, and monthly goals for myself based on these goals, and whatever other random things have popped up in life for that month.
Each month there’s a place to list out important to dos, things I’m excited about, and a long brain stream. After I look through that, I combine that with my 10 goals (which are refreshed seasonally) and use that to create goals for the month. I also pick a word or a phrase to use throughout that month.
I believe that health takes intentional work, processing, and awareness, and I love that Powersheets allows me to focus in on the most needed goals for my development for that month, while also taking a yearly approach. 
I’ve found that writing it down and committing to something for that month has been helpful, as well as building in smaller monthly or weekly goals to build into a bigger yearly goal. Powersheets are a tangible goal setting guide with grace and a big picture approach included, and I find this SO helpful in being able to stick to those things that I want to cultivate in myself.
I’ve been so happy to finally “reclaim” my ability to run after a very long knee injury. I’ve also been working on reclaiming my space through decluttering, and have gotten rid of just under 1,100 items this year (donated and thrown away- yes, I counted!). Cultivating an awareness of my goals, and intentionally setting small steps to get there, has made all the difference.
It’s been so rewarding to find the things, both big and small, that I’ve been able to “reclaim” in my life, and it’s interesting how some of the tiny seeds I identified in the Powersheets Prep Work section have grown into my life in a beautiful and meaningful way.
Powersheets will be launching again on the Cultivate What Matters site next month– I can’t wait!!
Starting in May, I started to feel that my knee was ready to try out running again. (If you missed out on my knee injury, check out the following posts: My Knee Injury, A Quick Knee Update, A Knee Injury: One Year Later). It had well over a year since I had last run, and I was nervous and excited by the idea. I’d spent a lot of time icing, strengthening, and compressing, and I hoped that my knee would be able to handle some pounding on the pavement. I had a trip planned to Florida at the end of May, and opted to not run before that, as I wanted to make sure nothing got in the way of walking on the beach each day.
SO- that led me to National Running Day, which seemed like a perfect day for a first run back! I nervously tied my shoelaces and tightened my knee brace, and tentatively set off after a solid warm up with walking. When I first started to run (my first bit of running was 20 seconds in length in between walking breaks), it felt SO awkward, sort of like I was a stumbly baby. It felt ridiculous! I ran a few more 20 second segments with walking breaks and called it a day, not wanting to over-do it. I wanted to make sure that I was safe and smart in coming back after such a long time off.
Because I have bursitis, my knee still gets oddly swollen from time to time, so I’ve dealt with that on and off all summer. However, I’ve slowly added to my mileage and the length in time I run between walk breaks (the longest I’ve gone is 2 minutes), and this past weekend I ran 2.2 miles!
My runs are nerve-wracking at times, since my injury came while running (real story: not a “real” run- I was chasing a toddler at the park). However, I’m thrilled to be back and able to move. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to run the distances I used to run due to the bursitis, but I’m thrilled to be able to get a short run in every now and then on a Saturday or after a busy day at work!
Disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of this book as part of being on the Survival Guide For the Soul Launch Team. I was not compensated in any other way.
I love mental health (obviously… I’m a counselor), I love tending to my spiritual health, and I love when the two overlap, so when I had the chance to get an advanced reader copy of Ken Shigematsu’s new book Survival Guide For the Soul, I jumped at it!
The start of the description for the book on amazon is as follows: “What keeps us from flourishing in our spiritual lives is a neglect of the inner life of the soul. And more and more today, this neglect is driven by our ambition to accomplish something big outside ourselves.” And while it’s not wrong to try to achieve and put a mark on the world, when we are so focused on this that we become disconnected from our soul and inner life of faith, we end up harming ourselves and often those around us. Shigematsu explores the spiritual disciplines, and crosses them with psychology and neuroscience to explore the deep impact that these disciplines have on our body and our relationships. I absolutely loved it!
The book challenged me in so many good ways (if we aren’t a little uncomfortable, perhaps we aren’t pushing ourselves enough to grow and change), and I appreciated how research was woven throughout the description of the disciplines. The author’s voice is challenging and kind, and I appreciated the examples from his own life.
I want to end this review with a quote: “In my experience, I’ve found that my awareness of grace-of a love that I can’t earn and don’t deserve-has deepened as I have embraced spiritual practices that create space for God in my life. These life-giving habits leave me feeling less restless, more comfortable in my own skin. I’m stirred to contribute out of deep gratitude for the grace I have been given, rather than out of my need to validate myself. As the Holy Spirit works in me through these habits, I am freed to live from approval instead of for approval” (p. 46).
Survival Guide For the Soul will be available on August 7th, and there are some great pre-order bonuses available now!
*tap tap tap* hello- is this thing still on?
Wow- I don’t think I’ve gone this long without blogging since… the start. I had no intention of stepping away for so long, but I had a series of trips and some other things that came up, and this blog kept dropping in priority. It is what it is, right? I have a few drafts of posts I typed up in March and April waiting to go, along with some work out developments, great book finds, and some fun life events. Really, though, I’ve just been trying to enjoy summer!
