If Trader Joe’s wasn’t always so overwhelmingly crowded and chaotic, I would visit more often as they always seem to have a fun rotation of affordable beauty products on their shelves.
My latest find: Trader Joe’s Rose Water Facial Toner.
Its cutesy light pink and white packaging caught my eye and convinced me to give it a try.
I’m finally ready to talk about it.
The 15k race that I look forward to all year long- and spent months training for- didn’t go the way I wanted. No PR. No fancy top 10% finisher hat. Just a headache and a participation medal.
While it’s easy to get stuck in the disappointment (and I was for a few days), I’ve come to terms with it all. If you’re a runner who misses a set goal, maybe my thought process will help you!
I don’t know if it was the spark of the ‘new year, new me’ attitude still sticking around, but February proved to be a big month of non-fiction/self-improvement reads for me! I read 5 non-fiction books this month, which is far outside of my norm, and only two fiction books.
The list includes:
-Absolute Power by David Baldacci
-How She Did It by Molly Huddle and Sara Slattery
-Do Hard Things by Steve Magness
-Everyday Sisu by Katja Pantzar
-The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
-Range by David Epstein
-All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
Now, for the reviews!
After months of having the BalanceFrom 3-in-1 20″ 24″ 30″ Foam Plyometric Box in my mental shopping cart and obsessively reading reviews, I finally added it to my real shopping cart on Amazon and hit purchase.
I bought the plyo box with the goal of doing plyometrics to improve my speed as a runner. (A very brief Google search told me it would.) I was also looking for something that would shake up my usual workout routine, which largely included running or lifting dumbbells haphazardly. I was particularly drawn to the BalanceFrom jumping box as it’s made of a foam material. As a beginner to this, I find the wooden plyo boxes to be a bit intimidating! All I can picture is my shin sliding down the side…
I consider myself to be someone that cares about the environment. I recycle. I bring my own reusable bags to the grocery store. You get the idea. But I had a moment recently that really made me stop and think about my convictions. I was ordering a pair of new running shoes online and when I got to the shipping section, I was presented with a choice. Did I want to go with express shipping and have my shoes arrive…
As I try to get more serious about my running, I realized I need to get more serious about my recovery too. While this means taking rest days (something I don’t struggle with), I think for me it also means increasing my daily protein intake (something I do struggle with). So, I’ve decided to start the journey of finding a plant-based protein powder I actually enjoy.
As a fan of Cassey Ho, both her YouTube workouts and her Popflex brand, I decided to try out the Blogilates Sculpt and Debloat Protein Powder with Probiotics sold exclusively at Target.
I kicked off my 2023 reading with a bang, reading 7 books in January! I was clearly on a non-fiction/self-improvement kind of a kick given all the excitement surrounding the new year.
Here’s the full list:
– Making Space, Clutter Free by Tracy McCubbin
– Make Space for Happiness by Tracy McCubbin
– Find Your People by Jennie Allen
– Kismet by Amina Akhtar
– When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
– Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones
– Bravey by Alexi Pappas
Let’s get into the reviews!
I’m a bit ashamed to say it because I know how important all the skincare and anti-aging experts say it is… but I haven’t been using a daily face sunscreen. Yes, I will absolutely wear sunscreen when I’m going to the beach or pool, but I’ve been skipping out on the daily wear.
But for 2023 and beyond, I want to change that.
To get started on this mission, I consulted my personal skincare guide, my mom, (Thanks Mom!) and started trying out daily face sunscreens.
I’ve been looking forward to putting this post together, because I always take it one book (or sometimes two or three books) at a time. But diving into the numbers and reflecting on my favorites really helps put my year of reading into perspective. In 2022, I read 68 books! This is more than in 2020 (65 books), but less than 2021 (72 books). I don’t actively count during the year, so it’s interesting to see that I’m ending up…
I feel like I’ve released a big breath of air. The holidays are behind us and it’s time to turn over a fresh leaf with 2023. I’m definitely the person who likes the start of a new year and imagining all the possibilities it can hold.
I hope the new year inspires me to pick up my reading again. I fell a bit off the tracks in December, only finishing 4 books:
– Unmasked by Paul Holes
– Gutter Child by Jael Richardson
– Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
– Glute Lab by Bret Contreras and Glen Cordoza
I know reading isn’t a competition or about the numbers, but I feel like my brain gets stagnant when I’m not reading enough. I love having a near constant input of new ideas and stories.
So, let’s get into the December reviews!