Happy, Holy Mama

When was the last time you looked at your life just to find the miracles? You might not think it's a good use of your time, but in today's episode, I'm going to share with you why I think it's one of the best ways to spend your time. Because when you can find the miracles in your life, especially in your past, then you'll have little to no trouble handing your (or your children's) future over to God. And when you can trust God with the future of your family, then every single day becomes so much more beautiful and doable. Grab your earbuds and let me share my story about how St. Padre Pio helped me start my coaching practice, and other miracles, in today's episode: The Miracles of Your Life with St. Padre Pio!

If you are prone to resisting or avoiding something uncomfortable, like prioritizing yourself, asking for what you need, planning your time, or saying No to someone... ...then you're going to want to listen to this episode. I'm going to walk you through a deeper understanding of the impact of your emotions and how to start using them as currency to create the experience you want to be having of your homeschool life, instead of letting them keep you stuck. This is a powerful episode that you're not going to want to miss, so grab your earbuds and let's dive in! Click here to come with with me!

Between putting out fires, constant interruptions, and legitimately more time needs than there are hours in the day it can feel like there's too much to do and not enough of you. I need to get better at time management! is one of the most common complaints I hear from homeschooling mamas, but they never know where to start...because everything feels so painful. Which is why I've taken the most common time management mistakes I see and boiled them down into the five most problematic areas of time management, so that you can figure out exactly where you need to start. Click here to join my email list and stay in touch! THIS WEEK I'll be teaching how to solve for the Top 10 Time Management Mistakes including the specific steps for Time Auditing, Planning, Calendaring, Evaluating, and managing your own negative thoughts and emotions about you, your life, and the time God has given you. Get all the details HERE and join us for both workshops this week!

If you have anxiety around how much you have to do and frustration over not having enough time to do it all in, then I have a short and sweet podcast episode just for you today! Because the thought, there's not enough time, is one of the biggest MYTHS you are likely believing… …and it's just not true. In fact, that thought is actually covering up a different, bigger concern that you don't even know is in your brain. So, in today's episode, I'm going to shed some much needed light into this dark area of anxiety and frustration that every homeschool mom I know struggles with, so you don't stay stuck there any longer. ​​​​​​​Grab your earbuds and join me for today's short episode: #1 TIME MYTH That's Keeping You Stuck. CLICK HERE to register for my brand new live masterclass This Friday, September 6, 2024, How to Steward Your Time Like a Saint. Registering for the class ensures that you get the zoom delivered to your inbox on the morning of the class, as well as the replay after the class is over, in case you can't make it in person!

Some of my worst homeschooling days have been the ones where I have lost my peace over every little thing. Like repeating myself for the nth time, being interrupted left and ride, and feeling like we were never going to finish an entire day's plan within one school day. On my worst days I have felt overwhelmed, angry, inadequate...and deeply believing that I was ruining my kids. And in today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I share with you the one thing that shifted everything for me and my family...and how you can do it, too, today. Grab your earbuds and join me for: How to Turn a Rotten Homeschool Day into a Beautiful Memory. Work with me HERE. Watch Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life HERE.

You might be a homeschooler who doesn't like to look too far ahead into the future, because it feels overwhelming to plan more than a few weeks in advance. If that's the case, then, unfortunately, you might also be someone who struggles at the end of the year if you don't up where you had hoped to in May. That's because when you don't think about what you want the end result to look like, then: You won't know how to get there and You won't know when you've arrived. So spending time at the beginning of a new school year thinking about what you want the end of the year to look like is a highly valuable use of your time! Because when you know what you want it to look like at the end, then you'll be able to break down the steps to get there, which will help you know what to do today. Which means you'll waste less time, be less overwhelmed in the long run, and have a more productive school year! In today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I'll walk you through why you want to define your goals, the steps to define your goals, and the mindset it takes to reach them. Grab your earbuds and join me for: Defining End of Year Goals for Today's Success. Work With Me HERE!

If you've ever spent the Sunday morning drive to mass dreading other people seeing your hot mess family and fuming that you're running late, you have probably tried to fake-it-til-you-made-it as you arrived. Likely to find that it didn't last long, because it just doesn't feel genuine and takes a significant amount of energy, that you probably just didn't have left. In today's episode, I'm going to share with you the difference between the fake-it-til-you-make-it mindset and the Acting As If mindset and why Acting As If will be one of the fastest ways to start making internal change. Work with me here. Book a free Consult Call with me here.

Too many mamas get stuck in runaway train type thinking that sounds so true that you often don't question it. I also often see too many well meaning friends try to combat that thinking by disagreeing with it entirely, which doesn't always feel right to you, if those thoughts have a smidge of truth in them. Thoughts like: I can't do this. I am no good at this. I am ruining them. They would be better off in school. And others. These thoughts feel so rotten, because they sound so, so true. They FEEL so, so true. And it's honestly not useful to argue with them in order to change them. But I don't want you living under the weight of those thoughts any longer, either, because they're are what are keeping you disconnected, frustrated, and unhappy! That's why, in today's podcast episode, I share with you the ways I prefer to respond to those thoughts that is rooted in an even bigger, deeper truth. Borrow these new thoughts that I offer you whenever you get stuck in that Scarcity Mindset in the future and come back to listen to this episode as often as you need it! Get the details for how we can work together here: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/membership Subscribe to the Fiat Life Coaching email list here: https://fiatlifecoaching.com/subscribe

