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Ever had an “ah ha” moment that made the world look differently to you? Host Lauren Fire shares her biggest ah ha moment of the year and teaches you how to feel more peaceful in your life right now.

Get 10 free happiness lessons when you sign up for Inspiring Mama’s Treat Yourself Challenge. 10 Days, 10 Ways to Shift from Crappy to Happy. Get Instant Access

Memorable Quotes:

My inner peace has to be more important to me than how much I get done or what other people think. 

Most of us feel like we need to be productive or lose weight, THEN we can feel more peaceful. That’s backwards.

Work on the peace. Work on the happiness. Work on loving yourself and feeling good in your life, as it is right now, and the rest of it will fix itself.

As a mom, my inner peace is essential for my family to be healthy and happy. So I want to have more influence in how I feel.

I want to feel more peaceful and I’m going to make it happen. When I made this decision, I stopped caring what that voice in my head thought of me. There is so much freedom in that.

If you want to feel more peaceful:

1.     1. Decide that your inner peace is important.

2.     2. Start to become more aware of how you feel, in the moment.

3.     3. Make decisions about how you’re going to feel consciously, based on this new value system. Take the reins back. Choose how you want to respond to other people or events in life and choose inner peace more often.

I’d love to hear from you! Connect with me on Instagram and Twitter.

Direct download: InnerPeace.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:11pm EDT

Get quick happiness advice from Inspiring Mama podcast guests in the Quick & Dirty Guide to Actually Enjoying the Holidays. Get Instant Access
 
Thinking positive thoughts helps you enjoy more of your life, but it’s not always easy, especially when people around you are complainers or Bad News Bettys (as I call them). In this podcast I explore how staying positive can improve your day-to-day experience of life. I will teach you five practical ways to stay positive no matter what is happening around you. 
 
Podcast Summary:
 
Your thoughts create your reality. If you are focusing on the negative, meaning you are entertaining thoughts about negative things that could happen or that have happened, your experience of your life will be more negative. It’s very simple in theory but very difficult to actually practice. 
 
You do have control over what you think, much more control than you may think. You can’t stop thoughts from coming in, but you can choose not entertain them. Imagine an unwanted guest at you house. if you entertain him, he will stay. If you stop serving wine and cheese, and stop talking to him, he will probably leave. It works the same way with negative thoughts. Entertain them by focusing on them and they will stay around. Ignore them, or replace them with more positive thoughts and they will just move right through. 
 
You have the power to shift how you feel. It’s not like turning on and off a light. It may be more like slowing a fast moving train, but you can and will make a difference if you work on it. 
 
Here are my 5 ways to staying positive:
 
1. Build your own cheering squad in your head.  List out a few mantras you can say to yourself that will lift you up or motivate yo. Mine are: "I can do this," "I doing a good job,” and “I’m ok.” 
 
2. Remind yourself that motivating yourself with negativity does not work. Pushing yourself to succeed, be productive, work hard, or be a “good mom” with guilt, shame, and berating language actually makes you less likely to succeed. It makes you more likely to procrastinate and get depressed. If your goal is to feel happier and enjoy more of your life, then you’re on the wrong road if you are beating yourself up.
 
3. Figure out what you want. What is your ideal picture or outcome? Picture the outcome you want, using vibrant images. For example, if you want a really happy holiday week next week, picture what that would look like. How will you feel, how will the house look, how will the food look? How will your family connect? If you want to quit something, or do something more, like quit sugar or exercise, picture yourself doing it. 
 
4. Move. Stand up straight, move your shoulders, roll them around, take a deep breath. Your body has a profound influence on your experience. If you feel negative, put on happy music and dance around. Change your body to change your thoughts and emotions. 
 
5. Don’t get pulled into a complaining trap. When you are around negative people, Bad News Bettys I call them, don’t fall into the trap of bonding by complaining. You can stay empathetic without complaining along with them. 
 
