Taking My Sabbatical — Why Now, What’s Next, and What I’ve Learned

After 3.5 beautiful, growth-filled years of How to Glow, I’m taking a full sabbatical. In this episode, I share the heart behind the decision, how it’s unfolding, and the personal and business lessons that led me here. Even if you’re not planning a sabbatical yourself, I think you'll find there’s something in here for you — about presence, priorities, and permission to pivot. 💛Whether you’re curious how I ran things behind the scenes, wondering if a big change is right for you, or just want to say goodbye (for now), I’d love for you to listen.

🖥 First Year Married course is still available at kaylalevin.com/newlywed

💬 Book a one-off session after August at kaylalevin.com/coaching

📬 Join the email list to stay in touch KaylalevinOpt-In (Workbook)

I had the opportunity to sit down with Rebbetzin Bat-Chen Grossman to talk about something that so many of us are navigating: the intersection of marriage and personal ambition.

What happens when you're a go-getter, you're building something big—and you also want to be the best wife and mom you can be? Do those things clash... or can they actually strengthen one another?

In this honest and insightful conversation, Bat-Chen shares:

• Her personal story of going from resentful and overwhelmed to calm and aligned
• What happened when she finally told her husband what she really needed
• The expectations you might not even know you have about how marriage "has to" be--and what to do about them
• Her beautiful framework, the CALM Method, for creating flow in your marriage and life:

• C: Connect to yourself

• A: Ask for abundance

• L: Listen for the answer

• M: Master a higher level of consciousness

We also talk about how to hear your true wants vs. the ones that have been sold to you by social media, mentors, or family expectations.

💫 Resources Mentioned:

• 💻 Bat-Chen’s free guide: connectedforreal.com/guide
• 🌐 Work with Bat-Chen 1:1: connectedforreal.com
• 📱Follow her on Instagram: @connectedforreal
• 🎧 The episode with her father that we discussed: Communication & G-d

Jackie Glaser is back to explore how surrender and emotional healing unlock deeper connection in marriage—even when things don’t go as expected.

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

👉 Learn more about Jackie: jackieglaser.com

👉 Follow Jackie on Instagram: @datingbyjackieg

👉 Jackie and her husband Aharon share their dating journey on Stories of Hope YouTube Married at 44, Baby at 50: A Story of Faith & Resilience | Jackie & Aharon Glaser | Stories of Hope

👉 Book recommendation: Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender by Dr. David Hawkins

👉 Explore my resources for newlyweds and beyond: kaylalevin.com

💌 Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss Part 2, where we dive into dating mindset, emotional triggers, surrender, and what to do when your spouse changes.

In this episode, I’m joined by the amazing Jackie Glaser—psychologist, educator, and transformational coach—for a powerful conversation about dating, marriage, and emotional healing. Jackie shares her own journey from psychologist and Today Show guest in Australia to deep Torah learning in Jerusalem, and how she now helps women tune into their inner world to unlock clarity in dating and life.

We explore:

✨ When a relationship goes too deep before marriage

✨ How sure someone really needs to be before they say “yes”

✨ The difference between dating to assess and dating in a relationship

✨ How these experiences might play out beyond the chuppah

Jackie answers from the dating perspective, and I chime in from the newlywed side—it’s real, honest, and packed with gems for wherever you are in your relationship journey.

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

👉 Learn more about Jackie: jackieglaser.com

👉 Follow Jackie on Instagram: @datingbyjackieg

👉 Jackie and her husband Aharon share their dating journey on Stories of Hope Youtubeyoutube.com/watch?v=7TJpGLGPRYE&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tDYoutubeyoutube.com/watch?v=7TJpGLGPRYE&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD

👉 Explore my resources for newlyweds and beyond: kaylalevin.com

💌 Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss Part 2, where we dive into dating mindset, emotional triggers, surrender, and what to do when your spouse changes.

This week I've got a quick exercise for you to do some "eavesdropping" on that beautiful brain of yours. Enjoy!