We all have a money story. For some of us it's a story of pain and deprivation and scarcity. For some of us it's different. Easier, lighter, and less fear around money. Regardless of what your history with money is, what you tell yourself about it now, is absolutely impacting your money decisions. And my guest on this week's podcast episode wants to tell you how to start changing your story, have more financial freedom, and teach your kids how to create their own story, starting in your homeschool. Grab your earbuds and join me and my very special guest, Amanda Teixeira from Wallet Win, as we discuss: Catholic Money Mindset. Find Amanda at https://walletwin.com/

How do you handle failure? Have you ever clarified what that looks like for yourself? I'm guessing probably not! Well, the problem with not knowing the specifics of HOW you do something is that then you don't know what to do DIFFERENTLY. That's exactly what I'm talking about in today's podcast episode! I'm going to walk you through a short exercise I led the Happy, Holy Mama Members through during Planning Week 2024 to unpack the feeling of "failure" and gave them a process for how they could handle it better. So, if you don't love the way you experience failures in your life and want to do it better, grab your earbuds and join me for: How to Handle Failure Better! Book a Free Consult Call here. Grab your free Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint here. Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership and watch the replays of Planning Week here.

Pilar, mama of 3, joins me on the podcast this week to share her experience in going from being a full time OB/GYN to a full time stay at home mom and homeschooler! She bravely and lovingly shares her heart for our Lord, with the deep connection to our Lady, and how they've led her through this time of change and growth, especially in caring for her oldest child, who is neurodivergent. Whether you think your personality just isn't quite right for the work God is calling you to do, or you're trying but feel like you're ruining it, Pilar's story has something for everyone. Please grab your earbuds and join us as Pilar so generously shares her journey to Cultivate the Home, as the Lord is calling her, and you, to do. Join me and Pilar in Happy, Holy Mama! We are diving into Planning Week THIS WEEK! 5 days of workshops and coaching on essential tools, concepts, and skills that will make your homeschool more enjoyable this year! PLUS lifetime support as you implement your plans from her through this finish line. Join Happy, Holy Mama HERE to jump into Planning Week (replays are available to start now even if you're 'late' to the party, we'll catch you up!)

If you have ever felt tension in your jaw, neck, shoulders, or tightness in your chest and shortness of breath, and ready to throw in the towel, then I'm willing to bet you know what it feels like to be burnt out. Or at least on the verge of burnout. In today's episode I dive into some of the reasons you are, or have been, burnt out, most of which boil down to you trying to do a job that doesn't belong to you. I'm going to give you a job description that the Lord gave me when I asked HIM what our job is as a Catholic homeschooler, and it might surprise you. Grab your earbuds to join me for today's podcast and then go sign up for my NEW masterclass this Wednesday called How to Prevent Burnout and Love Your Homeschool! Sign up HERE for the class!

Parenting teens is hard enough, but did you know your mindset is what makes it feel better or worse? Yep, it's not just about their hormones, big feelings, and outbursts... ...the way you show up with them is what will make or break your relationship with them. You have more power than you know, mama! Let me tell you all about it! Grab your earbuds and join me in today's powerful podcast, which is like a mini-masterclass in and of itself, to learn my five favorite mindset shifts to improve your relationship with your teenagers! Speaking of masterclasses, join me for my newest free masterclass: How to Prevent Burn Out and Love Your Homeschool! Click HERE to register for the new masterclass! Click here to join Happy, Holy Mama right now to get in before Planning Week, July 15-19th to plan your year with peace, confidence, and SUPPORT. And as a lifetime member, you'll have support throughout the entire year as your implement your plans now and all the way through the finish line!

When she first reached out to begin coaching, Michaela just wanted to stop yelling and get more organized. In this week's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, Micheala and I walk through how coaching helped her reach those intial goals, and also how it helped her through some of the trials she's experienced over the last few years while she was working toward them. Like giving birth to her sixth child just a couple of months after her mother passed away, and how coaching supported her, and continues to support her, to the point to where she's now thriving! Michaela so beautifully shares what's been the most beneficial for her to learn and her favorite coaching tools that she practices still that help her maintain her progress, which she hopes will serve you, too! Finally, Michaela shares some of the more surprising results of this work that she's had through some of these intensely hard moments. Results that happen for my clients more often than not after we work together and that you might be interested to hear. Grab your earbuds and join us as Michaela and I discuss her inspirational journey: Embracing the Vocation of Motherhood. Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership by clicking this link!

There's always something that needs to be done, which can drive moms a bit batty, prevent you from taking a much needed rest, and drive you to overwork. The urge you feel to get up and tidy or finish a project when you should be resting is exactly what I'm diving into today on the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast. In this week's short and sweet episode I talk about some of the common thoughts fueling those urges and I'm giving you a few simple steps to try the next time you notice you're overworking. Listen to today's episode to learn how to have a better experience of the work you choose to do and feel more confident to say no to work to prioritize rest. Get your access to Catholic Homeschool Essentials by clicking this link to dive into invaluable life coaching tools to make what you start in this episode deeper to enjoy your homeschool summer break even more.

