A Bit About Jen

I see the best in people, I can see their strengths - even when they can’t see them on their own.

I’m a listener. When was the last time someone deeply listened to you and really heard you?

I’m a caring and compassionate soul by nature and my mission is to support others to be healthy, strong, and confident as they move through life!

I love to see people learn, grow, and improve!

I think that coaching is the work I’m meant to do. I look forward to partnering with you and I’m fully committed to supporting you with your health and wellness goals!

Part of what makes coaching fun is the freedom to experiment and discover more about yourself. I hope you’ll choose to take this journey with me.

  • Growing

    I find peace in the garden with my hands in the soil, breathing fresh air. I’m mostly a veggie gardener with a special fondness for interesting climbing and magical beans.

    I was the Lead Garden Educator at IslandWood, an outdoor environmental education center on Bainbridge Island for 11 years, caring for a large garden in community, supporting graduate students to become top notch educators, and teaching children from the greater Seattle area.

  • Learning

    I like to push myself to try new things - to do new things. It’s a little scary at first and that’s part of the thrill. Can I do it? I recently joined a road biking group and I’ve enjoyed getting progressively better through practice.

    I like to try new foods and recipes and am always testing and experimenting. I love to combine veggies with whole grains and beans to create tasty combinations - with dashes of herbs and international flavors.

    I love to read, have people teach me things that they’re interested in, and to play outside.

  • Exploring

    Being in nature is my happy place. I can simply walk outside and take a few breaths and feel less stress and more energy. I love walks by the sea, hikes in the forest and the mountains, and biking just about anywhere.

    Sometimes, my time outside is a solitary journey filled with reflection and self-discovery. Other times, it’s a tromp up a trail with a friend, talking in deep conversation and filled with hearty and joyful laughs! Other times, I listen to music and sing, dancing along the way!

Work with Me!
 

About ‘Bee Well’ - Why Bees?

  • My family name is “Beeh”, pronounced “bee”. So I’ve been a BEE all of my life!

  • I’m a beekeeper and have been caring for bees for 10 years. I love to observe and to learn from them!

  • I love the humming sound, sweet earthy smell, and sensuous feel of opening up a hive full of honey and bees.

  • We can learn so much from the honeys: they work hard, support each other, and communicate well - much like what we’ll do in our coaching sessions together.

  • Bees are important, just like you and me!

I’m a Streaker: Why I Exercise Every Day

It was the summer of 2013 and I was a busy Mom and working a full-time job with part-time hours. While caring for everyone but myself, I found that I was out of shape, didn’t feel very healthy, and had gained weight. When my kids went back to school in September, I decided to give myself a gift of 30 minutes each day to get outside and move my body. Mostly I walked - sometimes in the rain when my kids were at soccer practice or after dark when I ran out of daylight. But I did it. Every day. I somewhat accidentally made it one month with no misses, and I felt good! So, I decided to shoot for 100 days in a row, which seemed impossible! With persistence, I made that goal and kept going. I didn’t intend to start a streak, but that’s what happened. Moving felt so good that over time, I was inspired to start hiking in the mountains, eating better, biking around my hilly community, and even started swimming, which is a new challenge for me.

Exercise helps me physically, emotionally and mentally. Stretching each morning helps me stay flexible, helps me tune into my body and start off the day feeling strong and centered. Walking calms me, reduces stress, and helps me to clear my head: I’ve had some of my most creative and inspiring ideas while walking quietly and giving my brain time to process. Hiking and biking connect me with nature, get my blood pumping, and make me feel strong and healthy. I get to see beautiful places on my legs and on two wheels.

My exercise streak continues and I just made it to 3,600 days in a row on July 11th, 2023! And… I plan to just keep going! Sometimes it’s hard: it’s cold outside, or rainy, or I’m tired or just don’t want to. The streak helps convince me just to do it. Within 5 minutes of getting out the door, I’m happy to be moving, even in the cold and rain. I don’t think there’s ever a day where I’ve regretted getting some exercise - and sometimes it’s the most joyful part of my day.

Consistency is more important than how much I do. My exercise is a habit, something I make a priority each day. Surely, I can find 30 minutes to do something. I believe in “use it or lose it” when it comes to muscular strength, our physical abilities, and brain function, and I don’t want to lose it. Each day is a small accomplishment as I move towards the bigger goal of staying active and fit into older age: Mountain biking on muddy trails in my 70s, hiking mountains in the great outdoors in my 80s, kneeling and digging to garden and grow veggies in my 90s. Aside from the joy of activity, a daily sense of “I did it”, and all those endorphins, healthy aging and staying mobile and capable are the reasons I do it! OK, so I guess that makes a lot of good reasons. haha

 “Jen is a wonderfully supportive coach who has helped me lose weight, increase fitness, and improve health.

I feel pleased and excited about remarkable progress on my goals.”

— GT.