 Other resources mentioned in the episode:

• First Year Married Course - ⁠kaylalevin.com/newlywed
• Private Coaching - https://www.kaylalevin.com/private-coaching
• The Glow Community - https://www.kaylalevin.com/coaching

When you got married, you didn’t just marry him—you married his personality, his family, his past experiences… the whole package. In this episode, we’re unpacking what it really means to accept our spouses (and in-laws!) as a package deal, and how to shift from frustration to curiosity when things feel hard.You'll learn:

• Why every middah (character trait) comes with its own pros and cons
• How to handle personality clashes—like chessed vs. gevurah types
• The importance of addressing challenges early to avoid long-term resentment
• A gentle reminder: you’re a package deal too

Whether you’re dealing with in-law dynamics or learning to navigate your husband’s quirks, this episode will help you approach it all with more compassion and clarity.

💬 Want to go deeper?

📅 Book a free consult call to explore if private coaching is the right next step for you. 💛 kaylalevin.com/coaching

💍 Just married? Want to feel confident and connected in shana rishona? Start the First Year Married course now: 👉 kaylalevin.com/newlywed

In this episode, we’re diving into the challenges you sent in that come up around Pesach—

• navigating in-law dynamics and family expectations
• coming to an agreement over budgeting for yom tov clothes
• finding time to actually connect with your husband amidst all the chaos
• managing less-than-comfortable yuntif arrangements

I’ll walk you through how to prioritize your relationship even when things feel hectic, why quality matters more than quantity, and how to start thinking long-term when it comes to family harmony.

You’ll also hear some practical tips and a gentle reminder that your version of a successful Pesach might look different—and that’s okay.

Mentioned in this episode:

📞 Looking for more support? Sign up for a free consult with Kayla: https://kaylalevin.com
🎓 First Year Married course: https://kaylalevin.com/newlywed
🎙️ Episode on improving your relationship with your mother-in-law:
https://www.kaylalevin.com/post/ep-147-a-better-relationship-with-your-mother-in-law-with-rachel-glasser

In this week's episode I'm discussing Rav Aharon Feldman's book, The River, the Kettle, and the Bird and how we can use the concept of the peace of the river to create a foundation for growth and connection in our marriages.

Resources:

The First Year Married Course: kaylalevin.com/newlywed

The Glow Community (limited time offer: get the FYM course included when you join the annual subscription!) kaylalevin.com/coaching

Reach out for private coaching at kaylalevin.com

Don't forget to send in your questions for next week's PESACH episode!!

Have an awesome week!

A good relationship with your in-laws is possible—even if it doesn’t always feel that way. In this episode, we’re tackling one of the most common struggles I hear from newlyweds: feeling criticized or undermined by their mother-in-law.

But what if the issue isn’t confidence, boundaries, or even her intentions? What if the key is simply allowing yourself to be new at this? I’ll walk you through a mindset shift that transforms interactions with your MIL from stressful to supportive—so you can embrace her advice (or let it roll off your back) with ease.

This is the final day of the Shana Rishona Challenge—let’s finish strong! 🎉

Resources:

• Join our Shalom Challenge on WhatsApp to find out when the next challenge comes out: bit.ly/4shalom
• Check out the First Year Married course, open now! kaylalevin.com/newlywed
• Looking for more? I have a few spots open for private coaching. Maybe one of them is yours. Book a free consult call with me and let's find out! kaylalevin.com/coaching

Shana Rishona Challenge Day 7: Communication Upgrade

It wasn't easy for me to pick which communication hack to use, but yesterday someone told me that after DECADES of marriage, this tool gave her a new insight into her husband. That's enough HP for me.

Here's the idea: women talk back-and-forth. We interrupt to show we get it. We finish each other's sentences.

Men don't. Men talk until the idea is finished. If they see they won't get to finish the idea, they might not bother to start it.

It's tricky, because when he IS talking, we might feel disengaged--after all, we're not used to being so passive. On the other hand, we might not know he even HAS much to say, because he's never really had the chance.

So here's your challenge today: at some point today, listen to your husband AD HA SOF. Until he's done. No interruptions, agreements, disagreements, sentence-finishers, "here's what you're probably trying to say"s.

Enjoy the gift of seeing more and more of him.

The full Communication Masterclass (basically a course in and of itself) is inside the First Year Married program. Check it out at kaylalevin.com/newlywed

Looking for more support? Book a call to learn more about private coaching availability.