Bonus Happiness Exercise: 
 
If you get triggered by family members or friends, try this. Next time they say something mean, picture yourself wrapping your hand around their head and giving them a big nougie and saying “ohhh you’re so cute with your….narcissism and meanness and way you always criticize me!” Or insert whatever they do to bother you. This will shift the way you see them and add lightness to the situation, which may help you not take them so seriously. 
 
To get a free happiness exercise every week join the Inspiring Mama Village here: Join the Village (you will get the Holiday Guide free too!)
 
Direct download: Episode_18_Positive.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:03pm EDT

Get wisdom from the experts in Inspiring Mama's Quick & Dirty Guide to (Actually) Enjoying the Holidays for free here: Get Instant Access
 
"The way we react when our emotions run really hot means everything to our kids and to the next generation as well. - Jessica Felix
 
Yelling doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent. It just means that you could use a few more tools in your happiness toolbox. Parenting expert Jessica Felix discusses what happens when you flip your lid. Learn what NOT to do after you yell and how to turn even your most stressed out moment into a powerful learning experience for your children.
 
Interview Summary:
 
3:20 - What happens in a child's brain when you yell regularly? 
 
Most of the time. we yell because we are stressed or because we somehow get triggered by our chidden. When you yell regularly at your children, you are programming their brains to respond poorly to stress. By flipping your lid regularly, you are setting them up to flip their own lids easily too. You were probably programed by your parents or caregivers when you were a child as well. 
 
10:40 - What can you do when you yell to rebuild that connection? 
 
Start with an apology. Its never a bad thing to apologize to your kids. Apologies arent just for adults. Dont make your kids feel like THEY made you yell. Explain that this is not the way you want to be and that youre sorry for yelling. Its important for kids to know that youre not infallible
 
Let your kids talk about how it felt for them when you were reactive. They can even draw a picture about it. Ask them open ended questions like - how did that make you feel, what were you thinking when that happened? This allows them to express all of their feelings around what happened. It can be hard to hear as a parent. Be careful not to minimize their feelings. 
 
Modeling this sort of communication is giving your kids tools for dealing with anger and stress in their own lives. 
 
17:10 - What are the wrong ways to rebuild connection after yelling?
 
Be careful not to make an excuse instead of apology. Im sorry I yelled, but you were really stressing me out. Say Im sorry I yelled - period. Dont sweep it under the rug and ignore it either. If you dont acknowledge that strong emotions exist, you are giving your kids the message that strong emotions are not ok. And try not to swing the pendulum the total other direction by rewarding them. For example, “Sorry I yelled, let’s go for ice cream.” This sets you up for many other pitfalls. 
 
21:30 - What else can we do instead of yelling? 
 
The key to being responsive instead of reacting is preparation. You need a plan for what you will do the next time you get triggered or stressed. Step one is awareness - understand your triggers, the things that really get you right away. Maybe it's defiance or whining. Maybe it’s getting mud in the house.  Triggers are different for everyone. What makes you really angry - maybe irrationally? Now picture it, go there. Think about how you would like to handle it, how you would like to feel. 
 
Triggers bothers us because of something a parent or caregiver did. Be aware that you have them and explore them (when they’re not happening). Then when you can imagine it happening, make a plan for how you would like to respond. Imagine what you can do to stay calm and respond the way that you want to respond. Rehearse it. Imagine your child doing your trigger, feel yourself get upset, then plan how to respond. This is a powerful visualization technique.  
 
Choose realistic (or lower) expectations. If your kids always whine at a certain time of day, be prepared for it. Plan how you will deal with it. Also set realistic expectations for the age of your children. And avoid compare-itis on social media. We see pictures and videos of our friend’s children’s best moments and compare our children. We’re taking everyone’s highlight reals and comparing them to our kids reality. This can raise our expectations of what our children are capable of. 
 