I just wanted to say a quick hello and to let you know that I’ll be back on again soon!
Well… my “What I Read” post for March is more than a little delayed. I’m blaming it on being out of the country for a week and trying to scramble a bit to catch up! In March I read 10 books, bringing my total for 2018 to 31 books! Here’s what I read in March:
Still Me (Moyes): This is the 3rd book in the “Me Before You” series. Still Me was enjoyable, and I feel like it did a great job of showting the complete journey that Louisa took. I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed the deep exploration that Louisa did on life and who she was meant to be. 4/5 stars
Wonder Woman: Warbinger (Bardugo): I really enjoyed this, especially in audiobook form. 4/5 stars
You’re Not That Great (Gale): You’re not that great… was not so great. I thought I would be interested in this book since Elan Gale has such an inside look at the Bachelor series. I found the book grating at times and it was a bit painful to get through. 2/5 stars
Beartown (Backman): I really enjoyed this book! Similar to how I felt about A Man Called Ove, there were some slow and boring parts, but it got increasingly good, to the point where I couldn’t put it down. 5/5 stars
The Keeper of Lost Things (Hogan): I started this book in November and then set it aside almost 40% of the way through for about 4 months. I think I would’ve liked it more if i hadn’t had a break in time. I enjoyed the premise that someone collects and cares for the important things that others’ lose, wondering what the story of their owner is. 3.5 stars
The Good House (Leary): I listened to this on audiobook in the span of a week, and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the inside look at alcoholism and how it can look different at different points in life/different situations. I loved the added mystery towards the end. 3.75 stars
The Little Paris Bookshop (George): I loved the premise of this book- a floating bookshop with an owner to suggest books for whatever the reader needs in their life. I love the premise of searching for a long lost love. In writing, however, I didn’t love it as much as I thought it was (although it wasn’t bad by any means). 3 stars.
This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America (Jerkins): It’s my goal to read books by people who have a different experience than myself in the world (and a number of different experiences). I try to read quite a few books each year either about race or by people who aren’t white Caucasians. I appreciated many of the points that Jerkins makes throughout her book.
Because I’m Worth It- Gossip Girl #4 (von Ziegesar): I really enjoyed watching the Gossip Girl TV series, so when I need a quick read where I don’t have to think much, I pull out the next book in the Gossip Girl series. 3 stars
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (Ilibagiza): This book was unreal. The author survived the Rwandan genocide, and in this book she shares her story (along with the stories of her family members and a few others in her life). 5 stars
If you read anything from this month, read the following: Left to Tell and Beartown.
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you reading right now?
It’s that time for another currently post!
Currently Drinking: ALL the protein smoothies in the morning! 5-6 days a week I make myself a smoothie, and it’s such a great way to start the day (I even have it before my coffee!). I’ve also enjoyed several chai lattes this month, which are SO so good! They really are a hug in a cup!
Currently Eating: As I’m typing this, I’m eating some nachos (pretty simple- tortilla chips, pepper jack cheese, and medium salsa- nothing fancy). For lunches I’ve been eating a kale and brussels sprouts salad (with ground turkey, rice, pepper, onion, and blackberries on top!), and it’s been SO delicious. I’ll throw other things on there randomly (like nuts) just to mix it up.
Currently Listening To: A few of my most listened to songs right now: Wonderland (Taylor Swift), Symphony (Zara Larsson), and Perfect (Ed Sheeran). As I type this, I’m listening to “The Little Paris Bookshop” on audiobook.
Currently Watching: NOT the Olympics, which is so sad- I really miss it being on (I mean… we all need more twizzles and the half pipe in our life, right?). I’ve honestly been trying to catch up on shows that I set aside between Christmas hallmark movies and the Olympics last month, like Madam Secretary and Big Bang Theory. I’ve also enjoyed this new season of Survivor so far.
Currently Reading: I was in need of a light-hearted book, so I’m reading the 4th book in the Gossip Girl series (I loved the TV show, so I pull out one of the books when I need a low key book to balance life!).
Currently Smelling: A mahogany teakwood candle. It smells SO good and if I walk into the house the next day I can still smell it!
Currently Excited For: WARM WEATHER! We have had a few weird snow storms in March, and I’m excited for warmer weather, green grass, and some budding trees in April.
Currently Wearing: A hoodie, sweatpants, and cat slippers. Just my average post-work/workout wear. 🙂 I’m actually in the exact same outfit as I was in when I typed up my last currently post. Apparently I really like to rotate through only a few post-work options.
Currently Loving: The longer nights of light! I love that it is light after 8 pm now. It finally feels like I have enough time to run errands or get some yard work done after work before it gets dark now, and I feel like doing a happy dance each evening when it’s still light out.
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one “currently” for your life right now?
