👋 Consistency is NOT everything.
It's Monday. I'm here for you.
Hi, Friend! It's me, Jen Glantz.
I used to think consistency was everything. You absolutely had to have it to get what you wanted.
But now I'm realizing that type of mindset can leave you feeling so guilty when you stop, forget, or find yourself in a phase of life when you just can't rinse and repeat.
One thing about me is that I'm consistent.
I've been putting out this newsletter for 10 years. I've never missed a Monday (except for the one this February when I was dealing with awful vertigo).
I worked out almost every single day of my pregnancy. I was doing burpees and pushups hours before I went into labor. (This is not a brag. It’s honestly more of a cry for help because what was I thinking??)
Perhaps the most consistent thing about me is that I've been eating peanut butter and jelly for lunch every day since I could eat solids. I'm now 37.
In my world, consistency is just another word for stubborn.
Being stubborn is my entire personality. And even though everyone in my life has told me to ease up on being so bull-headed, from bosses to teachers to doctors to anyone who has ever loved me, I've always argued that if I ever became less stubborn, my entire life would unravel.
Being stubborn (and consistent) is the reason I'm successful! It's what keeps me going!
But really, I won't admit to any of them, it's all I know how to be.
Recently, my consistency has started to get wavy. The reason? I've started to take better care of myself when life takes unexpected turns.
Before, when things felt hard, I'd push myself to show up, no matter what.
Now, when I'm having tough days, I chop up the word consistency and eat it as a snack.
Life happens.
Let's take working out as just one example of my newfound separation from consistency.
I'll say: Jen! This is the week you get back into a workout routine! I'll book all these workout classes and ChatGPT home workouts to do before bed. But then Gem Gem will have a little sleep regression that turns us all into night owls and day zombies for a week or two. Making it to the gym just feels like torture in those hazy days, and I've grown to love myself, not put myself into misery for no reason other than the twinkle of feeling like I need six-pack abs to be taken seriously.
For someone who worked out almost every day for years, I've now become someone who might let two weeks go by before picking up something heavy.
I'm almost delighted to admit that the year is almost halfway over and the most consistent thing about 2025 has been the amount of times I've stopped and started again. Stopped writing my fiction book. Started again. Stopped religiously taking my vitamins only to then start again. Stopped reading books at night and wasted hours on TikTok to finally delete the app and get back to my (healthy) book addiction.
It's more like a test in mustering up courage than being stubborn.
Showing up every day is hard, I don't knock that. But starting again and again and again is really hard too.
When you show up every day, you're working with a baseline. You're getting stronger, but you're already strong.
When you start again, after stopping, you're weak. You're rereading words in the document wondering how your mind got you to this point. You're forced to rebuild habits. You're destined to have these really uncomfortable conversations with yourself about why you let yourself stop in the first place. You point blank ask yourself if it's even worth it to start again for the zillionth time, and when you do, wow, it feels like you're finally back at it again.
There are some phases of your life that are just not made for consistency. They're made for something messier, something that requires a different kind of strength. The kind that says I'll try again tomorrow instead of I never miss a day.
I was such a consistent person for so long.
I loved that about myself. I hope to get more consistent. But in this era of my life, I'm a start again stop again kind of girlie and I'm okay with that because I also care more about being healthy than being perfect.
Maybe the real victory isn't in the streak. Maybe it's in the comeback.
Take care of yourself this week (ilysm),
Jen Glantz
June! Summer! I’m welcoming this new season and hoping the sunshine gives me the Vitamin D I’m seriously lacking. A lot of people travel during these months. I don’t plan on going anywhere! I’m honestly excited to stay put and I have a list of goals for the summer that include silly things like learn how to face sculpt and read all the books on one of my shelves and more serious ones too (plus, family goals). I wrote the goals on a sticky note and it lives on my fridge. I have things to look forward to this season because I created them. It makes me feel booked and busy — even though I won’t be going very far. How about you?
Book: I’ll talk about this book all summer because it explores themes that can rock a person’s world — addiction and incarceration. Those are also themes that people keep secret and struggle with in silence. This book is harrowing and powerful, with a really incredible ending. I really hope you’ll read it. (Grab on Amazon // Bookshop).
Song: A slow song. I love reading the lyrics while listening.
Most-Worn Item Of the Week: It’s been chilly in NYC and I’ve been living in these pants. Even if it’s hot where you are, these are great for airport travel or just to have when you’re lounging around the house. They are super soft and feel like pajamas but are stylish enough to wear anywhere!
Best Bathing Find: I tried on a ton of bathing suits and this is the one I love the most so far. It’s not perfect, but it’s close. The top fits well and the coverage is good. I wish the bottoms covered my butt a little more but they are a 7/10. My runner up pick is this one from Abercrombie. I tried on all their bathing suits and this one fit the best. I also love how it’s two tops in one.
Recent Monday Pick-Me-Ups:
Most clicked items:
Ilia Foundation — life changing!
Bala bangles — workout anywhere!
Thank you for reading this week’s pick-me-up. I adore you! I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday. Until then, hit reply and say helllloooo!
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Super excited to start reading 'The Many Lives of Mama Love'. Thanks for recommending it!
I really needed this!!! I missed my Substack post last week and was sad all weekend :( but this really brought me up and reminded me to just try again