Women In Wellness: Jen Rulon On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Wanda Malhotra
You will Fail: Not every workout will be your best. You will win. You will fail. Learn from these moments. They are not mistakes or losses. They are learnings.
Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jen Rulon.
15-time Ironman triathlete, Jen Rulon lives the life of a healthy human who loves to coach others to become the best versions of themselves. Living authentically takes just as much practice as training for your upcoming fitness goals. As a fitness expert, author, accountability coach, and motivational speaker, Jen encourages others to take risks and live their lives to the fullest.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
About 2 years ago, I would say I am a 15x Ironman Triathlete, Fitness Coach, Speaker, and Author but that doesn’t define who I am. Now, I say I am a woman who decided to take a chance on life, by moving to Costa Rica, finding a new love called surfing and living unapologetically.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
When I was asked to be a part of an event regarding how I built my triathlon coaching business with a company called Training Peaks. Two years prior to that, I told myself that I would be a part of this conference/event, as a speaker and then it happened! The biggest take away I see within my business is manifesting and goal setting. I have always been a goal setter, personally, but when I saw it happen within my business, I was over the moon. I was becoming recognized as a business owner and not only a triathlon coach.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Which one do I discuss? Throughout my journey, there have been so many mistakes. But I can say that mistakes are where learning and growing take place. I heard from a dear entrepreneur friend of mine, Michael Girdley, “Fall Fast.”
One mistake when I first started my business was when I put together a Strength Training Class for Triathletes called “The Strongest Mile.” I rented space from CrossFit gyms. But quickly found my ROI was so low. I remember sitting before a class when no one showed and I broke down. I cried and said, “I can’t do this anymore. My time is too valuable.” I stopped the classes and realized I couldn’t compete with the 50+ CrossFit Gyms and the Global Gyms. I learned from this investment and decided to invest in myself and the followers I had on social media, rather than in the gym space.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
From coaching triathletes all around the world for 22+ years, to sharing my knowledge about fitness and wellness on my social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok and starting my podcast, “The Everyday Healthy Human,” I know I am making an impact. I help parents and people become a better version of themselves through fitness. I touch lives. My followers will reach out and tell me how I am impacting their lives or how they are encouraged when they happen to be at a rough patch in their lives. I am educating others to use their voice, stand up for themselves and figure out who they are internally, through fitness, mindset and meditation.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?
1 . Find your non-negotiables! Do you need to workout daily? Do you need quiet time or alone time? Do you need a beach to live by? Do you need family nearby? Whatever your non-negotiables are, find them. Write them down, do whatever it takes to remind yourself that they are non-negotiables.
2 . Drink 32 oz of water before you hit that coffee! One of the best habits I have made for myself is drinking water before coffee. This allows me to savor and enjoy the coffee before I get my day going. I get up earlier to drink the water and journal prior to starting my day.
3 . Surround Yourself With Moments That Inspire You: I would rather spend a 10 minute coffee break at sunset, then watching something on my computer. (I don’t own a TV). If you can find moments for yourself through your non-negotiables, then you have completed something.
4 . Learn Something New Everyday: Whether that is a new language or a new fitness workout or a new recipe, it helps the mind.
5 . Express Gratitude Daily: Every morning and evening, I say three Thank Yous. I say “Thank You” for my past, my present or the now and my future. If you are interested in learning more about this practice listen to my UW-Whitewater Commencement Speech!
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Finding Everyone’s Smile: So many people don’t smile like they should. There is a LOT to be grateful for and I think many forget about the simple things in life. I think about moments in my life that have brought me so much joy and the smile on my face is contagious, whether it is me riding my bike on the beach, dancing in the kitchen, crossing the finish line to my 15x Ironman or anything that brings me joy, I feel that it would make the world a brighter place.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- Be a Patience Young Grasshopper: Losing weight, getting fast, or whatever your goal may be, will not happen overnight.
- Hire a Coach or Trainer: If you need accountability, lose weight or you want to qualify for an event (Boston Marathon or the Ironman World Championship, for example), hire someone that has the knowledge to get you there. They will push you out of your comfort zone.
- You will Fail: Not every workout will be your best. You will win. You will fail. Learn from these moments. They are not mistakes or losses. They are learnings.
- Don’t Listen to Naysayers: If I listened to people that told me I couldn’t do something, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Don’t get me wrong, I am human and have my moments but when it comes to your dreams and goals, never ever give up.
- Keep Chasing the Better Version Of You: I crave to be better, as a woman, friend, lover, daughter, sister, Aunt, etc. The question is “ how do you become that better version of you?” What does that look like in your eyes? Remember, you will not always satisfy everyone. And that is ok. Just be you!
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health is the dearest to me, as I have realized that I have focused on my own mental health over the last 5 years. I stopped craving social media attention because the negative attention that I was receiving got to be too much after a while. It wasn’t a lot but when I did get it, it crushed my soul. I know who I am and who I am trying to help and become. If naysayers don’t like it, I have realized that this is their issue, not mine. I have drastically pulled back on a lot of social media, as I probably got burned out over the 10+ years of sharing every day in my business as a triathlete, author and speaker.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
Website: https://jenrulon.com
Instagram Jen Rulon — https://jenrulon.com/coachjeninstagram
Facebook — https://jenrulon.com/facebook
Twitter — https://jenrulon.com/twitter
Pinterest — https://jenrulon.com/pinterest
LinkedIn — https://jenrulon.com/LinkedIn
TEDx Talk — https://jenrulon.com/mytedxtalk
Everyday Healthy Human Podcast: pod.link/1691401085
Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