To learn more about Jessica visit the show notes page at here: Episode 17 Show Notes 
 
 
 

    
Direct download: JessicaFelix_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:17pm EDT

Get Inspiring Mama's Quick & Dirty Guide to (Actually) Enjoying the Holidays, awesome advice from past and future podcast guests: Get Instant Access
 
Parenthood doesn’t have to equal chronic tiredness. Energy expert Allan Ting will teach you simple tools and tricks you can use to pump up your energy when you are tired but still have to be “on.” He will also teach you changes you can make to your posture, breath, and beverage intake that will have you feeling more energetic all day. (Hint, it’s not to drink more caffeine!) 
 
Allan learned energy boosting techniques by studying tai chi and qigong as well as neuroscience, Neurolinguistic Programming and high performance personal growth techniques. Get the cliff notes of his knowledge in this interview, including actual physical exercises you can do when you need more energy fast. These really work! 
 
Interview Highlights:
 
7:20 - How simply changing your posture can give you more energy all day  
10:40 - How your breath affects your energy levels
14:10 - Why caffeine drains your energy (what a bummer!)
19:45 - Why you shouldn’t drink water during meals and shouldn’t drink ice water if you want more energy
22:05 - Learn 3 tricks you can do right now with your body to generate energy instantly (these are cool)
 
Get the show Notes for this Interview: Instant Energy
 
Get Inspiring Mama's Quick & Dirty Guide to (Actually) Enjoying the Holidays, awesome advice from past and future podcast guests:Get Instant Access
Direct download: AllanTingFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:56pm EDT

Gratitude and thankfulness can be rough when your holidays are full of family DRAMA. Relationship expert Summer Howard teaches you how to reduce the amount of drama in your family while actually deepening and improving your family relationships at the same time.  You don't want to miss this interview!

Learn a step-by-step process to use when you get triggered by difficult family members or extreme emotions and a way to use your intuition to improve your interactions.

Download Inspiring Mama's Quick & Dirty Guide to Actually Enjoying the Holidays Here: InspiringMama.com/Holidays

 

Direct download: SummerHoward_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:48pm EDT

InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself

Your creativity could be the missing piece in your healing journey. Creativity coach Kathy Stowell will explain how opening your creative channel can improve your mood and expand your overall happiness.

 

Did you shut the door on creativity when you had a baby or became an adult? Does the word "creativity" conjure up images of puffy paint and hot glue? Creativity is actually not about the finished product. It's about the place you go, the energy you exude while you are in a creative project.

Kathy Stowell will explain how you can reopen this channel and rediscover an energy that can heal and transform your life.  She will teach you how to pick new projects that will make you feel more alive and how let go of the perfectionism that may be keeping you stuck. 

Like this podcast? Join the Treat Yourself Challenge to learn more about happiness. In  10 Days you will learn 10 ways to shift from crappy to happy whenever you want. Join here: InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself

Direct download: KathyStowell_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:43pm EDT

http://InspiringMama.com

Postpartum Depression ("PPD") is one of the most common health issues for moms and yet it is also one of the least understood. Guest Pamela Zimmer, author of Reclaim the Joy of Motherhood: How I Healed from Postpartum Depression discusses PPD myths, realities, and healing strategies.

What causes PPD? What does it look like in reality? How do you know if this is baby blues or PPD?  When should you seek treatment? Why do women try to hide it? 

As many of you know, I am still healing from the postpartum depression that hit me when my daughter was 5 months old. Like many women, I misunderstood the symptoms of postpartum depression. Because I wasn’t “sad” or “down” or “unbonded to my baby,” I did not seek treatment until my PPD was severe. Today we’re going to talk truth, what is postpartum depression, who is at risk, how do you know if you have it, and what are your options for healing (besides just medication).