This week's episode truly feels like going on a Catholic homeschooling retreat! My client Robin, Happy, Holy Mama of 4, joins me on the podcast this week and, oh my, what a wealth of wisdom and goodness she is! Robin shares her story that did not start out as a homeschool journey, but that once God called her family to homeschooling, it's been a source of growth and learning, not just for her kids, but for her as well. She generously shares about her struggles with dyslexic children, fighting a scarcity mindset of not feeling adequate for the job of teaching her own children, and how God brings her back to the path He wants her on over and over again through our work together. Join us today and take a deep, relaxing breath as Robin describes the incredible joy and goodness that homeschooling can be, even through trials. Grab your earbuds and listen to this inspirational episode: Cultivating Joy and Freedom in Education! Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE to join us this Thursday, June 13, 2024 for our next monthly workshop where we'll be diving into how to not absorb your children's behavior!

Worried about your homeschooled kids losing their knowledge or skills during the summer? What you might be more worried about is what you might have to go through this fall, if your kids slide backwards in their knowledge and skills... ...both of which you worked very hard to help them earn this year! If you're looking at making some decisions about whether or not to do some school work over the summer, then I'd like to invite you to spend a little time with me in today's podcast episode where I'll walk you through a different way to think about it, so you're making that decision with clarity instead of worry. I'll also walk you through the steps to take to avoid the summer slip, if you decide to do some school, so you can keep making progress toward educational goals and still take a much needed summer break! Click here to get Catholic Homeschool Essentials

One of the most infuriating things moms go through is trying to problem solve without knowing what the actual problem is or what to work on. This is even more challenging and frustrating when there's an internal issue that you're unaware of and so it feels like nothing you do works. In today's podcast episode I talk a little about my own experience before I made some significant changes and how homeschooling, though it was an answer to God's call for our family, didn't magically solve my problems. I explain what I learned over years of trial and error that I now each my clients how to do faster with life coaching tools so that you can work on the areas you need to work on and implement solutions that are right for you...not just what worked for me. In today's episode I'll walk you through the top three areas to work on to drastically improve your homeschool experience and share with you the eight essentials I teach my clients to help them have the biggest transformations with the fastest results. Results like feeling calmer, connecting more, not absorbing other people's emotions, and stewarding the precious time God gives them, better. All of which help you have more awareness of what's going on and problem solve at a higher level, to serve God better, through your family. Grab your earbuds and listen to dive into: What to Work on to Drastically Improve Your Homeschool Experience. And because I believe so deeply that these eight essentials tools, concepts, and skills can help you, too, I put my best teachings into a brand new digital course to help you get started with the work I do, in this struggling economy. And to celebrate the launch of this new course, Catholic Homeschool Essentials is $100 OFF for this week only! Which means that until June 2, 2024 you can learn these essential life coaching tools for only $97!! Find all the details for Catholic Homeschool Essential HERE!

Want a chance to win a FREE ticket to this year's Catholic Homeschool Conference?! All you need to do is share the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast with your friends, family, on social media, wherever you feel good to do so! You can also leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any of your favorite listening platforms. This does not have to be a glowing review, just an honest one, please! If you love it, though, please throw in as many stars you believe the podcast deserves as this helps others find and be served by the podcast a little easier! THEN, please shoot me an email to [email protected] to tell me all the ways you shared or where you left reviews and I will enter your name into the drawing for each of the ways you supported the podcast! This is entirely on the honor system and is just my way of saying THANK YOU for being an incredible listening community and get a chance to serve more Catholic homeschool mamas at this year's incredible event! I will draw the winner THIS FRIDAY, May 24, 2024 at 9pm PDT and I will email the winners shortly thereafter. Speaking of which, today's episode is such a treat! This week I welcome back Maureen Wittmann, one of the co-founders of Homeschool Connections, who also founded and continues to run the Catholic Homeschool Conference! As always, we had such a delightful conversation about being Catholic homeschoolers and how the work she does for both platforms got started and how they continue to meet the needs of thousands of Catholic homeschoolers every single year! If you're looking for excellent resources, make sure you check them out. If you'd like to guarantee you have a ticket to the conference and want a discount, please use the code HSC10OFF at checkout to receive $10 off your ticket price. And then you share your free ticket with a friend if you're a raffle winner!

Are you tired of policing your kid's work, checking on them over and over to make sure they've finished it? Are you tired of struggling with a kiddo who doesn't WANT to do the work you've assigned and seems to be entirely unmotivated? Or do you have a teen who doesn't seem to care about what they do or don't do and you're not even sure they'll graduate? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then today's podcast episode is for you! Today I'm going to walk you through four different scenarios of times when your child's goals will save YOU a tremendous amount of effort and heartache. And if your child doesn't have goals yet, I'll walk you through how to help them make their own (which is the secret sauce for those goals actually being acheived)! Grab your earbuds and let's talk about Helping Your Child or Teen Create Their Own Goals AND Reach Them! Check out all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership on my beautiful new website here! Grab your Homeschool Blueprint here!

Whether you are a veteran homeschool, brand new to homeschooling, or considering homeschooling in the near future, today's episode is for you! I have taken my BEST advice for Catholic homeschoolers and put it all into one powerful episode that will serve even the most seasoned mamas with love, support, and a little Catholic truth. Grab my new FREE planning resource for Catholic Homeschool Mamas here: Download The Happy, Holy Homeschool Blueprint! Grab your ticket for the Catholic Homeschool Conference HERE. Check out all teh deatils for how we can work together in the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE!

