Unsatisfied to Unstoppable: Jenn Geneve's 1,000 Day Hiking Streak

Ever felt like you were in a rut, living life on autopilot and yearning for a change? That was the reality for Jennifer Geneve, a mom, entrepreneur, and an inspiring woman who decided to hit the pause button and embark on a transformative journey towards self-realization and improved well-being. In our latest episode, she candidly opens up about feeling deeply unsatisfied, a state that led her to start a daily hiking and running streak that's lasted for over a thousand days. Hear about the power of changing habits, the importance of self-care, and how to find balance, even when life gets hectic.

Jennifer's metamorphosis wasn't just physical. She bravely confronted low self-esteem, sought professional help, and built a vibrant circle of positivity. She reveals how setting specific, achievable goals and maintaining accountability played a crucial role in her transformation. Listen in as she shares her impressive fitness streak, which began with a seemingly simple target of 50 days, and how it led her on the path of mental and physical wellness.

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Connect with Jenn on her personal account: https://www.instagram.com/jenngeneve/
And find out more about her family's skincare company at  www.lavignenaturals.com and @lavignenaturals on all social media platforms.

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Transcript

Jenn Geneve: 0:09

going up the mountain became turned me into a much more fit person than I was. My body changed in the ways that I sort of wished it always would, but it wasn't focusing on that, it was just all these healthy habits and working out every day for a very long time.

Danielle La Rose: 0:28

I am so excited for this conversation with my new friend, Jennifer, and so, friends those of you listening like this is going to be such a fun ride because there is something. When Jennifer submitted her bio and was like here's who I am, I'm like, oh, I want her on the podcast. So bad, because there was a word that stuck out to me and I'm going to talk about that in a second. But those of you who don't know Jennifer yet, Jennifer Geneve is a married mom of two and entrepreneur, and a few years back, Jen found herself deeply and disturbingly unsatisfied with how she was running her life and she hit the pause button.

Danielle La Rose: 1:06

A decision to take time to look for what was missing and improve what didn't feel right has changed a number of aspects of her life, including a daily hiking and running streak that began August 21st 2020 and continued for over a thousand days. Oh my gosh, we are going to talk about that. So exercise and other consistent habits have brought Jen more energy, a higher level of self-confidence and a big desire to give back to others who might be feeling that something is missing for them. Jennifer, oh, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for being here. How are you today?

Jenn Geneve: 1:41

I'm good, I'm so excited to talk to you. I've been listening to some of your episodes lately and you know what, just while it's on my mind, I wanted to compliment you on the confidence one and how you delivered on it. It was beautiful and I've shared it with a few friends, so I'm excited to be here and talk to you about this.

Danielle La Rose: 1:57

Oh, my gosh, thank you so much. That makes my heart so, so happy. And, okay, I've got to get in, because the word that stuck out to me in your bio was the pause button, because I know for myself and so many women that I work with, right, we're go, go, go all the time, thinking about what's next. How do what do I accomplish? How do I take care better care of the kids and the husband and the spouse, and the dogs and all the things that are just running through our heads, and we are just constantly go, go, go. So when I read like, all of the beautifulness of this, but I was like the pause button, how beautiful is that? So tell me, jennifer, where, how did you get to a point where you were like, okay, I need this pause button, and how did you realize that, like that, it was time to hit the pause button? And then what did you do after that?

Jenn Geneve: 2:51

Well, it wasn't exactly a simple rip the band-aid off thing. I'd love to say that it was, but it wouldn't be fair to anyone to say that it was just like pause, done. We're going in a different direction.

