As you may have noticed, this website is pretty old. As in, there are posts dating all the way back to 2016! I started tenikatime.com when I first moved to NYC over 6 years ago. It was a place to share my passion for fitness, wellness, and all things healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, over the past few years, life has pulled me away from writing. So I figured it made sense to create an updated “about me” post, where I can introduce a few facts about myself.
Although my dedication and consistency in managing my Instagram and blog have had fits and starts, this space means a lot to me, and I’m so grateful that you’re here! In honor of the new year, here are 23 random things about me, Tenika.
one. I have an identical twin sister. potentially the most obvious fact to a lot of people who know me personally, but since we haven’t spent a lot of time living in the same place as adults, she only shows up on my social media a few times a year. We are almost nothing alike, and the best of friends!
two. you may have noticed, I am currently participating in an elimination diet. This is my fourth time doing an elimination diet, and in 2017, it was how I discovered I have a sensitivity to gluten!
three. despite my gluten sensitivity, one of my favorite foods is pizza! as long as the crust is gluten-free 😉
four. gluten isn’t actually the only food/allergen I avoid. I also don’t eat bananas or black beans. I also discovered I have negative reactions to these foods through elimination dieting.
five. I have a reputation for being positive and happy, but I actually have struggled with anxiety and depression my whole life. As a result, I’ve been seeing therapists since I was a tiny human, and I place a high priority on maintaining my mental health.
six. As a way to improve my mental health, I started meditating about 6 years ago and it’s been a life-changing practice.
seven. In 2020, my greatest pandemic silver lining was being able to complete my 200hr yoga teacher training. I currently teach yoga at my high-intensity gym, StudioTorch.
eight. I also teach HIIT classes at StudioTorch. I first became a certified personal trainer in 2016 when I was living in NYC, and decided to get back into leading fitness training after the pandemic when gyms we’re finally reopening again!
nine. But leading fitness wasn’t my first experience as a “teacher.” My first job after college was teaching 8th-grade reading in an inner-city school in Indianapolis as a part of Teach for America, a 2-year teaching program.
ten. After Indiana, before moving to Ohio, I lived in NYC and Brooklyn for a couple of years which was my favorite place I’ve ever lived!
eleven. I grew up in a Christian family, but now I don’t really claim the religion. My spirituality aligns with believing in the universe, and a more generalized higher power, and I believe in it with all my heart!
twelve. I love board games and I have an extensive Monopoly collection. I started collecting them my senior year of college and at this point have lost count of how many I have. Since I still live alone in an apartment, most of them are spread across my family’s places in storage for now, but I hope to one day have a big game room where I can display them all.
thirteen. I have been “blogging” for as long as I can remember! writing is a passion of mine – I have published writing in books, and posts all across the internet.
fourteen. my dog Leroy will be 5 years old this year! I rescued him when he was just a puppy and we’ve been through so much together.
fifteen. I’ve had a lot of physical injuries in my life. 5 years ago I was in a skiing accident and severely sprained both my rotator cuffs and got a moderate concussion, which made me legitimately feel like I was brain-damaged for a few weeks. Last year I almost detached my retina and fractured 3 of my ribs. I’m always amazed by our bodies ability to recover from setbacks.
sixteen. I had a nearly decade-long career in the tech industry which I’m currently taking a little bit of a step back from. I worked for big public companies, growing late-stage start-ups, and struggling early-stage start-ups – always in the scope of sales and operations. I love the work I do but am taking a break after leaving my most recent organization last month.
seventeen. My 2 biggest self-care hacks are 1) get enough sleep, and 2) always wash your face before bed. Prioritizing my ability to achieve just these two things no matter what has been a game-changer.
eighteen. I’m not that well-traveled outside of the US. I’ve been to Mexico a few times, and Europe to a few places, but I can’t wait to leave the country again.
nineteen. I love traveling anywhere and in 2022 I made it to 4 National Parks. I am already excited for what adventures might pop-up this year.
twenty. over the past several years I’ve gotten incredibly close to my hormones, better understanding them, listening to them, and working with them rather than against them in order to feel my best!
twenty-one. I try to lead everything I do with gratitude. I have a default disposition of assuming the best in other people, seeking to understand when things feel off, and over everything else, trying to see the world with more love. This mindset helps to keep my spirits high even in really difficult times/moments, and it’s something I’m really proud of and like about myself.
twenty-two. This year will be my 10th year out of college! Time flies when you’re having fun.
twenty-three. Many of my goals for myself this year revolve around writing and creating more. So I’m sure you’ll see more of me popping up here!
So… did you learn anything new?
Thanks for reading, and for being here! I am excited for the new year ahead!
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