Tiny Transformations

Jen Connell & Cindy Donahue
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Self-Improvement

Now living thousands of miles apart, one with kids and one consciously without them, old friends Jen and Cindy test out those habits and changes we are told will make our lives better or easier and compare notes. Each episode Jen and Cindy will discuss their two week experiment with the intent to see what sticks and what gets debunked. This podcast is geared toward those who are searching for peer-led self-improvement, reality-based opinion, and friendly, relatable humor.

  1. 06/29/2021

    Stress busting conclusion

    Thanks for your patience! Here is the conclusion to season 2 on stress busting.

    23 min

  2. Season 2 Trailer

    Announcement

    We've had some personal hiccups, so there will be a small delay in our Season 2 wrap-up about the stress-busting techniques we tried. Stay tuned for that conclusion episode coming soon.

    1 min

  3. 05/25/2021

    Walking for stress busting

    For two weeks, Cindy and Jen went on daily walks outside to relieve stress. There are many benefits of walking outside: A brisk 20-30 minute walk can have the same calming effect as a mild tranquilizer Walking in green space can lead to a type of meditation known as involuntary attention The benefits of walking can be boosted through mindfulness or walking with friends. Walking outside can also help you get vitamin D, a necessary nutrient. But be sure to wear sunscreen! And there are some funny posts about not putting too much pressure on your afternoon walk out there. Humor can also be stress-busting! Check out the episode for the results of this experiment!

    17 min

  4. 05/11/2021

    Crafting for stress busting

    For 2 weeks, Cindy and Jen crafted every day for at least 10 minutes. The type of craft was each host's choice.  Some potential benefits of crafting include entering a flow state, increased self-reported happiness, reducing stress, shifting focus, decluttering, and increased self-confidence or self-esteem.  Listen to find out more about why your choice of craft is likely of vital importance.  And check out our Instagram feed or Facebook page for photos of our craft projects.

    25 min

  5. 04/27/2021

    Journaling for stress busting

    For 2 weeks, Cindy and Jen journaled every day for at least 10 minutes. Emotional release journaling was the primary type of journaling tried, but a general brain dump was okay also. Journaling has been found to have a variety of potential benefits: Developing clarity and problem solving Freeing your mind from processing events or trauma Can affect one’s immune system Journaling is a form of organization. Bullet journaling is very common and can be elaborate or simple. Like other forms of stress-busting, journaling is most effective when done consistently. Jen was inspired by Morning Pages from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Check out our Instagram feed or Facebook page for a photo of Jen’s journal.

    24 min

  6. 04/13/2021

    Reading for stress busting

    For this episode, Cindy and Jen committed to reading at least 20 minutes per day for pleasure. There are a lot of known benefits to reading: Lower stress levels. Slow cognitive decline. Improve sleep. Enhance social skills. Improve focus. Engage imagination and creativity. Improve language development and so much more for children. Read what you like! Don’t worry about reading best sellers or what you think you “should” read. Some places to buy books, besides Amazon: bookshop.org bookoutlet.com thriftbooks.com halfpricebooks.com Ways to fit in more reading, from the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin: Read 21 in 21 tracker Tips for reading more Books we read: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed Taking Point: A Navy SEAL’s 10 Fail Safe Principles for Leading through Change by Brent Gleeson Anxious People by Fredrik Backman My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein Lots of ideas and resources are out there for starting a social justice book club of your own, including many virtual clubs you may be able to join. Reach out to Jen if you want to talk about anything like that. And read the news for personal education, not for stress relief!

    24 min

  7. 03/30/2021

    Meditating for stress busting

    For two weeks, Cindy and Jen spent at least 5 minutes a day meditating. There are lots of different types of meditation out there, but both hosts did guided meditation and used apps to make that possible. Jen used the UCLA Mindful app while Cindy used the Peloton app (particularly the sleep meditation!).  Research for this episode was from the Mayo Clinic and WebMD.

    20 min

  8. 03/16/2021

    Puzzles for stress busting

    For two weeks, Cindy and Jen committed to spend at least 15 minutes per day working on jigsaw puzzles. Links to some of the things we talked about: The University of Delaware found a beneficial effect on students by having jigsaw puzzles available for study breaks in their library. So we decided to test out if puzzles had the same for us.  Back when Jen went into the office regularly, she would start her day with the NYT mini crossword, NYT Sudoku puzzles, and daily Set game.  Jen's mom is a big fan of logic puzzles.  Jen's kids are fans of the Jigsaw HD app for puzzles. It allows you to independently select the picture and the number of pieces in the digital puzzle.  There are some interesting photos of puzzles and the people that completed them out there. Particularly great - Nick Offerman and Megan Mullaly.

    22 min
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Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Now living thousands of miles apart, one with kids and one consciously without them, old friends Jen and Cindy test out those habits and changes we are told will make our lives better or easier and compare notes. Each episode Jen and Cindy will discuss their two week experiment with the intent to see what sticks and what gets debunked. This podcast is geared toward those who are searching for peer-led self-improvement, reality-based opinion, and friendly, relatable humor.

Information

  • Creator
    Jen Connell & Cindy Donahue
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2021
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jen Connell & Cindy Donahue
  • Show Website
    Tiny Transformations