If we're Facebook friends, you've likely seen one of my most recent posts about Plexus. 

It's okay if you want to roll your eyes. Go ahead.  Do it now. Get it out of your system. 
I did it too. Before. 

Before I tried the Plexus products. Before I gave the company a chance. And, gave myself a chance.  

Yes, I was that girl who occasionally 🙄 at this type of post that was in my newsfeed. I love marketing so give me a witty tagline, a killer graphic, or a good deal--I'm there. Somehow I had dichotomized the product information that companies were pushing at me and the products my friends and colleagues were highlighting in their personal testimonies. I think they both have their place and should be given their due. 

So, maybe I've drank the Kool-Aid. Maybe I've lost my wits.
Or maybe I've decided there is more. 

More health. More wealth. More friendship. More hope. Can there be more? Can there be better? 
 
About a month ago, my sugar cravings were in overdrive. All I wanted to eat was processed sugary treats. I mean, seriously, all I wanted was a frosted brownie all to myself every.single.day. And most days I gave in. And If I did, the more sugar I wanted to eat. It was like a never-ending cycle brought to you by Better Crocker. The desire for sugar was so intense, I was legitimately concerned for myself.

I think this is what most people would refer to as rock bottom. 

That feeling was worse than any sugar crash, ever. I decided to be a grown-up and do something about it. I called my very bestie and fellow Plexus pal, Meagan up. (Which, BTW, she's been an ambassador for a year and is looking great and rocking her business.) M got me set-up with the Tri-Plex combo (the Plexus Slim, ProBio5, and the BIO Cleanse). And the rest is history! 

So, WHY? Why Plexus? Why now?

I guess the better question is, Why NOT? I didn't have anything to lose except an extreme sugar addiction, a raging affinity for pop, and a constant battle with bloating. 

​So I decided I'd take the products and see where that led. It's been 3 weeks and it's led me to telling YOU about them. I am feeling better, I don't start my day off with a cold one (a Diet Pepsi!), and I am not sneaking candy at my desk at 10:30am or 2:30pm. Then, I realized that there was this incredible opportunity staring me in the face that I needed to pursue. Plus, I already joined as an Ambassador, to receive discounts on my products (#bargainhunter4life), so I was already positioned to pursue the actual business side of things. Doing so allows me to continue to harken the spirit of entrepreneurship carry forward a mission of health & happiness. 

So WHY would I join a multilevel marketing company? Why would I want to put myself out there and share about these products daily?  Why risk the eye rolls, the sighs, and the potential loss of acquaintances? Because:
*I don't have the bloating flare ups I've had for years now.
*I want to have financial flexibility.
*I want to pay off our student loans early.
*I want to be in a position to own other businesses with Nick.
*I want to make new, incredible friends and develop bonds with like-minded people.
*I want to give back! Meals, time, treasure, etc... 

I am committing to doing my best with this endeavor for the next 12 months. I am eager to grow during this time and help inspire growth and health in others. 

If you're interested about Plexus products, even remotely, give me holler. I'd love to share with you. If you're looking for an opportunity to contribute to your financial and personal wellness, let's chat. 

PS I promise this won't be the focus of my blog. I won't be giving up baking or cooking. I still LOVE dessert. But now I working on being equipped to indulge in moderation. 

Until next time--
xo

Sometimes you have to shake things up.

Like the fact that I'm using a serif font in the title--you know the font that has a little line, a stroke, at the beginning and end of the main lines of a character--that's serif. Just a few weeks ago I told my boss that I basically detested serif fonts... and, alas, here this one is. It spoke to me so it's there in the header, in the titles, etc. (Oooookay, and it's the default for this new design, but that's a minor detail.) But, really, this is me shaking things up. I was in a bit of a blog rut. And I needed to love the look and feel of this site again. Hence this makeover. 

Oh, and I got a new kick a** Nikon camera from the recent Black Friday sales. Accordingly, my picture game is going to ramp up. Thus, I needed a layout worthy of those images.

I was about to cut ties with Weebly and do the real blogger thing and move to the blogosphere favorite Wordpress or the uber trendy (for all the right reasons) Squarespace, but you can see I didn't get very far. Weebly hooked me with new responsive design themes. And so I've dodged the conversion bullet once again for a bit. 

Most importantly, WELCOME. Welcome to the all-new, refreshed Born Daily. Wooooo!
Take a gander. Navigate. Check out the new homepage and my new "About" page. Poke around in some of the archived posts. Contact me if you want. You can do that now at Jessica{at}BornDaily{dot}com. (So really, don't use that address verbatim, but rather in the traditional email format with usual punctuation. I don't want in computer bots spamming me. Safety first!)

Thanks for bearing with me when I hit that lull. And, prepare yourself. I think were on the brink of some exciting stuff.

Until next time,
xo-

 I've not cooked anything outstanding this week, so unfortunately you'll start your weekend recipeless. But, good news! Today's post marks the beginning of a new blog feature: Friday Favorites. I hope to make this a semi-regular occurrence. Expect a rundown of my cravings, inspirations, enjoyments, and wants.

Here's what I'm currently loving: 

Fav #1:
I love Instagram. Maybe it's passe. Maybe it's too trendy. Either way, I love this social media outlet for now. Why? Yes, I get to see snapshots from the lives of friends and families. Yes, I get a glimpse into the kitchens of some of the food bloggers I adore. But more than that, I get to be inspired or challenged by photos like this. 

