Winter isn’t a season to just survive—it’s a season to savor. In today’s episode, we’re chatting about three simple, cozy ways to embrace all that winter has to offer. From fun indoor and outdoor activities to small family traditions that bring warmth and connection with some easy tips for incorporating winter produce into your meals thrown in. This episode is packed with ideas to help you start to truly enjoy this colder, slower season.

Let’s slow down, find joy in the little things, and make the most of these shorter, chillier days together. Don’t forget to come say “hi!” on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/ashtincope/. 

This week kicks off my brand-new series all about being a "fun mom".  In today's episode, I'm diving deep into a challenge many of us face: finding our own sense of enjoyment after becoming parents. I'll be sharing personal stories and insights into how we tend to lose touch with our interests while prioritizing our little ones' happiness. Drawing from my experiences, I'll explore the delicate balance between caring for our children and rediscovering ourselves. Plus, I have a secret antidote up my sleeve for reigniting joy, even in those moments when you feel like you've lost who you used to be. We'll tackle the concept of redefining fun, considering life's shifts and your own preferences. 

You'll also hear about four distinct categories of family activities, each designed to cater to different needs, from your kids' enjoyment to precious moments just for you. I'll provide practical tips that underscore the importance of embracing low-effort activities for self-care. Stay tuned for the next episode, where I'll be delving into the world of mom hobbies. Remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow moms navigating the path to fun after kids. Wishing you a season filled with both enjoyment and growth!

Mom guilt is the absolute WORST, we can all agree on that. But what about self-guilt? Like the feeling that you’re not reaching the potential or the goals you set for yourself, or you keep falling off the wagon every time you get on a healthy path and self-sabotaging? How can we get rid of these feelings of guilt and come up with a better conversation to have with ourselves? 

In this episode, I dive into exactly WHY we tend to hyper-fixate on the negative (as well as why negative memories, thoughts, and emotions are so much louder in our minds than positive ones) and how to flip the script in our brains. I'm sharing my exact process for refusing to let mom guilt or shame take over the narrative in my brain lately and how you can do the same with examples to boot! 

So whether you're struggling with sticking to goals regarding a healthier lifestyle, your marriage and relationships, your parenting methods, or your self-care routine- this episode is the virtual hug and pep talk you've been waiting for. 

New York Times article "Why People Remember Negative Events More Than Positive Ones” >> https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/24/your-money/why-people-remember-negative-events-more-than-positive-ones.html

EAT YOUR SEASONS CHILDREN'S BOOK WAITLIST >> https://ashtincope.com/waitlist/

I know exactly how it feels to get trapped in the time suck that is running a household and trying to do all the things only to get to the end of the day and feel like you didn’t accomplish a single thing but somehow your brain is fried and your body is exhausted. Then the mom guilt starts, you know there were parts of your day you could have spent more efficiently so you start beating yourself up over what you “should” have done and how you “could have spent your time” and now you’ll never be able to fall asleep because you're in the vicious cycle of self-loathing and regret. 

In this episode, we are going to be breaking down the  3 steps needed to simplify our time for good. We are tackling how to create a plan that you're sure to follow through on, how to cut distractions and avoid hiccups to your productivity, and the science of neurotransmitters, sensorimotor functions, and the topic of "leisurephobia". 

GRAB YOUR FREE WORKBOOK TO SIMPLIFY YOUR TIME:  https://www.ashtincope.com/simplifythoughts

EAT YOUR SEASONS CHILDREN'S BOOK WAITLIST: https://www.ashtincope.com/waitlist

As I’m sure you’ve experienced- our thoughts are incredibly powerful. When we’re good they can allow us to dream, to set goals, and to be thoughtful, sincere, and brilliant. When we’re not doing so great our thoughts can be destructive, tearing us down and making us feel small and hopeless, they can spiral out of control and burn bridges. The energy spent in negative thought spirals can zap us of our energy and motivation and make us irritable and angry.

In this episode we are going through the exact process to spring clean our thoughts so we can be kinder to ourselves and remove overwhelm for good; and as we head into warmer weather and nicer days, this is excellent timing so that we can truly enjoy our spring and summer with our families without all of the mental clutter. 

EAT YOUR SEASONS CHILDREN'S BOOK WAITLIST: ashtincope.com/waitlist

In this episode we are going to deep dive into exactly how I plan our meals, so you can ditch dinner time dread and put my simple process into practice. 

