Jennifer’s writing

Running seems like it would be a simple sport where you put one foot in front of the other, but it is slightly more complicated than that. There are also many false conceptions about running, and I know people who think it is a sport they could never do. Running has been a passion of mine for many years. I started running in college, and I coached cross-country for thirteen years. I have run quite a few races including 16 ultra-marathons (A race longer than 26.2) Let me give you a few tips that have worked for me.

Before you start any fitness program, check with your healthcare provider that you are clear to participate. It is also a good idea to go to your local running shoe store and talk about good shoes.

 Keep your shoulders relaxed and focus on breathing. It is very common for beginning runners to tense up their shoulders. This will result in painful cramping in the shoulders. Run with the body completely relaxed. This will also help to avoid some injuries since a loose body reacts to certain situations better than a tense, rigid one. New runners will sometimes hold their breath because they are so focused on running. Focus on regular breathing in and out until it becomes second nature.

The feet should follow a straight line. This will help to keep your body aligned. Runners who point their feet to their sides often end up with hip and knee problems.

Lean into hills with short strides and control running downhill. Shortening your stride and leaning into the hill will make it easier to get up it faster. Hill running also requires some mental training. Remember that it is only a hill. Have some mental boosters ready to repeat as you ascend. An example would be “I will not stop, you cannot defeat me, I will conquer this” It is surprising how well this works. When going downhill, control the way your feet impact the ground. Many runners slam their feet down with each step and end up with shin splints. Lean forward into the hill and run through it.

Do a variety of different types of runs. Do some long slow runs because you must build a base of miles in order to run well. A long slow run also is a great way to ease out the kinks and unwind.   We say that we are doing LSD (long slow distance) the runner’s drug. Run some hills.
Hills not only make you faster and stronger, but hill work also helps you with technique. It also prepares you mentally for a hilly course. Do some speed work because the only way to get faster is to run faster. Speedwork is also a great way to learn how to pace yourself. 

Run softly.  Pay attention to how hard your feet hit the ground. If you can lessen the impact when you run, you have less chance of injury.

Drink plenty of fluids and eat a variety of food.  Most of us do not drink enough fluid even when we are not exercising, and a deficiency of fluids can make us sluggish. When we are running, we lose fluids and need to replace them. The best way to avoid dehydration is to drink a little all day. You know you are drinking enough if when you go to the bathroom your urine is clear. Do not follow the fad of the day whether it is a high protein or low carbohydrates. Eat a variety of healthy foods.

Understand the mental aspect of running. There are several things that will benefit you mentally. You have to be confident that you will do your best. You have to work on a positive attitude and practice positive self-talk. Play games when you run like counting how many runners you pass. Never go out with a defeatist attitude, it will slow you down much faster than shin splints. Set goals and decide how you will meet them.

Talk to veteran runners and ask for advice. There are also some great running groups on social media and it should be easy to find local running groups as well.

When we make goals it’s a good idea to find a way to keep ourselves accountable and to map our progress, so a goal journal is a good tool to have. A goal journal is a spot to write down what you would like to achieve, and then allow you to tweak the goal or mark if it has been achieved. It’s fun to look back a year to year and see how our goals have changed and what we have achieved. Here are some ideas on making one work for you.

Pick a journal that is appealing to you visually and that you enjoy touching. You will be more likely to pick it up and use it consistently if it appeals to your senses.

Decide how you would like to use it. Do you want to divide goals into categories of daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or do you want to pick only a one-time frame?

Write out your goals. Writing our goals out gives them power and makes them more real.

Under each goal, write a plan of how you will achieve the goal and make the commitment that you will believe you can achieve it.

Find a yellow, green, and pink highlighter. Choose a period of time to revisit and update your goals. Each time you look at them, highlight them with green for achieved, yellow for still working on it, and pink for changing the goal.

Make comments as you go about how the journey is going.

You can also document success along the way with visuals. Put in photos that show your success, or letters, and news clippings.

My husband hates to exercise, and he has a wicked sweet tooth, but when he had a small stroke, the doctor told him he had to lose weight and exercise. His idea of exercise is fifteen minutes of very slow walking, but I am so happy that he is moving, and I know he has found the fitness routine that works for him. I am the opposite side of the spectrum because running is therapy for me, and it is a part of my daily routine. I have heard stories of everything in between when it comes to people and exercise because your health routine is personal. Some people are afraid to start, or they see it as a huge undertaking, but being healthier doesn’t have to be difficult. Let me give you some easy steps to be healthier.

Start any exercise routine slowly and realize that you will see improvement gradually. Don’t expect change overnight.

Rest enough. I know this is easier said than done, but it will make you better in everything you do.

Control your portions. If you go out to eat, cut your meal in half and turn it into two meals.

Eliminate those foods that you eat excessively. I don’t mean you should not eat food you enjoy, but we all have food that we cannot stop eating. It’s better not to have that food in the house. Mine are Doritos and frosted animal cookies.

 Make realistic goals and make plans to achieve them. Keep track of your progress with a goal journal.

Be fearless by refusing to make any more excuses. Make positive changes even if they are small.

Whatever steps you take to be healthier, do them consistently. Starting and stopping your good habits will not give you the same results you will achieve if you make them part of your routine.

Don’t make being healthy feel like a burden. Make it fun. Find a form of movement that you will enjoy and do regularly. Find someone to join you. Explore healthy food choices and find some you like. Don’t make this painful.

Don’t neglect your mental health. Everyone is different, so what helps you in this area will vary, but here are a few ideas to help with mental health. Spend some time alone doing nothing, laugh a lot, try something new, spend time with family and friend, pet a puppy, and do a lot of whatever you love.

Stay current with your doctor visits. I hate going to the dentist, but I go. Have yearly testing done, and if you notice something is off with you, go see the doctor.

I hope this is a year filled with excellent health for you. Believe you can do it and become healthier one step at a time. 

The last time we experienced a puppy, I distinctly remember agreeing with my husband that the next dog we had would be an older dog. I’m not sure exactly how we ended up two months ago with a four-month-old super hyper border collie. Most days, he is full of energy, ready to run from the moment he wakes up until it’s time for bed. Although some days I am overwhelmed, I know what a blessing he is, and I have learned so much about having a dog that I didn’t know before. Let me share a few things that I have discovered.

Border collies require tasks and the more tricks you can teach them the better. Every day, I take bandit through our tasks and tricks, and he always looks so happy when we do them. Some of these tasks would be good for any dog and they can be lifesaving. Here are a few that are important to us.

Waiting to exit the crate. When you start to open the crate if the dog starts to leave, close the door. Keep doing this until he realizes he needs to wait for your command to exit. I say break, but you can pick your word. The reason this task is so important is for safety. If you take the dog in the car, you don’t want him to jump out before you are ready. Training him to wait in the crate will keep him from hurting himself.

Show him some love when he comes out of the crate. Take a few minutes to pet him and give him attention.

Teach him basic commands like sit, stay, and lie down. My dog loves to jump on people so telling him to sit is helpful.

Go to your crate is another very important command. When you leave the house, you will probably need to put the puppy in the crate. Make it sound like that is the best place in the world to go. Give him some treats each time he goes in there. It will become a place where he feels safe. We also bought a raised dog bed, and we have trained him to go there as well.

I have also taught him the command run. I do this when we are playing frisbee, but I also want to be able to have him get away from any potentially harmful situation like snakes.

Name things

Teach the puppy the words for different objects. Help him know the difference between the ball and the frisbee, and any other important items

Feeding

Find healthy dog food. Many people make their own. I never knew that dogs could eat vegetables, so it has been interesting seeing how much my dog loves carrots.

There are dental bones to keep the dog’s teeth healthy and because puppies need to chew, you can also buy some bones for that.

There are also lots of healthy treats to practice tricks.

Toys

There are so many fun toys available. Many are interactive. We had one that was a squirrel treehouse with cloth squirrels inside, and the dog had to get the squirrels out of the treehouse. Another toy was a ball and a long rope. The ball was attached to the floor with a suction cup, and the dog could pull on the rope. Tennis balls are still the favorite though.

Socializing

Introduce your puppy to other dogs and people as often as possible and show him how to behave.

Different environments

Bring him around different places and things so he loses his fear of new things. Bandit was afraid of garbage cans until he finally had the courage to sniff one.

A puppy will need your attention, energy, and patience. It is a lot like having a two-year-old. Do not leave that two-year-old alone for long unattended unless you want some unpleasant surprises. Good luck!

What Would Betty White do?

Since the death of Betty White, I have been thinking about what a genuinely good human being she was and that we could all learn some lessons from her. I started to wonder how she would handle different situations, and I researched her background to gain some insight into how she might react. Here are my questions and answers based on her information.

How would Betty handle haters? First, I asked myself if it was possible that she had haters, and then I hoped she did because if Betty White had haters, it would be easier to ignore mine. I found one Betty White hater who said he hated her and thought there was too much hype about her. The comments that followed told him why the hype was merited. Betty White once said that everyone should mind their own business and not worry about other people so much. In one quote she says that even if you are thinking of a hateful remark, you should not say it because it will chip away at the other person’s self-esteem. I think she would ignore the haters or reply to them kindly or make them laugh.

Would she pray for you? Betty White was Christian and a member of the Unity Church, so I’m sure she knew the power of prayer.

Did she value friendship? Betty believed that you had to nurture good friendship. You needed to give the friendship time and attention for it to last.

What would she gift someone who needed comfort? We all know how passionate she was about animals, so I think she might consider an animal to help with emotional support.

What was her way of making people comfortable? She was so funny, and laughter can diffuse most situations. She also spread kindness like confetti.

In my research, I read several times that she believed it was important to be curious about everything, to develop new interests, and not to be afraid to learn new things.

Betty White has left us many wonderful lessons, and I will continue to ask what would Betty White do?

Sometimes It Should Be About You

I write a lot of articles that talk about listening to others and listening fully, reaching out, and making people feel heard, but I don’t want anyone to do that to the point where you lose the chance to do that yourself.

Everyone should be able to talk about those topics that they are passionate about. We should all be able to share things that bring us joy.

I am blessed with an amazing family, and I am so grateful for them, but none of them can relate to any of the things I am passionate about in life. They don’t like to write, read, or run, and they don’t want to talk about any of those topics. I wish once in a while they would ask me why my passions are these passions. I don’t always feel that they really know me.

I don’t think I am alone in this. How many times do you start talking about something that matters to you, and someone interrupts and starts talking about themselves? Most people are slightly self-centered, and their favorite topic is themselves.

So, what can you do to be heard? Find people who share your passion. I go to races regularly and I have met some of my best friends there. I have a group of friends that want to talk about reading with me. I am a member of writing groups that share experiences with writing. My point is that you need to find ways to fill your cup and share what makes you happy. Keep doing what brings you joy even if those closest to you don’t understand those passions.

Now that prices have risen so high for everything, we all want to save where we can and there are plenty of opportunities to do that with clothes.

Anyone who is into sports knows how expensive exercise clothes can be. I have purchased many brand-name articles like Nike and Under Armour for around five dollars each.

If you have children, you know how quickly they grow out of their clothes, so buying them at the thrift store will save you a lot of money.

There are many other thrift store options such as Goodwill. There are also online stores like Thredup where you can browse through different name brands and prices. Thredup also offers you the chance to sell your clothes through consignment. Sign up for an account and they will send you a bag that you can fill with your clothes and drop in the mail. The postage has been paid. It is very convenient. There are other consignment stores like Uptown Cheapskate.

You can also sell your clothes online through eBay and having a yard sale is always an option.

If thrift stores and consignment are not a good fit for you, look for sales, shop in the clearance section, shop out of season and use coupons. Patience usually pays off if you can wait until what you want goes on sale.

Search Facebook for discount groups like Beebe’s Bargains on a Budget. She searches for the discounts for you.

I hope these ideas will help you cut some costs when it comes to looking for clothes.

If you could only use one word to describe yourself, what would it be? Many people would probably say anxious. Even before Covid, anxiety seems to be a common part of many people. Covid added uncertainty, loss of jobs, higher prices, and misinformation. It is understandable that more anxiety has seeped into our lives.

Others might say peaceful. This could come from a strong faith that God has a plan. It can also be a product of someone having the attitude that he will deal with each situation as it comes.

Some will say negative. These are the people who can take down a positive thought as if they are skeet shooting. Some would say positive because they have the ability to turn around whatever challenge comes their way.

You might describe yourself as curious because you love to learn and question everything. Perhaps you are apathetic or uninterested.

Would you say extravert because you love being social, or introvert because you would rather be alone? Maybe you are a combination of the two as someone who enjoys people but needs some quiet time too.

Are you bitter about the life you lead, or grateful for everything including the tough lessons?

Are you weary and weighed down by life’s responsibility, or do you see each day as an exciting adventure?

