• HOME
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
  • SERVICES
  • CONTACT

Audrey JoAnn | Content and Copy Writer

Compelling Copy for Female Founders

SNOOZING IS EVIL & HERE’S WHY

September 27, 2018

negative side effects of snoozing

One of my worst bad habits is snoozing my alarm when it goes off every morning. John and I both do it, and usually our alarms aren’t synced, so his goes off, then a few minutes later mine goes off, and then his again a couple minutes later, then mine, then his, etc., etc. If I weren’t so busy trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep, I’d probably be annoyed by the influx of interruptions every morning.

Instead, we take turns tapping the Snooze button on each of our iPhones and rolling over for just a few more minutes of shuteye. And then a few more. And then a few more. It is such a part of my wakeup routine that I really don’t think twice about it most days.

But earlier this week, after hitting Snooze for the first time Tuesday morning (I usually partake in 3 to 4 snoozes a day), a thought came to me. Is snoozing for a half hour or more every day affecting my health? The question was enough to pique my interest, but alas, as the true snoozer I am, I fell back asleep regardless of my curiosity.

READ MORE

Leave a Comment in Health, Life

EASY, EFFECTIVE HEALTH HACKS

June 15, 2017

I haven’t done a post about health and wellness since my Whole 30 experience, and a lot’s changed in my routine since then. I generally try to adhere to the 80-20 rule now, where 80 percent of my diet is clean, whole foods and 20 percent is more splurge-y items. Healthy weekday habits help get me to that 80 percent mark, and then I most definitely go balls to the wall on the weekends.

Speaking of the weekend: Last weekend was CMA Fest, a wonderful and exhausting four days of country music concerts, lots of walking, lots of beer, and little sleep. To kick off the weekend, my brother was in town for a night on his was to Bonnaroo, and I thought it would be a good idea to show him and his friend downtown Nashville (that place with a hundred honkytonks and live music and late nights where I also spent the following four days). So, when I said I “generally adhere to the 80-20 rule,” last week did not count whatsoever. I pretty much lived on Michelob Ultra for those several days, and I am feeling it now.

So, a good sit-down about health could not come at a better time, since I really, really need some of that in my life ASAP. Prior to Beer Fest 2017 — or, I mean CMA Fest — I had started incorporating several new wellness tricks into my weekly routine. Many of them come from blogger/everything goals extraordinaire Lauryn Evarts of The Skinny Confidential. (Do I mention her in every blog post? It feels like I mention her in every blog post. Again, because GOALS.)

Most of them are easy and only require a quick trip to the Internet wonderland that is Amazon. These hacks mostly revolve around food and diet habits, but I also strive to get a few weight-lifting workouts, yoga classes, and jogs in throughout the week to balance everything out. Here are my most recent favorites.

1. Put it in a smoothie. I recently bought a blender, and it has changed my entire (breakfast) world. Pretty much every day, I’ll throw a banana, a handful of frozen mango, a cup of spinach/kale OR a half avocado (something for greens), some coconut milk, a spoonful of peanut butter, a quarter cup of raw oats, chia seeds, and a scoop of collagen powder into my Ninja.

I used to make eggs and toast or Greek yogurt with fruit and granola every morning, but I love these smoothies now as an everyday thing because I can kick off the morning with just about everything I need– protein, complex carbs, fiber, good fats — and I can drink them on the go. You can put almost anything in there (I’ve seen people put charcoal powder in them for hangovers, among other supplements), and I love these travel glasses and these reusable straws from, you already know it, Amazon.

2. Speaking of collagen, this one from Vital Proteins has been a savior for my skin. I have had breakouts since I was in high school; they were horrific back then, and although they’ve tamed some since, they would still pop up on a weekly basis. Even though I care way less about what someone might think of a zit on my chin than I used to, it’s still annoying. But, I swear, since eating collagen every day, it has almost completely cleared up any acne and reduced some of my scarring. It also reduces joint pain; strengthens nails, hair, and teeth; boosts metabolism and muscle mass; is anti-aging; and improves liver and cardiovascular health. It’s magic. You can also mix it into your coffee or tea if you’re not a smoothie person, too.

3. Suck it up (literally) and drink your ACV. A shot of apple cider vinegar is worse than a shot of whiskey, and I will not take a shot of whiskey — EVER. ACV is absolutely revolting, but it’s so, so good for you that I’ve been forcing myself to down it almost every day. I’ve heard you can mix it with honey, water, and a little lemon juice, which I did the first time I tried it and still dry-heaved. So, now, I have to mix it with a pure, no-sugar-added fruit juice and some water to be able to stand it. There’s a good beet-strawberry juice from Trader Joe’s that I’ve been loving as a mixer.

Apple cider vinegar, no matter my love-hate relationship with it, has so many health benefits: It helps with acid reflux, lowers blood pressure, aids weight loss, clears skin, helps with stomach issues, boosts energy, helps control blood sugar, and way more. Tip: Even if you can stand it, don’t drink it plain because the acidity by itself is so strong that it’s bad for your teeth and throat.

