I hope your summer is going well. I realize I have been a bit M.I.A. this summer, but the struggle with typing really intensified this month. I have an appointment with a surgeon next month to see what my options are, but this week I turned a corner after finding a gadget to help with my ongoing carpal tunnel issues. It has been so good to sit back at my desk and type without pain again. I realize it is a short term solution, but it really works.
You can read more about why it’s making me happy below.
Our son celebrated his sixteenth birthday with a big surprise this year! We rented a gorgeous treehouse in Nashville on airbnb (here is $40 on a rental to spend if you haven’t tried it yet!) to celebrate his special day. We had an incredible week exploring Nashville and enjoying the gorgeous views from our treehouse.
It was as magical as I had hoped it would be and I’m so thankful to have raised such an awesome young man. I really believe that he is going to do incredible things for our world with his kindness and intelligence. I know that he has taught me a lot through the process of parenting him.
Here are 3 other things that are making me happy this week:
I have been going to the gym for years and years, but my body just has not been cooperating the way I need to have good workouts that don’t have setbacks. I have been doing a lot of research on what types of things I need to do to help support my body and core strength is a big thing for me. I discovered the Sworkit app and I could not be happier right now with my new routine.
If you have not heard of it, it is a pretty genius concept. Basically, you pick what you want to work on (like strength, cardio, stretching, or yoga) and it builds a workout based on the time you have available each day. You can follow a plan just based on that or you can vary your routine with a large variety of routines geared towards your own fitness levels. Once you select your routine, a trainer demos each step and you do it for a set length of time and then it repeats with several moves to help the area you are working to target.
Best of all, you don’t need anything except a mat and it can be done from anywhere (I can see how awesome this will be for travel). I have this cushy one and I just do my own modifications to the routines to help keep my body on track.
I love that there is no annoying music, but they do have playlists that are really fun or you can use your own playlists on Spotify or Apple. I also love that you can message trainers and ask questions about your own personal training.
I am working my way through the Strength routine and pairing this with my Cyclecast and this foldable stationary bike (one of my favorite self-care purchases) for some low-impact cardio.
My body is really embracing the new changes and I am too. I miss the socialization aspect of the gym, but I also acknowledge that this is a really great option right now. Slowed down, intentional movement, and shorter routines are what my body needs right now. You can certainly do fast and long on this same app though. If you haven’t worked out in a million years, ain’t no shame. They have a really incredible routine for coming back after your hiatus and even a set for older adults (three cheers for that!).
This year I am learning to listen to my body more and changing this routine was really important for me.
The membership runs about $10 a month and you get a significant discount if you pay for the year. They also offer a free 30-day trial to see if it is right for you.
I plan to put my gym membership savings towards a self-care item like massage therapy or chiropractic care this year.
I can’t wait to see how my body changes from these new routines.
Carpal Tunnel Bracing that WORKS
If you have carpal tunnel and are struggling to keep your symptoms under control, I finally found a carpal tunnel brace that works and works with your daily life. I bought two of these M Brace RCA braces and finally have an amazing amount of pain relief.
I will be honest, these don’t look like much. It is a simple velcro strip with a square plastic piece. Depending on where your symptoms are located, you just position the square where you need it and secure it to your wrists (or forearms). Although I am no doctor, I think the brace just provides added support where your wrist needs to help minimize the pain. Within an hour of putting these on my wrists, my finger pain stopped almost completely. It is unbelievable that such a simply designed item can work more effectively than anything else I have ever tried.
I am still using these to sleep in (I have a tendency to bend my wrists in weird ways when I sleep- hahaha) and I also have one oval-8 splint on my pointer finger to help support it with my mouse and texting, but the hand pain relief is absolutely incredible.
These aren’t fashionable and, yes, I am thinking of modifying them with some craft supplies, but I am just so thankful to have pain-free fingers. I still plan to see the surgeon, but this has changed the game a lot in the meantime. If you even have mild carpal tunnel issues, I think these would help you so much.
I Got a Paperwhite
Everyone raves and raves about their Paperwhite so when they dropped in price on Prime Day, I decided to scoop one up for myself. I am in reading HEAVEN right now with this little gadget. My hubby had bought me the original Kindle and I used it for a long time, but got out of the habit of using it. This Paperwhite is amazingly light though and is saving my old lady joints to not have to lug books around with me.
My favorite feature is the nightlight though because I have been able to read until wee hours in the morning without disturbing my husband. Ironically, the power went out that week and I consumed three books over the weekend with all my phone-free time.
I got this simple cover (recommended by my fellow bookworm, Kaytee!!) and it helps free my hands up even more with its clever design. I love that I can just prop my book up while I am having my lunch.
Looking forward to sharing what I read this month with you soon. Believe me when I say, it is quite the stack!
Have a wonderful weekend, friends! xo
*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!