I believe this quote is from I Thought It Was Just Me: Women Reclaiming Power and Courage in a Culture of Shame by Brene Brown, but I am not entirely certain as I saw it on my Instagram feed from Jenna's Kitchen. (I share with the disclaimer that these are not my words or my photo.)

These words. These words. Seriously. Read them and re-read them. They will likely mean something different to each reader. In my opinion, our culture has sooooo many admirable qualities and so many struggles. As a twenty-something female and a newlywed in our world, I'd say there's lots of opportunity for shame and societal pressure.  I admitted in my introduction that I am a recovering perfectionist; I say that with humor and sincerity. I used to spend a lot of time in comparison-ville and have been known to be a little bit green in the gills. As I grow older and gain, what I guess can be called, life experience, I am starting to understand that is of no use. At a very primary level, generally people are the same. We all want: acknowledgement, affirmation, success, and connection. By-and-large, shame and envy are not fruitful. This quote sums it up, at the heart of everything we're driven to relate to one another as a means to exist and move forward. This drive is probably the reason I finally blogged. Take it for what it's worth, but I genuinely appreciate that you've clicked your way to this site. I hope we'll continue to connect both here and likely in our real world settings, too. 
Let's take the challenge to live comfortably and fully as we are at this very moment. After all, that's all we can ask for.

Fave #2:
Sweet, sweet summa-time! Don't get me wrong, I am sucker for all the seasons. But, I do love me some summertime. Give me warm temperatures, pooltime, and sunshine anytime! 

I think what I enjoy most is the longer days. If you know me at all, you likely know I don't tend to turn lots of lights on and prefer natural light. If there are windows around, I want the blinds raised and the curtains open. Let the light shine in. Give me that Vitamin D! You just can't beat extra hours of sunshine this time of year.

More daylight means the time to do more, especially outside. You can bet I've been logging more miles on the pavement than I have on the treadmill. Garth's also been enjoying an evening stroll with Nick and I more regularly too. There's something special about this time of year. So let's channel our inner schoolkid and pray summer sticks around for a while. Relish the rays, but don't forget your sunscreen! 

Fave #3:
I don't know about you, but I have a grocery problem. I tend to buy too many. And, I don't coupon well. Since we're currently working on budgeting in the Born household I am trying my best to do things differently. I'm trying to be better at making meal plans, sticking to my shopping list, and actually using coupons. Enter the Dillon's Mobile App. 

Have you tried it? If not, pause to download the free app at this moment. 

(And despite my affiliation with Kroger via Kwik Shop because of my brother's employment, this is not an endorsement based from our relationship.) I genuinely think this app is a cool blend of function and convenience. It let's you browse the weekly ads, clip digital coupons, track your rewards and refills, and host your shopping list all in the palm of your hand. It is good representation of the increasing digital world we operate in. Plus it's free-- it doesn't get much better than that. 

Hope you find this integrated app helpful! Save on, save on.

(PS If you're a Target shopper, check out their savings app, Cartwheel!)

Fav #4:
My Jawbone UP band, in persimmon, is one of my constant accessories. It's a versatile addition to my typical arm candy. Nicholas sneakily purchased this for my birthday this year. And, it's safe to say I love it. (Bravo, husband!)

If you're not familiar with the Jawbone UP band, it's a bracelet of sorts that tracks your activity (walking, running, etc), sleep patterns, and your calories. It has an integrated app that allows you to more seamlessly track your information too. It's similar to a Fitbit, which you might have heard of before. 

Beyond tracking, the band motivates you to compete with yourself and your goals. A week or so ago, I reached my millionth step logged since February and I am still going. It's a great reminder to be active. Check it out and then get moving! 

Final Favorite:
I could eat Mexican, Tex-Mex, or southwest-inspired food every single day and never grow tired of it. Tacos, beans, tortillas, queso, guac...I'm in! Further, I am a fan of fast food.  Yes,  it's true. (FFK rearing her head again). With fast food it's consistent, a characteristic that gets high marks in my book . Plus, you can't make it at home; it's just never the same. 

There's a local place here that is great for a quick fix. Taco Pronto turns out fresh food in flash for relatively little money. (For anyone from my original stomping grounds, think Taco Station on Broadway, a zillion times better but not open as late.) 

Mind you this isn't gourmet, but it is good. I recommend not only the tacos (crunchy or soft), but also the bean burritos with added sour cream. If you find yourself in the Wichita area and in need of a filling, cheap meal, look no further. 

Thanks for letting me share a few of my current favorite things. I know the mix is a little random but it's real. Future Fridays await; there will be favs about fashion, cookware, technology, and more to come...stay tuned. And, feel free to steer me towards any of your loves too. Talk to you soon!

-xo

Nicholas: handsome, handy hubby, dual-career man: school psychologist and plumber, beginning gardener extraordinaire, naturally healthy eater, bicyclist who has a quick wit and endless curiosity and is either polished up or covered in mud and happens to be the best big brother ever.

Garth: affable, adorable Goldendoodle puppy who gobbles his food, loves squeaky toys, frequently tears up paper products (and the occasional shoe), and suffers from wretched car sickness.

So here goes nothin'..! And, I guess it's only fitting to say this blog is officially  "Born." (expect many a pun and corny alliterations in the posts ahead...)  Talk to you soon!

(Jessica and Nicholas's pictures used with permission. Photo credit: the fabulous Mike + Julie of  J.Si Innovations Photography.