Emily interviews Chelsea Bea, creator of the podcast Beyond the Picket Fence. Chelsea and Emily talk about how being authentic and vulnerable can both be a blessing to others, and to yourself. Specifically, as you get to know others and who they *really* are, you are more easily able to replace negative judgements or other negative thoughts with compassion.

You can connect Chelsea on Instagram @beyondwithchelsea, on her free Facebook group, Beyond the Picket Fence Community, and by listening to her podcast.

You can connect with Emily on Instagram and Facebook @enlighteningmotherhood. Find out more about the coaching services that Emily offers at http://enlighteningmotherhood.com.

"When we give someone the space to open up..."

"We can replace negative comparison with compassion through vulnerability."

Ashley talks about the science behind positive affirmations: how they can rewire the brain and what benefits they provide. She applies positive affirmations to parenting and also shares several ways we can teach our children to utilize positive affirmations.

Emily shares 13 ways that our imperfections/weaknesses can actually be blessings to us. So often mothers tie their worth to the sum of their perfections. Maybe by focusing on how imperfections can actually bless us, and externalizing them along with our perfections, we can come to love ourselves deeper and truer for who we are, not what we do.

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Interested in delving deeper? Check out enlighteningmotherhood.com to sign up for Emily's motivational email list or for more information on getting individualized coaching and support to help you gain more calm and confidence as you face the challenges of motherhood.

Dr. John J. Ivers, author of the book "For Deep Thinkers Only:  How Culture Manipulates Your Reality" and professor of international studies at Brigham Young University-Idaho, joins us for today's episode as he discusses thoughts and teachings on how culture manipulates our view of reality and of ourselves. 

He provides many insightful perspectives, such as:

-3 realms to our human existence

-Paradigms - models of reality that we use to interpret the world

-What creates self esteem

-Examples of deep culture from history and modern times

-Why we should question culturally created shame and embarrassment

-His message to mothers who might feel that they and/or their children are struggling

Dr. Iver's book is available for purchase through https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-deep-thinkers-only-john-ivers/1130002398?ean=9781987014402

A book review is available here: "For Deep Thinkers" by John J. Ivers (booktrib.com)

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More information on Emily's coaching services: enlighteningmotherhood.com

Ashley dives into Dr. Russell Barkley's research about ADHD, including some aspects that are often not associated with ADHD that have been crucial to understand in her parenting. She shares ten helpful tools that you can use right away to support your child and gives you assurance that ADHD is due to a neurological disorder and is not the result of "bad or permissive parenting." Don't miss this episode if you are in the trenches of parenting a child with ADHD.

Emily continues to share her takeaways and opinions from the book Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. This episode includes the last several chapters, focusing particularly on sibling conflict and when brothers and sisters fight with each other.

Also, if you haven't already listened to them, I highly recommend you check out Ep12 - Collaborative Solutions[...]  and Ep14 -  Applying Tools from The Explosive Child for Siblings[...] because those tools go along extremely well with the tools presented here!

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Connect with me me via enlighteningmotherhood.com/contact or DM me on Instagram @enlighteningmotherhood - I love hearing from listeners!

Emily explains her takeaways and ideas from the book Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. This episode includes the first several chapters, including:

-How to help children handle negative emotions, particularly towards their sibling

-Ideas on how to avoid rivalry caused by comparisons

-Giving to our children according to their need (and letting go of guilt!)

-Why we should avoid assigning roles to our children

Also, if you haven't already listened to them, I highly recommend you check out Ep12 - Collaborative Solutions[...]  and Ep14 -  Applying Tools from The Explosive Child for Siblings[...] because those tools go along extremely well with the tools presented here!

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Connect with me me via enlighteningmotherhood.com/contact or DM me on Instagram @enlighteningmotherhood - I love hearing from listeners!

What a treat to have Ally Hayward, creator of Silently Surviving Souls, join Emily for an interview on this episode. Ally gets real about what life is like for her with mental illness, and is an advocate for others who are also going through (often unknown) trials. In this episode, she gives enlightenment about:

Why she is open about having depression and anxiety

What she would say to someone who feels utterly alone in their struggles

What thoughts she has utilized to bring light to her darkest times

How mental illness affects her as a mother, and words of hope for other mothers

What she would say to someone who doesn't have the same struggles

What she might say to someone who means well, but says the "wrong" thing when you're up against something hard

Thank you, Ally, for the light you bring to this world!

You can find Ally on Instagram @silentlysurvivingsouls

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You can find Emily on Instagram @enlighteningmotherhood and can find more about her coaching services at enlighteningmotherhood.com.

Ashley talks about what anxiety looks like in children, the categories anxiety symptoms fall into, tips for helping anxious kids, how accommodating anxious kids can be harmful, safety vs catastrophic language and more.

Emily describes why mindset is so important, and how consciously modifying thoughts that aren't serving us can help us to better show up the way we *really* want to.

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Interested in private, 1:1 coaching with Emily? Send me an email at [email protected], follower me on Facebook/Instagram @enlighteningmotherhood, and/or check out my website! http://enlighteningmotherhood.com