Shameless Leadership

It’s easy to conflate being new at something with being BAD at something. The first time I went skiing I was not good at it. So, I deemed myself a bad skier. When I had to speak in front of the class in high school, I would shake uncontrollably and black out. I wouldn’t remember anything I said as I walked back to my seat in a full sweat. So, I deemed myself a bad public speaker. Perhaps your child is like this too. Tries soccer once. Doesn’t score a goal. Retires from soccer. Cause - “I’m so bad at soccer, Mom!” If you look back over the course of your life, I bet you could see patterns where you tried new things and were pretty darn bad at them. How often did you give yourself the grace to note, “Here I am learning something new. Look at me learning!” I was at an event recently where someone announced she was an awful public speaker, yet every time she spoke the most beautiful, thoughtful, perfect melody of words came out of her mouth. Sometimes when something is new to us, we immediately assume we are bad at it. Sometimes when something is uncomfortable or scary, we immediately assume we are bad at it. Sometimes when something brings up a lot of sensation (shaking, sweating, nausea, blacking out!) we immediately assume we are bad at it. But, what if learning, discomfort, and sensation are the direct path to becoming great at something??? In this episode, I offer you 4 invitations to carry with you for those moments when you’re about to try something new, or you’re feeling terrified of doing something that makes you feel ridiculously uncomfortable, or you find yourself standing in a pool of your own sweat as you blackout while beautiful words come pouring out of your mouth. Link mentioned: Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ophira Eisenberg is a standup comedian, writer, and the host of the new comedy podcast Parenting Is A Joke with iHeart Radio and Pretty Good Friends. She also hosted NPR’s Ask Me Another, where she interviewed hundreds of celebrities including Sir Patrick Harris, Rosie Perez, Yo-Yo Ma, Awkwafina, Roxanne Gay, Nick Kroll, Chelsea Handle, and more. She’s appeared multiple times on CBS’s The Late Late Show, Comedy Central, HBO, The New York Festival and is a regular host and teller on The Moth Radio Hour. Her stories are included in three of The Moth’s best-selling collections, including the most recent: How To Tell A Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth. Her memoir, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy was optioned for a television series, and her new comedy special, Plant- Based Jokes is streaming on YouTube. Her solo show, Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars, recently made its Off-Broadway review to rave reviews and won the Women in the Arts & Media Award for Solo Show Scripts. Ophira came back to the SMA for a second time because I adore her, and so she and I could talk very irreverently about motherhood - again. This time we also discussed what it means to be an “aging” woman or mother in your industry - the good, the bad, the ugly. Listen in to hear Ophira share: Her journey as a stand-up comedian working evenings in NYC who was also a mom and having no other moms around her living that lifestyle What inspired her podcast, Parenting is a Joke What it's like to be working in comedy as a mom in her 50’s vs her 20’s & 30’s The contrast of what is universally experienced for men, vs women comics How she prepares herself to be confident on stage - even if she feels like she’s faking The tenacity and resilience she has navigated having been in comedy for decades in an industry that requires constant reinvention Links mentioned: Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat Connect with Ophira: https://www.ophiraeisenberg.com/ Ophira’s Podcast: Parenting is a Joke Ophira on IG/Twitter/FB/TikTok: @ophirae We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I know what it’s like to just not. Just not try the new sport. Just not sign up for the art class. Just not join the group of people whom I assume are smarter than me. Just not take that professional leap. Just not attend the event with people who seem to have it all figured out. Just not chase a dream. Just not admit I really want something. Just not believe I’m worth it. I’m curious if you ever get a case of the Just Nots? Perhaps this happens to you when you think something miiiight be kinda cool, but then you decide it feels too risky, too scary, or too vulnerable. You start to make up a bunch of reasons that it’s just not the right time. Just not the right fit for you. Just not the next right step. And you end up Just Not doing the damn thing. And then, you find yourself sad, mad, disappointed, full of regret, maybe feeling some shame, and likely making promises about how next time you Just Will. In this episode I talk through what the Just Nots look like and how they can impact your life. Then, we dig into the Just Wills - the fun stuff - where all sorts of magic happens. It’s ok if you’re typically a Just Not kinda person. But, I think (hope) this episode nudges you to be a little bit more of a Just Will person. Link mentioned: Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ariel DeNey Rainey is a Global Creative Strategist and Urban Family Advocate whose work is inspired by her drive to galvanize moms and professionals to fight for change. She is also the mastermind behind the Hustle Mommies nonprofit organization and movement where she has connected hundreds of mothers to careers, personal development, celebrity engagement, grants and scholarships, and a plethora of other resources. Under Ariel’s leadership, the Hustle Mommies organization has multiple prestigious awards and accolades, most notably from President Barack Obama and The Obama Foundation. Since the 2020 pandemic, the Hustle Mommies helped to bury 16 kids who have been affected by inner-city gun violence. This led to the creation of the PAINT THE HOOD ORANGE initiative, a campaign to support efforts to end hood trauma within Black, urban neighborhoods, as well as the TASK FORCE AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE, which is now advocating for policy change surrounding gun violence. Hustle Mommies is currently planning the first ever Million Black Mom March taking place in May 2024 where their current campaign is BLACK MATERNAL NEEDS MATTER - and all Shameless Moms are invited! Listen in to hear Ariel share: How being a teen mom of 2 inspired the work she does today with her non-profit, Hustle Mommies How government policy has destroyed safety across Black communities The current state of Black motherhood in America Why Hustle Mommies created the Urban Mom Collective National Coalition for Black Moms and how they are committed to policy change and how this is so critical in the wake of extremely harmful groups like Moms For Liberty Her mission around PAINT THE HOOD ORANGE and TASK FORCE AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE How white women can show up in advocacy and activism with humility and graciousness to listen and learn BEFORE speaking and offering support How she recently ended up at the White House to share her work with Hustle Mommies The Hustle Mommies Million Black Mom March in Washington DC in May 2024 Links mentioned: Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat Connect with Hustle Mommies: www.hustlemommies.org IG: @arieldeney @thehustlemommies Twitter/X: @ushustlemommies We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we are digging into the truth about resilience. Resilience has been branded as something that an individual should strive to have when facing adverse conditions. Resilience has been explained as something one can grow over time - which is true. We do become more resilient as we face more hardships. But, when we think of resilience in this way, we can quickly see how resilience is then required much more of certain people. In fact, we see that the most resilience is required of the people with the fewest resources. This feels backward, doesn’t it? Perhaps we need to look at the roots of the systems that set some folks up to require a lifetime of resilience to merely survive. When we look at resilience through this lens, we see… The system tells you, “Practice resiliency!” when the system was not built with any tools or resources to support your resiliency. The system tells you resiliency is your job alone when the system is beating down and failing large marginalized groups on a mass scale. The system tells you resiliency is about the last few years, all you’ve been through, and how well you’ve adapted. When in truth the system has been beating down women, mothers, POC, and marginalized communities for centuries. The system tells