I am dishing my ENTIRE step-by-step process for planning our weeknight meals in the simplest way possible so we can eat seasonal, healthy meals every night without burning me out. 

Feeding a family is tricky. It feels like you need to be a mathematician in order to juggle everyone's preferences and tastes. Not to mention ensuring that everything is healthy, easy to make, and affordable.  If you are struggling with feeling overwhelmed and burnt out over "what to make for dinner", or you have a hard time following through on the meals that you plan- this episode is for you! 

INVITATION TO MY FREE TRAINING: "How I ditched overwhelm for good" --> www.ashtincope.com/sswebinar

In this episode, I am interviewing one of my dearest friends from South Devon, UK! 

Katie Mills is an incredible wife, daughter, sister, auntie (to more sweet babies than I can even count), dog mom to Ernie and Doris, friend, nurse, and home gardening enthusiast (I'd like to say pro or expert, but she's also incredibly humble so I'll say she's “very skilled”)

In this episode, Katie and I are talking about how she and her husband Tom (also an amazing human) got started with their garden even though they don't have much yard space. Their solution was to rent an allotment- or a plot of land that's divided up into sections that are rented to individuals or families for gardening purposes- according to iheartbritain.com

If you're tuning in from the states, these are more commonly known as “community gardens”, so if it's something you're interested in looking into- contact your local township or city hall and ask if they have any suggestions or offers! 

JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR "EAT YOUR SEASONS" THE CHILDREN'S BOOK! 
https://www.ashtincope.com/kidsbook

We know that gardening would be good for our mental and physical health and that it's a great hobby pretty much year-round. To be totally honest, I don't think any of us like the idea of solely depending on other people to provide us with food, either.  

If you were nodding along with me as you read those first two sentences, this is the episode for you.

In this episode, I am interviewing a dear friend of mine from New Mexico named Jordan Vuong. She and her husband Kevin are Michigan-Oregon-New Mexico transplants and along their journey, they have welcomed two super cool kids named Lakota and Winona.

 What started as a small family garden/homestead has been carefully cultivated (pun intended) into a full-blown mini farm complete with goats, donkeys, chickens, mushroom cultivation, and a shipping container tiny home-turned-Airbnb! When I say they are one of the coolest families I know, I mean it. Jordan and I are going to dive into their story and share her tips on how you can get started where you live in simple ways.

Give Jordan a follow! https://www.instagram.com/moonriseminifarm

While we may have overcome or skated past the dreaded "SAD" (Seasonal Affective Disorder, or seasonal depression) we may not be feeling great mentally or emotionally.

Is it pretty gray and gloomy, maybe rainy or snowy where you live pretty much all fall and winter long, with very few sunshine breaks in between? It can be so hard to stay upbeat and not feel bummed out and totally over the gloom, even if you're happy with your life, routines, and environment.

I like to call this: bad weather burnout. It’s that funk you get in where you’re not depressed, your mood is stable and you are functioning but that’s it- you’re just functioning. You are perfectly capable of caring for yourself and those who depend on you. You may even have no problem taking the kids out of the house for various outings and activities.

With bad weather burnout your issue is not your life, your mental health, or your routines and activities- the sole issue in this type of feeling is the weather.

In this episode I am going to dive into some great coping skills we can practice and develop that will assist us in my secret to beating bad weather burnout. I promise you’re going to get so much value from this!

JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR MY DEBUT CHILDREN'S BOOK "Eat Your Seasons": https://www.ashtincope.com/kidsbook

For years I have been asking myself: Why do Europeans seem to live so much better than us? Why does the weather not seem to faze them quite so much as it deters us in America? And I have made it my mission to find the answers. 

A huge difference between Europeans- specifically those who live in Great Britain and Ireland- and those of us in the states, is our mentalities regarding the weather. Here in the states, we are more likely to use inclement weather as an excuse for not going outside- hunkering down inside to wait it out. From what I’ve learned in my research and observed, the English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, and Irish are not so quick to cower to the weather. They get a LOT of rain, and I mean a LOT, so they would get very little fresh air if they allowed the rain to slow them down. 

In this episode, I am sharing 5 different steps to take on your pursuit of becoming an "outside mom" aka the mom who defaults to taking the kids to play outside come rain or shine, who embraces messy play and encourages her littles to use their imaginations and find the fun in nature. The five steps I'm diving into are: getting the right attitude, preparing the kids, getting the right gear, bringing the good snacks, and ease into it and build stamina. Tune in to find out more!