Jenn Geneve: 3:05

I was running the other night thinking about this and I knew I was gonna be talking to you and finally what came to me is it felt more like when a train tries to stop and it slides for however long that they say and you wanna stop and you wanna change and you wanna change direction and it takes a bit, and so I think it wouldn't be fair to anyone who's listening, who's looking for help with changing their life, for them to just think, oh, that girl did it in an instant, it was no big deal. What actually happened I was trying to think back probably was at least 12 months that I sensed something didn't feel right and unfortunately I hate to say it I just didn't feel good about myself and I had lots to feel good about. When I started to really examine it with help, I found that I was able to isolate that I was happy with the kind of wife that I was mom, sister, daughter. I'm a good friend and I know that I just wasn't happy with me, and what was mostly really bothering me is that I knew I wanted to accomplish more professionally. I wanted to have some better habits, even around the house, just be more organized, and I was just beating myself up about it for a long time. How can I think I wanna be a reader or wanna be more organized, not have piles of things in my house or any of these habits? Why am I spending my time doing other things when I seem to know I wanna be this. Instead I'm over here doing these other things.

Jenn Geneve: 4:53

But the thing is that when we wanna make change, we have to change our habits, and we're probably pretty practiced at the habits that we don't like. It's just a fact of life. We get really trained in doing the same things over and over and, especially as a mom and a working mom, we have a family routine that kids have activities and sports and we're in clubs and things. We volunteer with stuff, we host things like. There's a lot going on and so it can be hard to carve out time to make new habits for yourself.

Jenn Geneve: 5:29

So that's a really, really long way of saying it wasn't quick. The pause button thing was not like zap and we're done. What actually happened is finally after, like I said, at least 12 months. We were on what typically is a holiday for us, my husband's from Australia. We go away for a month, usually there when we do go, and we've been there many times for a month but this time was. It was that time for reflection where I realized, when I get back to Vancouver, something has to change and that's it, and literally I can tell you from the plane touching down in November 2019, actually I can't believe it even feels that far back now Life changed and I mean that's when a whole bunch of new habits started for me.

Danielle La Rose: 6:18

Okay, so okay, let's take a pause. Let's take a pause there, because I really really appreciate that, because I know so many of us. We see things like social media and all the different places where we talk to someone and it's like they're an overnight success. They decided one day they were gonna change their life and then everything changed. Yeah, the snap.

Danielle La Rose: 6:40

And so I imagine now, instead of a button because the pause button sounds easy you hit the button and it's like, okay, everything's getting, yay, life is better, everything's changed. And instead what it sounds like is you were like, okay, I'm gonna push down on the pause button slowly. It's like, okay, creeping down. And then, finally, when the plane landed, the pause button was at the bottom and it was like, okay, it's time to go right. So that took about 12 months to get to that point of like, okay, now is the time. So you mentioned that you touch down back from this trip and the habits started changing. So what did you decide was like the first thing that needed to change for you to step into your most powerful self, like what was it that started it for you?

Jenn Geneve: 7:28

Some things happened really fast. One was I asked for some time away from my office. I'm in a family business. I work with my mom and a great team every day and I work in the office, and this was pre-pandemic. I was, no, I'm just gonna be at home, but I needed to remove myself and work on some things for me and I'm so thankful that I had people around me who really supported that. Some of the things that changed immediately.

Jenn Geneve: 7:58

I it's important to say let's keep in mind I felt really bad about myself and I went to my doctor. I went and talked to a professional. The doctor I tell everybody this who asks me for help with this the doctor sensed how low I was feeling and it was her number one thing that she recommended was to make sure that I'm exercising every day for at least 30 minutes to a sweat. Her words were I don't want you to go for a nice walk, I want you to go for it. And, lucky, I happen to belong to an amazing boxing gym at the time. So I went to my 30 minute workouts and killed it.

Jenn Geneve: 8:44

Still, you know, was not feeling good about myself. So, working out, talking to friends, talking to professionals I decided from that time that plain touchdown, that I was going to take a break from drinking alcohol for a while. That was part of it lots of water and vitamins and reading, like trying to read about and surround myself with either podcasts or books about things that I wanted to improve on. So you can see it's multifaceted. It wasn't one thing, it was well. Somebody called me New Gen shortly after that because I was just like I was doing all this stuff. That was not part of my life before.