4. Take your vitamins. Ever since I overdosed on biotin when I was a sophomore in college and woke up covered in giant, burning hives (good times, good times), I haven’t been able to find a women’s multivitamin with a low enough dose of biotin/B vitamins that doesn’t make me feel itchy. (Side note on that: taking three times the suggested amount on the bottle, in fact, does NOT make your hair, skin, and nails three times better, to my dismay. Instead, it can create an allergic reaction to the buildup of biotin in your body, leaving you at an urgent care getting a steroid so you can go to class not looking like a diseased freak the next day. Fun fact!)

I guess I’m extra sensitive to that vitamin since then, but I recently started taking Vitafusion gummies, which don’t make me itchy or hive-y but get me all the good stuff. Score. I also started taking a probiotic, which helps with gut health, and a joint supplement that I found at Trader Joe’s, which has gelatin in it to promote joint strength. As a former dancer in high school who hyperextended my hips and knees on a way-too-regular of a basis, I’ve noticed I already get hip and lower back pain. I don’t want it to worsen over the years, so a joint supplement is the way to go. (Plus, gelatin is also good for skin and hair, too, so double-win!)

Let me know if you already do any of these or have different, simple tips to incorporate in my week. I’m all about adding fast and effective tricks to my routine!

This post was not sponsored by Amazon, but I sure wish it was. Yo, Amazon, wanna work together?

1 Comment in Beauty, Health

EASY DIY CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ANYONE

December 19, 2016

*Note: If you’re my grandparents, mom, or siblings, you might want to skip this post to avoid ruining your Christmas presents. Merry and happy!*

I’m usually one to go ALL OUT for Christmas gifts. Like, break the bank, in-debt myself to Visa, and practically sell my soul to get the very BEST gifts for people… You know, in true Christmas spirit. Really, though, I genuinely love and get so much joy from getting personalized, interesting gifts for each of my family members and friends, and nothing makes me happier than watching someone I love open something they’re crazy about. However, as discussed in a post about BUDGETING a few weeks ago, I no longer have limitless funds (aka credit cards) to spend willy-nilly for the sake of holly and jolly.

So, this year, I had to get a little creative.

READ MORE

Leave a Comment in Beauty, Health

MORNING WATER

November 29, 2016

img_9054

img_8965

Health and wellness trends pretty much mean nothing to me. Plain old health and wellness, period, are super important in my world, but it’s trends themselves that I’m skeptical about. I’ve jumped on board to plenty of them in the past (juice cleansing, Bikram yoga, juice cleansing, carb cutting, and juice cleansing, to name a few), but I usually end up burnt out or frustrated or on the verge of insanity (is this normal?) from a lack of results.

Speaking of juice cleanses, if you’ve ever done one, you know what I mean by feeling frustration by the end. There is nothing more downright ANNOYING than depriving your body of solid (beautiful, delicious, decadent) food for three-plus days while drinking fruits and vegetables in the hopes of slimming down and detoxifying your body.

I always came out of a cleanse feeling extra-toxic, ironically, from the hangriness that had been stewing inside me for those few days. Plus, any weight I might have lost by starving myself from real nutrition always came back immediately, and then some…

Because obviously you need to treat yourself with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream for making it through a juice cleanse.

 

READ MORE

2 Comments in Fashion, Health, Life

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I adore connecting with female founders and telling their stories in a way that matters & lasts for years to come.

Search

Download my free guide! (Click below!)

Let’s keep in touch!

Catch me on social!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

audskelton

The secret to describing your coaching service, pr The secret to describing your coaching service, product, offer, course, etc. online = talking about the amazing end result your thing will provide buyers. That’s it. 

Never ever ever *lead* with:

✖️You get 50 pages of content!
✖️ There’s over 10 hours of video instruction!
✖️ A free workbook comes with!
✖️ You’ll be added to my private FB group!
✖️ 12 modules waiting for you!
✖️ ... or anything regarding the FEATURES of your product/service. 

(And especially don’t list every single feature as the full caption, please for the love of Pete. 🥱) Think of those items as the fine print. Logical buyers maaaay be interested, but most people care way more about what your offer can change or improve for them. What specific result will it give them? What will it make them feel, help them achieve, allow them to excel at??

The logistical details can go at the bottom of your sales page—and honestly, just totally remove them from your social posts and CTAs.

Trust me... *I know how valuable those detail pieces feel and SEEM from your perspective as the creator* because it shows the hard work and effort you put into your offer. But talking about how much content is inside your product doesn’t mean ANYTHING unless people understand what that content can do for them. So always, aaaalways lead with that.

