Take the Elevator
This podcast is purely about elevating people through individual life stories and experiences in the Elevator. In the Elevator, what's key is maybe changing your perspective; having self-actualization; embracing your purpose; and acting on it as we grow from one another. There is a whole different point of view when you look up to elevate.
Take the Elevator
388th Floor: What If Ease Is The Shortcut To Consistency
Press pause, breathe, and build a life that runs on ease instead of willpower. We open the new year by resetting our pace and sharing the small, durable habits that actually stick: a movement-first Pomodoro that racks up 10,000 steps at home, a simple nutrition stack, and a two-minute rule that empties mental clutter before it grows legs. We watched motivation turn into momentum.
We also pull back the curtain on a different kind of creative work. As movie trailers lean darker and edgier, we double down on protecting childlike wonder. The Fuzzy Furry Forest is our answer: wholesome characters, clean storytelling, music, and community events that let families gather in joy.
If you’re ready to trade overwhelm for small, compounding wins, join us, share your easy habit, and help us spread the word. Subscribe, leave a review, and send this to a friend who could use a gentler way to start again.
Look up, and let's elevate!
Every day elevate every day elevate every day.
SPEAKER_00:Hey, it's Jen the Builder. And Corey. And welcome everyone to Take the Elevator. And Corey, welcome back to the elevator. Jen, I. Where have you been?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I've been around the world and I. No, um, we we had to take a brief pause. Let's call it a pause.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. And there's power in the pause. I hope you all have taken pauses because let's be honest, the world is going haywire and everything is going by so fast. I think the pause was a good time for us. And I don't even know. Let help me remember. Have we had an episode this year already?
SPEAKER_01:We have had at least one. At least one.
SPEAKER_00:So it's good to know that it's not the first one in 2026 because it's already February.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's how fast time is going.
SPEAKER_01:Welcome, February.
SPEAKER_00:And we're going to be just so transparent here. We've been doing this for five years, and we're always experimenting with what we're going to do. Well, I think last year I we got really into okay, what is it going to be about? Let's let's kind of outline this. And we tried that and it worked. Thing is, is sometimes when life gives you challenges, and like we said, everything's going so fast. You want to make things as easy as possible where you can.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and that's the key right there. To do it where you can. Uh, if you can't, what happens is you overwhelm yourself, you possibly could uh put too many things on the plate, and you're trying to figure out how to consume all this at one time. And so, yeah, we just figure we're figuring it out.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, reinventing us. I think it's time. Um, but I have to tell you guys, I first of all, how is your new year? And secondly, to all my and our sorry, our Asian people and friends, I know not all of Asias celebrates this, but we've got lunar new year coming up. So happy early new year to those who are celebrating it in a couple weeks.
SPEAKER_01:Indeed, yeah. And I got a big hit of that uh probably two years ago when we went to California Adventure, which is one of our favorite spots to go to, and we got a chance to see just how much stuff goes on at uh the land of Disney that celebrates the lunar new year. So yeah, I have I am so excited about this.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and so for those who don't know, it's year of the horse, and this is all new to me because Filipinos we don't traditionally celebrate the lunar new year. I wish I knew offhand what countries do in Asia, so I'm gonna take a guess. I think it's Chinese, um, Vietnamese, and I think I'm missing one, but it's not all of us, so it's just so interesting to learn about it. And Corey, I have to say, because I'm gonna get excited here. It's the beginning of the new year, and I have this list of like top 100. Okay, and what I'm tracking for the new year, new year, get it, is the new things or the new moments for the year. Are you following me so far?
SPEAKER_01:So far, so good.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, so for example, first ever time, not just new for 2026, but just new in my life, I got my first pair of Air Jordans.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah. That was really exciting for me because I'm a big Air Jordan fan uh as far as sneakers and and uh attire. And I've always wanted Jen to be into sneakers like I am, and she wasn't for the longest time. She just would not rock the Jordan. So we finally got to a point where Jen started. I said, Look, I'm gonna start this shoe thing off. And I just started bringing in, bringing home shoes one day. You know, it's like I'm just buy her two pairs of shoes and uh brought those in. She you got excited. Yeah. And from then on, it was just, you know, following suit. And when I felt like I needed to reignite the shoe thing, I brought in another pair of shoes, and now she's out on her own.
SPEAKER_00:I really feel like I'm a sneaker head.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. And what all three pairs? No plan. She got more than that.
SPEAKER_00:So my collection is not, I mean, I'm gonna say it's a fifth of Corey's collection. We won't even go there. Um, but I'm enjoying my shoes, and if I may, I want to share just a little piece of my journey, and it's very simple. One of it is just movement. Move, move, move. So I've done this really cool thing at my desk where I use the Pomodoro technique, which I used to use for studying, working, and journaling and things like that. Now I use it to get me to move. So how I have it set is 50 minutes, I'm focused, and then for 10 minutes out of the hour, I'm up and moving. And let me tell you, friends, I can get 10,000 steps in just being at home because of it. It's a game changer. And now my body loves the movement. Like I can't sit still for too long because it's like it's time to move. And that has been, I think, one of the best things that's happened for me thus far this year.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and Jen won't say this about herself, but I'm more than happy to say it. Now she's looking like a wow.
SPEAKER_00:So we'll hear like a wow. So uh it's that's so cute.
SPEAKER_01:It's definitely a game changer, and um, I'm I'm definitely seeing the results, and and we're on a journey together. So we're just having fun and seeing what we can do, how how much we can do.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, right, right. And it really started for us actually before 2025 ended, and that was important to us. It's like, let's get the ball rolling before January 1st so we can already be into the new year on a rhythm and a rhyme to what we're doing, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so a rhyme and a reason.
SPEAKER_00:That's right. So, aside from that, and Corey, I I'd love for you to share what you're doing differently. Um, I'm a big fan of intermittent fasting. Um, I love that it comes from the Eastern culture that really speaks to me. So that's something I've been doing. Lots of water, and I am being very mindful of my calorie intake, protein and fiber. That's it. Movement, intermittent fasting, caloric intake, protein and fiber. And of course, I'm not drinking my calories, I'm sticking to water when possible, but I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes I'll have a little, oh, I want a bubbly. So I've been doing the Coke bubbly, a bubbly, Coke Zero.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Uh, it's a little bit more simple for me. I just want to make sure I get some steps in and keep it clean, as clean as possible. And I I'm good with that. Yeah, and we'll see what happens from there. And I know, you know, I'm in my early 50s, so I need to lift a little bit more than usual. And on heavy days, my my heavy doesn't look like anything like anybody else's. Somebody's lifting two, three hundred pounds to binge press, and I'm doing like oh, yeah, 50.
SPEAKER_00:You're so cute, and you know, we're we're getting to learn our bodies again, and it's different this time around. Where we've got some years added on to us, but it's been amazing to listen to our bodies and honor it, and and it because it's gonna tell you what it needs, and so when you're tuned into that, I think that makes the journey so much more. I have to say this, I want to say thank you to Corey too, because and this is a tip for you all when you have an idea or a goal or something that you want to pursue, make it easy. Remember, we were just talking about make it easy. Yeah. And I have to say this making it easy. So when we moved, and we've been here for over a year now, we lost square footage. So we had to put our gym equipment in the garage. Well, of course, in the garage comes not just the car, but music equipment, our fuzzy furry forest equipment when we um do pop-ups and and things like that. And we would work out there, but it just was engaged, it wasn't engaging. It felt a little comfortable. Yeah, I was like, oh, not only is this a stretch of my willpower to be in this garage right now, but I'm not feeling it. So, Corey, you just went to town and organized everything, and it feels like and looks like a gym. I love that we just have to back up the car and we've got all that space. So it's made easy. I look forward to going downstairs to work out.
SPEAKER_01:Indeed. And and so Jen always told me if it's something you can do in a short amount of time, go ahead and get it done. And it just helps me get so many tasks out of the way. And I kind of want to talk about that, Jen, because um that's a real important point that you've added into your life and you've helped me incorporate it into mine. And that's just simply if if it takes a few minutes, get it done.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Um, if it takes a real short amount of time, take care of it, get it off the list. And so this is what I've been using on the weekends because I used to play in the band on a regular basis on the weekends, so I just didn't have time to do some of this stuff. And now what I'm finding is I have a little bit of free time. So I'm able to get the things around the house taken care of without, you know, having to put it in a schedule and saying, okay, I'll do this on Tuesday, do this on Wednesday, do this on Thursday. I wake up on a on a Sunday morning and or Sunday night after uh you know our our day of rest is over with, and I'm just able to get some stuff done and get it knocked out. If I got clothes I need washed, if I got a room I need to get into or the garage and set the gym up properly, I just have that time to do it, so I get it over with. You want to talk about that a little bit?
