I decided to free myself from what I thought I had to do and focus on discovering what I wanted to effen do.
And the effen way of life began. My midlife no-crisis attitude led me to blogging, and it changed everything.
Hi, I’m Jennifer
HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED A BREAKING POINT? I SURE HAVE.
In 1996 I met the love of my life. We married and had 4 gorgeous children.
We spent over 20 years enjoying family, friends, soccer, running a business, fitness, delicious Italian food sprinkled with healthy choices, budgets, hustling, and instilling values in our children. Our love and family bond strengthened when our twins caught RSV and one was placed on ECMO, remained hospitalized for 9 months, then spent the next 10 years enduring surgeries. Through it all, we remained grateful for our blessings and imminently aware that it “could have been worse”. Our devoted partnership got us through what we thought was the worst situation we could have faced. After that experience, the strength of our relationship made the loss of parents, grandparents, friends, and relatives manageable. I thought we were unbreakable.
then…
Fast forward to 2017, and my and my kids’ lives changed forever when we lost the best-EVER dad and my true love, to devastating brain cancer.
What followed was nothing short of a hot mess! I’ve never adulted on my own!! Let alone with 4 teens. I found it impossible to keep the life we once had. Failing at keeping all the commitments we established as a duo, losing my identity and purpose entirely, having no clue how to exist, trying to survive on one income, and making a slew of questionable decisions – avoidance mode was fully activated.
I was completely crushed and could not get my brain to comprehend my new reality. I had no use for my “new” life and spent 5 years wanting my old one. Without hope and purpose, I threw caution to the wind on fitness, health, and my finances. It wasn’t until I found my purpose that my mindset began to change and I was ready to accept what “was” as a part of my past. That was a defining moment to embrace my present. I was forced to master the art of resilience and reinvention.
what I learned – find purpose…
Life consistently provides opportunities for learning lessons and graciously supplies ample do-overs. The good news – there is HOPE! All the good things in life come to us through the struggle. With a healthy dose of grace, a sense of humor, self-awareness, honesty, and community, failing forward can be rewarding.
“I want to share my experiences of finding purpose and living the effen good life!“ – Jennifer
and so it began…
After an award-worthy recovery (ok maybe not so much), I declared myself an effen LIFE EXPERT and want to share my experiences and journey of finding purpose in life again with other women. Through a little irreverent humor and unapologetic candor, I hope to inspire you and provide you with useful tools, resources, and information.
To hold myself accountable, I started by documenting my journey. This site is a collection of my stories, lessons learned, things I love, and inspirations.
so what’s an effen, anyway?
effen is a state of mind brought together through a wellness collective of Food, Fitness, Finances, and Finding Purpose…mixed with ample fun and the occasional “effen” bomb.
Create simple, effective lifestyle routines that actually work. My mission is to provide resources to find your purpose in life and tools & resources to help you live your best effen life.
I’ve got a ton of resources to help you design your new life. Here’s what you’ll find on this site:
food
Making healthy, delicious, and hormone-friendly meals and meal plans does not need to be complicated. I’m all about simple and easy recipes using whole foods. I hope you enjoy some of the recipes I’ve pinned and use them yourself. If you do, send me a message or comment to give me your thoughts on the recipe. It takes a community and I believe in supporting each other by providing our unique experiences with each other.
Find Food Recipes HERE.
FITness
Trust me when I say – I am fighting the battle too. I’ve adopted the lifestyle mentality and understand that with all the hormones women were gifted, it will be an ongoing process to maintain health through fitness. I’m here right alongside you to become the best, strong, and capable version of ourselves. I’ve curated a pin collection of my favorite fitness moves to help us get in shape, and stay in shape – all in 30 minutes or less per day!
Join me in Fitness HERE.
finances & budget
Taking control of your finances is one of the most valuable decisions in life. I’ve taken all the courses and put in the hard work – and it has paid off! I’ll bring you proven tips and tools for making money, saving money, budgeting, cutting expenses, and generating additional income!
Gain Financial Freedom HERE.
finding purpose
Life evolves and changes constantly. As such, we must change (whether we are ready for it or not). Reinventing ourselves or finding our purpose becomes necessary at various stages in life. Here at the effen good life, you’ll find articles, tools, resources, and content to help you create a life you love through awareness, better habits, learning, productivity, goals, and community.
Find Purpose HERE.
join the effen family!
Stay connected by receiving my free email newsletter, which offers FREE resources, encouragement, and inspiration. When you sign up I’ll send you my “Complete Guide – Design Your Life In 4 Steps“!
Of course, if you’d rather contact me directly, you can email me at info@effenboxcollective.com. I’d love to hear from you!