Learn to Transform Crappy to Happy in 10 Days - The Treat Yourself Challenge Join at: http://InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself

Direct download: PamZimmerFinal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:17pm EDT

http://InspiringMama.com 

How do you pick up a new mommy friend at the grocery store? How do you deepen a friendship with a mom you met in a playgroup or at school? Host Lauren Fire interviews Decker Cunov, a relationship expert who trains men to pick up and connect with women.  

Learn how to break the ice with a new mommy friend out in public and ask them on a mommy date. Hint - it starts with presence! 

Learn a simple a 3-step process you can use to deepen your friendships. If you want more nourishing and supportive friendships with other parents, Decker's strategy is golden. 

Join the Inspiring Mama Village and get 1 short happiness lesson every week, free! http://InspiringMama.com 

Connect with me to get more free stuff:

http://Pinterest.com/InspiringMamas

http://Instagram.com/theinspiringmama

http://twitter.com/inspiringmama1

Direct download: DeckerFinalEp13.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:28pm EDT

What do you do when you secretly feel like the reality of motherhood doesn't live up to the hype? What happens when the day-to-day grind makes you feel stuck, trapped, sad, overwhelmed, or just plain bored? Learn how to re-discover who you are and what you deeply desire and how to start making small shifts in the direction of a happier and more fulfilled life. 

Speaker and leadership coach Tewana Pinard explores why moms have a hard time admitting discontent and what you can do when after you realize that you're not 100% happy. Learn a process you can use to discover who you are and what is most important.  Learn why you may not have been successful at changing in the past and how small changes can bring you closer to your desires and dreams.

Interview Highlights:

10:05 - Tewana explains why it's so hard for moms to admit that they're not happy

14:00 - How limiting beliefs can lead you to settle in default unhappiness

16:35 - A new approach you can use to discover who you are and what you want

23:20 - Why it's important for moms to put their needs up front in order for their children to ultimately lead happy lives

26:05 - Tewana's advice for how moms can start today bringing their passions, goals, and desires back into their lives.

Visit the Show Notes Page for this Episode at: InspiringMama.com/MotherhoodJoy

Inspired to make small changes in your life? Try my Treat Yourself Challenge, 10 Days, 10 Ways to Shift from Crappy to Happy. Join to receive 10 free happiness lesson videos and a free E-Book. Free at: InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself 

 

Direct download: Episode12Pinard.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:48am EDT

Learn how to move through guilt and shame quickly with this short exercise. If you are highly critical of yourself, this podcast will help! 

Shame is a very destructive emotion, usually connected with highly critical thoughts and a tense body. If you feel really bad when you make a mistake, or find yourself working tirelessly to please no one in particular, shame is probably the culprit. 

But how do you get rid of it? What can you do, in the moment, when you feel bad about a mistake? 

You say this to yourself: 

I love you and I forgive you. I like to use my name: I love you Lauren and I forgive you Lauren.

I learned this from Cheryl Richardson, a highly acclaimed author and speaker. She said in a tele summit earlier this year that she does this when she feels ashamed. 

We all criticize ourselves. The people who live the happiest are the ones who have learned how to move through it, putting it behind them rather than in front of them. 

It's not about improving yourself or fixing yourself. It's about learning how to work with what you already do. This exercise is a way to work with guilt, shame and self criticism. 

If you want more exercises like this, you would enjoy the challenge that I'm giving away, called the Treat Yourself Challenge - 10 Days, 10 Ways to Shift from Crappy to Happy. 

Every day you will try a happiness lesson, just like The Shame Buster. At the end of the 10 days you will understand how to shift from crappy to happy anytime you want and gain a new freedom over how much you enjoy your life.  

When you sign up at: InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself, you will get: 10 short happiness lesson videos, an E-Book, and access to our exclusive Facebook group. 

Join now: InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself

 

Direct download: Bonus_-_Shame_Buster_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:44pm EDT

Treating yourself isn't just about an ice cream cone or a bath. You can treat yourself by allowing yourself to be happy in any moment of your life. Most of us know this in theory, but don't understand HOW to actually do this in practice. How do you treat yourself to happiness? How do you practice happiness? 

Host Lauren Fire explains that happiness is not actually the natural result of success. In fact happiness and success aren't linked together at all. ave to actually do something. 

To practice happiness, to treat yourself to happiness, you have to actually shift the way you work with your mind, body, and emotions in the present moment. 

Learn how you can use happiness tools to shift how you think and feel at any time. When you learn to do this, you unlock an incredible power in your life to be happy no matter the circumstances. 

If you enjoyed this podcast, sign up for Inspiring Mama's Treat Yourself Challenge - 10 Days, 10 Ways to Shift from Crappy to Happy. Sign up at: InspiringMama.com/TreatYourself 

When you enter your email, you will get the Treat Yourself E-Book, daily video happiness exercises for 10 days, and access to an exclusive Facebook group. Sign up today! 

Direct download: FinalEpisode11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:05am EDT

Our “to do” lists aren’t getting any shorter. And the organization tips in magazines only get us so far. We need a new way to think about overwhelm and productivity.  

Lauren Fire interviews renowned sports psychologist and high performance consultant Loren Fogelman about overwhelm. Learn new ways to think about your particular brand of overwhelm and strategies for changing your relationship to the “to dos” in your life. Take back your power and feel stronger, more productive and happier with your accomplishments. 

Bonus: To hear the entire tapping session between Lauren Fire and Loren Fogelman and to learn how to use tapping and the Emotional Freedom Technique to shift the beliefs that may be causing your overwhelm, visit the show notes page for this episode: InspiringMama.com/Overwhelm

Episode Quick Reference Guide:

4:40 - Loren talks about Wonder Woman Syndrome, how the quest for “doing it all” creates overwhelm, self-judgment, and inner criticism. 

9:35 - Learn what causes overwhelm and how your belief structures influence how overwhelmed you feel on a regular basis.

12:50 – Understand negative self-talk and what you can do when self-criticism is causing you to feel more overwhelmed.

17:50 – Learn how shifting from “perfectionism” to “excellence” can shift your experience of your to-do list

20:25 – How a simple strategy you can do yourself, called the Emotional Freedom Technique (aka “tapping”) can shift the beliefs that are causing your overwhelm

28:00 - Loren’s advice for moms struggling with overwhelm and monster to-do lists.

Direct download: Episode_10_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:17pm EDT

Who doesn’t love a good mood! Did you know you can generate your OWN good mood, no matter what is happening? How POWERFUL are you? In this bonus episode, I’m going to teach you how to access your power to feel TOTALLY AMAZING AND ALIVE whenever you want. I call it The Good Mood Generator.  

The Good Mood Generator is one of the Happiness Practices that I give away every week to members of the Inspiring Mama Village. You can join at InspiringMama.com.

What is a Happiness Practice? I'm glad you asked!

My philosophy is very simple. When you practice happiness, you will enjoy more of your life.

Have you ever thought to yourself, I will be happy when…I lose 10lbs, change jobs, move, get pregnant…

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but sadly happiness is not going to show up at your door when you get any of these things.

Because when you get there, you will still be you.  And you still won’t be happy.  You may be happy for a bit. But you will soon find something else to strive for.

Happiness is not a goal. It is not the natural result of success.

Countless research studies have shown this. Countless celebrities and other “successful people” have proven this again and again with drug abuse, overdoses and most recently, suicide.

Happiness is a practice.

It’s something you do.  

All over the world, authors, thought leaders, speakers, and researchers are all saying the same thing - if you’re not actively practicing happiness, actively trying to take more joy in your life, you are only living half alive.

If you want to enjoy more of your life, feel more alive, it’s time you start practicing happiness.

You can practice happiness with The Good Mood Generator, and the other short Happiness Practices that I give away to the Inspiring Mama Village. 