SPEAKER_00:How nice it's been to watch you do that. I feel like I haven't been contributing to that whole thing, but yes, to the actual um thought process and practice. Yes. And what but I think you already spelled it out lovely. It's get the things done that don't take a lot of time. Um, and you're so if you this is something new for you, here's a quick and easy way to do this. If you think of something and it's gonna take you two minutes, just do it. Right? It could be like, oh, I forgot to get on the gas company's website and pay that bill. Well, I can get in two minutes. Why would I wait to do it when I can do it now? Right, right. Um, oh, I'm on my way home and I need to pick something up, and literally it'll take just a few minutes. Why would I put this off till tomorrow morning when I know I'm gonna be pressed for time to get to work?
SPEAKER_01:Right, right.
SPEAKER_00:When I'm not pressed for time anything now for anything now.
SPEAKER_01:And what I'm really liking is the response to emails. Like it's so critical to respond to an email that someone has sent you in a timely fashion. You know, a lot of people don't know this, but in the professional world, people look to see if you're responding to them in a in a timely manner. And if you're not, they hold that against you. Like if you take a day to respond to an email, a professional email, it's frowned upon. You're you're supposed to respond to that email in the same day within the same 24-hour period, because people look at that as, oh, you you're not serious about this, you don't take this as serious as I it's courteous to do that. Right, right.
SPEAKER_00:It's decent instead of just the silent treatment.
SPEAKER_01:So if you're starting a business or have a business or you're uh trying to take care of a business, try to make it uh your business to respond to emails as quickly as possible. There's no need to wait, there's no need to make people feel like you know you haven't seen it yet. And and so, unless you just really didn't see it, and then you respond immediately.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Good tip. Good tip. That's gonna take us a long way this year and into the future. Corey, I shared a first for the year. Was there any firsts that you've had that you can think of?
SPEAKER_01:Um, I've had a few firsts. Uh, we've tried uh Mendocino Farms, and that's a place where I'm just hooked and addicted to it. And I don't mind, you know, most people have addictions and they're like, yeah, I don't really want to talk about that. But I love this place. This place has the most amazing salads, and the one that I love is the avocado quinoa superfood, and it's just doing wonders for me. Let me tell you just a little bit about this. First and foremost.
SPEAKER_00:I can't tell that you're just a bit excited about this.
SPEAKER_01:The price is right, it's cheaper than the salad I was getting from Maud Pizza. It's cheaper than Chop Stop, it's cheaper even than uh some of the salads and some of the pre-packaged salads. Yeah, the pre-packaged uh salads in the store. So you can't beat the price, and then it's its ingredient is just tip top notch. And I love that. And I love to have the variety in the salad with the quinoa and the avocado and the big black beans and corn, all the bread onions, yes, all the good, great stuff that the body loves to digest and distribute around and make it feel so good.
SPEAKER_00:I think I know what we're gonna be having for lunch or dinner uh tomorrow. Oh, yeah. So yeah, this is not sponsored, but we're gonna shout that out. Mendocino Farms is in Victoria Gardens. You've got to go. Um, so yeah, that's been a treat. I think we've been going like three times a week because it's so good.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and uh, it's simple. And we're we're we're really modified on our on our uh caloric intake right now. So it's it's better for us in this way right now.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. So another thing that happened already this year, and I love to write this stuff down, is we had our first house guest sleep over. That's I don't know, it's the first of the first, and it's always nice to see how hospitable are we? How comfortable is home? And I just love um our friend's feedback, and she said it was perfect peace. And so I was glad to be able to um bring that to our house guest.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, and and let's just say it like this we don't have very many house guests. We've had we've had a few. Yeah, but when we do, we try to really go above and beyond and make them feel like we feel when we're at home.
SPEAKER_00:That's right.
SPEAKER_01:And our home is everything to us, it just that's where your heart is, that's where your love is. If you don't have love in your home, then you're missing out on a lot of stuff, a lot of good stuff. So I say to everyone, make your house your home and where all your love is.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's nice when it's a safe haven and a place of refuge, not just for yourself, but I love when people walk in and say, Oh, it's warm in here. Oh, it's it's it's comfortable. It feels like home.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And yeah, that that means a lot.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:So I we've shared this on our social media, especially you core. You were you are so championing social media. Uh-huh. I'm all fronts. You're doing such a great job with that. Um, we had an event for the first time in the fuzzy furry forest, because by the way, everyone, that is what we've been really focused on and just expanding the forest. Um, but we had a birthday party.