you resiliency is a problem solved through self-care when self-care won’t make any difference if you have to jump right back into the structures that harm you after your bubble bath. The system tells you, “Look at you! You’re strong! You’re adaptable! You’re the model of resilience!” without acknowledging that it has no plans to evolve or change to make your life easier. Instead, you will have to be your strongest, most adaptable, most resilient self #everydamnday until you die. When we take on our own resiliency as a personal project, the system keeps winning. The system is upheld. The system functions exactly as it was intended to. This episode explores how you can take care of yourself as you try to fit a tiny bandaid (your resiliency habits) on a large wound (the system in which, perhaps, you were never expected to fully succeed.) Links mentioned: Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat Book: Joy is My Justice by Tanmeet Sethi Book: Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski Book: Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Hoyt is certified in Traumatic Stress Studies and is the founder of Mending Trauma, a digital mental health company that specializes in trauma recovery. As a former professor, Dr. Hoyt led research teams in Africa looking at mass trauma, agency, and forgiveness. She transitioned into the online mental health space during the pandemic in order to help fill the growing mental health need. Dr. Hoyt is obsessed with teaching others to reprogram their brains and heal their nervous systems so they can break generational cycles and live with more joy. She is a mom of 5 kids, 3 of whom are differently abled. She lives with her husband and children in the Ozark mountains. I appreciated this conversation with Amy beyond measure. As weird as it sounds, I love talking about trauma, especially with a seasoned expert. I had so many lightbulb moments with Amy, as I realized some of my own symptoms of trauma. Whether you have endured small or large-scale traumas in your life, it’s likely you will see yourself in parts of this conversation - allowing you to connect some dots that may lead to some healing. Listen in to hear Amy share: What trauma is by definition: The symptoms of trauma The symptoms of trauma that are more prevalent in moms The difference between hypervigilance and hyperarousal The difference between trauma and toxic stress The power of being benevolently curious The two ways trauma is passed down to our children: genetically and through our own behavioral interactions with them How to use micro steps to start processing your trauma in gentle ways The importance of processing the collective trauma of COVID and its impact on our daily lives, our work, and motherhood Links mentioned: Join My September Retreat for Women Leaders at Work: Influence & Ignite: Be the Boss Your People Have Been Waiting For: shamelessmom.com/leaders Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat Connect with Amy and her Team: www.mendingtrauma.com Take the Trauma Quiz to find out your trauma response: www.mendingtrauma.com/quiz Amy’s Podcast: The Mending Trauma Podcast Amy on IG Amy on FB Mending Trauma on FB Amy on LinkedIn We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 years ago, my husband and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary in New Orleans. It was a ton of fun. It was near the end of that trip that we started talking about, “What will we do for 15 years??” Of course, 15 years felt like decades away at the time. And it kind of was. While 5 years is 5 years no matter how you measure it, the way the world has changed over the last 5 years feels like a lifetime of change at breakneck speed. 5 years ago, we talked about how it would be so fun to celebrate our 15-year anniversary in Napa, with dinner at the French Laundry (a super fancy restaurant we had heard about through our restaurant industry friends.) This plan seems silly now. Spending that kind of money on a meal when my husband has been unemployed for months. And, even before his layoff, our priorities have shifted and evolved as the world has shifted and evolved. With so many unknowns, we had decided we would just go out to dinner at a modest local restaurant. And, it was perfect! It was exactly what we needed on that day. We didn’t need the thing we thought we wanted 5 years ago. While we once had these lavish expectations for this occasion, our reality called for something else. And that something else was exactly what we needed. That doesn’t mean that the lavish expectation isn’t still sitting with me. It is. But I have trained myself to let go of expectations because reality has shown up to laugh in my face so many times over the last few years. I know I’m not alone in this. I know most (all?) of you have also experienced this! So, as we navigate this world of managing our expectations vs. our realities, how do we sit with outcomes? In this episode, I share 6 outcomes I’ve experienced from sitting in reality when my expectations have been stolen, shifted, or flipped upside down. Links mentioned: Join My September Retreat for Women Leaders at Work: Influence & Ignite: Be the Boss Your People Have Been Waiting For: shamelessmom.com/leaders Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather Salazar is the President and CEO of Pink Ribbon Good. As a breast cancer survivor, Heather knows firsthand what many women and men really need during their cancer battle: support. Through her work with Pink Ribbon Good, Heather makes sure individuals fighting breast and gynecological cancers are supported with healthy meals, rides to treatment, housecleaning kits, and peer support and education– all at no cost to the patient, and all because no one travels this road alone. Heather graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from Wright State University in Communication and Social Work. Heather and her family have been featured in People magazine, on The Today Show, and the Tamron Hall Show. Heather and I decided to release this episode at this time because September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is likely that every single person who listens to this episode has had their life touched in some way by these kinds of cancers. If you haven’t yet, you will. Listen in to hear Heather share: How she grew her family by adopting a baby whose mom, Alexis, had stage 4 cancer The loss of Alexis and then Heather’s own breast cancer diagnosis shortly after Alexis’s death How she started Pink Ribbon Good - as someone who hates pink ribbons How she was able to charge forward and make assumptions that she would be successful in her mission even when she had self-doubt How she is supporting food-insecure and transportation-insecure people who are in breast and gynecological cancer treatment The sage advice of her investor, Pat, who gave her 45K and told her to go find doers, donors, door openers Links mentioned: Join My September Retreat for Women Leaders at Work: Influence & Ignite: Be the Boss Your People Have Been Waiting For: shamelessmom.com/leaders Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat Connect with Heather and Pink Ribbon Good: Pinkribbongood.org Pink Ribbon Good on Twitter Pink Ribbon Good on IG Heather on IG We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are naturally programmed to find the shortest route from Point A to Point B. We want to be fast and efficient. We don’t want to waste time with unnecessary detours. We want to check the box that signals DONE. Mission accomplished. Task completed. However, if you look back at anything you’ve done in life that took a little extra time or required a detour (that might have been very frustrating at the moment), you can likely see some sort of gift or a little bit of magic that you wouldn’t have been able to receive if you swiftly moved from Point A to Point B without interruption, distraction or detour. It is the detours and the squiggly, indirect routes from Point A to Point B that create space for unique opportunities to build relationships, learn some of life’s best lessons, charter new territory, practice a new skill, fumble and fail your way forward, grow in ways you didn’t know you needed to grow, find little bits of magic you didn’t know you were looking for. In this episode, I talk through why the squiggly, indirect route is often the best route - even if you’re the kind of person (like me!) who doesn’t like to waste a single moment on something that appears to be unnecessary at the onset. Links mentioned: Join My September Retreat for Women Leaders at Work: Influence & Ignite: Be the Boss Your People Have Been Waiting For: shamelessmom.com/leaders Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Susie Pettit has been helping women