Living Life Well

02/11/2026

I’ve been failing

I’m on week 5 of my DMSc program, and it’s been a very humbling test of time management and mental fortitude skills. I’ve done a great job staying off of socials and not wasting too much time, but I have failed to uphold the lifestyle medicine pillars as well as I usually do. Specifically, between writing papers and the crazy cold weather, I haven’t really gotten outside for intentional movement. Yesterday my stress levels culminated, and I told myself I had to take a break and fix that.
Picked up my daughter from school and took her to ice skate at the community “tot lot” before her dentist appointment, and got the dogs out this morning for a slow 2-mile jog while listening to a podcast on “personal leadership philosophies”.
It really is amazing how much better we feel when we get outside and move our bodies! (And the dogs are much happier).
I will work to be more intentional about this moving forward, and thank goodness for some warmer weather!

(But also, now that I’ve done a socials check-in, time to remove the apps again from my phone. And if you haven’t done that for yourself lately, think about it. Your mental health might thank you! ☺️)

02/04/2026

So, I took all social media apps off of my phone when I started my doctoral program. It's been WONDERFUL to not feel like I'm wasting a ton of time doom scrolling, and quite frankly, given the state of the world, it's been good for my mental health.

BUT, interacting on FB or IG using a computer is just not user friendly, so I kind of just figured it wasn't worth messing with (not that I'm super active on here or doing more than just sharing occasional things that I find interesting).

But, in the interest of trying to stay somewhat engaged, here's a recipe I made recently that was really good! I have mentioned before that I'm not vegan, but I do like to incorporate plant-based meals as much as possible, because even though everyone is screaming about PROTEIN, I think FIBER is where we should be focused (besides, many high-fiber foods are loaded with proteins....). I digress. This was awesome, though. I used sweet potatoes and carrots instead of yukon gold; I skipped the red peppers; and used chicken broth. SO. STINKING. Yummy. Husband and 8-year old approved!

Try it out, and give Nora Cooks a follow!

Vegan Corn Chowder is luscious and creamy, even without the dairy! This 9-ingredient comfort food comes together in one pot and boasts BIG flavor.

01/18/2026

The Mountains Called, and We Went

Spent a few days out west skiing with the family, and although the snow was not great, the weather was beautiful and I loved watching my daughter exceed expectations on the slopes. Isn't it such a great thing as a parent to watch your child love something that you do? Seriously, she killed it out there, and it's so awesome to get to continue our annual ski trips with our girl in tow now.

But also, I managed to survive my first week of my doctoral program despite being away. When I found out that the first week coincided with our annual ski-cation, I was half-temped to change our plans, but I sucked up the anxiety, and went anyway. And you know what? It went just fine.

One of our assignments in my Organizational Behavior and Leadership class was to complete a Clifton Strengths Assessment. My top 4 were totally unsurprising (empathy, learner, relator, achiever), but my 5th top strength was Adaptability. I told my husband this and we both laughed, because I am a far cry from Grace Under Fire (anyone else use to love that show?). I tend to be quite vocal about getting stressed out when things don't go as planned, so this was surprising. Me? Adaptable??

But as I read more into adaptability, I realized that I actually AM pretty adaptable. I may not be poised, calm, or collected at all times, but I actually do well and maybe even thrive during times of change or uncertainty. I suppose I can credit this to my upbringing in a military family, my own time in the military, critical care nursing, and now as a PA.

So as I reflect on the assessment results and how stressed I was about having to tackle my first week on vacation, I realize I sell myself short on my ability to adapt and persevere. I really appreciated the shift in perspective, and I plan to add this to one of my goals: to try and refine my response during times of adversity or stress in order to really maximize my ability to adapt and overcome.

Anyway, perhaps this can be a reminder to not short-change yourself on the areas where you really are stronger than you think!

01/11/2026

👩‍🎓Doctorate program starts tomorrow.

😳Am I nervous? 100%.
🥳Excited? Heck yeah.
🤪Slightly crazy? Oh, you betcha.

Posting this today because of course I had travel plans that fall on my first week of my new program. Apres ski will look a little different this year...

2026 marks my 20th year of working in healthcare.
2006 I became a RN.
2015 I became a PA.
So 2026 just feels like the right time to make my next move:
Doctor of Medical Science through the University of Lynchburg (DMSc).

If you would’ve asked me a year ago if I’d go back to get a doctorate, I would have said some colorful words about how nuts that would be. But in the past several months something shifted.

I realize that healthcare is changing FAST, and quite frankly, I really never gave much thought to needing to know much outside of the clinical space. But I recognize that if I want to be a force for change, an advocate for myself or my profession, or even if I just want to ensure that I can succeed in the changing landscape, it makes sense to learn more.

I want to be equipped to have conversations or sit at tables where decisions are made. I want to be knowledgeable enough to fight for and create positive change for myself, patients, and the community I work in.

It’s not about a title, credentials or a fancy diploma (although I do like to collect certificates, as my husband loves to point out).
I’m not necessarily seeking a new job or expecting a pay raise.
I have zero expectation for what the end goal is here.
But what I do know, is that I will come out of this more educated and prepared for my future in healthcare (however that looks), and will have made some amazing contacts along the way.

So for now, I’m just going to lean into the beautifully, messy chaos that growth can bring, and am super excited for what’s to come.

(And if you see me around looking like I haven’t showered or slept in a week, just smile and mind ya business.)

🤩Cheers to new beginnings, hard work, maybe a little less sleep, and lots of growth!!

01/07/2026

One of my goals for right now (notice I didn’t say the year) is to try and sauna more often, but to also take the time to read or meditate instead of play on my phone.

While yes, I did take a photo, I put away the phone and continued my reading of 2 Samuel. I struggle with dedicating time to individual activities (and sadly it’s often my Bible time), and I’m really trying to work on better time management. So figured a doable thing would be to try and tackle some meaningful reading while in the sauna. Great way to knock out 2 of my goals at the same time! Plus, it’s way more beneficial than doom scrolling.

Here is to trying to tackle more on my “meaningful to do list” in more effective ways!

(Bonus- I typed this while standing outside in the snow for my own kind of cold plunge 🥶

01/04/2026

❄️I am not good at cross-country skiing. 🎿

Like seriously, I pride myself on being strong and able to lift heavy $h*t, and having done hard things like run marathons. But you put me on skinny skis on a hill, and I honestly feel like my heart is going to explode as I’m falling my way up said hill. I’m just really kind of bad at it. But I love it.

I usually only get out during my daughter’s xc ski lessons, so I frequently find myself surrounded by kids who make me look extra bad and make me feel really old. And today was no different, except my primary slice of humble pie was served as I was dying up a hill, and a young mom skate skiing and pulling her toddler in a sled came gracefully gliding past me on the hill. I looked at another mom and we just laughed as we told that young mom how awesome she was.

It was that moment that I was reminded of the saying, “In order to be good at something, you must first be willing to be bad at it” (or something like that). What a joy and privilege it is to be out there, fumbling around awkwardly, ramping up my VO2 score, and being surrounded by so many cool people who probably have been in my shoes. I finished the rest of my ski with a sweaty smile on my face and waited onto daughter to finish.

She came to me after lessons pretty upset because a couple of the boys were making fun of her and the others because they kept falling and weren’t doing great. I shared with her the lesson I had learned myself from the day, and I think it really made sense to her. She at least seemed to stop focusing on the bullies and was excited to tell me about how bad she was, too, but how excited she is to learn to be better. I’d call the day a win for us both.

But also- friendly reminder to talk to your kids about not being a jerk. And if any of you hear my kid being the jerk, please let us know.

12/31/2025

Another 2026 Challenge that's FREE

Corewell Health has an amazing Lifestyle Medicine program, and they're offering their Plant Powered challenge again this year. Check it out!!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DPLg2DoCF/

Send a message to learn more

12/31/2025

If you’re interested in some kind of New Year’s Challenge, check out this free one on Insight Timer. I did this a couple of years ago and it was so much better than I anticipated. I surprised myself at how much I enjoyed those few minutes of mindfulness every day, and looking forward to this one!

A 31-day journey to slow down, align your energy, and build the quiet daily habits that shape who you’re becoming in 2026.

Comment “INTENTION” and you’ll receive the link in your DMs.

🗓️ January 1–31, 2026
📈 31 teachers, 5 minutes each day
📍 Free on Insight Timer

Alongside teachers , , .galyon, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .co, .deniseshante, , , , you’ll practice simple daily intentions - letting go, trusting your pace, setting boundaries, speaking kindly to yourself, and focusing on what truly matters.

By the end, you’ll feel steadier, clearer, and more connected to the version of yourself you want to grow into this year.

Let’s start 2026 with intention, together.

12/23/2025

Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the best barre tribe you’ll ever find!

Nothing better than getting to spend a sweaty hour with some of my favorite ladies in, one of my favorite places, doing something that truly fills my cup.

Sending you all lots of peace, love, and joy this season, and hopes for a wonderful 2026! 🎄🎁

(And if you can’t tell by now, we have fun in barre. Join us in 2026!!!)

12/21/2025

Happy Winter Solstice & First Day of Winter!❄️

Join us as we lead you through a fun 108 sun salutation practice to ring in the change of seasons (longer days ahead!!).

Don’t let the 2 hour class deter you. You can stay the whole time, or sneak out if you need. But at the end Kristen will be doing a lovely sound bath, so you ma not want to miss that.

Hope to see you!!