SPEAKER_01:We sure did. It was a happy hopping, slinky snake birthday party.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it was good. And uh, Corey, you just always surprise me, literally, guys, the day of Corey tells me, Yeah, I'm gonna pick up the cake. She's in Upland and um you want to pay half? And I was like, sure. And I'm I'm gonna air our business right now. Mind you, this is a cake for Sheriff Slinky Snake and his forest friends. And um so I said, sure. And Corey tells me, uh, half is 50. I'm oh, what? So, but it was brilliant because it was supposed to be a photo op type of thing and just our celebration. And Corey decorated the table. We had our our plushies there, our stuffed animals, and then we invited some cousins and their kids. And Corey, what comes into your mind to create something like this?
SPEAKER_01:I'm glad you asked that, J. Just so these people don't think I'm right as loony tunes as you just painted that picture, which I don't mind at all. You can paint me any way you want. Um, what the what came to mind was that, you know, these books, these characters are a part of our lives. They're a part of what we've created. We've birthed them into the world, so to speak. And so with that, we have to create celebrations that uplift and bring out those characters and those things that we've created and put together. And what better way than than to have a a born day party for one of the books? All the books, actually, but you know, that was the the first birthday party that we've recognized and and put out for the year. Yeah, and so we're gonna continue to honor that with all the books and just really dive deep into that and and we're gonna make it even bigger because we're what we wanna do, and I'll make this quick. We wanna make this an event for kids to enjoy and we can give back to the community. So we would love to go to a park and set up a table and just really, you know, invite kids over to have a goodie bag and have some cake if if their parents allow, and and you know, go at it like that, you know?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think it's brilliant. Um, it really speaks to who we are as people, and we are huge celebrators of life and recognize that as a gift. Um, and secondly, I think what it teaches kids too is the things that they create and imagine and bring forth in the world is worth honoring it for at least today. Yeah. I mean, there are things on our calendar where we get time off and it's honoring someone or something, and I think every individual is worth that type of honor. So it did like I love that we're doing this, and also I want to put a plug in here. We core we are just amazing at partying. So if you have a kid who's gonna have their birthday and you'd like to bring these characters to life, have a storytelling, some music and activities for the kids, we're your people. It's one of the most fun times that we have, and that's just being with kids and and getting to see them, enjoy their moment.
SPEAKER_01:And as my mother-in-law said uh to me one time, why? Why would you do that? And I just told her, that's what we do, that's what we're good at, that's what we thrive in when when we're able to do the things that the talents and the gifts that we've been blessed with. So, you know, yeah, if you need that, that's what we do.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, for sure. So 2026 with everything that's going on, and it's tough. Can I share this story real quick? Sure. So we had lunch at Mendocino Farms. True story. We had Mendocino Farms with our daughter Michaela, and she tells me about this great movie called Send Help with Rachel Adams. I highly recommend. But I haven't been to theater in a super, super long time because we have our own home theater and um We think it's pretty lavish and special, right? So I go to the theater and I mean everything was great, but Corey, the trailers of the movies that are coming out, I have to tell you, it vexed my spirit. I was like, we already live in a world that is so ridiculous with violence and change and uncertainty and wrongdoing. You know, I'm not saying that's all the time, but it's enough to where it's in your face and you can feel it. And then so there's no relief even in entertainment, if I may. Like you go to a movie and you're watching something, it doesn't take you away to anything. And actually, I think it's more intense, if I may.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Um, can I jump in there? Please. Um, Jen's gonna not gonna say it. I'm gonna say it. And the reason why I'm going to say it is because I believe that there's enough people out here listening that understand what satanic and demonic stuff looks like. And so when when films are featuring nothing but that, the symbolism, the uh imagery, all that stuff is just really strange that we've gotten to this point to where now we're now putting it on and almost honoring it. You know, it's it shouldn't be honored, it shouldn't be something that. And and again, guys, this is why it's so important to me to write something for kids that is wholesome, that takes them back to childhood, and they can really enjoy that moment to be childlike opposed to having to grow up too fast and see too much uh adult stuff. I get it. There's adult stuff all around us, and and they they're going to see this very soon, but we don't have to show it to them before it's time.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, when their minds aren't ready for it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Their minds are still farming. It's a very influential place to be, and they're gonna soak in whatever it is that you give them, and please let's be careful and more aware and intentional about what we do. Um, yeah, and we do allow them to see.