Talking about our bodies is a fairly uncomfortable conversation for most people, but when it comes to talking about what's menstrual cycles and even charting with our daughters, sometimes mamas feel a bit lost. Christina Valenzuela felt similarly unprepared with her own children and that's when God placed on her heart to create Pearl and Thistle, cycle prep courses for Catholic families rooted in St. John Paul II writings on the Theology of the Body. Christina wanted her courses to be something that would bring parents and daughters together. Her courses provide a foundation for families to have a better understanding of the purpose and goodness of our human bodies. And, through our conversation, we revealed that many women find healing of their own early cycle years as they learn alongside their daughters. Please check out Christina's website, make sure you use the coupon code below, and check out her newly released book! pearlandthistle.com @pearlandthistle on IG @pearlandthistle on FB 10% off coupon on CYCLE PREP for your listeners! Use coupon HAPPYHOLY10 at checkout to get 10% off an individual copy of CYCLE PREP: First Period Course for Girls New book, published through Our Sunday Visitor, The Language of Your Body: Embracing God's Design for Your Cycle, release is April 2024 Quick write up: What good can we find in our cycles, especially when we ponder the fact that both men and women are equally made in the image and likeness of God? The Language of Your Body delves deep into this and other groundbreaking questions, using the wisdom of saints like Hildegard von Bingen, Pope John Paul II and Thomas Aquinas to explore this unique, fundamental aspect of God's design for female bodies. Despite menstruation being labeled sometimes as a "woman's curse," the Catholic Church invites us to claim our cycles for good. This book is a beacon to all women searching for positive ways to integrate our menstrual cycles into our sense of self, our relationships, and our prayer.

Have you ever wondered what curriculum writers think about when they are creating the curriculum you use? Ever wanted to get some coffee and pick their brain about how they use it in their own family and apply it to real life? Well, if so, I have a treat for you today. I am joined by Olivia Spears, creator and founder of Into the Deep Catholic catechesis curriculum. Her heart and mission is to help evangelize the next generation through truth, goodness, and beauty. She lives and breathes this Catholic homeschooling lifestyle right alongside all of us and is such a breath of fresh air for your research-frazzled heart. And Olivia is an absolute delight to talk to! Check out Into the Deep here and use the promo code FIAT10 for 10% off her stunning curriculum!

Are you ever afraid to say what you'd really prefer to, because you're worried the other person will be mad at you? Maybe it's how you'd prefer to follow through with your kids when they don't finish their work or chores. Maybe it's what you wish you could say to your husband about how he parents the children. Maybe it's what you wish you could say to friends, but don't want to drive them away with your hot-messiness. Listen, this is a NORMAL human reaction and it's all based in fear. Fear that keeps you stuck and keeps your family from living into the potential of what God is dreaming for each of your lives. In today's podcast I'm going to share how this has been coming up in coaching lately and what you need to do to get unstuck from the fear... ...and start feeling more authentically you. The you whom God created exactly the way He meant to, for a reason, for a purpose in this world. So please grab your earbuds and something cozy and let's talk about when you're afraid of someone else's reactions...especially if you're afraid of them being mad at you. P.S. Do you desire an authentic Catholic community of homeschooling mamas who GET you? Who GET your life and what you're going through? Who will never question your commitment to homeschooling or suggest you 'just send your kids to school,' when you're having a hard day? If so, please join the BEST place on the internet to be an authentically Catholic homeschooling mother and not feel alone on the journey again: the Happy, Holy Mama Membership. If you have questions before you join, just hit reply to this, or any, email I send you and I'll get back to you shortly. You are not alone mama. Don't stay stuck! All you have to do is reach out.

If you're a Catholic homeschooling mama you ARE, factually, very busy! However, if you are FEELING busy, but not feeling PRODUCTIVE, I can help. Last weekend I recorded a free public masterclass called: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day and it was SO lifegiving, affirming, and USEFUL for those who came, I decided to put the audio of the class so that it can serve you, too! In the class I shared my story of what my life was like when I felt like I had no space or time for myself, being buried under babies, toddlers, and tantrums. I shared insight about our to-do lists as moms and what might be going on, if we feel like there isn't enough time to do everything there is to do in a given day. I also gave the over 120 women who signed up for the class my #1 process to create space interally so they could get more time and LIFE back in their day. I'd be honored to share this class with you now, so please grab your earbuds to take my masterclass: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day! Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here! Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching email list here! Grab your ticket for the Catholic Homeschool Conference here!

It's the most infuriating experience to want to do better yourself, but feel like your own behavior is contingent on what someone else does. Especially if that someone else is your own child and should know better. And then you end up feeling like a bad mom because you can't seem to get yourself under control. Guilt is almost always followed by shame and that one-two punch just makes you want to run and hide from your kids…which of course doesn't teach them how to change their own behavior, either. In today's episode I'm going to give you my one simple strategy to come back from a mistake. And when you are willing to do this one thing, then you begin to lead by example. You become the adult you want them to be someday, even after a mess up. They learn the best things from you, which was the whole point behind homeschooling in the first place. Sign up for my new live masterclass THIS FRIDAY NIGHT here: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day! Details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership are here.

