You asked, and I am so excited to answer. I love creating space for an “Ask Jenna Anything” session here on the blog (and sometimes on the podcast!) I am a fully self-claimed nosy human and love hearing the details of people’s own “behind the scenes”, so trust me when I say, this is right up my alley. We’re covering a lot of lifestyle and business topics here, so buckle up!
I dropped a question box over on my Instagram page and asked you to truly ask me ANYTHING, and that’s exactly what you did! The questions flowed in and I loved answering them there, so I pulled a couple handfuls of them to drop here. This is like a little personal life update to dig a little deeper into how I live, choose to move my body, style myself, grow my business, and parent my kids. Let’s dive in!
I’m curious, what does your diet and exercise look like these days?
I actually prefer to not follow any specific diet beyond being totally gluten-free. I highly prioritize protein and try to eat as clean as I can while making sure my meals aren’t overly complicated or time-consuming!. I try to get at least 30g of protein for each meal of the day and that’s the main thing I’m focusing on for food. My brain needs the fuel, or I’m sitting at my desk wondering why I’m still stuck on the same paragraph for an hour until I realize I need calories!
When do you fit in your workout?
I walk on my treadmill pretty much every day! My favorite is doing the 12-3-30 workout, which is 12 incline at 3.5 MPH for 30 minutes. I’ll often watch a TV show and use that time as a mental break for myself between work, gardening, and playing with the kiddos. If I don’t have time to squeeze that in, then I’ll walk while I take internal work calls or while reviewing content/emails and just walk at a slower pace for a longer time! I also try to do 15-20 minutes of weight training at least 3x a week as well. Working on strength and vitality is my priority right now.
If you believe in God, do you integrate faith and God into your business in any way?
I feel like my spiritual life has been shifting a ton for me in really beautiful and expansive ways over the last handful of years. I’m more focused on my relationship with God vs. following any particular religion. I am experiencing God in so many new ways. This is an area of my life where I am constantly pursuing, unpacking, deconstructing, and rebuilding and I hope and believe it comes through in how I show up and speak.
I love your clothes; can you talk more about your clothing style?
You are so sweet! I feel like I’ve been finding my style (and excitement to wear COLOR!) I really am trying to be intentional with what I am bringing into my closet and how it feels on my body. The brand I am currently obsessed with (and wearing right now) is Varley. Their clothes are such a luxurious, soft quality and truly so effortless to style. I also have a lot of Sezane pieces. I love their Parisian vibes and I feel like you can’t go wrong with even just one of their simple sweaters.
Related: Summer Round-Up: From Books to Biohacking
What is something you want to learn?
This year, I’ve been on a learning spree as I consistently crave trying all these new things from sourdough to gardening to beekeeping and rowing. Right now I’m super curious about canning (watch me jar some jams for winter!) and I want to rework some garden plans for next year now that I feel like I know what we love eating and the right timing of all the crops.
How do you deal with procrastination? I discovered I have ADHD at the same time as you.
When I’m really putting something off, it’s usually because I’m making it out to be too big in my brain. They call this the ADHD freeze. But if I break it down into smaller pieces or just set a 20-minute time and take a stab at making progress, I usually find a flow and can keep going. For me, procrastination usually rears its head more in the domestic side of things, like life admin, home organizing, etc. So if/when the mood strikes to tackle those things, I try to seize those moments and that energy (and the mood usually hits at the most inopportune times, lol!)
Related: Productivity Hacks for Business Owners with ADHD
If you were going to start a new business not related to this, what would it be?
Hmmm… honestly, I’d love to be a birth photographer. I know that’s very niche and a little unexpected, but I love motherhood so much. The day you meet your baby is such a miraculous day. I’d want to be a doula and photographer because nothing beats meeting your baby for the first time ever, and how cool would it be to be present and capture those moments for other parents?
Mom to be over here! Best advice for you postpartum care and transition?
Allow yourself to simply rest. In so many cultures, the woman stays in bed throughout her recovery and is supported as she heals. I feel like here we push ourselves to “get back to normal” so quick. I think bouncing back is a very unnecessary expectation on mothers! Instead, soak it in, allow yourself to heal, nourish yourself if you’re able, and remember that there is no rush. Everything can wait. Also, if you don’t have a Kindle, I highly recommend one. I would read in the middle of the night during nursing and I ended up blazing through so many great books instead of scrolling on my phone and buying random things on Amazon that I didn’t actually need.
Advice for someone who doesn’t know what to do with their career? Feeling stuck.
One thing I have been thinking about a lot is instead of asking yourself, “What is my purpose in life?”, asking, “What is my purpose in life right now?” I made this one small shift and it consistently helps me to align with my current values and not feel like I need to live out this big wild purpose in this moment. It relieves the pressure to get it right and allows me to get curious again. It might help you to make a move or a decision by evaluating where you’re at right now and what’s currently most important to you!
Related: 5 Things to Do When You Need Motivation and Inspiration
What is your current biggest goal?
Hmmm, this is a great question. I would say right now my big goal is to thoughtfully and intentionally plan 2025. I want to cut back even more in places that no longer fit or don’t serve me, so I’m doing a big audit on this year and how it felt and evaluating what I want to do for next year so that it feels even better than it looks!
Are you still using Primally Pure! Any favorites?
OMG, of course. They just did a rebrand and it’s SO good. I already know and love the products inside their bottles, but my eyes light up when I see them sitting on my bathroom counter. My 3 go-to products will always be: 1.) The Cleansing Oil, 2.) The Clarifying Spray, and 3.) The Clarifying Serum. Most days I don’t wear makeup, so I just do a spritz of the spray in the AM and a few drops of serum, and then for the evening, I use all 3!
Related: How to Spring Clean Your Skincare Routine
Stay Curious and Keep Asking Me Anything!
I love being a sounding board, sharing my experience, testing new products, and finding the best of the best solutions for you. I’m always ready to hear your questions! Keep your eyes peeled for another Ask Me Anything over on my Instagram page, as it’s the best way to make sure I see your question vs it floating around in my inbox. That space is like one of those ‘domestic tasks’ I mentioned, lol. Until next time!
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