“Only keep the best, favorite, or necessary”. This has become one of my guidelines that I’ve tried to live so far in 2018. I think I found it in something related to Emily Ley, but I’ve tried to figure out where and can’t find it. But I’ll say it’s from her because I’m quite sure that it is.
I’ve known about the whole “spark joy” thing, and sometimes that has resonated with me but a lot of items don’t spark joy but are necessary, so the guideline didn’t fit my life. “Best, favorite, or necessary” really fits and I’ve found it resonating often with me as a guideline for how to use my time, what to keep, or what to buy.
As I look at my calendar or when I’m thinking of saying yes to something, I ask myself “Is this thing a best, favorite, or necessary thing to fill my time with?” If yes- then I go for it! If it doesn’t fit that guideline (or if saying yes to more would cross a boundary), then I say no, feeling confident that I’ve made a choice that fits into my values.
I’ve found myself asking myself this question a lot as I’ve been working on digitally decluttering. I had a come-to-Jesus conversation with myself in January as I surpassed the 9,000 picture mark on my phone and knew I needed to release pictures. My goal is to delete at least 100 pictures many nights of the week, and as I delete I remind myself to only keep the best, favorite, or necessary pictures. Same with personal emails (I opened up my gmail in 2008, so I have several thousand emails that have stock piled)!
I’ve also been able to get rid of over 225 items so far this year by asking myself the same question!
As part of my 2018 word of the year, reclaim, I’ve wanted to reclaim my space (both physical and digital) and not feel the weight of all the things around me. I’ve talked quite a bit over the past few years about not wanting to feel like I’m a victim to my things, and I feel like I’m making some good progress in this (playing the minimalism game last year helped too!). I continue to feel thankful for Powersheets and the intentional goal setting process that it goes through each month. It’s helped me be more direct in what I’m choosing to do and why I’m choosing to pursue things.
Now it’s your turn to share! How do you manage your digital clutter? Do you have a “simplifying mantra”?
Another month that has absolutely flown by, and another few books read. February is usually my lowest month for the year for various reasons, so it’s a bit of a hard pill to swallow for me. It’s ridiculous, though, because except for the past few years, I used to read this many books in a year (you know- not counting all the required reading in school). This month I read 9 books, bringing my total to the year to 21 books.
Here’s what I read in February:
Cultivate: A Grace Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life (Casey): This book, written by Lara Casey (Creator of Powersheets ) not only helps the reader identify the things that might help them lead to intentional living, but also beautifully weaves together metaphors from gardening in the process. 4 stars
The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth (Heurtz): I absolutely loved this book! I wouldn’t start with this book if you’re new to the Enneagram (I’d start with The Road Back to You), but this book feels deeply helpful in understanding additional layers to the Enneagram. The chapters on contemplative practices feel so beneficial. 5 stars
The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior (O’Neill): An autobiography by the Navy Seal who shot bin Laden. This book goes through the training process to become a seal, as well as various other deployments leading up to the author shooting bin Laden. It was interesting, and was great on audiobook. 4 stars
Slow Kingdom Coming: Practices for Doing Justice, Loving Mercy and Walking Humbly in the World (Annan): Words fail me in so many ways about this book. I took so many screenshots to send on to people and not for myself. This book challenged me and I felt deeply uncomfortable at points and very healthily convicted- and I loved it! If you’re someone who feels drawn to helping relationships and the work of justice, this is a great read. 5 stars!
One True Loves (Reid): Without giving anything away, this book explores the deep processing that occurs when a person has gone through significant loss and has changed as a result. I didn’t necessarily love all the ways that the main character handled herself, but being in a situation like she was would be so incredibly confusing, and as a reader I felt like I could give her grace. The author wrote characters that were well developed and relatable, and it was easy to get sucked into the story. Around the 50% mark I sent an email to a friend who recommended the book to me saying that “this is gut wrenching”. 4.5 stars
More Than Just Making It: Hope for the Financially Frustrated (Odom): A quick read on finances with some good little tidbits woven in. Taken from a Christian perspective. 3.5 stars.
For The Right Reasons (Lowe): Obviously not an amazingly written book, but I really enjoyed it for what it was: a behind the scene look at Sean’s season and life. I loved learning about all the little details and thoughts that we weren’t privy to as the season was unfolding. This was a quick read. 3 stars
After You (Moyes): I absolutely loved “Me Before You” (which I read back in 2015), but it took me quite awhile to get around to the follow up from that book. I don’t think that anything could’ve topped Me Before You, but I still enjoyed reading about the next stage in Louisa’s story. 3 stars
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling): This isn’t my favorite book in the Harry Potter series, but I’ve been loving going through the books again because there are so many little gems that aren’t included in the movies.
If you read anything from the month, read: One True Loves. (and The Sacred Enneagram & Slow Kingdom Coming if that type of book is of interest to you!).
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you looking forward to reading next?