*steps off soapbox* 

Side note, this picture is from forever ago and is making me majorly ready to cut my hair again. 😂 Should I go for the mom chop?! ✂️
The absolute loves of my life. 🤎 Can’t wait t The absolute loves of my life. 🤎 Can’t wait to see what these two peas in a pod get into for years and years to come.
Our little buddy turned 3 months old yesterday and Our little buddy turned 3 months old yesterday and I can hardly believe it. These few months have simultaneously flown by and felt like a year. Wallace has grown so much and even though you always hear parents say stop growing so fast, I feel almost the opposite. I feel such pride with each new roll he develops, the strength his neck is gaining, and his belly that just keeps expanding. Is this weird?! Regardless, it’s been my greatest joy to watch him grow and his personality begin to emerge. The way he smiles and chuckles when we quack or say “WHOA!” The rapid-fire kicks he does when he has room to sprawl out. His love for walks and disdain for car rides. 🥴 It’s all so fun and special and new (for all of us!), and I wouldn’t trade a moment for anything in the world. 🤎
Jesus’s return is the most precious miracle of m Jesus’s return is the most precious miracle of miracles... but the fact that we’re all facing the camera and even (kind of) smiling in this SELF-TIMER pic is a pretty close second. 😆🥲 Happy Easter and sending you so much love and joy! 🤎
Everything is temporary. It’s been my mantra thr Everything is temporary. It’s been my mantra through the hardest and sweetest moments these past few months, and even more so as I ease back into work this week.

It’s all temporary. The good, the bad, the big emotions, the tenderest moments, the hard days, the beautiful days, the teeny socks, the endless emails, the nap strikes, the stacked deadline weeks, the sweet bonding of nursing.

None of it will be around forever, and even though I probably won’t have my schedule figured out for a long, long time, that doesn’t mean these days of just getting by and praying it all works out aren’t important.

They’ll be gritty, cobbled-together, and messy. But they’re mine. I get to craft these days however I want to, with the sweetest babe on my hip and my honey in our back office chasing his own dream, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Vacations hit different with a baby, that is for s Vacations hit different with a baby, that is for sure. 🤪 The days revolve around naps and feedings, and afternoons that we once would have spent taking 4-mile hikes or sitting on a patio at a brewery are now spent reading, playing cards, and listening to Kacey Musgraves and Tom Petty in our Airbnb while Wally snoozes. It’s not worse, but it’s a different pace than I’m used to and that’s okay. In fact, it’s probably more needed than I realize as I wrap up my maternity leave and get back to work in a couple days. Grateful for these slow days and sweet memories with my loves. Now... we just have to make the 4-hour drive home tomorrow with a dog and baby who both hate the car. 🤣 (PS... I’m sharing more thoughts about how I feel heading back to work in this week’s newsletter that goes out Friday—you can sign up to get emails from me with copywriting tips, business anecdotes, and some life updates too in the link in my bio! ☺️) #babysfirstvacation #laketahoe
flannels + chunky sweaters + squishy babies + gorg flannels + chunky sweaters + squishy babies + gorgeous views = my aesthetic forever and ever. 😍
When I was little, I said I wanted 4 kids, just li When I was little, I said I wanted 4 kids, just like my own family. I wanted a girl, boy and girl twins, and a boy. (‘Cause you can totally plan those things. 🥴)

Then, my parents got divorced and in my angsty teenager-ness, I was like, “Nope, nevermind. I’m good with no kids thanks!”

I didn’t want the pressure of raising someone and somehow damaging or disappointing them. And I was skeptical that a couple could stay together and happily raise a family.

When John and I started dating, he was so confident in us and our future. I’d never met a guy who a) pursued me so openly and consistently and b) made me feel valued in every area of my life. Career, relationship, family, health, faith.

When we went on our first camping trip about a year into dating, we were having one of those deep, wine-fueled campfire chats that seem extra important and lovely. I asked him how he knew he first loved me.

He was so good at always complimenting my drive and ambition, or how I looked regardless of whether I was dressed up or grungy after a workout. I figured it would be a combination of those sorts of things, but he surprised me when he said, “Because I know you’ll be a good mom.”

Uhhhh, what? I was like, “... But you know I’m not even sure I want to be a mom. How can you see that?”

He said in the way I so deeply care for others and myself. He had this unwavering belief that we could build a family, and he wanted this girl who spent a lot of years feeling broken to lead it alongside him.

I know this doesn’t sound very “progressive,” but his faith in me being a good mom healed a part of me in so many ways.

I always knew I was driven. I knew I could build a career and life I loved. But I didn’t believe I could build a family that lasted. Or at least, I was scared to think what might happen if I tried.

Wallace is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me. He made me the mom that John believed I could be more than five years ago.

I don’t know if you ever necessarily feel “good” at being a parent, because every day is filled with mistakes & learning curves, but I will say that it’s the most immediately natural I’ve felt in any role I’ve stepped into, ever.
Would it be too much to gallery wall an entire hou Would it be too much to gallery wall an entire house? Asking for a friend.

Newborn family photos by my talented, sweet friend @jilliangoulding. She is too good! 🤍
Load More... Follow @audswan on Instagram
THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS