May 2017 – Craving Happy

Odorklenz: A stealthy stench solution for athletes

Published on May 31, 2017May 27, 2017 by Hannah10 Comments

I was thrilled when I got the chance to try OdorKlenz SPORT. I have been playing sports (aka suffering from bad-smelling shoes) since I was little, and it seems like any kind of physical activity tends to leave some kind of unpleasant odor in shoes, socks, workout shorts, etc. While my Pilates attire certainly does not have a smell quite like my cleats from youth soccer, I would not call the smell pleasant.

Needless to say, it is impossible to wash a lot of gear right away, which makes the OdorKlenz SPORT powder and SPORT release bag great options when you are on the go. I know I am planning to pack both on my next trip–I always bring workout clothes on vacation, but they end up stinking up everything in the suitcase! I love using bags to organize clothing for vacation, and the fact that this product helps eliminate odor is even better.

I even tried the powder in my Dad’s shoes (shhh..) and I can attest from pre- and post-testing that they do smell much better. The powder comes out of the bottle evenly (so often these bottles dump out a ton of powder at once, which drives me crazy) and is free of perfumes and masking agents, making it safe for even the most sensitive skin. It relies on zinc oxide as a natural, non-toxic deodorizer and just a few dabs of the powder did the trick. I can’t wait to use this in my tennis shoes, gym bags, and even using it to wipe down my Pilates mat.

The sport laundry additive is such a great product for sports gear that just never smells or feels clean–we all have that one pair of socks that seem like they will never smell the same again…

The laundry additive works in conjunction with your regular laundry detergent to go the extra mile to get ride of the extra-strength smell! As you can see from the detergent I use (Tide Free and Clear) my skin is highly sensitive to fragrances and additives, so I can rest easy knowing that this product contains no masking agents or added fragrances, just like the sport powder! You just add one packet per load at the beginning of the wash cycle and it’s done!

I am so glad I found these products and cannot wait to keep using them. My nephew plays tons of sports (I love to brag on his soccer skills) and I know that little boy cleats always have a special scent so I will have to share with his mom too.

They even have a pet shampoo and and pet litter additive to minimize unpleasant animal odors! The litter additive is next on my must-try list; anyone with three cats knows how quickly the smell of the litter box can take over the whole house!

I love the products, and the company has great customer service is wonderful and stands by everything with a 30-day money back guarantee.
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Which product do you want to try first?
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Disclaimer: I was sent my Odorklenz SPORT kit as part of a Fresh Press Media Campaign. All opinions remain my own!

Mindful Monday: Memorial Day

Published on May 29, 2017May 28, 2017 by Hannah1 Comment

What does Memorial Day make you think of?

I always think of warm weather, swimming, grilling out, and parties.

The weather forecast predicted cloudy, dreary all day, we don’t like grilling, and we have no party plans. While that might sound sad, it’s all about mindset. For my family, we will stay in and spend quality time together and cook a relaxing indoor meal! There’s nothing wrong with that if that’s what we enjoy versus the typical Memorial Day festivities.

Do you find yourself succumbing to larger expectation instead of doing what you want? It’s easy to fall into this trap, but as one of my favorite sayings goes, “low expectations, high serenity.”

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day holiday if you celebrate!

Ted Talk Friday: The secret to creating the beloved community

Published on May 26, 2017May 9, 2017 by Hannah1 Comment

I recently had the pleasure of hearing Doug Shipman give two keynote addresses and was enthralled by his engaging style. He is an alum of my own college and he speaks to values like community and social justice; this talk address the importance of building community physically, not just through social media or the façade of community. It saddens me to think that we might slowly be losing this sense of connection. I deeply appreciate this talk, especially the advice to lessen the fear associated with cultural differences; sometimes we will offend people, but it is worth it when we are pursuing open, deep connections. As an introvert, I can relate to why this might feel easier, but Shipman explains the problems that can, and will, arise as a result.

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Do you think we (as a society) have a problem with community?

Holding Out for a HERO!

Published on May 23, 2017May 23, 2017 by HannahLeave a comment

The new Quest Nutrition hero BAR!

I have tried two flavors so far, although I am DYING to get my hands on the chocolate caramel pecan flavor…

I loved both flavors (blueberry cobbler and vanilla caramel) that I got the chance to try prior to the release. The rich white chocolate-like coating combined with the crunchy cereal-bar base created the perfect texture. Not to mention the caramel and blueberry layers; the caramel layer blew me away. They both were gooey, sweet, and delicious. No one would ever guess that these bars are healthy! Hero bars combine the best of the older seasonal pumpkin quest bars and the new cereal bars. These are my new go-to treat!

These bars are sweetened with allulose, which is a sweetener that is new to the market. While the allulose is listed as a sugar on the label, the body does not absorb it…watch the video below for a more in-depth explanation::

Nutrition aside, these bars taste DELICIOUS!

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Are you excited to try the new Hero Bar? Which flavor sounds the best to you?

Mindful Monday: A First

Published on May 22, 2017May 21, 2017 by HannahLeave a comment

I’ve decided to introduce a new staple to my blog–Mindful Monday! This series will be focused on living mindfully and what that means day to day. Mindfulness is a huge buzzword, but what does it really mean? There are dozens of definitions out there…

According to google,

Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center describes mindfulness as “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.” The site goes on to mention the importance of acceptance of self, thoughts, and feelings.

Merriam-Webster defines it as ” 1. the quality or state of being mindful 2. the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis; also: such a state of awareness.”

I think mindfulness can be achieved in almost any moment, yet it is still so challenging. I find it particularly challenging in that I have a mind that does not turn off, which is something I think many of us can relate to! I am always thinking about things on my to-do list, worries, or things in the future–which is certainly far from mindfulness. While I have not started a mindfulness meditation practice, I am working to incorporate mindfulness more naturally into my life.

I take a shower mindfully, I try to practice mindfulness in bad traffic, I cook a meal mindfully. All of these moments, however small, punctuate my day and add a moment of calm and a sense of being even just slightly more centered. I think the key lies in taking baby steps. Adding a twenty minute mindfulness meditation every morning to start is just a little too ambitious for me and where I am in my life right now, but these little moments count. For me, it is more about sustainability and quality rather than going all out–and I am okay with that.

In an effort to share my practice, and hold myself accountable, I am going to begin a weekly series focusing on mindfulness and reflections of my mindfulness practice.

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Do you practice mindfulness? What does your practice look like?

Ted Talk Friday: Know your worth, and then ask for it

Published on May 19, 2017May 9, 2017 by Hannah10 Comments

Time and time again I have received the same advice from mentors, supervisors, and business-oriented friends…know your worth and ask for it. After listening to a Freakonomics podcast on the gender wage gap a few years ago, I have been thinking more about the reasons why. There are two major narratives: 1) We are a sexist society and thus pay women less because we believe they are worth less 2) Women don’t ask for higher salaries

I think it is a combination of both and this Ted Talk by Casey Brown is a wonderful reflection on this problem. I hope you enjoy!

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What do you think? Do you know how to communicate your value?