Danielle La Rose: 9:25

Yeah. But what I love about that, though, is what stuck out to me. You sharing that is that you asked for help, right, so a lot of the things you were like, you know, I worked out and I did this and I was reading, but before you did those things, you actually you went to your office, right, and you said, you have this great team, right, we're going to get into that too. But, right, you have this great team. And you said, hey, I need to take a step back. Right, like, I need to, I need to focus on me.

Danielle La Rose: 9:52

You went to professionals, you went to the doctor, right, and shared, openly and honestly, what was going on, where they said, here's the strategies. Right, like, let's start with this. So you took what was shared, you know, and I think, for a lot of us, we were afraid to ask for help or we think, oh well, it should just be easy way, like, duh, read a book, duh, do a workout. But we really have to like be okay with not being okay and saying, hey, I need help. So I love that, okay, so in the kickbox, the class, I love that. I'm a group fitness instructor, so I'm all about, like, the fun, the fun workouts to let it all go, and I also really want to pull out, in case anyone missed this, that your doctor said don't just go for a nice walk.

Jenn Geneve: 10:42

Very clear, very clear instruction. I want you to work out to a sweat at least half an hour every day.

Danielle La Rose: 10:49

I love that. I love that so much. Now, the walks are great, right, like those are bonuses, those are added If that's great. But I really love and appreciate her saying you know, like, let's sweat it out. We got to get that heart rate up right. So, with that being said, as I mentioned in your bio, you mentioned that you went on a hiking and running streak for over a thousand days. A thousand days Do you know how many people Jennifer are like? You know what I'm going to work out every day for the next seven days? And they get to day two and they're like I'm done right and you're like, oh, day 1000. So tell us about what made you start this journey and some of your experiences doing that, and how did you stay in that positive, powerful mindset of I'm doing this and did you plan on making it a thousand days or did it just become a thousand days? Tell us this whole. Tell us. I need to know more.

Jenn Geneve: 11:52

It's kind of bizarre. What actually what happened is probably it was about six months into all of my new habits and I really expected that if I started all these new things in my life I figured maybe a month would have it all worked out. Just seemed like maybe two months should be. You know, just do all these great things for a bit. By five or six months, I was like why am I not 100% better, like what? I was frustrated and I needed something different and I actually, to be honest, my therapist actually said maybe you could just try just like kind of calm down and just plug along and live and just see how you feel for a bit. Now that doesn't work for me. I need to do something more about this.

Jenn Geneve: 12:42

So I was looking for more cardio, more something to pump me up a little bit better of a workout, and I started adding what is known around here as the Coquitlam Crunch. It's a hike up the mountain and it starts with 450 stairs and then carries on walking. It would be like another 20 minutes uphill from that. I started adding that as my weekend cardio in addition to boxing. By this time I'm talking about now the pandemic had hit. Gyms had shut down and I was boxing in my garage. But it's not very exciting to work out boxing by yourself in the garage. So, anyway, I ended up going with a neighbor and going to this hike and remembered oh, we have this. It is five, seven minutes from my house on foot. So I started adding it on the weekends, and then one Monday I just decided I'll go today too, and then Tuesday, and then about two weeks into it it was somewhere around 15, 16 days.

Jenn Geneve: 13:43

I was listening to a podcast that was talking about just how to make change in your life, the simple steps to how to make change in your life and how to achieve your goals. And so what it said was to make a specific goal, write it down and tell someone, and accountability. So what I decided? During this hike I realized 14, 15 days. I wonder if I could do it 50 days straight. 50 sounded crazy to me and I decided that when I got home I talked to my kids about it. Did you realize I've been doing this for two weeks straight? No way, that's amazing. And I said I was thinking I'm going to try it for 50. Well, they were so pumped up, they got so excited. We had a board on the back of the door. They're writing the number down every day Did you go?

Jenn Geneve: 14:33

today, like wipe it out, write the number again.

Jenn Geneve: 14:37

And I did make it to 50 days. I mean, once you've done something for 15 straight days. And then I got to 25, I thought, oh, I'm definitely going to make this. And so 50 days. And then on that day I woke up and my daughter whispers to me you're halfway to 100. Like 100, like 100. How about we celebrate 50? Hello, but no, so we're just. I think you could do 100, mom. So I did 100 and then 200, and then 250.