Direct download: BonusEp10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:21am EDT

How to Chill Out & Enjoy It More | Ep 9

How can we, as parents, relax and enjoy the ride a little more? In this episode, host Lauren Fire discusses what it means to "chill out" when you are stressed and how you can actually change the way that you move and breathe to change the way your body processes stress. 

Learn a quick way to feel more relaxed and present during a busy day. Learn how to live and work at a pace that doesn’t mean you sacrifice your health and happiness to take care of your family. And learn how to enjoy it all at the same time!

 

Summary:

I have 2 gears. I either work at a crazy fast pace or I’m crashed out on the couch.  I run, then I burnout. Then I run again. And so on. 

I’m like the Hare in the old fable The Tortoise and the Hare.  But instead of sleeping, I’m by the side of the rode watching Mad Men re-runs to zone out, while the Tortoise passes me by. 

At this pace, it’s hard to take care of myself.  As a result I’m burned out and exhausted much of the time. But I’m keeping up!

Ever feel that way?

How do we find a sustainable pace that doesn’t cause us to sacrifice our own health and happiness to take care of our families? And how do we enjoy it all at the same time?

1. Turn Off Survival Mode

The first step to finding a sustainable and enjoyable pace is to see what pace or “mode” you’re currently operating in. Look at how you move through your day. Are you running at a hurried and frenzied pace much of the time? 

Are you in more of a “survival mode” or are you in more of “enjoyment mode”?  In survival mode, when your son forgot his lunch or the baby missed a nap, you handle it the like a plane crashed and you have to fight off the smoke monster. A slow driver makes you feel like you’re going to rear end him on principal alone.  In survival mode, everything is important, everyone is annoying or frustrating, and you feel like you are always running to catch up. 

Honestly, I think I’ve lived on survival mode since I was 18 when my parents got a divorce.  I felt I had to start taking care of myself, grow up, and I started pushing myself to succeed, to work harder, to be the best. Failure was never an option.  

Sometimes we need survival mode. We need to act first, kick butt, and take names later. But if you notice that you are prone to burning out or to needing to “zone out” just to keep going, you may be stuck in survival mode. 

You may have forgotten that you have a choice in the matter!

What’s wrong with survival mode?  First off, it’s actually hazardous to your health.  In survival mode, you are more prone to hit your body’s stress response. 

Follow me here, I’m going into biology a bit. Your stress response is your body’s emergency alert system, readying your body to run from a tiger. When that alert is triggered, your body dumps stress chemicals that allow your body to perform at a higher level, to run faster for example.  

The alert also causes your body to shut down parts of your system, to divert it’s precious resources to dealing with the tiger. So if you trigger your stress response regularly at smaller events, like slow drivers or tantruming toddlers, your body may be diverting energy from other systems like your immune system or reproductive organs. Ever noticed your body breaking down during times of stress? 

Even worse, the more you hit that alert, the easier it gets to trigger, so the more often it will get triggered. This means that as stress increases, your body’s ability to process it actually decreases.  It’s a vicious cycle that I’ve actually been stuck it in many, many times. 

Ever had something simple, like a pile of laundry, make you feel like crying or just giving up? This is why. 

This is burnout.  And if you operate in a survival mode, like I do, it will keep happening to you. 

We need to chill out.  We need to live more in enjoyment mode. 

Enjoyment mode is the opposite of survival mode. When you are on enjoyment mode, you don’t sweat the small stuff. You do what needs to be done, but if you make a mistake you are able to let yourself off the hook.  You move through the day slower, at a more deliberate pace. You feel happier and more relaxed. The same slow  driver that drove you over the edge in survival mode now just makes you chuckle.  You are able to enjoy your life more. 

We all have the capacity to operate in either mode. But which do you spend more time in? 

If you are in survival mode more often, it’s time to ask yourself why? Look back at your life and ask see – was there an event that caused you to feel you needed this mode? Do you still need it? 