SPEAKER_01:As I tell people, you know, um that this is why we do it. If everyone was doing it as far as creating things for kids to enjoy, I think this place would get a little bit better. And I'm not talking about the subliminal messages in the children stuff, I'm not talking about the the imagery in the children, I'm talking about just pure childlike fun. We were walking one day, and I'm tell this short story. We were walking in the neighborhood, and as we were getting close to an elementary school, we heard the kids laughing and screaming and hooting and hollering, and it just brought a smile to both of our faces. It made us feel like, man, that's what we need. We need more of that, just good hard laughter. You you hear the bells ringing for them to come outside, and then all of a sudden the kids just bust into laughter and and joy. We we gotta get more of that. We we gotta do away with all this weird stuff.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. That's such an elevating thought, truly is, and and to exercise that control over what we and I'm gonna use the word subject our kids to. Yeah. Um that's our responsibility. So that's from our hearts to yours. Um, hope that resonated with you. So I don't have any other oh, no, no, no. Um, some other things that I've enjoyed, just to give an update. I've been in my current position uh for six months now. And so already this month, we've had our first um team retreat and then our team lunch. And I have to just say that I'm so grateful to be on this team and I've learned so much, and I feel like I've grown. It was a shift that I needed, and you want to talk about peace and calm and pause. Like I'm I'm just really, really blessed to have made this move.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and I've I've noticed it, and I'm and I'm glad you did make that that shift. Do we have a few more minutes? Yeah, I got her, Jen. It's I'm busting at the scenes. Do it. We have a new illustrator, and she is amazing, and she's not like us in the way that we love to talk, we love to express ourselves in our verbal expressions. She's she expresses herself in her artistry, and so you probably won't hear from her. I'm gonna ask her again, but I I just gotta tell you, this woman is incredible, and and that's part one of it. Part two of it is that we have a new plushie maker, and she's doing amazing things, amazing things. So we're we're just looking forward to sharing this stuff with you guys and hoping that you see and feel and get the same uh feelings that we were getting. It's it's gonna be a lot of fun. This year is going to bring a lot of fun for the fuzzy furry forest.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I feel that it's creativity at a new level, if you will. Uh, and the ideas just keep coming, and I definitely want to share this. The re I think the rest of the creatures in the fuzzy furry forest are really in partnership with different organizations, and we're just so excited to bring um what they're passionate about, what their work consists of into the forest. We're super stoked to do that. Um, that's new for us. And uh so just know that well, did we talk about BJ Woodpecker already?
SPEAKER_01:Not really.
SPEAKER_00:Not really. So that book is unofficially out, and um, you can reach out to us if you want to buy it. I I'll tell you, some people have given us feedback that it's their favorite one so far. And this one is very lively. There's some suspense in here. I find it to be funny. And Corey, I just want to say, I think with partnership, period, and in doing things together, we just keep hitting different things that we've not done before.
SPEAKER_01:Different milestones, yeah, absolutely. And and I this is what I accredited that to. Uh, the workload has shifted and on all fronts, not just between you and I, but um with a new illustrator, with a new plushie maker, with uh people assisting us in building um the the Fuzzy Furry Forest brand and the Genko Sound Company brand. Well, there's a lot of people involved now that are assisting in a just a wonderful, amazing way.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. We're so thankful for them. Um well, this is what we do. We just kind of talk and let it land. I don't have anything else but to say that it's great to be back on here. We have a commitment to make us consistent. So there will be a drop, uh new episode every Monday. Please share your feedback with us and share our podcast with other people. We would so appreciate that. Yes. Well, happy February, everybody. It's a short month, and I hope you continue to pursue what it is that speaks to you and don't give up and know that all things are gonna work together, and we're gonna be okay. Anyhow, yeah, we miss you much. Thanks for listening to us and tuning in. And you know us to take the elevator. We say, look up and let's elevate every day, elevate and apparently didn't want the episode to end.
SPEAKER_01:Elevate every day, elevate.