live the lives they love for over 20 years. She is the podcast host of the Love Your Life Show, offers the super successful Parenting Teens Survival Course, and runs a monthly membership for Midlife Warriors. She is a certified Parent, Life + Wellness Coach, and a mom of 5 sons ages 18-25. Susie helps women live lives that feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside. She spent more than half her life living a life she did not love; as a people pleaser and codependent perfectionist in constant pursuit of a ‘Martyr of the Year’ award. She has the breadth of experience to teach firsthand about setting healthy boundaries, beating your inner critic, conscious parenting, and how to use mindfulness-based tools to beat overwhelm and anxiety. Listen in to hear Susie share: The benefits of parenting with faith in the universe over fear What codependent parenting looks like Steps to raise more confident, less anxious kids The importance of parenting your tweens/teens/young adults differently than you parented your 0-9 year olds - moving from the role of “manager” to “consultant” Your 3 most important jobs as a parent: Some assumptions parents make that lead to unnecessary conflict or drama in the house Her 5 Pillars of Parenting Teens Links mentioned: Join My September Retreat for Women Leaders at Work: Influence & Ignite: Be the Boss Your People Have Been Waiting For: shamelessmom.com/leaders Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat Susie’s special tips for Shameless Moms: https://smbwell.com/sara Link to Co dependency quiz: smbwell.com/coda Connect with Susie: smbwell.com Susie on IG Susie on FB Get Susie’s newsletter: smbwell.com/subscribe Susie’s Parenting Teens Program: smbwell.com/parenting Susie’s Life Coaching Program: smbwell.com/lifeschool We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before you jump to conclusions about the title of this episode, rest assured that I am not suggesting we take away back-to-school and live in eternal summer. Quite the opposite. Get those kids in school. Keep them there. For a very long time. No more summers, 3-day weekends, mid-winter breaks. None of it. All school, all the time. Ha! Can you tell I’m thrilled that it’s finally back-to-school season?! In this episode, I’m inviting you to Take Back Back-to-School by taking back this season to center yourself. You very likely just spent the last 3 or so months centering your kids, your family, and perhaps your extended family in one million ways. NOW?? This is your time. September is pretty much New Years for moms. Happy New Year! We made it!! Now that you made it, what will you do with this time, this season, these last 4 months of 2023? I’m going to invite you to take this time for you. Make it about your needs. Center yourself. In this episode, I’ll share 3 ways you can get started. Happy September, Mamas! Happy New Years! WE MADE IT! Links mentioned: Join My September Retreat for Women Leaders at Work: Influence & Ignite: Be the Boss Your People Have Been Waiting For: shamelessmom.com/leaders Join my October Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs: Influence & Ignite: Be the CEO and Thought Leader You Were Born to Be: shamelessmom.com/bizretreat We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Angela E. Matthews is an Investor, Investment Coach, and the founder of the Happy Investor Method™, where her goal is to make investing accessible and fun for all. As an experienced investor and investment trainer, she has conducted workshops, seminars, and one-on-one coaching with thousands of individuals and businesses from all walks of life. A first-generation investor, she was making $40,000 a year and had six figures in debt when she taught herself how to generate multiple 6 figures passively in the stock market, and has since helped others make thousands of dollars doing the same. I absolutely loved this conversation. Ange took something that I find so daunting and unapproachable - the stock market - and made it simple, fun, and accessible! If you’re at all curious about making your money make more money for you in low-stakes ways (like $50, not $10,000!), you will love Ange and this conversation. Listen in to hear Ange share: How she self-funded her 8-month maternity leave The power of making money make money for you The mistakes she made early on in investing and how you can avoid the same mistakes Specific steps to take to start investing in low-stakes ways in order to grow your learning curve and confidence Why she works as a passive investor and how she differs from a day trader How to choose companies to invest in What apps to use for buying stocks The deep significance of building generational wealth for her and her children Links mentioned: https://happyinvestormethod.com/ Ange on Facebook Ange on Twitter Ange on Instagram Ange on LinkedIn We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

800!! UNREAL. I always joke that I am nothing if not consistent. Over the last 7.5 years, we have put out a new SMA every single Monday and Wednesday. And now we are up to 800! WOW. For funsies, I want to take you a bit behind the scenes for this episode. So, I’m answering some of the most common questions I get about hosting the show. I hope you enjoy this peek behind the curtain (and the little bit of tea that I spill.) In this episode, I answer these questions: Do you ever run out of episode ideas or things to talk about? Do you have a favorite interview? Do you have a least favorite interview? Have you ever not aired an interview? What have been the biggest surprises over the course of 800 episodes? What life lessons have you learned after creating so many episodes? How has the podcast opened doors to new opportunities? Also… THANK YOU. Whether you’ve tuned in to all 800 episodes of the show or you’re a newer listener, it is a HUGE honor to be in your ear. I do not take it lightly. Thank you for inviting me in. I truly love spending time with you each week. I see you and I appreciate you. Xoxo, Sara We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly Winkler and Kristi Fischer are both moms, former classroom teachers, yoga teachers, kids, yoga teachers, and trainers for Kidding Around Yoga. Both have had extensive experience working with children in various capacities and now are very passionate about sharing what they have learned with families and educators. In their podcast, Mindful Conversations with KAY, Kristi and Kelly share research-based tools and strategies to help increase mindfulness, self-awareness, connection, self-regulation, and peace in the home and classroom. In these fun and insightful conversations, they take a deep dive into all things kids yoga and mindfulness. Listen in to hear Kelly and Kristi share: How their experience as Shameless Moms (raising 6 kids between the 2 of them) led to their interest in and need for mindfulness practices How Kelly’s teen daughter’s OCD led her to a meditation practice and inspired Kelly’s work with kids and mindfulness Specific mindfulness techniques that can be used across different development stages How to cue your kids into their body sensations before they get to a point of emotional dysregulation The significance of modeling mindfulness to your kids How educators can integrate mindfulness into their curriculum Links mentioned: Podcast: Mindful Conversations with KAY Connect with Kristi and Kelly and Kidding Around Yoga Resources: www.kiddingaroundyoga.com KAY on IG KAY on FB We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a lighter episode that I’m hoping will give you a few laughs you didn’t even know you needed. I have so many “Nobody warned me!” moments in motherhood. On top of that, as a direct result of motherhood, I have these entirely new personality attributes that I never saw coming. Some of them are great. Some are downright alarming. I’m here for them all. In this episode, I share 8 weird things that happen to you in motherhood (that no one warns you about). I think some, if not all, of these will make you laugh. I hope you see yourself, laugh at yourself, and laugh right alongside me. And then, please join me on Instagram (@shamelessmomacademy) to share the weird things that have happened to you in motherhood that no one ever warned you about! We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A few years ago, I was listening to a podcast interview with Brene Brown and Jim Collins and she shared this quote from Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great, “Uncertainty is chronic. Instability is permanent. Disruption is common.” Hearing this made me so mad that I immediately stopped listening. I later returned to the interview because I knew this was a lesson I needed to learn. A lesson around embracing change - and especially about embracing change as a constant. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Embrace Change in order to manage your mindset in a world that seems to be evolving much faster than we can keep up with! ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Enjoy this shorty episode. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nadia Ahrens is a psychotherapist and spiritual life coach. A graduate of Columbia University, she's been helping women heal for over twenty years. Nadia believes that we all struggle and have trauma and tragedy to grow from, herself included. She shares her experience of losing her eight-year-old son in 2016, so she can be a beacon for others. Along with working 1:1 with her clients, she also leads workshops, online groups, and retreats. Nadia is also a hypnotherapist and uses this creative and spiritual modality in her work. Using a blend of clinical expertise and hypnotherapy, she helps women turn their wounds into wisdom. I have worked with Nadia personally and referred others to her as well. Her work is so transformational. I am so excited to share her magic with you all. Listen in to hear Nadia share: How to be intentional about how to give the best of us, not the rest of us How she managed the grief of losing her son Jack when he was 8 years old How she shifted from waiting to die to choosing to live after Jack’s death Why she made herself sit in the black hole of grief before she started making her way out How to check in on a grieving friend in a thoughtful and intentional way The concept of soul work especially as you navigate hard moments or season The importance of holding space for “this is happening for me” vs “this is happening to me” What hypnotherapy is and what it is not - the myths and the truth around this powerful form of trauma healing Links Mentioned: Connect with Nadia: nadiaahrenscoaching.com Get details on Nadia’s Fall Retreat: email [email protected] Nadia on FB Nadia on IG FB Group We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WHO YOU ARE ANYWHERE IS WHO YOU ARE EVERYWHERE. Who are you when you don’t have anything to gain? Who are you when no one is watching? Who are you when someone who has less than you needs something you have? Who are you when you see someone struggling? Who are you when there is an opportunity to share your time and resources? Who are you when there is an opportunity to perform a random act of kindness for a stranger? Last week, I was out on a bike ride and got a flat tire 5 miles away from home. I got off my bike to fix my flat and realized I had the wrong pump and without a valve adapter, there was no way I could re-inflate my tire. I did not have a valve adapter. I sat there in the rain for about 20 minutes - sitting in the wet dirt on the side of the trail, with my bike disassembled. The number of cyclists who rode passed me: at least 30. The number of people who acknowledged a woman sitting in the rain on the side of a trail with a broken down bike: 0 When no one stopped for me after 15 minutes or so, I started trying to flag people down. I called out to folks as they approached me, “Excuse me, do you have a….” And my voice would trail off as they whizzed by me without any sort of acknowledgment. If you’re the person who whizzes by the woman in the rain with the broken down bike, I’m going to assume you are also the person who walks by the person experiencing homelessness and acts like they are invisible. I’m going to assume you are the person who speaks in meetings without asking those who look or think differently than you for their ideas and opinions. I’m going to assume are not teaching your children how to treat people who are different than you with kindness and compassion because you are not demonstrating that yourself (unless perhaps it benefits you.) In this episode, I share how I finally got help, as well as how to check yourself in terms of how you show up for others. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Using your voice can be downright scary. But it can also be the most powerful tool you have. When you use your voice you expand and extend your edges. You move that line where your comfort zone ends and your discomfort begins and your comfort and capacity around using your voice grows tremendously. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Use Your Voice in order to stand up for yourself, the people you love, and the ideas you want to share with the world. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Enjoy this shorty episode. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Content Warning: this episode talks about murder and the prison system. Sabrina Justison is a curriculum developer, speaker, and writer, wife to Fred, and mom or step-mom to 7 grown kids, plus grandmother to 6. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit, PrisonCare. One of those grown kids is "J," who is mentally ill and in prison, serving a very long sentence for murder. Sabrina is an advocate for people like J who are incarcerated, in particular those living with mental illness. The need for sweeping prison reform is undeniable for sure, but in the meantime, while we wait for legislation and funding, no matter WHAT our politics are, we can offer tangible support to the people inside the fence, simply because they are in need, and they matter. In particular, the mental health needs of prison residents AND corrections staff are overwhelming. For example: on average, three Corrections Officers die by suicide every day in the US. Incarcerated individuals are more than twice as likely to be significantly mentally ill than those outside of prisons. Through PrisonCare, Sabrina is committed to humazing people who are incarcerated and supporting the mental health of our incarcerated community members and Corrections Officers. Listen in to hear Sabrina share: What it has been like to be the mother of a child who is serving a very long prison sentence for murder How she took her background in psychology and the arts to found her non profit, PrisonCare How she started to pick up the pieces and move forward after her son was incarcerated The critical lack of mental health support in prisons and jails How we, as a society, have completely dehumanized prisoners and created a system that is harmful to prisoners and all of society The surprising parallels and similarities between the lives of the prisoners and Corrections Officers in the prison system What PrisonCare does and how to adopt a prison Links mentioned: Learn about Prison Care: prisoncare.org Connect with Sabrina: sabrinajustison.com The Prison Care Podcast: theprisoncarepodcast.buzzsprout.com Sabrina on Facebook Prison Care on FB Private PrisonCare FB Group Sabrina on Instagram PrisonCare on IG Sabrina on Twitter PrisonCare on Twitter Sabrina on LinkedIn PrisonCare on LinkedIn We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may know by now that I could preach all day about how women are programmed by the patriarchy to show up in this world in very specific ways that primarily (and almost exclusively) benefit white men. Please know when I say “patriarchy” I am referring to a system that is not only harmful to women but also undermines and completely stunts the emotional development of most men. This system benefits few, but the few who benefit have the most tremendous power - globally. Our patriarchal society has created tons of social constructs that lead us to unknowingly behave in ways that benefit some (men) while holding others back (including but not limited to: women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with neurodiversities, people with disabilities, and people with larger bodies) Over the years, I’ve talked about mom guilt as a social construct and imposter syndrome as a social construct. Both of these social constructs are part of a system that intentionally makes women and moms think and behave in specific ways that ultimately limit how they show up in the world. These limitations create more space for others (men) to have more opportunities to find success, build wealth, and amass power. I recently started doing some thinking on perfectionism as a social construct. Once I started thinking this through, I knew there had to be research to back up my hypotheses. So, I went and found it. In today’s episode, I’m going to talk about perfectionism as a social construct. We will dig into different forms of perfectionism, as well as how you can start to reject perfectionism in order to get out of your head and get on with your life. Buckle up. This is a good one! Links mentioned: NYU Article: Problematizing Perfectionism: A Closer Look at the Perfectionism Construct Harvard Business Review Article: Perfectionism Is Increasing, and That’s Not Good News We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There should be no shame in your quitting game. For years now, I have preached to my clients, “Be a quitter!” Rather than always adding more to your plate in an effort to overdo, overproduce, and over-prove yourself, how about releasing things from your plate as your needs, desires, values, and schedule change over time? This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Quit Something in order to make more space for the things that are most important and fulfilling to your right now. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Enjoy this shorty episode and know that I am in this with you…Always! We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jill Shroyer is the CEO & Founder of Expedition HR and a past member of my Tenacious Mama Business Mastermind. Jill has 20+ years working in HR, having held positions across four industries from HR Assistant to Executive Level roles. Jill is thrilled to be entering her 5th year as a business owner where she refers to herself as an Expert Sticky Situation Solver. Jill has shared her work with me over the years, especially as she wrote her best-selling book, Conquer Sticky Situations. While she uses her principles primarily in the corporate realm, her 5 step formula to conquering sticky situations is 100% relevant to other aspects of life - relationships, parenting, and navigating community groups. I asked her on the show because I know her approach will be relevant to aspects of your life as you navigate sticky situations and tough conversations! Listen in to hear Jill share: How she went from feeling “mediocre” in life to feeling confident in hard, sticky, and uncomfortable forms of leadership The power of changing your beliefs to challenge your narrative and change your outcomes Why we shy away from sticky conversations and how can we rewrite the narrative about our ability to sit in tough moments and conversations Her 5-step formula for dealing with tough conversations Her 3-prong approach to the 5-steps that are "where the magic happens" in sticky conversations How to use the 5-step framework to go after what you want - like asking for a raise! Links mentioned: Connect with Jill: Expeditionhr.com Get Jill’s Book: Conquer Sticky Situations Jill on LinkedIn Jill on Facebook We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re anything like me, tough times might send you into a tailspin of brewing, stewing, and rumination around all the things that are not working out for you. While it’s totally appropriate (and necessary!) to feel all the feels when the universe seems to be working against you, it’s dysfunctional, if not harmful, to allow yourself to sit in these feelings for too long. At some point, you have to take responsibility for how you want to manage your mindset. When you are looking to shift your mindset from brewing, stewing, and ruminating to something more functional (and enjoyable), there are a few ways that you can trick your brain to whip it back into shape and allow it to work with you rather than against you. In this episode, we will talk through these 5 different ways you can “rearrange your brain” in order to keep going and move forward even when hard moments end up lasting for entire seasons. When you give your brain the opportunity to let yourself escape, release urgency, create the correct proof, and come up with creative options, everything can start to shift for you. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is so easy to become confused, if not consumed, by what the outside world says is important versus what you need to focus on for yourself and those closest to you right in this moment based on your specific needs right in this moment. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Shut Down Overwhelm in order to discern what you really need to be focusing on right now. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Enjoy this shorty episode. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Taylor Elyse Morrison turned being bad at self-care—and being firmly convinced of every human’s potential—into a career. She’s the founder of the media company Inner Workout, and the author of a book by the same name. Recently named one of Fortune’s 10 Innovators Shaping the Future of Health, Taylor is tired of aspirational 'wellness as usual.' Instead, she builds businesses, content, and experiences that make well-being and personal development more accessible. You're just as likely to see Taylor facilitating a workshop at a Fortune 100 as you are to see her talking about TikTok and body image with a high school class. Wherever she goes, Taylor's sure to use her coaching, mindfulness, and movement training to meet people where they're at and offer actionable steps toward creating a world without burnout. As someone who also believes a lot of the self-care industry is just a big marketing scheme, I was very excited to talk to Taylor about her experience and expertise. This conversation did not disappoint. I think you’ll learn a lot from Taylor and take a different look at what “self-care” means to you! Listen in to hear Taylor share: The difference between self-care and self expertise The problem around accessibility in the self-care industry How to make choices by asking yourself, “Is it myself or is it the system that is the problem?” when you’re questioning yourself and your needs How to start grounding yourself and growing your roots in your self expertise The importance of knowing how your inner wisdom speaks specifically to you How to become a better communicator as you become a better self expert Links mentioned: Connect with Taylor: Innerworkout.co Take the Assessment: Innerworkout.co/take-care-profile Get Taylor’s book: Inner Workout Taylor’s Podcast: Inner Warmup Taylor on IG: @taylorelysemorrison and @innerworkout We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What will people say about you at your funeral? When you attend a funeral and hear all the lovely things people say about the person who has passed on, you may find yourself thinking, “What will people say about me when I am no longer here?” While you certainly should not live your life constantly worrying about what others are thinking and saying about you, it is worth considering the legacy you are building and whether or not you might want to be more intentional about your legacy. I was at a funeral recently and as multiple people spoke about the person who had passed, I noted how the same words and themes came up over and over again. It made me pause and think about the words and themes people might use to describe me and the life I have lived if something awful were to happen to me right now. In this episode, I talk through how to build a legacy in simple ways, starting now. This isn’t intended to upend your life so you can go be someone totally new. Rather, it’s intended to give you some guidelines and guardrails (some of which you’re likely already following) to keep living in a direction that you love while building something you feel great about. We will talk through 5 Legacy Leverages (ways you can leverage building your legacy right away) as well as 5 Legacy Leaches (the things that quickly take away, distract, or totally deter you from building a legacy you love. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This shorty podcast episode is created with one thing in mind - to give you just ONE thing to make today a better day. You’re busy enough. You don't need 37 more things to do today. Let this one shameless thing guide you through your day today. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Today I’m giving you One Shameless Thing to help you Renew Joy! My good friend Tanmeet Sethi accurately tell us that “joy is a birthright”. You do not need to earn joy. It is an essential life ingredient. I’m going to invite you to invite joy in today! Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrea Ippolito is the CEO and Founder of SimpliFed, a virtual baby-feeding support platform. She previously was a faculty member at Cornell University, a Presidential Innovation Fellow based out of the White House, and Co-founder of Smart Scheduling (acquired by Athenahealth). She is a Shameless Mom to a 5-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a brand new little one born last month. Her journey through motherhood inspired her mission to provide better feeding support to mothers with newborns and infants. You know baby feeding is a topic near and dear to my heart, as I struggled so desperately to feed Vinnie in his first 6 months of life. It had a tremendous impact on my mental health and on his physical health. I was so thrilled to meet Andrea and dig into this really important topic. Listen in to hear Andrea share: How her struggles around breastfeeding led her to found SimpliFed The ways in which our current baby feeding infrastructure is broken The perfect storm that created our formula shortage How SimpliFed is an inclusive baby feeding company, not just a breastfeeding company The truth about women-led companies: Women-led companies are more profitable, more innovative, and have more impactful missions and outcomes The significance of a mom-founded, mom-led company creating formula and support for moms What needs to be done to create systems that actually support women’s health Links mentioned: Get Simplified Resource: www.SimpliFed.com SimpliFed on IG Reach out to SimpliFed Text Support: 888-458-1364 We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This shorty podcast episode is created with one thing in mind - to give you just ONE thing to make today a better day. You’re busy enough. You don't need 37 more things to do today. Let this one shameless thing guide you through your day today. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Today I’m giving you One Shameless Thing to help you Own Your Power! You are more qualified and capable than you know. I want you to use that to your advantage #everydamnday. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This shorty podcast episode is created with one thing in mind - to give you just ONE thing to make today a better day. You’re busy enough. You don't need 37 more things to do today. Let this one shameless thing guide you through your day today. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Today I’m giving you One Shameless Thing to help you Honor Rest! It’s high time you allowed yourself to rest - without guilt. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Suzy Rosenstein, MA is a master certified life coach and host of the popular podcast for midlife women, Women in the Middle, with over 1 million downloads. Having wasted five years being stuck herself, she knows how frustrating and painful it can be. She uses her upbeat approach with the serious topic of aging to help you get clear about what you want, get unstuck and live your best life. Girlfriend, there’s more fun to be had! She offers a free guide, 10 Questions to Reimagine your Life After 50. Suzy and I were in a business coaching group together back in 2018. We recently had a “catch up call” to check in with one another. On that call Suzy shared a really incredible story with me and I immediately knew I wanted her to share it here on the pod. Luckily, she said YES! Her story goes to show that you just never know what surprises you can create in your life, no matter your age or stage, if you remain open to possibility. Listen in to hear Suzy share: What it was like to lose her lose her mom at age 5 and dad at age 12 Her “bracelet story” that was 70 years in the making that reconnected her to her mom The significance of kindness and how that impacts Suzy’s reconnection to her mom Her invitation to live a regret proof life and how to do that The significance of really intentionally pursuing happiness as you age Links mentioned: Connect with Suzy: https://suzyrosenstein.com/ Suzy’s Free Guide: Top 10 Questions to Reimagine Your Life after 50 Guide Suzy’s podcast: Women in the Middle: Loving Life After 50 Women in the Middle Ep 93: My Unique Midlife Perspective From Losing My Parents as a Kid Women in the Middle Ep 267: A Bracelet, Kindness & a 70-Year Journey: A Shocking Midlife Surprise Suzy on FB Suzy on IG Suzy on Twitter We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This shorty podcast episode is created with one thing in mind - to give you just ONE thing to make today a better day. You’re busy enough. You don't need 37 more things to do today. Let this one shameless thing guide you through your day today. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. Today I’m giving you One Shameless Thing to help you Find Fun! You deserve more fun in your life, right?! Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woohoooo! Thank you for tuning into these shorty Thursday episodes. I love to hear that you’re loving this content. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Walk Toward Your Fear. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cindy Muchnick, MA, is a graduate of Stanford University and has been working in education for the past 25+ years as a former Assistant Director of College Admission, high school teacher, educational consultant, and author of five other education-related books. Her essays have appeared in Zibby Magazine, Your Teen Magazine, College Confidential, Raising Teens Today, The Los Angeles Times, and The Mom Experience, among others. She is also an experienced and always-learning mother of three sons and a daughter, ages 25 (a teacher/graduate student), 21 (college), 18 (college) and 16 (high school junior). Cindy speaks professionally to parents, students, teachers, and business groups on topics such as study skills, the adolescent journey, college admission, and now the parent compass movement. Listen in to hear Cindy share: Why she decided to write a book about college and college admissions in the wake of the college admissions scandal of 2019 What a parent compass is and how to find & follow your true north as a parent The significance of truly seeing the child you have, not the child you want to inauthentically create When and how to help your kids be a self-advocate at school How to be open to all the options your kid might have after high school (4-year degree, gap year, pursuing a fine art or trade and community college, etc) Links mentioned: Buy Cindy’s Book: The Parent Compass: Navigating Your Teen’s Wellness and Academic Journey in Today’s Competitive World Connect with Cindy: cynthiamuchnick.com Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you have an anxious, jumpy brain like me, you might have a constant, urgent need to talk, share, contribute, make your point known, be seen, be a fixer, and get the right answer out before anyone else in the room… Do ya feel me?! However, what is gained by sharing (shoving?) our thoughts and ideas with others at breakneck speed can just as quickly be lost when we skip the opportunity to step back, get curious, really listen, and dig into engaging and enriching conversations. So, how do we do this - especially if it’s not how your brain was innately designed?! In this episode, we will talk about how you can become a more curious person and better relationship builder by: Identifying as a great question asker Listening actively without formulating your response Expanding conversations instead of managing or dominating them Suspending judgment and the need to immediately respond to or counter everyone who thinks differently than you Showing genuine interest in others and their thoughts & ideas Embracing silence As you integrate these curiosity practices, you will find yourself enjoying (winning!) Deeper, richer relationships More safe and trusting relationships Empathy toward those who might have different lived experiences than you The ability to see, understand, and embrace diverse viewpoints A departure from always needing to be right to always being open-minded We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woohoooo! Thank you for tuning into these shorty Thursday episodes. I love to hear that you’re loving this content. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Take Imperfect Action. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shirin Etessam is an entrepreneur, seasoned media executive, and transformational speaker. She has produced films, original television series, and specials, created several companies, and led campaigns for some of the world’s most recognized companies (ABC, CBS, Discovery, BBC, Facebook, Apple, Intel, Virgin, and many more). A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Shirin founded OML TV, a popular platform dedicated to streaming and curating quality, queer female, video content, and OML Originals, a female-led production company telling diverse female stories through a vast spectrum of film and television genres. Today, Shirin guides seekers in her six-week program, Free to Be, to disconnect their human “being” from their human “doing” to find true and lasting fulfillment. She lives in Marin County, California, with her wife and two children. Listen in to hear Shirin share: What soul work is and why it’s so important in this day and age How soul work is different than spirituality and different than “woo-woo” practices Her 6-year “Magical Mystery Tour” of having to reconnect with her soul when she lost her partner and co-parent of 13 years and became a single parent of a 5 and 7 year old The framework she uses to help people reclaim their souls through a 6-week process How to use her framework of taser, shield, filter, and hug to determine how to hold space for each person in your life The importance of avoiding spiritual comas and spiritual bypassing Links mentioned: Connect with Shirin: https://www.shirinetessam.com Get Shirin’s Book: Free To Be Shirin on FB Shirin on IG Shirin on TikTok We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Gertrude Lyons is the Founder and CEO of Rewrite The Mother Code, as well as a faculty member at Wright Graduate University. Dr. Lyons is a leading-edge trainer and educator in human emergence, lifestyle, parenting, leadership development, career, relationship satisfaction and success, and women’s development. She is on a mission to help women reclaim their lives through mothering and create a safe space where women can express their dreams, fears, and truths around motherhood. Dr. Lyons firmly believes we are all mothers, and together we can support and empower one another to be the best versions of ourselves. Listen in to hear Gertrude share: How all women are mothers and how she is expanding the traditional definition and framework around mothering What the Mother Code is and how she is inviting each one of us to rewrite the Mother Code Specific steps you can take to mother yourself Questions to ask yourself as you write your own Mother Code How to check in around the feelings of fear, hurt, anger, sadness, and joy each day to be grounded, centered and present 3 steps to start rewriting your Mother Code today Links mentioned: Connect with Gertrude: www.drgertrudelyons.com Gertrude’s Podcast: Mot(her) Gertrude on IG Gertrude on LinkedIn We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woohoooo! Thank you for tuning into these shorty Thursday episodes. I love to hear that you’re loving this content. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to SHINE. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a working mom of two active toddlers, Monica Plath intimately knows the anxieties parents and caregivers face when they are apart from their children. That’s how she came up with her idea for Littlebird, a wearable tracking device that offers parents and caregivers peace of mind and real-time data about their children. In the middle of the pandemic, Monica found herself on ZOOM while nursing a newborn and meeting with software developers to meet milestones for deployment. During this time, she also wrote a children's book for charity and created a wine for moms from unused grapes from an award-winning vineyard --- all from rural Yakima Washington. The pandemic enabled her to go digital, file 4 patents, raise 2 million in pre-seed money, and resource the best minds in the business to create Littlebird while raising 2 small children as her marriage was falling apart. Listen in to hear Monica share: Her reluctance around being a tech founder, but then shifting to embrace it What inspired her to create Little Bird when she was pregnant with a toddler under toe and knew she needed a way to support and monitor her toddler to keep him safe How Little Bird answers these questions in real-time: Is my child safe? What is my child doing? How is my child feeling? The power and importance of “care transparency” How our current care economy is underserving parents Her advice to other moms out there with an idea and how to take initiative to get started Links mentioned: Get a Littlebird: www.littlebird.care use promo code SHAMELESS to save $50 on your Littlebird Monica on Instagram & Twitter: @monicamplath Littlebird on Instagram & Twitter @littlebirdcares Monica on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicaplath Littlebird on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@littlebirdcares We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A couple of years ago, I was listening to Brene Brown’s podcast and she shared this quote from Jim Collins that made me so mad I had to stop the episode: “Uncertainty is chronic. Instability is permanent. Disruption is common.” Brene shared this quote in the middle of the pandemic when things were at an all-time low for so many. The reason I was so mad was because she and Jim were so right. It wasn’t just the pandemic that made uncertainty, instability, and disruption chronic, permanent, and common. This is how the world always has been and always will be. I wasn’t prepared for that last part. It will always be this way. It was as if I had been living in this dreamland in which I had convinced myself that at some point I would arrive at this beautiful destination where everything would finally be certain, stable, and free of disruption. Thanks for wrecking my dream Brene and Jim! But when I continued to think about this, I realized that I had already proven over and over and over again how adaptable I was. Life, career, relationships, and - most certainly - motherhood had trained me to adapt, pivot, change gears, and take share right turns on a very regular basis. The same is true for you. Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but you too are adaptable AF. But if you aren’t owning and honoring you may be missing out on really juicy opportunities and invitations to make decisions that allow for great expansion and possibility in your life. In this episode, we will talk about how to improve your adaptability in motherhood and life by: Honoring your scrappiness Owning your creative problem-solving skills Checking your ego Embracing change as a constant Becoming comfortable being uncomfortable Committing to long-term growth mindset We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woohoooo! Thank you for tuning into these shorty Thursday episodes. I love to hear that you’re loving this content. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Ask For Help. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meg is an attorney and leader in anti-money laundering and financial crimes on Wall Street. She is also the founder and president of Don’t Hide It Flaunt It® (DHIFI), which is a non-profit whose mission is to advance understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect for people's differences. It provides “flaunt it” Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and anti-bullying programming to public and private schools, universities, community service organizations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at Fortune 500 companies. Meg is a high-demand speaker and activist who has been featured on the TODAY show. Meg’s writing has appeared in Parents Magazine, USA Today, Scholastic Storyworks, The Jewish Forward, The Mighty, Motherwell, and Scary Mommy. The Zucker family was also the subject of a TLC special, “My Extraordinary Family.” Meg recently released her first book, Born Extraordinary: Empowering Children with Differences and Disabilities. Listen in to hear Meg share: Her experience being born with ectrodactyly - the absence of one or more central digits of the hand or foot The difference between the labels of “difference” and “disabilities” and how to use them appropriately How she has taken on the attitude Let Go and Let Live in order to let her kids with ectrodactyly figure out their capabilities The gift of her husband accepting her unconditionally before she accepted herself unconditionally How her son being bullied led her to start her non-profit, Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It. The fine line between cruelty and curiosity when it comes to interacting with people who are different than yourself Why kindness is a great goal, but not sufficient on its own when it comes to teaching your kids about being inclusive Links mentioned: Connect with Meg: www.megzucker.com Meg on IG: @MegZucker and @justflauntit_ Meg on FB and Twitter We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For years I tried to attain what my mentors had. I assumed that once you got to a certain place in life, you would be all set - forever. You would finally know how to manage all the things and feel confident in all the things. I kept desperately hoping I could find the level of mastery my coaches had because then life would be full of ease. For a number of years in a row, I chose ease as one of my “words of the year”. I chose this word because when I looked around it seemed others had actually found this elusive ease. My coaches, random people I followed on Instagram, other school moms - all seemed to have it. I figured if they could find it so could I - DAMMIT. But over time - one by one - I started to see cracks. People who seemed to “have it all together” offered glimpses into their real lives. There was definitely much less ease than I expected. Sometimes, there was no ease at all. Instead, there was uncertainty, struggle, raw pain, and sometimes straight-up trauma. When we only show the world our pretty, shiny parts, we are doing a disservice to all women. It is in showing up with transparency (as long as it is safe to do so), that we allow other women to do the same. We have been socialized to give 110%, to actively desire and desperately pursue perfectionism, to quietly keep our struggles behind closed doors. This greatly harms women while upholding and benefitting the Patriarchy. By only showing the shiny parts of our lives and withholding the more authentic pieces of ourselves, we harm other women by: Creating unreal and unreasonable expectations for other women Upholding the social construct of perfectionism (that only exists for women) Perpetuating loneliness and isolation for women (and moms especially) Undermining authentic connection and the collective growth of women on a societal level Eroding the collective mental health of women & moms Impairing and inhibiting your relationships In this episode, I talk through how we have been socialized to hide certain parts of ourselves, why this works out great for men, and how you can start to practice transparency in safe ways in order to show up more authentically and create space for other women to do the same. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woohoooo! Thank you for tuning into these shorty Thursday episodes. I love to see that you’re loving this content. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Practice Courage. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Angela Jia Kim founded Savor Beauty, a natural skincare and facial spa brand inspired by Korean beauty and self-love rituals. She is also a former international, classical concert pianist. Called “the unexpected beauty virtuoso” by MindBodyGreen, she created the award-winning skincare in her kitchen, became an accidental entrepreneur, and built a multimillion-dollar enterprise around the philosophy of manifesting beauty, brilliance, and balance. She has led hundreds of women empowerment workshops and her Savor Beauty Self-Care Planner has sold over 100,000 copies. A highly recognized skin and self-care expert, her skincare and spas in New York City have been chosen as “Best of New York” and featured in top publications such as The New York Times, Vogue, Elle, People, Allure, Well+Good, and more. Listen in to hear Angela share: Her commitment to staying inspired by inspiring others The importance of inner work and how to make it delicious and desirable Her drastic reinvention of self from concert pianist to building a multimillion-dollar skincare line The gift of play and making mistakes in creating her own skincare line after having to work with high perfectionism as a pianist How she let creativity fuel her as she built her business selling skincare products while nursing her 1-month-old daughter at outdoor NYC markets in the middle of winter How to create self-care routines that are playful and creative How she defines self-care as an action for which your future self will thank you Her philosophy of GIVE GIVE GET and how to use this philosophy to inspire your life in new ways Links mentioned: Get Angela’s Beauty Tips: savorbeauty.com Get Angela’s Planner: savorbeautyplanner.com Join Angela’s Weekly Email: radicalradiance.com/ Get Angela’s book: angelajiakim.com/ Savor Beauty’s newest product: Radiance Sun Milk SPF 50+ Angela on IG We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Pride, my friends! A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute honor to moderate a panel of LGBTQIA+ leaders who were collaborating in support of The Pride and Joy Foundation as they had an incredible conversation about how to support our LGBTQIA+ youth during Pride month (and all year long!) When the conversation was over, I asked Executive Director of the Pride and Joy Foundation founder (and past SMA guest), Elena Joy Thurston, if we could share the recording of this conversation as a podcast episode. I just knew our community would love to learn from these leaders. I’m so grateful Elena said “YES!” And shout out to her producer Jessica Whipple who brilliantly edited our conversation so it could be used as podcast content. On the panel, we have: Junior Mintt (she/her), a “Black Transwoman, Drag Preacher, and Businesswoman” Kalyela Josephs (they/she), a “Queer Spiritual coach” whose work has focused on helping families of color understand how to integrate LGBTQ+ culture into their family culture. Rae McDaniel (they/them) recently released their groundbreaking book, “Gender Magic”. They are also a licensed therapist supporting individuals and families with gender transition. Elena Joy (she/her), an ExMormon mom of four kids who has also been featured in the award-winning documentary “CONVERSION”, has a viral TEDx talk, and is now the volunteer Executive Director of Pride and Joy Foundation. C Rizleris (they/them), a contributing writer for the Pride and Joy Foundation, as well as a member of the Transgender Task Force Committee for the city of Greensboro, NC. Listen in to hear this panel discuss: What drag is and what it is not How we can engage in healthy and supportive conversation around gender identity with our youth How to talk about non-supportive friends & family about gender identity How you can use Pride Month to increase your allyship with the LGBTQIA+ Community How to create safety & well-being for our youth all year long - beyond Pride month The best ways to engage rural conservative communities in Pride Month activities How can you support your youth with various intersectionalities (IE: ethnic background, neurodivergence, etc) during Pride month Links mentioned: Podcast: Out of Queeriosity Book: Gender Magic by Rae McDaniels Connect with Kalyela: kalyelaj.com Connect with Rae McDaniel: rae-mcdaniel.com Connect with Elena and/or Support the Pride and Joy Foundation: https://www.prideandjoyfoundation.com/ Connect with C Rizleris: crizleris.com/ Pride and Joy Foundation on IG Elena Joy Thurston on IG Junior Mintt on IG Rae McDaniel on IG C Rizleris on IG Jessica Whipple on IG We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woohoooo! Thank you for tuning into these shorty Thursday episodes. I love to see that you’re loving this content. ONE SHAMELESS THING is created with one thing in mind - to give you ONE thing - just ONE thing - to make today a better day. My purpose is to give you the hope, optimism, and POWER you need to make today whatever you want to make it - even if life is throwing you one curveball after another. This week I am giving you ONE SHAMELESS THING to Shut Down Negative Self-Talk. Enjoy. And know that I am in this with you. Always. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emily Lynn Paulson is a Shameless Mom of 5 and the author of Highlight Real: Finding Honesty and Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life, and the forthcoming Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing (May 2023). She has given two powerful TEDx talks, both challenging the status quo of parenting, alcohol use, and feminism as we know it. Paulson has also been featured in major publications such as the Today Show, New York Times, Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Next Question with Katie Couric, and the Tamron Hall Show. I found Emily and her work by way of Instagram and was instantly obsessed with the conversations she was having around the cult-like behavior of MLMs. As she was sharing about the overlap between MLMs, cults, and Supremacy culture, I knew I had to reach out to ask her to come on the show. I know so many moms have participated in MLMs at one time or another. This conversation is in no way intended to shame, but to shed light. Whenever I talk about MLMs in a negative light, I get messages from women who say, “But the MLM I’m in is different.” Maybe it is, but I want to make sure you have as many tools as possible to be a critical thinker and observer of what happens inside the organizations that benefit and profit from your participation. Listen in to hear Emily share: What inspired her first book, Highlight Reel, on her journey to sobriety What an MLM (multilevel marketing) company is, why they are so seductive, and how they are problematic, if not harmful The commonalities between the seductiveness of mommy wine culture and MLM culture The exploitative nature of targeting moms in MLMs The connection between MLM culture and White Supremacy How those working in “women’s empowerment” can be part of systematic brainwashing and indoctrination Links mentioned: Connect with Emily: emilylynnpaulson.com Emily’s Sober Mom Squad: sobermomsquad.com Emily on IG: instagram.com/emilylynnpaulson Emily on TikTok: tiktok.com/emilylynnpaulson We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices