WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT:   Kirsten’s story
   changing the language we use about our bodies
   how working through non-sexual trauma affected Kirsten’s sex life
   taking control of your energy for yourself
   changing the negative connotation of pleasure
   deciding what you want your sex life to look like
   the mind, body and spiritual connection of sex
  
 LINKS MENTIONED:  It’s So Amazing Another Name for Everything with Richard Rohr Morgan Day Cecil Instagram  Mating in Captivity Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel  The Forgotten Feminine  Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free
 CONNECT WITH KIRSTEN: instagram
 CONNECT WITH EMILY: website | instagram | facebook | patreon
 EPISODE SPONSORS: BeeKeepers Naturals: save 15% on your first order when you visit beekeepersnautrals.com/msw or use promo code MSW at checkout Laurel Springs: get your registry fee waived when you visit laurelsprings.com/msw  Third Love: get 15% off your first order when you visit  thirdlove.com/msw Clearly Filtered: get 20% off when you visit clearlyfiltered.com/msw and use promo code MSW
 SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon 
 SHARE THE STRUGGLE! If you've been encouraged, share this episode with a friend.  The struggle is real.  We might as well do this together! Do you love Mom Struggling Well? Please leave a review here!

#225: Embodying Joy with Kirsten Kelly

The podcast that helps you love your actual life so you don’t need to run away from home. Join your friend Emily each week to practice thought work guaranteed to yield perspective shifts which will move you from struggling to struggling WELL.

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Self-Improvement

A while ago I heard a sermon titled “Are you humble enough to be carefree?” Honestly, my answer was a resounding “no”. I’m not carefree, I’m careful because I’m prideful. Instead of taking my feelings to God and allowing Him to help me process them, I find myself choosing to numb out. 



Isaiah 26:3 (MSG) says, “People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet because they keep at it and don't quit.” We can trust God; He is a sure thing. When we take what we’re feeling to Him, He is faithful to make us whole.



When allow ourselves to experience negative emotions without numbing them, we won’t get stuck in them. Over time, feeling becomes easier and we can become fully ourselves allowing us to be present with the people around us.



#219: Try Softer with Aundi Kolber



Action Steps:

Be on the lookout for an uncomfortable feeling to surface, decide ahead of time to stay present with it and see what changes

Sponsors:

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRUGGLEWELL at https://www.oneskin.co/



This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/STRUGGLEWELL and get on your way to being your best self.



Connect with Emily: website | Instagram | Facebook


#320: The One About What's His Name

Are you a Harry Potter fan? I'll admit, most days I relate most with the house elf Dobby cleaning up after everyone, but this episode is going to focus on the dragon-loving groundskeeper, Hagrid. You see, Hagrid was so obsessed with dragons that it was apparent to everyone but him that keeping one in his wooden house was a bad idea. 



So often we keep destructive things in our lives because we love them. But the truth is that if we don't get those things out, they will destroy our lives. It's time to kick the dragons out of the house.



#261: The Alcohol Experiment with Annie Grace

#284: A Sober-Minded Sisterhood with Jenn Kautsch



Action Steps:






Take time to determine what dragons you're keeping in your wooden house. Where are you blinded by things you know are not the right choice? 
Admit to God that you've made wrong choices and ask Him to help evict your dragons. Share your decision with a trusted friend.
Sign up for my mailing list at StruggleWellSchool.com and get the free download to help you determine what you’re thinking. Then follow the prompts to determine your thoughts, feelings, and actions on both the struggle and wellness cycle.


Sponsors:

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STRUGGLEWELL at https://www.oneskin.co/



This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/STRUGGLEWELL and get on your way to being your best self.



Connect with Emily: website | Instagram | Facebook


#319: The One About the Dragon

In this episode, we going to focus on two different versions of the same thought - "I'm stronger than I think" and "I can do hard things". 



How do I know you can do hard things? 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us, "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."



That's a lot of "all"s. So the next time you're having a long day then remember you still have to cook dinner and you're sure it's going to be terrible, remember that we get to choose our thoughts. You are stronger than you think you are. And who knows, perhaps some kids who are bad a potato peeling will join you in turning your brined chicken dinner into something divine.

 

Click here for the chicken recipe that makes teens cry?! 



Action Steps:






Go to Instagram and get the"I can do hard things" lock screen.
Sign up for my mailing list at StruggleWellSchool.com and get the free download to help you determine what you’re thinking. Then follow the prompts to determine your thoughts, feelings, and actions on both the struggle and wellness cycle.
Journal about hard things you've already done as a reminder that you're stronger than you think you are.

Connect with Emily: website | Instagram | Facebook


#318: The One About Peeling Potatoes

If you're a Christian, you're probably familiar with the line of thinking, "All will be well." While some see this perspective as toxic positivity, the truth is that it's a promise from God. 



Romans 8:28 reminds us, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." 



The blunt truth is that God is smarter than you and He knows what you need more than you do. For instance, God knew that we needed "Florida Grandma" and He also knew that she needed us; He found fit to connect us through a frustrating broken fence.



Action Steps:


What is the one thing you keep thinking about over and over? Apply this thought – "Everything will soon be well."
Go to Instagram and get the"All will be well" lock screen
Journal about the ways God has turned hard things for good
Share the goodness of God to those around you


Sponsor:

Take your free in-depth hair consultation and get 15% off your first order when you visit prose.com/strugglewell



This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/strugglewell and get on your way to being your best self!



Connect with Emily: website | Instagram | Facebook


#317: The One About the Fence

In this episode, we're practicing the thought, "I highly regard my neighbor." The goal is to get us out of thinking of ourselves and to start thinking of others. 



Proverbs 3:27 reminds us, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to act." 



We all encounter situations where we could easily give our neighbor something that could bless them, but we either can’t be bothered or we keep it to ourselves out of spite. Often the "paddles" we're withholding cost us nothing - eye contact, a smile, kind words, our time. Our withholding isn't always intentional, it could be that we're just trying to get things done. But because of this, we view others as an obstacle, not a person who is loved by God. 



God's second greatest commandment is to love others as we love ourselves. The good news is that it doesn’t take any preparation to begin handing out "paddles," it begins with shifting your thought to, "I highly regard my neighbor."



Action Steps:


Consider where in the past has someone kept a "paddle" from you. How did it feel?
Put the thought, "I highly regard my neighbor" somewhere that you will see it often, like the lock screen on your phone. (Head to my Instagram to get a free lock screen graphic.)
Start by highly regarding the neighbor(s) you live with.
Sign up for my mailing list at StruggleWellSchool.com and get the free download to help you determine what you’re thinking. Then follow the prompts to determine your thoughts, feelings, and actions on both the struggle and wellness cycle.


Sponsor:

Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @lumedeodorant and get $5 off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code STRUGGLEWELL at lumepodcast.com! #lumepod



Connect with Emily: website | Instagram | Facebook


#225: Embodying Joy with Kirsten Kelly

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