Have you ever noticed what you spend your time on while you wait for something? ​​​​​​​ A doctor's appointment, a child to go to the bathroom, a pot of water to boil? What about what you're choosing to do while you wait for your children to grow up, wait for them to grasp a new concept, or learn a new skill? What you focus on in the moments of waiting matters because it directly influences how you react or respond to those around you. And right now, during Holy Week, what you focus on while you wait for the resurrection of Jesus will directly impact the way you and your family experience the Easter weekend, and beyond. This week I have a short and sweet podcast episode for you that will help you refocus your attention during this time of waiting so that it becomes more productive. Not just for your homeschooling efforts, but for the kingdom of God. Grab your earbuds and let's talk about making the time that you spend waiting more productive. Sign up for my new live masterclass on April 5, 2024: How to Get More Time Back in Your Day here! Does Time feel like it steals your peace? Or does your children's behavior feel like it steals your peace? These are the two things that most moms lose their peace over every single day. In Happy, Holy Mama we coach on Time, Behavior, Curriculum, and SO much more each week in group coaching. Click here to get the details for the program, including how to join today to have support and Catholic community while you learn how to have more peace and feel more capable and confident in your home and homeschool. Do you have questions you'd like me to answer before you join? Please book a free Consult Call to chat with me face to face!

It's way too easy to go about your day feeling frustrated about the kids, homeschooling, and the house and then take it out on your hubby the next time you interact with him. That could be in an angry text you send him, or throwing a screaming toddler at him when he gets done with work, or even treating him like he's done something wrong to contribute to your own bad day. Today's episode will help you Improve Your Relationships and put your life in Right Order, starting with your marriage. Because when your marriage is feeling stuck and even a bit painful, then everything else feels stuck and painful, too. Including your relationships with your kids and your homeschooling. So today let's start digging into this vital relationship that can help your whole life feel more life-giving when you intentionally support it today. Grab your earbuds and let's talk about how to: Have a Lifegiving Marriage Join the free Podcast Facebook Group. Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to support your marriage!

Homeschooling (and Time Management are 80% mindset and 20% strategy. You're probably just trying to do it the other way around, which is why it can feel so frustrating, even infuriating, to want to manage your time better and feel like you just can't. Or like all the pieces of your life are actively working against your best efforts to accomplish all the things on your to-do list, including homeschooling! It can feel like a losing battle, unless you understand what's going on in your brain. In this week's podcast episode, I am going into the brain science, the mindset, behind great time management skills. I'll give you some powerful insight into why it feels so hard to do what you really want to do and end up doing the things you'd prefer not to. And I'll give you a few reflection questions to take this deeper with the Lord and what He is calling you to focus on right now. Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership and get access to our Deep Dive Workshop (and replay!) this Thursday, March 14th!

Managing time isn't as hard or mysterious as you're making it out to be. There isn't some magic formula for managing it 'right.' And there isn't a one-size fits all way to organize your day that would solve all your stress, that you just can't figure out. It's not true that you can't create a schedule or routine that works for your day, you're likely just thinking about it in an unproductive way and just don't know where to start. Here's what it all boils down to: Your mindset about Time itself Three essential skills that will help make managing the time God gives you better. In today's podcast I am diving into all of it so grab your earbuds and listen to: Manage Your Time Better. Join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to participate in our next Monthly Homeschool Strategy Workshop on Time Management! Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching weekly life coaching tips in your inbox! Book a Consult Call.

In my life coaching work we practice thinking about what you hope your kids will say about you as their mother and homeschooler, in the future. And then taking action now to help create that outcome. We dream about what our children's futures will look like, and sometimes it keeps us up at night. If you ever worry about your kid's futures and what they will say about their experience in your homeschool, then today's podcast episode will help you take a big deep, calming breath and rest into what God is inviting you into today. I am joined today by former homeschooled student, now adult and published author, Maddie Dobrowski. Maddie and I had one of the most life-giving conversations on the podcast. We talked not just about her book, The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism (which is amazing and you should get your copy right now!), but we actually primarily discussed her experience as a homeschooled student and how it has played an integral role in forming her into the successful adult (and practicing Catholic for everyone keeping score) she is today. She has the most incredible insight from the student's perspective, shares vulnerably about how her life hasn't necessarily turned out the way she expected, but how beautifully it is turning out to be. And she attributes so much of it to the examples she had growing up in a big, Catholic, homeschooling family environment. Especially her mother's influence. I walked away from this conversation feeling like I had just been on retreat and I think you will, too! I'd like to invite you to listen in on this delightful and inspiring conversation: You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are with Maddie Dobrowski. Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching weekly life coaching emails. Join the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast Free Facebook Group Get The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism by Maddie Dobrowski Follow Maddie on IG Join Maddie's Substack

Do you go into Lent thinking maybe this will be the year you'll finally kick some bad habits and make big changes (and maybe lose some weight in the process)? Do you have half a dozen ideas for what to give up, but never get around to clarifying what you're actually going to focus on? (This was me for forever.) Or are you the kind of penitent who starts out peaceful and self-controlled, with a clear goal in mind? Whatever you're M.O. is, I'm willing to bet that at some point, either during Lent or on just your normal homeschool day, you're tempted to give up. To quit. To throw in the towel and go down an easier, more familiar path. I want to help you have more success with Lent this year than you've had in the past, which will set you up for more success in life as well. That's why during today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, I am going to shed some light as to the inner workings of your human brain and why it resists change so much. I am also going to teach you how to catch yourself before you quit (or in the act of quitting) and how to come back to focus so you can keep moving forward toward your goals, during Lent and beyond. Grab your earbuds and let's dive into today's episode: Give Up Giving Up For Lent. Click here to get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership to Quit Quitting for Good with support and community! Have questions first? Click here to book a free Consult Call to ask me all your questions before joining.

This week is not just Ash Wednesday, it's not just Valentine's Day, it's also the100th episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, AND February 14th is also the 20th anniversary of the passing of my first husband, Joey. It is a FULL week! So as I was reflecting what I should talk about on the podcast this week, it seemed super obvious to me to share more of my love story with the Lord. And like most love stories, it's not all lovely. It's not all roses. It's not all happiness. There is pain and loss and suffering on the journey, probably not unlike your own story. But there is also tremendous joy and growth through it all. So this week I am inviting you to join me as I reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of God that can be found through pain and loss when you learn how to unite your will with His Holy Will. What better way to head into Lent? Especially if you've struggled with this season in the past. As always I end the podcast with questions to help you reflect on how to engage more with God's Holy Will for yourself, to go deeper with the Lord, and make significant shifts in your own life, especially in regards to areas of your past that need some healing love. My fervent prayer today is that you walk away from this episode feeling more capable of offering a heartfelt, "Blessed Be God" in the midst of pain and adversity. Which, lets face it, might be what homeschooling feels like on this Monday morning in February. I'd be honored if you joined me in my love story with the Lord in today's episode: Blessed Be God: A Reflection on Loss and My Love Story with God's Holy Will. ******** Links mentioned in the episode: Are you taking a break from social media this Lent and want to stay in touch with me? Join my mailing list HERE. Not giving up social and want to connect with me on Facebook? Join the brand new Happy, Holy Mama Podcast Facebook Group HERE! Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE. Book a free Consult Call to disucss joining the Membership HERE!

If you were a teacher in a brick-and-mortar school or professor in college you would have designated time when you would prep your day, prepare the rest of your week, do research, grade papers, and receive students questions either via email or in person. However, as homescholers we have the added obstacles of toddlers and babies underfoot, laundry that needs to be changed over, meals that need to be made, and children delivered around town for various activities. So how do you get it all done? I'm sharing a couple of my favorite strategies for fitting the most important things into your day and have the added benefit of helping your children build skills of meeting deadlines and thinking about their own time in new ways...all because you start doing it first! Grab your earbuds and let's dive into today's podcast episode that might just change how you experience your day: Mom's Office Hours Ready to join the Happy, Holy Mama Membership right now and don't want to wait? Book a free Consult Call with me HERE to talk with me about what's holding you back from doing what you want to do during your day, what's keeping you from enjoying your homeschooling lifestyle, and how working together in the Membership is going to help you make those shifts right now for more connection and more productivity. Are you just finding me and want to do go deeper with my work before joining the program? Sign up here to take my hit free masterclass: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting and I'll send you the replay to watch instantly!

How often do you confess not making enough time for prayer? Or lose your cool around the state of your home? Not look up when your kids are talking to you or rush them through something so you can get back to what you'd prefer to be doing? In today's episode I'm going to share my own personal experience with each of these areas and how I found peace and healing through learning how to turn them into a Holy Hour. I'm going to share with you some deep mindset shifts to start making right now and reflection quesitons to help you begin immediately. Grab your earbuds and let's talk about how to Turn Cleaning into a Holy Hour! Want help navigating any obstacles you can forsee coming up as you want to implement this work and making it a permanent change? Book a free Consult Call with me here to talk about how to get started creating these significant and powerful changes in your own life.

How often do you feel embarassed by, ashamed, or resentful of by your past? Have you ever noticed how your behavior changes here and now when your thoughts turn to things that have happened in the past? Have you ever noticed the impact of being focused on the past is having on your life here and now? Especially in sneaky ways, like how it's hard to receive compliments or believe your husband when he says you're beautiful. That's what I'm diving into in today's podcast episode! How the past influences and impacts our current experiences and how, too often, it keeps you stuck. I'm going to give you some loving advice and coaching as someone who used to be STUCK in repeating past mistakes and I'm going to share what I've learned as I reflect on my 40th birthday. Of course you'll walk away with a few questions to ask yourself as you begin your own reflections and hopefully start making changes today to how you allow your past to influence your present. Grab your earbuds and let's dive into: How to Stop Getting Stuck in the Past Book a Consult Call HERE to talk with me about how coaching can help you let go of your own past and start living into the present moment more fully!

Ever wonder why you have a hard time letting something go? For example you have at thought like: I can't get anything done! And then suddenly you see half finished or not-started projects everywhere? Which, of course, leads to further hamster wheel thoughts like: I can't follow through. I can't do what I want to do. We're not where we should be. This is how you get stuck in a loop of negative thinking, finding proof everywhere you look of how things aren't how they should be. There is an actual biological reason for this! In today's episode I'm going to explain what's going on in your brain and how to get off the hamster wheel of negative, unintentional thoughts, and start thinking on purpose.

If you were a teacher in a brick-and-mortar school, then you would be required to take classes on a regular basis to continue your education, grow and build onto your skills, and learn the newest techniques and strategies to provide the best experience possible for your students and for yourself. And yet, there has never been such a continuing education program for homeschoolers, let alone Catholic homeschoolers. That's why I created the Happy, Holy Mama Membership. In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the six essential skills I have determined that every Catholic homeschooler needs to enjoy and thrive in this call from God to homeschool your kids. Because if you're answering this call from God to marriage, motherhood, and homeschooling, but not enjoying it, then I'm willing to bet it's because you're lacking in one, or more, of these essential skills. Even if we never work together, today's podcast will give you some insight on which skill areas God might be tapping you on the shoulder to work on with Him this year. If He's tapping you on the shoulder to do this work with Him through the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, then I would be honored to be your coach and have a small part in your journey with the Lord! You can get all the details for the membership HERE. Or you can join right now by clicking THIS LINK.

Are you using the past as evidence for what's possible in your future? Do you self-sabotage your New Year's resolution and quit in the first few weeks? Do you set goals or just take a bunch of actions that have a common theme? Then get frustrated when you don't produce different results? In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through the mindset that keeps you stuck and how to step into the mindset that will actually support the changes you want to create in your life! I'm going to show you why the actions, good as they may be, might not work out and how some small changes to your thought process can make those exact same actions more transformative and productive to your overall desires! NEW MASTERCLASS is THIS Friday! Register HERE for How to Get Your Homeschool Back on Track and I'll send you the replay after it's over. Check out the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership which will be open THIS FRIDAY, January 5-12, 2024 and get ready to join us! You can join the waitlist for Happy, Holy Mama here!

If you find yourself getting bogged down in the to-dos, attitudes of kids, and starting to feel disconnected to the true meaning of Christmas, then I'd like to invite you to take a small pause with me in the middle of this busy day to find rest and peace with Mary in the manger. In today's special Christmas episode of the Happy, Holy Mama podcast, I'm going to walk you through a short meditation with Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus to be filled up with hope, peace, and joy. Grab your earbuds and let's reconnect to the true reason for the season.

Does it feel like there's a tension inside of you between being self-sacrificing, 'offering up' your suffering and self-care? Like maybe those two things don't mesh and, because it's so confusing, then you might be hesitant to do either one? At least, not well. Let alone joyfully. That's what I'm talking about in today's podcast episode. I'm sharing with you some beautiful insights that were the fruit of regular conversations happening inside the Happy, Holy Mama Membership this past month as some of us prepared for a consecration to Jesus through Mary on December 8th. Insights like what it means to truly become a 'handmaid of the Lord' through our motherhood and how to become so close to Jesus in our children. And how the deep self-care we do inside the membership and how doing that deep work is what makes being self-sacrificial so much more doable and even joyful. Grab your earbuds and something cozy and listen to this powerful Advent episode: Joyful Self-Sacrifice. Join the waitlist HERE for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership, which opens for enrollment on January 5-12, 2024! Register HERE for the free masterclass on January 5, 2024 : How to Get Your Homeschool Back on Track Get all the details for Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE.

Because I have met SO many women on Consult Calls who tell me on that they worked right up to Christmas and then went back to school immediately after the New Year, I feel that what happened in our kitchen this week was worth sharing in hopes of helping you prevent that for yourself this year, if it's not what you truly want to be doing. ​​​​​​​ In today's podcast episode I'm going to share a conversation I had with my husband about the discomfort he was feeling about where we are at in our homeschool here in December. I'm also going to share what followed: a simple process WITH our high schoolers, to find out exactly where we ARE and where we are NOT. Which led us to make clear, confident decisions about how to finish this semester intentionally despite a LOT of life things that happened! I'm going to walk you through the simple evaluation we use in our own home to gather this data for your family. And I'll leave you with some gentle reminders to help you give yourself permission to stop. To slow down. To enjoy each other. ​​​​​​​ Build trust with yourself and with them that you'll allow yourselves to rest and connect, without making everyone pay for it by "buckling down" when you start back up, or "do some school during the summer." Grab your earbuds and let's get real today, friends. Get all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE Join the waitlist for Happy, Holy Mama HERE!

While we all intellectually know that our Christmas won't be perfect, somewhere inside most of us are still striving for a version of perfect. We want a plan. We want it organized and done ahead of time. We want to know where we're going and what's going to happen. We want to plan for all contingencies so no one is disappointed and we can all go home happy. This is as far from the first Christmas as it gets, and yet the first Christmas was truly the only perfect one in human history. Join me for today's podcast episode where I talk about how perfectionism is manifesting in your Advent as well as your homeschooling. I'm going to give you four suggestions to do right now to be more intentional this Advent and then how to apply them to your homeschooling as well, so that you can finish both seasons the way you truly want to. Join the waitlist for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE. Click here to register for the free masterclass on January 5th: How to Your Homeschool Get Back on Track.

One of the reasons you feel overwhelmed and bogged down with a million decisions each day is because you're not giving your brain enough space to think outside of those times (those times exist, I promise), in order to creatively problem solve in the moment. And because this happens over and over, then you may have begun believing that you don't know what to do, because it feels like you're constantly putting out fires. It may feel like you've lost all ability to solve problems in a calm, meaningful way. And it may even feel like you can't hear God telling you want He wants you to do. In today's podcast episode, I'm diving into why this happens and the steps you can take to step back and listen to the Lord clearly. I'm giving you specific questions to ask yourself ahead of time to prepare as well as what to consider in the middle of a challenging moment. Doing this is what helps you build trust with yourself and your with your kids and allows you to live in and from peace more than overwhelm! Grab your earbuds and something warm to snuggle up with and let's dive into how to become a creative problem solver. Join the waitlist for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE! Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!

It's Thanksgiving week here in the US and this can feel like the beginning of a needlessly busy season. It's so hard to feel grateful, peaceful, satisfied, and accomplished when there is so much to do and in the back of your mind you're worrying about what your mother-in-law might say about your home, children's behavior, or offers her unsolicited opinions about homeschooling. If Thanksgiving, or the holidays in general, have been historically painful for you and you're kind of dreading what's about to happen this week, then today's podcast is just for you. I dive into what's going on in your brain that takes you out of gratitude and give you a simple Thought Exercises to get into a better mindset this week as well as a way to think about organizing your schedule this week. We're all busy right now, but it doesn't have to be painful. So grab your earbuds and something warm to snuggle up with for this short and sweet episode to help set you up to end this week with true gratitude, regardless of what happens. Join the Waitlist for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership Here! Get the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership here!

Are you one of the MANY mamas struggling with feeling tired all day, going for that afternoon cup of coffee to keep going, and mamas struggling with secondary infertility? If so, today's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast is just for you. Deeply Faithful Catholic, homeschooling mama, and Functional Medicine practitioner Rita Johnson and I had a fantastic conversation about living out our Catholic homeschooling lifestyle while dealing with the real struggles that our bodies present. She talks about her own struggles with infertility, guilt over having children but the desire for more, and her own path to healing her mind, body, and soul, which is now the work that the Lord has called her to do with other women. This is not an episode you're going to want to miss! Grab your earbuds and let's dive in to this powerful episode: Infertility and Healing Your Body with Rita Johnson. Connect with Rita at Natural Fertility care.org And her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@divinemercynutritionalcare

Communication not your strong suit? Do you get frozen and tongue-tied when your kids ask you a million questions? People please and say Yes to everything, even when you'd prefer not to, because you don't think you know what to do? If this, today's podcast is going to give you the #1 thing to STOP doing right now to improve your communication not only with your children on a homeschool day, but also with how you speak to yourself, how you speak to God, your husband, your in-laws, and improve your relationships in general. I'm also going to give you some excellent questions to ask yourself and others to gather more information and make better decisions about what you want, so you can communicate more clearly. Ready to start communicating better? Grab your earbuds and listen in to today's short and sweet podcast episode: Stop Doing THIS for Better Communication! Links mentioned in today's episode: The Replay is available for my free masterclass: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting - watch HERE! Get all the details for the Happy, Holy Mama Membership HERE - it opens for enrollment in January! Want special offers for the Membership, even before it opens? Join the Waitlist HERE to have access to those special offers. Want to get started with my life coaching work BEFORE January? Book a Consult Call HERE and let's talk about the best path forward for you to have support and encouragement THROUGH the holidays this year!

Even if you don't consider yourself a 'fearful' person, there might be ways that fear is sneaking into your life and you're just not aware of it's presence or effect it's having in your heart and home. In today's podcast episode, I'm going to share where fear actually comes from - and it's not political parties, Halloween, homecoming dresses, the pope, or your children. I'm also going to share some ways that fear might be showing up as anger, frustration, irritation, or anxiety about the world around you, about your kids, your home, and your homeschooling. We're going to talk about what fear and anger make you want to do and how you can know what emotions you're operating from on a daily basis, especially if they are emotions you don't don't want running the show. With this awareness I'm then going to give you a few exercises to go through you so can take back control, start managing your mind around fear, and start showing up with more love, peace, and self-control. Grab your earbuds and let's dive in! Get the Replay of the free masterclass: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting!

Washing dishes through hidden, bitter tears is not how you want to end the day. However, since it's the only moment you get to yourself you take your time, even though it's past your bedtime. Bedtime is such a fluid phrase for you, it doesn't actually mean the same thing day to day, even though you'd prefer it to. But that would take mountains (of laundry) getting up and putting themselves away. It would take high school papers being turned in on time so you can correct them before 10pm. It would take you being more consistent in what you ask of them and you're just too tired to fight their negative attitudes, especially after battling to wake them up to even start the day at a decent hour. Every. Single. Day. Instead of beating yourself up for how it's been going, how you didn't do it 'better' in the past (which is why, you tell yourself, they are the way they are right now), and drowning in a sinkful of suds and discouraged tears because it's all on you, I would like to invite you to listen to today's podcast episode: How to Stop Doing Everything for Your Teens. Because today I'm going to lay down some truth about what you're currently doing and why you do what you do. I'm going to give you a glimpse into where that leads if it continues. I'm also going to give you some practical things to do, including actual phrases you can use, if they feel good to you to try, with your teens to stop doing everything for your teens (and kids of all ages really) and start becoming the adult you hope they can become someday. Register HERE for my brand new LIVE Masterclass (and have access to the replay as well) happening THIS Friday, October 27th at 10:00am PST/1:00pm ET: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting.

If we could just get our work done, THEN we could take a break. THEN we could get something done. THEN I can breathe and maybe even enjoy my kids. But you don't get your work done. You don't breathe and you're not enjoying your kids or your relationships as much as you'd like. If your current line of thinking, which sounds a lot like this before that, isn't working for you, then today's episode is going to invite you into a different way of thinking about what needs to come first. Spoiler: it's the relationships before the tasks. I'm also going to give you some good questions to ask yourself, and even ask your kids if you're feeling brave, to faciliate a conversation about how you want to do things differently as a family to make things more connective, more enjoyable, and maybe even a little fun. I'm also going to give you a few ways to think about the upcoming holidays in a similar fashion, so you can think ahead, make a great plan, and build in time for rest, connection, and fun this year! Watch Now: Intro to Loving Your Homeschool Life, my FREE pre-recorded Masterclass! Subscribe to Fiat Life Coaching email list HERE to hear about all the upcoming events like new masterclasses and when the Happy, Holy Mama Membership will be opening again!