Good morning! If you missed last week’s “Five Things Thursday” post, I am kicking off a new series where I share the five best things I’ve heard, seen, read and/or tasted in the past week. And as always, I encourage you to join in with a “Thing” of your own in the comments section! :)

1.) Strong on NBC:

As a recently certified personal trainer, I immediately set my Tivo to record “Strong” when I heard the advertisement on Spotify. Initially I didn’t realize that the fitness trainers were primarily focused on crossfit; I had expected to see a wide range of fitness philosophies and approaches. I was also a little disappointed that all ten trainers are men. I mean, they aren’t horrible to look at ;) but as a female trainer myself, I would have liked to see a girl competing with the guys! I think female trainers are more empathetic and concerned with improving mental health along with physical health, so it would have brought a good contrast.

Regardless of the cast, it’s always inspiring to see healthy transformations from PURE HARD WORK. And it’s also really hard to eat ice cream while watching a show like this. If anything, it’ll increase the likelihood of you making that morning gym appointment. :)

2.) What She Knew: A novel by Gilly McMillan.

The fiction novel covers a child abduction case, written in first person. BUT WAIT-THERE’S MORE. Each chapter alternates from the point of view of the mother of the missing child and the detective overseeing the case. Lots of mystery TV shows cover the law enforcement perspective, or the limited perspective of the victim. Reading the detective’s strategy and then the mother’s interpretation of what is going on adds a whole new layer and really gets me as a reader thinking about the case as if it were real life. Highly recommend this book if you enjoyed Gone Girl!

3.) Games of Silence on NBC. What really caught my eye in the preview for this brand new TV show was that it is from the same producer as Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, which are two of my favorite series! I expected some similar family dynamics in this new series, but I was surprised at how drastically different this Games of Silence is from the previously two mentioned shows. It’s a little gritty, and so far none of these characters can ever top Coach Taylor, but there were lots of little teasers in the show that will keep me tuning in. :)

4.) Building a Story Brand Podcast by Don Miller

Every day, I’ve been walking a couple of miles outside with my iPod. Mostly I just like to soak up the sunshine after a long winter indoors. But since I am by myself so much, I’ve been searching for a good podcast to replace my same ole’ iTunes playlist.

There are a handful of podcasts I tried out last week that will definitely NOT be becoming a “Thursday Thing.” One that stood out in a GREAT way is “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller. The 30-minute episodes are business/entrepreneurial oriented, specifically talking about creating a marketing strategy that ties a story into your brand and identity. It’s applicable to almost anything, but I’ve been thinking about it specifically in terms of blogging. Each week features an interview with a successful businessman or author, which is both professional and entertaining.

5.) Body Works Group Fitness Classes

Group fitness classes are hit and miss; the class atmosphere, the instructor, the music, and the other participants really effect how enjoyable the workout is. I stopped attending our regular Body Works classes at LA Fitness because a long string of substitute teachers kept me from feeling challenged. However on Saturday morning, I reunited with the total-body strength/endurance class. The teacher was top notch, incredibly energetic and very tough! I left feeling shaky and thoroughly exhausted, ready for next week’s class. Variety in our workout schedule is key to prevent burning out!

That rounds out the new five things I had to share this week. Let me know your suggestions for next week! Xoxo.