Motivation for Your Monday

by Jenni in

I hope your Christmas was wonderful! We had a great time with lots of family and friends that included parties, Christmas celebrations, late nights, early mornings, and lots of good food! Now, I am ready to sleep, sleep, sleep. Funny, but a nap is definitely in my schedule for today- along with a few meetings and lots and lots of writing.

This 27th year of life has been pretty incredible for me and for a few other people out there as well. Personally, I have accomplished a few personal goals like hiking on the Appalachian Trail and conquered some fears like speaking in front of 1,500+ people. The hubs and I have also started on a few projects that we are so excited to see completed and in a few months the gala that I am chairing will help raise a lot of money for kids!

Goodness, it does feel like this whole year has been a life changer and now I am so excited for the next. And as for motivation, both of these videos are incredible. It is simple amazing what people are capable of doing! This is a great reminder that when we come together and work for good, there is no limit to what we can do. And hopefully, this will help you make some great new goals for the new year, just like it inspired me :)

So, what has been your favorite part of 2014 and what are you looking forward to in the coming year?

Shoes for Running with Flat Feet

by Jenni in

Yesterday we talked all about flat footed runners and ways to help reduce pain along with reasons those feet can hurt so dang much. If you have flat feet and have dealt with the dreaded but common plantar facialis, you know the reason proper running shoes and insoles are so important. Heck, even if you have never dealt with foot pain and are convinced the ground is made of cotton candy and unicorn kisses, proper running shoes are still important.

Runners with flat feet often run the risk of pronation and injury. This is due to the fact that the arch is not able to absorb shock as well as those with well formed arches. The constant pressure on the foot can lead to injuries from the sole of the foot to the ankles, knees, hips, and back. To avoid this pain, it is important that runners have proper arch support.

Running shoes give arch support in two ways- the first is through the sole of the shoe. Soles of shoes made for people with low arches have to be made of a more durable material, this is usual seen by the sole being a different color foam where the arch is. The second way you get support is through a good insole. Most shoes made for people with flat feet have much stronger insoles. Both these reasons cause many an arch-supported shoe to run a bit pricier than their counterparts.

Chances are, if your feet are flat, you break your fair share of insoles. My best recommendation is to get a pair or two of insoles made for people with flat feet and always have them on hand.

Saucony Guide 7 Running Shoe

The Suacany Guide 7 is great for guys and girls. These shoes have a lot of arch support and extra ankle support to aid against pronation. They also have a 8mm offset which is great for any tip-toe runners out there since it will help you run on the mid-sole of the foot. If you are a heel runner, these may not be for you since they will only encourage that pesky habit.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 14 Running Shoe

These are pretty lightweight for the amount of support they give coming in at an impressive 9.4 ounces. The Brooks Adrenaline is also highly recommended for those with plantar facialis since they give some massive arch support but are still quite flexible in the mid-sole. Sure, they are pricy, but these are the kind of shoes that will not let you down.

Nike Lunarglide +5 Running Shoe

I love these shoes. If I was not in a love affair with my Suacany Kinvara's, these would be my shoe of choice. These are great for arch support, pretty, and wonderful for those who try to run on their tip-toes. Yes, the offset is rather higher at 10 mm, but boy are they comfy. The Lunarglides are also long-lasting shoes with insoles that will not have to be replaced quite as often as some others.

Mizuno Women's Wave Prophecy 2 Running Shoe

At 8.5 ounces, these are some of the lightest support running shoes I have ever seen. Although they have a rather high offset of 12 mm, they encourage a mid-sole strike and reduce the jarring feeling many flat footed folk associate with running. These were also made to increase bounce and actually give energy back every time your foot hits the ground.

Mizuno is known for having rather small toe boxes, though. If you have long toes or require a bit more room in the toe area, you may want to order a half size up. 

New Balance 860v3 Running Shoe

New Balance uses NuFoam in these which make them lighter and more durable- something every person with a low arch needs! The New Balance 860v3 are also a bit slimmer, perfect for those with narrow feet and low arches.