2. How to Chill Out…You Gotta Gear Down 

How fast do you move? How tense are you?  If you were to compare yourself to a car, what speed are you running at most often.  

I move very fast. Sometimes I feel like that I can totally relate to that little mouse, Speedy Gonzalez.  I don’t know why. I just do. 

If you were to take a deep breath right now, does it feel a little forced? If I said to you – relax your jaw – would you suddenly realize it has been super tense? 

Both speed and tension cause your body to think it should be stressed. Your thoughts are not the only thing influencing your stress response. The way you move your body, breath, and carry yourself all influence your stress response. 

Your body is constantly feeling, sensing, and evaluating your circumstances to protect you from danger. You can tell your body to be on high alert, like a deer, or you can tell your body that it’s allllll goooood, just by changing a few things. 

This exercise is called Gearing Down.  First, tell yourself you need to gear down. Just in your head, say it. 

Imagine that you are a car, and you are dropping down into low gear. The car is still powerful, but it’s moving a little slower. Gear yourself down. 

Now drop and ground yourself. If you don’t know how to ground yourself, check out my free mp3: How to Ground Yourself – Your Emotional Reset Button. 

As you ground yourself, notice your breathing. Are you breathing shallowly? Are you holding your breath? Take a few deep breaths and let your breathing go. 

Next, I want you to start moving slower. Just slow everything down. If you are getting breakfast ready, do it…slower. Open the fridge in 3 beats instead of 1. Move across the kitchen in 4 steps instead of 2. Walk slower, cut slower. 

When you slow down, you will notice that you have to relax a little. Just as it’s hard to move fast and not be tense, it’s hard to move slowly and not relax. 

Slowing down will also get you out of you head and into the present moment.  When you gear down while playing with your children, feeding, or spending time with your partner, you will notice that you enjoy it more. It’s nice, like coming home.  

When you gear down, you actually get to treasure the moments with your children in real time.  

But you first have to let yourself enjoy it more. At lot of us operate on survival mode because we think we have to. 

We work ourselves to the bone to prove something to ourselves or to someone else. We don’t let ourselves enjoy the fruits of our labor, much less our labor! 

But you can’t chill out if you don’t give yourself the gift of slowing down. You deserve it. You can work hard AND enjoy it.  

Remember, just because you don’t move at the speed of light doesn’t mean you’re not doing a fantastic job!  So gear down mama and start chilling out and enjoying more of your life!

 

Direct download: Gear_Down_-_Ep_9.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:30am EDT

When You're at the End of Your Rope...Do This | Ep 8

Learn a two-step exercise that will allow you to feel better fast when you are overtaken with feelings like anxiety, frustration, and overwhelm.

Whether it's a gassy newborn, a tantruming toddler, or a kid that won't stop asking why, life doesn't stop just because we are totally overwhelmed. Moms run the show. We still have to feed the baby, get the kids to school, and carry on with our responsibilities. A break is not always an immediate option, even though we are totally out of juice. 

In this episode, host Lauren Fire teaches you how to shift your experience immediately to feel more like you can handle the immediate challenge. This practice can change your entire relationship with yourself.

Listeners can also download a FREE meditation track that pairs with this episode called How to Ground Yourself. Free at InspiringMama.com/InnerHug

Episode Preview:

Your experience of any given situation is made up of 3 elements , your thoughts, emotions, and body tensions.  You can use these elements to shift your experience of any given situation, while it's happening.  We start here with your body.  You can use your body to change your thoughts or emotions, just by changing the way you are moving and reducing the tension you are carrying.  You can change your thoughts and emotions to by using the simple self-soothing practice taught in this episode.  When you can calm and soothe yourself, you are unstoppable!

Bonus Track! Listeners can download a FREE meditation track called How to Ground Yourself at InspiringMama.com/InnerHug

 

 

 

Direct download: End_of_Rope_-_Ep_8.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:44pm EDT

Find Silence Within Your Busy Life  | Ep 7

Ever feel like your mind won’t stop racing? Taking short mindful moments throughout your day can help calm your mind and bring you a little peace. In this episode, Dr. Karen Osburn, host of the podcast Mom at 41, teaches us how to integrate mindfulness into our daily lives so that we can enjoy the moments of our life more deeply and find a little silence no matter what’s happening.

Learn what mindfulness is, how to practice it, and how it can help you shift your thinking and experience. We will even start with a short exercise so you get a felt sense of what it means to “get into the present moment.”  Even if you already feel overwhelmed, trust me, you CAN do this!

Direct download: Karen_Osburn_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:09pm EDT

How to FEEL More Productive | Ep 6

A super simple strategy you can use immediately to feel more productive with what you are already accomplishing in your life. 

If your to-do lists get you down, or if you look around your house and seem to be constantly reminded of everything you haven’t gotten done, this episode is for you. 

When you FEEL more productive, you ARE more productive.  But when you feel like a failure and criticize yourself, you will get LESS done. Learn how to shift your thinking from self-criticism to positive motivation with one simple strategy to reprogram your brain. 

Join the Inspiring Mama™ Village at InspiringMama.com and get simple happiness exercises that will transform your mood and calm your mind fast. 

It takes a village. Let’s create one. 

Direct download: Eposide6_01.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:22pm EDT

How to Generate Patience Anytime | Ep 5

Learn a 3-step process you can use to feel more grounded and calm the next time the stuff hits the fan. 

Patience is something you can create, in the moment. It just takes practice and awareness.  Have you ever accidentally yelled at someone when you didn't really mean it? It's so easy for emotions to bubble up, especially when we're pulled in so many directions. 

With the process that Lauren Fire teaches in this episode, anyone can generate patience when they need it most. The process is called the DIP Process, D for drop your belly, I for saying to yourself "I am not what's happening right now," and G for gratitude. 

For a summary of what Lauren Fire teaches, download notes to this episode at InspiringMama.com/episode5

 

 

 

Direct download: Generate_Patience_Anytimev3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

Use Intuition to Release Worry & Anxiety | Ep 4

You have the power to release the worry and anxiety that sometimes comes with motherhood. Guest Amanda Dennis of PeleMa.TV will teach you how to tap into your mama intuition in a deeper way and use your intuition to combat worry and anxiety.

Direct download: Amanda_Dennis_V2_01.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Stop Stress from Stealing Your Joy | Ep 3

Learn the steps you can take right now to dramatically cut your stress in half by the end of the day today.  Dr. Leonaura Rhodes, renowned neuroscience expert and mom will teach you how to take back the power over your stress so that you can feel more joy and fulfillment within your life. 

 

Direct download: How_to_Stop_Stress_from_Stealing_Joy_New_01.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am EDT

How to Raise Emotionally Healthy Kids | Ep 2

Learn how to positively influence the emotional health of your children. Guest Vikki Spencer from The Mom Whisperer will teach you the four stages of influence and layout steps you can take to raise children who are well equipped to handle life’s challenges.   

Direct download: How_to_raise_emotionally_healthy_kids_New.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

Why You Will Enjoy This Podcast | Feeling Happier is Easier Than You Thought | Ep 01

What is Inspiring Mama? How will this podcast improve your life? Host Lauren Fire tells the story of Inspiring Mama and explains why feeling happier is easier than you thought. Learn how the Inspiring Mama podcast will amplify your life and have you feeling happier fast. 

Direct download: Inspiring_Mama_Story.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

Takeaways from World's Greatest Speaker Training

Here is a quick summary of my favorite takeaways from Brendon Bruchard's World's Greatest Speaker Training. All content here is attributable to Brendon Bruchard, Roger Love, or Bo Easen. If you are interested in this training, check it out their websites. 

Category:Extra -- posted at: 3:11pm EDT

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