Jenn Geneve: 15:03

And then the local newspaper contacted me and they said I heard you, have you really been doing the crunch every day since August? And I said, yeah, can I come out and take some pictures? So the next thing, you know, I've got the cute little like here I am, the front page of the newspaper, standing in front of the mountain, and it was. You know, ken, jennifer, make it to a straight year. I think it was about 260 days at this time. So 365 days on the 365. I called Local mayor, who is an amazing person for going around and being a part of the community, and I said I see you around all the time doing all kinds of great things. Do you want to come and do my one-year crunch with me. So here I am, going up the mountain with it that the year passed and then it went on from there. Could I get to 500? Could I? Will it keep going from there?

Jenn Geneve: 15:51

And, honestly, once I made it to six or seven hundred days straight I was pretty sure I was gonna make it to a thousand. What? What it entailed was working out for an hour every day. So I would carve out this hour if I had to get up at 6 30 in the morning or if I had to do it right after I got home from work, whatever it was. And the very cool thing was I started working out with my friends more in healthy ways. People contacted me oh are you gonna do the crunch in the morning tomorrow? Could I come with you? And it was great. It's become so. So much positivity in my life.

Jenn Geneve: 16:27

The first year, like I said, was, was straight at the crunch, every single day. The second year I ten other days I actually went and did other long runs. I did like a 12k run in Whistler BC. I did a half marathon. I've done three half marathons now in this past Sort of year, year and a half and I wasn't even a runner like this. Going up the mountain became. It turned me into a much more fit person than I was. My body changed in the ways that I Sort of wished it always would, but it wasn't focusing on that, it was just all these healthy habits and working out every day for a very long time.

Danielle La Rose: 17:10

Jennifer, okay, this is just Incredible, like there were so many times from like, oh, oh, oh, my gosh, the inspiration is just mind-blowing, right, like you and, like you said, the people coming to you like, oh, can I do that with you? You know all the people that you've inspired to get up and move right, because they saw you doing this and I love that. You know you were honest and you know so many people. We, we look to these long-term goals, right, 1000 days, or a hundred days, or 365 days. I'm gonna do all these things. And it puts so much pressure on us for that end goal to where then, day by day, it feels like, oh my gosh, I'm never gonna get there.

Danielle La Rose: 17:55

So I love how you just said I just started, you know, and then it was like day 15 and I'm like, oh, I could get to 50, oh, we could do a hundred, you know, and it just gradually built because your intention was never it has to be a thousand days. Right, you didn't put that pressure on yourself, you. You put on yourself that I'm gonna make some healthy changes and this is what feels really good to me and I'm going to do this and see where it goes. And it took you to a thousand days. That is absolutely Incredible. So, for anyone listening, if you've ever set a goal and you're like I struggle because I never reached the goal and I get frustrated and angry with myself, maybe we're setting too far along goals, maybe it just needs to be what can I do for the next 10 days? And then, when that feels good, like Jennifer did, hey, maybe I could do it for 20. Maybe I could do it for 30 and and and just lean into that.

Danielle La Rose: 18:49

So, jennifer, that is incredible and I have to call it one more thing, because of my line of work and all of everything that I preach, the thing people are gonna think I paid you to say this. I did not pay her to say this, but she said my body Changed the way I always wanted it to, without even Trying to, without even thinking about it. It was all because of the healthy Habit. Our bodies will change the way they are intended to change when we take care of them in a healthy way that they need to be taken care of, and so I am Obsessed with that message and the example that you just set for that, that it's not about focusing on the body change. It's not about focusing on the long-term number. It's literally about just focus, focusing on what am I gonna do today for myself and let's commit to tomorrow doing it Also. So, oh my gosh, jennifer, I'm just now. Do you still do this Consistently?

Jenn Geneve: 19:52

I now. I think it was about around June or July, so I made it to the thousand. What officially, officially happened is we went on another trip to Australia. I missed a little bit of time in international travel and I think I did the thousand days in a thousand and ten days. Anyone I have mentioned that to does not care at all. They're like are you kidding me? You worked out for this long. And another thing that you, that you touched on just a second ago, I wanted to jump back to is when you, you were talking about that, I just went and did it. That the little, the little step, that it was the start, that it was.

Jenn Geneve: 20:28

What I wanted to say to people about that is I Think you have to look at what works for you so you know if somebody is doing amazing and it's because they figured out they can go to spin class, you know, five times a week or something. If that sounds horrible to you, don't try to do that like. Think of something that feels really good to you. The reason that this worked for me is because it's five minutes from my house and I put my shoes on and walked out the door and it probably it wouldn't have worked when my kids were younger. They're tween age now and you know they're okay for a bit on their own, but that's the other piece of that.

Jenn Geneve: 21:06

I don't like people with with young kids who have a lot of needs To think that, oh that, how come that mom can do all these things for herself and I can't. It wasn't like that. I don't know what this would have been like five to seven years ago, kind of thing. What's? Yeah, what I'm doing now is after about June or so. In July I did a half marathon again and then I one day that I have not looked up or figured out yet, one day I just decided to let it miss a couple times and just See who I'm gonna be from here on and who. That is somebody who just wants to work out about four or five times a week, and I've been doing a class once a week and I've been Doing some running around the track while my son does sports and then also still doing the mountain like about three times a week, and I like that variety.

Danielle La Rose: 21:57

Yes, that is so fun and again goes back to what you literally just said of find what works for you, find what brings you joy, like that's what you're gonna commit to. So I love that now you kind of mixed and mingled different things to work for you in this season of life and then in a year or two years it might look different and then down the road right, like it's allowed to change and shift into you know what you need it to be. So Okay, so good. We started this whole conversation and I could talk to you forever about this because I it's just so good. We started this conversation of you saying you know, we went on this trip it was about 12 months knowing that something had to change struggling, frustrated, unsatisfied, like all those words that you use. How does Jennifer feel now?

Jenn Geneve: 22:54

I feel like I've straightened a lot out for myself in terms of what I'm capable of. I will say it's important to know that. I think during that time of difficulty I looked just fine from the outside. I don't think anyone would have really known that I had a lot that was bothering me. I just knew inside every day, just felt like I was treaching. Basically, I actually put together a couple of tips that I wanted to let people know that worked for me.

Danielle La Rose: 23:31

Yes, please.

Jenn Geneve: 23:33

I think that I believe that we're a product of our environment. I'm sure many of us have heard that many places. When I knew that I needed to change, I changed what was around me. So I looked up podcasts on things I wanted to know and wanted to be. When I thought that I wanted to take a break from drinking alcohol, I actually looked up a podcast that is called Take a Break from Drinking. If you can imagine, that was pretty easy to find when you Google that Great tips around the CBT method Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is amazing.

Jenn Geneve: 24:09

I actually went in a group class to learn about that and I highly recommend that for changing from the negative thought process to problem solving and changing the way that your mind processes challenges. I feel like it's so good for everybody. Like I said, try something that comes easy to you. Make it low barrier. Don't make something really complicated as a new habit. One way that I found to mix in some new positive habits in my life is to look at places where I was every day or triggers that I already had to mix in a new behavior. So say I would get to the end of the day and in my brain, my brain just couldn't wait to get to the couch and watch Netflix and decompress and fold laundry and have a glass of wine, and it's just such a routine. And so I changed it. I took the laundry upstairs, I folded it while I was talking to the kids, while they're getting ready for bed. Then I'm done that job, done that and I'm reading a book now, like you, just sort of need to fit in some of the habits that you wish that you were doing and just make them happen little by little. But there's little spots you can squeeze in things. Not everything has to be perfect Like perfect change, and it can be little by little, for sure.

Jenn Geneve: 25:30

Another thing that I noticed because I was in a bit of a negative loop. I call it like a thought swap. If you catch yourself fortune telling, thinking about the future and projecting like a negative thought, this always happens, this always happens to me, or this might happen, or just down a negative path I learned through and I couldn't even. I can't even quote what it was because I've listened to so many things at this point, but I've learned that to try to think about something that could also be true If you're thinking this never happens to me, or this is going to happen, or whatever it might be in a negative way. You can turn it around to what also might be true, or do you think that this thing is really impossible? Is it truly Probably not Like we can all make change and we can all turn things around little by little? It doesn't have to be in a snap.

Jenn Geneve: 26:23

Another big part of this and I've had other people who have gone through some troubles like this it seems like we can downgrade our view of what we think are our special gifts. We all have can be hard to think about this when you're feeling negative, but we do all have our own special gifts and skills. I thought it was so interesting. I happened to be listening to Jay Shetty yesterday and he actually was saying to somebody when we are skilled at something, we don't value it as a skill because it comes easy to us, so we don't think that we actually have a talent at that because it's just no big deal. So when you're sitting around with people and they say, wow, I don't know how organized not how you're so organized at that or wow, I don't know how you do that Like, listen to that People around you are telling you. Oh my goodness, this is what you're really great at. I aspire to be great at that too.

Jenn Geneve: 27:22

It took me a while and turning around and building my confidence, but I do know what my skills are. I even thought we're negatives are positive. I used to. There's a bit of a joke around me I talk a lot in a bit of an over-thinker. Okay, well, talking a lot has built a great community and friendships around me, some great people, and I'm also very resourceful because I talk to people and I find new things and connections, so there's a benefit to that. People who, like me, who you could call an over-thinker I run things through my head over and over. Yeah, that's also a skill. It's called being analytical and I'm a great problem solver, and this is not the person. I would not have been saying this a few years ago. I thought everything that I did was run of the mill and that there was nothing special being contributed from me, and I actually can't even believe that's how I thought, but that's it's so important to say because I know there's people out there that are feeling the same 100 million percent.

Danielle La Rose: 28:22

I got goosebumps, you saying that, because I also am a quote unquote over-thinker, and oftentimes we say that in a negative way, like I'm just an over-thinker. I wish I could just get to the thing. I just want to be able to say the one thing, but my brain goes all these different places and so what you're sharing is no, we get to see everything that we are and who we are and the way that we think as a special gift, right, and so I love that you share that. That is so powerful. And also one thing that came to my mind, because you've said it so much, is how you listen to so many podcasts. You've mentioned so many already and I love it because I'm the same way.

Danielle La Rose: 29:10

I have a running joke with one of my mentors because I always listen to her calls and trainings and podcasts when I'm in the shower and I'm like it's really awkward, but I'm always listening, and so I is as kind of awkward or weird as it might sound Like brain. I'm like you. I kind of feel like I brainwash myself. I'm just 24, seven, just trying to absorb all of that goodness that amazing humans are putting out into the world. They are, yeah, you know, like there's so many amazing humans that are just like, if you just turn on the podcast or you watch their videos or whatever, you're just like inundated with you can do this, you got this and it's like raw, raw. But also the tips like you shared, you know, like where they give concrete strategies, just like you did just now.

Danielle La Rose: 30:00

I'm saying here's what I did, here's what you can do, you know, and so the person that needs to hear that is going to hear it, and so I just really appreciate everything that you've shared, just your journey that it's so powerful of being real raw and honest about. You know how long it took for you to make the change and then, when you made the change, it's the small changes and it's what fits and makes sense with your life and really just being willing to see yourself and the strengths that you have. It's just a very powerful message. So I appreciate you so much, jennifer, but real quick, before I jump into my rapid fire front questions, you do have a business, your mother, right? You work with your mother, who founded a company. Do you wanna share a little bit about that? Cause that's fun yeah.

Jenn Geneve: 30:50

I do because I think I'm lucky. I think that I'm lucky to work with my mom every day and that we get along and that we are great at balancing each other out. Think that she's amazing. Has, you know, a lot of intuition about the wing things will go and what is needed in business, and I've loved coming along behind her, coming into her company.

Jenn Geneve: 31:16

She started in 2003, 2002, 20 years ago now and I joined her in 2007, literally not knowing if it was part time or temporary or what. And here we are, all these years later, celebrating 20 years of the company. I went through having some challenges in our team, some bumps all the way back the year that I mentioned, and I'm so excited to share that, like I work with people that I adore every day now, and I feel like that's part of the reward for all the things that I've been working on too, and think that I've become a great communicator and a helper and leader, and it's it also helps that we have some awesome products that we love to put out into the world and that we love working on all of this together.

Danielle La Rose: 32:08

So it's a fun time. I love that because, yeah, it's a natural skincare line. Yes, is what you do, so Fine it's in Vancouver.

Jenn Geneve: 32:19

it's cruelty free, leaping bunny certified. We're available now in over 700 stores across Canada and USA and then, of course, through our website, but we're in some great retailers all across the country and growing all the time in the USA as well and, yeah, it's exciting to see as it grows and grows.

Danielle La Rose: 32:40

Yeah, because also skincare, that's part of our self care also, right, so it kind of leads into that, especially people that are wanting to start new habits. And I have a random story I have a friend I don't know why, this just reminded me of it, but when she puts on her jewelry she said like she gets ready and then she puts on her jewelry and she says her affirmations as she's putting on her jewelry, and so it's not just putting on her jewelry, right, like it's a whole process. And I had another friend who shared something very similar that she does with her skincare right, where she's like this isn't just so I look a certain way, right, like I'm doing my skincare process number one to take care of my skin because it's a really important part of my body, but also because it's like part of like my me time and where I can really reflect and like take that self care process. So I love that. So I will share the link in the show notes for anyone who's like I need a good natural skincare line. We will post that in the show notes.

Danielle La Rose: 33:39

And so are you ready? Can we jump to some fun rapid fire questions? Oh, sure, let's go. Yes, the over thinkers in us are. I know because every time someone says that to me I'm like oh really a rapid fire. I need 20 minutes to think about each question. I'm not very rapid, it's fine, we'll do our best, it's a goal here.

Danielle La Rose: 34:02

All right. What is your favorite meal? If you can only have one more meal for the rest of your life? What do you want?

Jenn Geneve: 34:08

Oh, thank goodness, that's an easy one. I love Greek food. I love like chicken soup, lackey, and the roasted potatoes and stuff.

Danielle La Rose: 34:15

Ooh, I love that answer. All right, ooh, this is a fun one for you. What is one movement or exercise that you enjoy that makes you feel powerful?

Jenn Geneve: 34:26

Hmm, definitely climbing the stairs outside really, really getting moving, watching my heart rate, go on my Fitbit counting my steps, just going for it.

Danielle La Rose: 34:39

Ooh, I love it. Who is one powerful woman that has inspired you in your life?

Jenn Geneve: 34:44

Well, it's easy to say my mom. She's super strong and awesome. She is kind and generous, she cares a lot about the people around her and she's always thinking of sort of new things she can put out into the world to help other people with their skincare routines and life. I love it so much.

Danielle La Rose: 35:03

Okay, all right, you kind of said no TV. I'm gonna ask you the question anyways, and you can make it whatever you want it to be. If you can only watch one TV show the rest of your life, what would you choose?

Jenn Geneve: 35:16

Oh dear, I don't know if I can do the rest of my life. I'm gonna go with the theme Right now. We've really been enjoying watching things with our kids that spark discussions and lessons. We're actually watching the last dance Right now, the Chicago Bulls story it's a 10-part thing on Netflix. Yeah, Some slightly questionable stuff for a 10 and 12-year-old a little bit, but the discussions that come out of it and the lessons about what they went through. So, yeah, it's a theme. I don't watch a lot of anything anymore, but I do watch things with the kids that help us talk through things.

Danielle La Rose: 35:57

Yeah, I love that how like, so powerful and something that I'm assuming your kids are entertained by right Like basketball. It's fun, they're celebrities. So you know. But big, big takeaways, because I watched that too, oh yeah, yeah, it's great so good, so good, okay, okay. What is one song that makes you feel powerful?

Jenn Geneve: 36:23

It's not coming to me right now.

Danielle La Rose: 36:25

Do you listen to music when you work out?

Jenn Geneve: 36:28

Yeah, I do, do you? I saw a bumper sticker one time that said something about being a good mom with a hood playlist.

Danielle La Rose: 36:38

That's you, yeah, yay, I love your playlist.

Jenn Geneve: 36:42

Yeah, I think if I was running down the mountain and my kids stopped me for a second and said, hey, give me an earrape, whoa I love this.

Danielle La Rose: 36:51

Don't listen to what I listen to. I love this so much, so good. Okay, and then we'll leave it here. If there was one powerful piece of advice that you could leave for little girls or women in the world, what would it be?

Jenn Geneve: 37:08

Talk to people. Talk like, okay, share what is going on with you, because other people it is not all shiny Instagram, other people are going through the same things. I got it from Brené Brown I can never remember which book because I read Rising Strong and Daring Greatly Back to Back, so I mix up all the content in my head but where she talks about being vulnerable, because that's her theme right, when you share, other people feel like it's okay and they can share back and then you realize you're not alone in struggles, because other people are going through the same things and people will have understanding and suggestions for you. We're all here for each other. Community is so important and one thing I learned about me, one of my gifts, is I feel my absolute best when I'm helping other people.

Jenn Geneve: 38:10

And one of the reasons that I talk to you about coming on and talking with you on your podcast is because, well, I mean, I've done a few interviews about these changes and I wonder, okay, you know, is that the end of it now? But as I had been talking to you about coming on, another friend contacted me quietly a couple weeks ago and said Can we talk? And it was to say they are going through a difficult time and because they heard something that I said about what I had been going through, they felt comfortable coming and asking me about it and that's why I share about this and I think that's because it shouldn't be private and we shouldn't be ashamed when we feel down and there's help out there for us, but just don't be afraid to talk to people and share how you feel.

Danielle La Rose: 39:07

Thank you so much for that. Another mic drop. I feel like you know that is. That is the piece. Talk to people, right? You're not alone, and so many of us in this world definitely feel alone and so, like you said, your message is so powerful.

Danielle La Rose: 39:25

Jennifer, I thank you so much for being on the show today. This was absolutely incredible. I'm inspired by you. Now I'm I'm literally, after this, going to take my dogs for a walk and I'm just so excited because I literally was just thinking, oh man, I want to go. I don't have a mountain to hike here, but I was like I want to go for, you know, a walk, or you know, go up a mountain, or I want to do something fun like that. Jennifer has inspired me, so I am going to go take my dogs for a walk now, and so this has just been incredible, where I'm going to share in the show notes a link to the natural skincare line and all of that. Is there anywhere where you're like, okay, someone's listening to this, they're having you know, they're that person that's in that hard time and they just want to be surrounded by people that share the message and lift them up? Is there anywhere else where you would like for them to connect with you.

Jenn Geneve: 40:14

I share a lot of my journey on Instagram at Jen Geneve. So J-E-N-N-G-E-N-E-B-E, it's where I share a lot of stuff about my crunch streak journey. Nature fit thing and you know, if somebody is feeling lost or unsure of how to get started, like you can DM me, I don't mind.

Danielle La Rose: 40:37

Perfect, thank you so much. I will drop those links in the show notes so everyone that is listening who is like, oh my gosh, I love her. I got my hood playlist too and I'm making some of the habit changes. Like they are going to come find you and, hopefully, please reach out if you need extra support and can connect with Jennifer. So, jennifer, thank you so much for being here. Is there anything that we did not touch on? Where you're like, ooh, I really wanted to say that that I might have missed.

Jenn Geneve: 41:05

I think we've covered it for today. I'm happy to have been able to share. I hope that it helps someone like I probably needed way back then. You just need to start even the smallest thing, and you never know what can happen from there.

Danielle La Rose: 41:22

And with that my friends. No other words are needed. Thank you so much for being here, jennifer and friends. I will talk to you next time. Bye, jennifer, bye.