Saucony Kinvara 4 Running Shoes

Have I mentioned how much I love these shoes? All the other shoes on this list have had rather high offsets which is great those who tend to run on the ball of their feet. For strikes that are more mid-sole or heel located, these shoes are a dream. The arch has great support and the offset is much closer to a barefoot feeling than any other listed here since it is a mere 4 mm. Although these shoes are not sold as a "stability" shoe, they are a dream for those with a mild flat foot who enjoy a mid-sole strike.

My 2014 New Year's Resolutions

by Jenni in

I recently read Emily Henderson's New Year's resolution list on her blog and it has inspired me. Emily's New Year's resolutions are one of my favorite things that she does and have inspired this resolution avoiding Pisces to make a list of the things I would like to accomplish in the new year. Last year's was quite simple and not too difficult to accomplish without much effort or growth. This year, however, is quite different.

Back in the November/December region I decided to make 2014 the year of personal development. This means becoming a better person through volunteering, being more productive, making a keen effort to grow, becoming more physically fit, and exploring new areas of development. The whole idea of growing and changing does scare me quite a bit, but honestly, all of us are always changing, so why not put in the effort to change for the better? This has become my mantra for the year- change for the better.

The list format I love has one overall goal with multiple rules/ways to do to accomplish it completely helps me to easily remember what is on the list (yes, that is a problem) and letting you know my goals will help me stay more accountable. The list mainly focuses around being more productive, personal development, and business growth. Unfortunately/fortunately, there are about a billion ways to do all of these… So, hold on to your hats, this list is long. 

Note: Since the business stuff can get a little boring and number-y and does go a bit more into the finance department, I decided to leave that out. But, it can pretty much be summed up as "do more business".

1. Improve My Relationship with the Hubs

  • Have a set time for work and a set time for leisure every day.
  • Have one day per week without cell phones or computers to spend with each other. 
  • Dress better around the house Read a non-fiction and inspirational book once a month (at least)
  • Be mindful of ways t

2. Triple Blog Readership

  • More personal posts
  • Six posts per week
  • More personal workout posts
  • Begin doing workout videos
  • Network with other bloggers/sites/video content suppliers/apps
  • Begin advertising on the blog
  • Pin more
  • Instagram more
  • Contests!!!! (said in an Oprah giveaway voice)

3. Personal Growth

  • Listen to one self improvement podcast/CD a day (at least)
  • Notice something incredible every day
  • Do one thing that scares me every day 
  • Go on an adventure

4. Improve My Time Management

  • Reduce the daily time trolling the internet. If this was an income producing job, I would be a billionaire.
  • Set a schedule for at least one day of the week
  • Keep to a set schedule. Set reminders and make lists if needed, but get things done on time. 
  • Take the word busy out of my vocabulary. I simply cannot stand how often this word is spoke from my mouth.

5. Learn Japanese

  • Accomplish the first 1-2 Rosetta Stone levels for Japanese

6. Remove the Excess from Life

  • Clean out one room/closet a month and donate or sell the unused things
  • Seriously cut back on buying things on a whim

7. Save more

  • Put more monthly income into savings
  • Again, cut back on buying things on a whim. Everything passes a list of questions- do I need it? will it improve my life for longer than a week? Does it help me accomplish my goals? Could this money be better used if saved? 
  • Keep better track of finances. Not that I am bad at this, but I am pretty bad at this.

8. Improve My Fitness Capabilities

  • Try one new workout a week
  • Work out 4-6 times per week
  • Complete 1 yoga flow per day
  • Complete 2 races in 2014
  • Begin my yoga instructor certification and/or become a yoga instructor

9. Volunteer More

  • Either become a big sister or… work at an animal rescue, go on a volunteer trip, or become involved with one more local organization that has values and leadership I agree with. 

10. Improve My People/Social Skills

  • Read books related to the subject
  • Work with more people in life
  • Meet with at least one friend a week
  • Talk to one person you do not know per day 
  • Be in the moment/pay attention

What are some of your resolutions and goals for 2014?