Would you say you are quiet, preferring to be invisible, or loud bursting into any room?

Are you short-tempered, or can you remain patient in the face of chaos?

We have so many adjectives to describe each other, and that makes interactions with each other more fascinating. What in your life is responsible for your word? What stories do you have to tell? We all need to tell those stories and embrace our word.

We are each a tiny fleck in an enormous universe. Nature and the universe can be scary because they are so powerful, and there is still so much we have to learn, but there are ways that we can use the power around us to enhance our lives. Everything in the universe including us is made up of energy. Let’s look at several ways we can use that energy to our advantage.

Positive vs. negative thoughts

I believe very strongly in the power of positive thinking. Sending out positive thoughts can make a difference in our lives. At first, when I would try to show this to my family, they laughed at me until they started to see it working for me even in unusual situations. We would pull into a full restaurant parking lot and inevitably someone would say, “Oh, man. We are going to have to wait.” I would counter it by saying, “We are going to get right in.” We would walk in and after the hostess asked how many we were, she would say, “Right this way!” I loved seeing the expression on my family’s faces. After a few similar situations, they send out the positive thought with me.

Believe it is possible and it will eventually happen. Continue to repeat the possibilities and it will become reality.

Unfortunately, negativity is as strong as positivity and people tend to get caught up in it more because of struggles and doubts. I also think negativity is contagious which makes it a dangerous quality to engage in. Every time you hear yourself engaging in negative self-talk, turn it around to be something positive. If someone starts talking negatively about someone else, inject a positive note.

With positive self-talk, you don’t ever have to have a bad day again. Whether your day is good or bad depends on how you choose to react to it. You have the power to turn it around. Make it a game to refuse to allow any negativity to enter your day. Having a sense of humor for those days when everything seems to go wrong is always a help.

Positivity gains strength when it is sent out as a group. I have so many positive stories about the results that prayer warriors can have. The more positivity that goes out, the more will come back.

What you send out will come back to you.

I believe that when we do positive actions by showing kindness, or reaching out and helping in some way, that positivity will come back to us in the form of blessings. Negativity will come back as well. You attract the energy that you send out.

Gratitude is a powerful form of positivity. Each time you say thank you for something, you are creating positive energy, and realizing the great things in your life makes you feel better.

Use nature, music, and silence to recharge. We all need time to recharge our energy because there are many things that drain us during the day. Being outside in nature is a quick way to recharge. Listen to the life pulsing around you. There is a music to nature. Music is another way to recharge. It can calm us or motivate us. Sometimes sitting in silence is the best way to shut out everything else and allow us to regroup.

It is so easy to make excuses when it comes to exercise but becoming too sedentary can be harmful to us. Think of a time when you have been sitting for a long time and when you stand up your legs feel stiff, and you might feel slightly lethargic. We need to move and work our bodies even though that first step might be difficult for us. This is what the doctor of my neighbor Jim told him. I run in our cul-de-sac every day and one day Jim came out and said, “My doctor said I have to start walking.” It was obvious how unhappy he was about this, but he knew he had to do it for his health, so he took those first steps. I watched him shuffle around the neighborhood with unsteady legs. Each lap is 1/10 of a mile and the first time he came out he made it three laps and headed back inside. Over the next few weeks, I watched him become stronger until he made it to walking a mile. Even better than making that milestone, he was so much stronger, and he seemed happier. I asked him if he saw the difference and he told me how much better he felt. Yesterday I asked him when he was going to try for two miles. At first, he said, “Oh!” as if that was unthinkable, but several minutes later he said, “You know, I could do it if I split it up to ten laps in the morning, and ten in the afternoon.” That’s what taking the first step and gradually improving can do for you. You start to see the possibilities.

Taking that first step is easier if you make some goals. Write out what you would like to achieve, make it achievable, and then find a way to measure your progress. My friend Jess had a baby seven months ago and she is ready to take the first step towards better fitness. She told me she needed something to make her take that first step, so she asked me to sign her up for a 5K (3 miles) race several months from now. She said if there was a date that she could see on the calendar, it would help her to stay motivated.

You don’t need to run a three-mile race but find something that will keep you moving. You could walk, swim, bike, work in the yard, take a class at the gym, or do anything else that will keep you active.

Take the first step out of your comfort zone and do whatever you need to be the best you. The first step is the most difficult, but it can lead you to some amazing possibilities.