Thriving In Motherhood Podcast

Recently I was interviewed by the Minimalist Moms Meetup group about the story behind Thriving in Motherhood as well as the principles that carry us from surviving in motherhood to thriving.

Does anyone else struggle with being good about exercising 1 or 2 days a week but then it's hard to get back to? In this weeks episode we are going to look at why this might be and what to do about it - or any other habit that you are having a hard time being consistent with!

Summer is here or just around the corner and it's time to think about ways to cultivate family relationships. This year we are having a family summer camp that puts what the kids already love, their family responsibilities, their goals, learning options, and family adventures into a little structure. Check out this weeks episode for some inspiration to bring some fun into your summer season!

This week's episode is sacred and I feel so grateful to be able to share it with you. Mandy Ashton tells her story of her first son, Levi, who died shortly after he was born. His life on earth was short, but the lessons and experiences Mandy and her family had with him will last forever - lessons that she shares with all of us today. I would love to hear your biggest take-away!

When I'm in a hard season, it's hard to imagine ever getting out of it. And more importantly is the wondering and hoping and wishing to feel like me again - and I've talked with so many of you that can relate! This weeks episode is a very detailed look into how to get out of a hard season, what it's looked like for me and my family this time around, and practical tips you can start applying today!

Have you struggled with dieting or an extreme focus on healthy eating? In this weeks episode with Victoria Yates, she shares practical ways you can start to build trust and develop a healthy relationship with food again for you and your family.

This is a very personal episode that culminates in the lessons I've learned after being pushed past my limits the last six weeks. Between sick kids and adults, an emergency after hours dental visit and ER trip, big deadlines for my husband and work, and two work trips, I hit a wall of complete exhaustion and breakdown. Honestly, I spent a few days crying in a closet. But as the days went by I have learned so many lessons as I've reflected on our experiences. In this weeks episode I share those 7 hard earned lessons with all of you.

We often hear that motherhood is a thankless job and it takes years to see if what you are doing bears any fruit. Not my favorite description of being a mom. In this weeks chat with Kimberly Amici @buildyourbestfamily we learn that it is also completely false. Kimberly will share a few practices you can start as family to get feedback from your kids right now in ways that will bring you closer together and create a beautiful family culture you can all enjoy while they are young.

Do you dread your husband traveling? I know for me the full days and nights with four kids requires a bit of effort to make it a successful experience for everyone. In this weeks episode I'm sharing my tips from our recent weeks of just the kids and mom as well as ideas from the women in Soaring Mothers Society. I'd love to hear your biggest take away or own suggestions below!

This week I'm chatting with Joslyn Hillam about how to create deeper connection in our marriages. Marriage is foundational to motherhood, and yet with the full schedules, exhaustion, and care-taking it can be easy to let our most important relationship take a back seat. This episode shares some practical, simple things you can do to remember your best friend.

Sometimes life is just exhausting. That isn't how I want to live as a general rule, but the last bit of our lives has been intense. So what can be done about it? It seems like the world calls for a break - time away, childfree. But is when that isn't an immediate possibility, are we doomed? I just don't believe that is how God created motherhood to be. So what is to be done? My thoughts in this weeks episode.

I was feeling a bit discouraged with how disconnected I was with my kids. Honestly, that probably isn't true (I am with them all day, every day...) but I needed a way to create a new story for myself. Then one Sunday night on a zoom call with my family, we started sharing stories about my dad's mom. He ended our remembering with, "She really knew how to make you feel loved." And that is what I realized I was seeking - not so much connect, but that atmosphere of love in our home that starts with me. This weeks episode is all about two simple ways to create an atmosphere of love in the home.

During a hard season I felt like God suggested that I bring hymns more into my everyday life. I started small, propping up a hymn book where I did the dishes and learning the words while I washed. The impact of this small routine has helped not only me, but family too, and spread in other ways. The Soul Pillar (one of the three pillars of thriving) is absolutely strengthened by this practice. For more ideas of how to bring the power of hymns into your home in simple ways, check out this week's episode.

As a homeschooling mom with four kids, there is a lot of activity and chatting during the day. I love using my spare moments working on online courses, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and chatting with friends on the phone. At the end of the day when I'm exhausted, it's easy to "rest" with a screen. I fill my social media page with uplifting and inspiring sources and love the intellectual learning that comes from podcasts, audiobooks and YouTube. But after hearing about Phoebe's experience doing a 30 day optional technology fast I knew I needed to give it a try. I had completely different results, but they were equally life changing. My favorite change? Being able to think again!

Phoebe Cook did a 30 day optional technology fast with her husband during the month of January and it was life changing. In today's episode we talk about their why, what they said no to for 30 days, what they did instead, and the surprising and life-changing results for them and their family.

This week on the podcast I'm answering this fabulous question I got from Carrie: "What if I can't think of a big 3 for the day or week? I'm not really a dreamer, so I have trouble coming up with goals to hit and end up still reacting to things around me. Some days, my one goal is to just get through our homeschool slog in one piece. Or I come up with goals for the week and end up transferring them to the next week… and again… so apparently I don't know how to follow through, either! Any guidance there?" What's your biggest take-away from the episode?

To celebrate the 200th episode of the Thriving in Motherhood Podcast, I created a brand new free QUIZ to help mothers figure out their next step out of survival mode.  We each have unique challenges and life situations, which is why we need customized solutions to thrive.  I've spent the last five weeks creating this to be the most helpful tool for you to use again and again as seasons change in your life. PLUS you get a customized podcast playlist sent to you to encourage along your motherhood journey.  Please share it with your mom friends who are as determined as you to thrive in your everyday life!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by trying to make sure every child in your home has adequate one on one time with you? You are not alone! This week I am chatting with Mindy @toptwotips about how to create meaningful connection and relationships with your kids. This isn't about scheduling 10 minutes of one-on-one time with each child - Mindy has 7 children and needed a more realistic and doable way to approach all of the important relationships with her family. I'd love to hear your biggest take-away in the comments!

I love talking with other moms about their experiences - the victories, the rock bottoms, and the growth that comes from it all. This week on the podcast Mindy Van De Graaff @toptwotips is sharing her own journey as a mom of seven children about how she has been healing in the last year after living in survival mode from circumstances outside her control.

A few weeks ago I had a friend reach out and ask what I did that helped with my difficult pregnancies because she has a close friend that is really struggling and would do anything to help. This episode is my very best experiences, tips, and tricks from surviving four very challenging pregnancies to encourage those of you that are in a hard pregnancy right now or to support a friend who is struggling right now.