While I was running on the treadmill one day, I realized that I have certain phrases that I say to myself while I exercise and memories that motivate me. I've been exercising for so long – I started running with my dad when I was 12 – that my inner monologue while I workout is second nature to me. But it made me curious about what's going on in everyone else's heads next to me on the treadmill. So I thought I'd share what's going on in my mind during a workout and I'd love to hear from you as... Read more →

More than halfway through January and I think I'm finally feeling the rhythm of the new year. We seem to be making progress on the parenting hard stuff I mentioned and will keep at it. Chris and I have been revisiting and tweaking some family routines like screen time, manners at the dinner table, and chores which has me feeling like we're righting a listing ship. And I'm finding everyday routines again for my work as well as laundry, dinner, and tidying which all felt quite out of sorts over the holidays. It feels like a good tidying of sorts... Read more →

Team Wharton on the last day of 2023! At the end of 2022 I wrote myself a quick email to be delivered at the end of the year. It arrived in my inbox yesterday. I wrote briefly about "what's great right now" and "what's hard right now" and hoped for my future self that the hard stuff would be less so by this time. And a few of the hard things do feel better! At this time last year we were carrying the disappointment of Chris not getting sabbatical which Chris has now processed and put behind him. I was... Read more →

Nearly every morning for the past many months, Chris has made himself the most admirable quick breakfast saute of greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, and an egg. I'm quite jealous because I've been trying to increase my veggie consumption and would love to consume a heaping portion of vegetables so regularly. And Chris would be happy to double the portions and make some for me. The only problem is that Chris's breakfast looks entirely disgusting to me. Watery, wilty greens? Nope. Mushy, burst cherry tomatoes? No and no. The mushrooms sound okay but not enough to redeem the dish as a whole.... Read more →

Recently I've been thinking about the joy that hobbies bring me and asking myself how I can lean into that joy even more. In particular I'm thinking about my hobbies of reading and exercising. I suppose someone might wonder why I didn't include writing and podcasting as hobbies and it's because I don't think of them as hobbies but instead as my work. My writing and podcasting have expectations tied to them, both from myself and from readers and listeners. Reading, exercising, and other hobbies are things I do purely for myself. What I've realized is that when a hobby... Read more →

This post is also available in podcast format in which I read the post. Search for "rising shining" on most podcast platforms and subscribe! In two years I will turn 40. (Wait, what?) Our culture has imbued that birthday with such significance and not necessarily a positive one, especially for women. So I will admit that sometimes when I think about turning 40 I feel some reluctance and kind of what to whine, "But do I have to?" Then I stop to think and interrogate the cultural messages we've been given about turning 40. I think about what an absolute... Read more →

During pregnancy something I looked forward to after giving birth was working towards my pre-pregnancy fitness level and weight. Before becoming pregnant with Maeve I was in great shape. Maybe the best shape I've ever been in. I felt healthy and strong and very comfortable/confident in my own skin. Those are all feelings I love having. I want to be explicit that I don't think I (or anyone) should be a certain weight or look a certain way to feel good and be comfortable in their own skin. Even heavier and less fit, I feel comfortable and confident in my... Read more →

This month my daily health challenge is to not eat any added sugar. Foods with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit and plain yogurt, are okay but nothing with sugar, honey, maple syrup, or even Stevia or sugar alcohols (a newer sweetener common in protein bars and all those high-protein ice creams). I knew that would eliminate a lot of foods but I was surprised by just how many! In the week before the challenge started, as I started reading food labels in earnest, it was disheartening to realize sugar is in e v e r y t h i n... Read more →

When it came to health goals for 2019 I couldn't get excited about committing to any one health habit. And so I picked 12! Here's how it will work: for each month of 2019 I will challenge myself to do a healthy habit every day, and each month will have a different habit challenge. The habits aren't cumulative so when the month is done I can stop doing pushups, stop tracking my food, whatever. I'll only focus only on the current month's challenge. In coming up with the 12 different ideas I wanted to pick challenges that were do-able enough... Read more →

Exercising feels like an essential part of my life for both my physical and mental health. When I workout consistently I have more energy, feel healthier, have a positive body image, and see the world more optimistically. Even during the most demanding years of having babies I prioritized making time for some kind of exercise (even if it was something easy just once per week), knowing that the benefits far outweigh the challenges of making it happen. My exercise phases have included: running with my dad starting in 6th grade; running track and playing basketball in middle school; going to... Read more →